Covering the Rent Guidelines Board Hearings

Docbloc’s Artist-Led Citizen Journalist initiative brings together theatre artists and journalists to share in civic reporting, emerging in response to the erosion of local journalism and the growing need for community-rooted storytelling. We view both performance and journalism as parallel forms of public inquiry that make process and power visible. The ACJ proof of concept tests a hybrid model of reporting and performance, positioning theatre artists as civic witnesses and collaborators in local journalism.



Docbloc's 2026 Artist-Led Citizen Journalist cohort focused on reporting the New York City Rent Guidelines Board hearings, documenting the policies and lived experiences shaping housing across the city. The project began with a two-hour training led by John Tarleton, editor of The Indypendent, before participants reported from the hearings.

LINKS TO PUBLISHED ARTICLES

“Tenants Celebrate Historic Two-Year Rent Freeze” (June 26, 2026)

"Freeze the Rent! Melt the ICE!" (June 17, 2026)

"The Bronx is Still Burning for a Rent Freeze" (June 9, 2026)

“Queens Tenants Rally Against Rent Hikes as RGB Public Hearing Gets Underway” (June 5, 2026)