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NYCHA Now
tax preparation
February 2016 

Virtual VITA Tax Prep Can Save You Time and Money

Jacqueline Broner

tax preparationFree tax preparation and e-file services are available at select NYCHA Community Centers now until April 13, 2016. Food Bank for New York City has partnered with NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES) to offer FREE tax prep services to NYCHA public housing residents and NYCHA Section 8 voucher holders through the Virtual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. This service is also available to anyone earning $53,000 per year or less.

What is Virtual Tax Preparation? At select NYCHA and Jobs-Plus locations, an intake coordinator scans your tax documents, returns them immediately, and your tax return is completed remotely by a Food Bank tax preparer. Virtual VITA is extremely fast and saves you time.

See the list of VITA locations below for all five boroughs.

BRONX

Northeast Bronx – Edenwald Community Center
Sponsor: Mosholu Montefiore Community Center
Where: 1150 East 229th St. (between Laconia Ave. & Schieffelin Ave.), Bronx, NY 10466
When: Tuesdays and Fridays (6pm – 9:30pm), Saturdays (11am – 2pm)
Directions: 5 train to Baychester Avenue
Phone: (718) 652-0246

South Bronx – St. Mary’s Park Community Center
Sponsor: BronxWorks
Where: 595 Trinity Avenue (between Pontiac Pl & E.149th St.), Bronx, NY 10455
When: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (10am – 1:30pm), Wednesdays (6pm – 9:30pm), Saturdays (10am – 1pm)
Directions: 2 or 5 train to Jackson Ave.
Phone: (718) 655-7610

South Bronx – BronxWorks
Note: This is a Jobs-Plus site that only serves NYCHA residents of Betances, East 152nd St.- Cortlandt, and Moore Houses.
Where: 391 East 149th St., Suite 520 (near 3rd Ave.), Bronx, NY 10455
When: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (9am – 7pm), Fridays (9am – 5pm), Saturdays (9am – 2pm)
Directions: 2 or 5 train to 3rd Ave.-149th St.
Phone: (718) 993-8880

Soundview – Goodwill Industries of Greater NY
Note: This is a Jobs-Plus site that only serves NYCHA residents of Clason Point, Monroe, and Sack Wern Houses.
Where: 1620 Bruckner Blvd. (at Morrison Ave.), Bronx, NY 10473
When: Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays (9am – 4pm), Wednesdays and Thursdays (8am – 6pm), Saturdays (10am – 4pm)
Directions: 6 train to Morrison-Sound View Ave.
Phone: (347) 291-8050

BROOKLYN

Bedford-Stuyvesant – Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation
Note: This is a Jobs-Plus site that only serves NYCHA residents of Armstrong I & II, Marcy, and Lafayette Houses.
Where: 630 Flushing Ave (Enter on Tompkins Ave), Brooklyn, NY 11206
When: Mondays and Tuesdays (10am – 7pm), Thursdays and Fridays (10am – 4:30pm), Last Saturday of the month (11am – 3pm)
Directions: G train to Flushing Ave.
Phone: (917) 267-5590

Brownsville – DB Grant & Associates
Note: This Jobs-Plus site only serves NYCHA residents of Van Dyke I & Brownsville Houses.
Where: 330 Powell St. (between Blake Ave. & Dumont Ave.), Brooklyn, NY 11212
When: Mondays and Wednesdays (10am – 12 noon)
Directions: 3 train to Junius St. or L train to Sutter Ave. or Livonia Ave.
Phone: (347) 599-9653

Bushwick – Bushwick/Hylan Community Center
Sponsor: DYCD/Grand Street Settlement, Inc.
Where: 50 Humboldt St. (between Varet St. & Debevoise St.), Brooklyn, NY 11206
When: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (11am – 1pm), Wednesdays and Fridays (6pm – 8pm)
Directions: J, Z or M train to Flushing Ave.
Phone: (718) 453-8116

Coney Island – O’Dwyer Community Center
Sponsor: HeartShare St. Vincent’s Services HSVS
Where: 2945 West 33rd St. (between Mermaid Ave. & Surf Ave.), Brooklyn, NY 11224
When: Tuesdays and Thursdays (6pm – 9:30pm), Saturdays (1pm – 5pm)
Directions: D, F, N or Q train to Coney Island-Stillwell Ave.
Phone: (718) 946-0519

East New York – Penn-Wortman Community Center
Sponsor: CAMBA
Where: 895 Pennsylvania Ave. (between, Wortman Ave. & Stanley Ave.), Brooklyn, NY 11207
When: Mondays and Wednesdays (6:30pm – 9:30pm), Saturdays (2pm – 5pm)
Directions: 3 train to Pennsylvania Ave. and B20 bus to Wortman Ave. & Pennsylvania Ave.
Phone: (718) 649-1371

MANHATTAN

East Harlem – Jefferson Houses
Organization: Hostos Community College
Note: This is a Jobs-Plus site that only serves NYCHA residents of Jefferson Houses.
Where: 335 East 111th St (between First & Second Ave.), New York, NY 10029
When: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (8am – 6pm), Fridays (9am – 2:30pm)
Directions: 6 train to 110th St.
Phone: (917) 492-0274

Lower East Side – Boys and Girls Republic
Sponsor: Henry Street Settlement
Note: This is a Jobs-Plus site that only serves NYCHA residents of Wald and Riis II Houses.
Where: 24 Avenue D (at 3rd St.), New York, NY 10009
When: Call to make an appointment.
Directions: 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R to 14th St. and M14D bus to E. 3rd St. & Ave. D.
Phone: (212) 254-4333

QUEENS

Far Rockaway – CAMBA/Arverne View Recovery Program
Where: 57-11 Shore Front Parkway (at Beach 56th Pl) Arverne, NY 11692
When: Tuesdays and Thursdays (10am – 2pm), Wednesdays (3pm – 7pm)
Directions: A train to Beach 60th St.
Phone: (718) 675-3347 Ext. 48006

STATEN ISLAND

St. George – ResCare Workforce Services
Note: This is a Jobs-Plus site that only serves NYCHA residents of Mariner’s Harbor, Richmond Terrace, South Beach, Stapleton, Todt Hill, and West Brighton I Houses.
Where: 30 Bay St. 4th Floor (off Central Ave.)
When: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays (9am – 4pm), Thursdays (11am – 7pm), Saturdays (by appointment only)
Directions: Staten Island Ferry or any Staten Island bus to St. George Terminal
Phone: (917) 338-5204

Visit http://www1.nyc.gov/site/dca/consumers/file-your-taxes.page for additional free tax prep locations citywide.