As NYC begins to re-open after a prolonged period of quarantine, it’s a fitting moment to look back at these remarkable tenant portraits taken by HPD photographer Larry Racioppo in the late 1980s and 1990s. Archived at the Department of Records, the photos depict residents of distressed apartment buildings where HPD was stepping in to help; whether by conducting inspections, undertaking repairs, overhauling building management, or filling empty units. Through chance encounters, Racioppo was able to capture glimpses of home life that would have otherwise gone unseen. Now during the COVID-19 crisis, the photos feel especially resonant.