Since 2014, Heat Seek has become the go-to resource for New York City tenants seeking to gather evidence of insufficient heat in their homes. Heat Seek has developed partnerships with more than twenty community-based organizations, legal service providers, and elected officials throughout New York City, whose tenants rely on Heat Seek sensors to gather indoor temperature data each winter and the Heat Seek app to calculate how often their apartments are in violation of NYC’s heat laws. It is the only organization operating in New York City that provides this critical service. During the 2022-2023 heat season, the organization served more than 200 families, helping tenants use their Heat Seek temperature data to advocate for repairs, support rent strikes, and defend against evictions.
Unfortunately, funding has not kept pace with demand. Because inadequate heat disproportionately impacts low-income New Yorkers, Heat Seek employs a philanthropic funding model. While Heat Seek has been successful in obtaining past funding from challenge grants, pilot programs, and non-recurring sources, the organization has struggled to identify sustainable sources of long-term funding to operate the sensor program.
Exploring Future Paths
In the lead up to our 10 year anniversary, Heat Seek undertook an ambitious project to evaluate potential paths forward for the organization. From July 2023 to February 2024, myself and the board of directors diligently explored the potential for Heat Seek to be acquired by a larger nonprofit. This was considered essential for achieving our goals, as a more extensive infrastructure would provide the necessary support for back-office operations and fundraising activities. Unfortunately, after extensive research and discussions, it became clear that the current landscape of available government and philanthropic funding would not sustain our growth. Consequently, the difficult decision was made to dissolve the organization, ceasing operations in Spring 2024.
What This Means Practically
No New Sensors: Heat Seek will no longer provide new sensors or assist with troubleshooting existing ones.
App and Data Access: The Heat Seek app will remain live until September 30, 2024, and all historical temperature data will be available for download. After that date, Heat Seek can no longer guarantee access to historical data. Current users will be notified directly in the coming weeks.
Sensor Functionality: Sensors will cease to transmit data, and we are advising all tenants with sensors to properly dispose of them according to the City’s electronics disposal guidelines.
Preserving Our Legacy
We are incredibly proud of the legacy we are leaving behind – a legacy that will continue to serve New Yorkers beyond Heat Seek’s existence. Through New York City’s Heat Sensors Program, which Heat Seek worked to establish through legislation in 2019, the city’s worst landlords must now install temperature sensors in their buildings, allow the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to monitor the data, and submit to bi-weekly inspections by HPD until they can prove the heat problems in their buildings have been resolved. Through our legislative advocacy, we've pushed HPD a little further into the 21st century, ensuring a more responsive and accountable housing agency going forward.
Additionally, since making the decision to dissolve, our board is embarking on an ambitious archiving and curriculum development project. This initiative will ensure that the valuable tools and insights developed over the past nine years are accessible to other organizations. Our goal is to empower tenants, tenant organizers, and legal service providers in New York City and beyond to continue advocating for their housing rights with respect to heat. If you are interested in utilizing Heat Seek’s resources in the future and would like to be notified when they become available, please reach out to us directly.
Reflecting on Our Impact
Sunsetting Heat Seek marks a significant loss for the NYC housing justice ecosystem. Our technology played a crucial role in the lives of hundreds of tenants, supporting their ability to carry out rent strikes, challenge rent increases, demand repairs, fight evictions, and request rent reductions for lack of services. Tenants used their data to build community power and address imbalances in landlord-tenant disputes. This highlights the vital role technology can play in achieving housing justice.
The Broader Challenge and a Call to Action
The struggle for sustainable funding is not unique to Heat Seek; it is a pervasive issue across the housing justice ecosystem in NYC, and within the public interest tech space more broadly. Groups doing advocacy work in this space must be adequately funded to compete with a predatory real estate industry. Technology and data analysis have the potential to significantly bolster that work, and should be funded as part of broader support for the movement. Philanthropy can play a pivotal role in leveling the playing field. While it is too late for Heat Seek, we strongly support the creation of a Housing Justice Tech Fund to support organizations providing technology and data expertise to grassroots movements. It is incumbent upon all of us as we continue our advocacy work to champion the critical role technology plays and challenge funders to harness the benefits of technology and data for good, supporting those who are on the forefront of this movement.
Gratitude and Final Thoughts
While our journey is coming to a close, we are filled with immense gratitude for everyone who has supported us. Your ideas, collaboration, and dedication have been invaluable. We celebrate each of you who have used and championed our sensor program over the years. Serving the tenants of New York City alongside you has been our greatest joy, and we are so appreciative of your partnership.
In solidarity and with sincere thanks,
Noelle Francois
Executive Director, Heat Seek