Isaacs Center Virtual Black History Month Celebration

On February 19, the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center marked Black History Month with a virtual celebration that featured music, poetry, speeches, and dance performances by staff, center participants, and special guests. Music included the singing of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” renditions of Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” and Marvin Gaye’s… MORE

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Meet Sergio Paneque, NYCHA’s New Chief Procurement Officer

Sergio Paneque was tailor-made for his job. With three professional degrees under his belt (in building construction management, accounting, and law), he knows exactly what it takes to step into the role of NYCHA’s Chief Procurement Officer.  In the past, he led procurement for some of the largest government organizations in the country. His most recent government job before NYCHA was serving as the Chief Procurement Officer for… MORE

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NYCHA’s Housing Choice Voucher Program Receives HUD’s Higher Performance Award for 2020

For the sixth time in six years, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has recognized NYCHA as a “high performer” for its administration of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program.   According to Lakesha Miller, NYCHA’s Executive Vice President for Leased Housing, “administering a high-performing program is critical to making sure that we have adequately served the needs of low–income residents in New York.”   “The Leased Housing Department (LHD) administers the nation’s largest… MORE

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NYCHA 2.0 PACT Program Brings $261M in Renovations to 3 Developments

NYCHA and the New York City Housing Development Corporation announced the completion of two major rehabilitation efforts: first, Baychester and Murphy Houses by Camber Property Group, L+M Development Partners, and MBD Community Housing Corporation; second, Betances Houses by RDC, a joint venture between MDG Design + Construction and Wavecrest Management. Both located in the Bronx,… MORE

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NYCHA Residents Get Good Jobs After NRTA Graduation

NYCHA resident Shakeema Scott was working as a federal officer for 10 years when she decided to take a “leap of faith” and enroll in training for the construction trades.  Fellow NYCHA resident Chris Bishop had been unemployed and searching for jobs for nearly a year when he looked to construction training for a solution.   The two former construction… MORE

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Chair Russ’s Record of Success in Rehabilitating Residents’ Homes

NYCHA Chair Greg Russ knows that improving and preserving NYCHA’s aging buildings through PACT and Blueprint for Change aren’t risks for residents but instead bring great benefits. That’s because his efforts as head of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority – his previous position – are bringing beautiful, modern apartments to residents there.  A recent article in the Star Tribune describes how the federal… MORE

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Meet David Rohde, NYCHA’s Senior VP for Legal Affairs & Managing Attorney

If you ask an attorney for their opinion, don’t be surprised if they have a “law-centric” response. “The law touches on every aspect of what we do at NYCHA. From purchasing to public hearings, and from capital initiatives to providing testimony on everything from safety to RAD/PACT, the Law Department is involved in everything NYCHA… MORE

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A Blueprint for Change in the News

On July 28, NYCHA Chair and CEO Greg Russ introduced A Blueprint for Change, a set of ideas that outlines potential pathways for the Authority’s reorganization and investing of capital to stabilize and improve its properties, with additional impacts that could drive jobs and recovery strategies. Several media outlets, elected officials, housing professionals, and advocates have reported on… MORE

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Public Art Project on View at Fulton and Chelsea-Elliott Houses

A new outdoor public art exhibition, “Intertwining Colors,” is now on view across 370 feet of construction scaffolding at Fulton Houses and Chelsea-Elliott Houses. The art features hand-painted murals with portraits of 60 residents from both NYCHA developments. “Intertwining Colors” is part of an ongoing artist fellowship program, “Bridging the Divide,” through ArtBridge, a non-profit… MORE

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Virtual Summit Spotlights Community Safety Projects at NYCHA

“Love where you live.” That was one of the messages from NYCHA residents who produced videos detailing how they are helping to shape safety interventions in their communities.   Led by the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, a virtual summit held in late January brought together NYCHA resident leaders, local government officials, and policy makers to discuss how these safety interventions can influence policy.  … MORE

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Outdoor Space Serves as Community Resources Hub for Stapleton Residents

Residents of Staten Island’s Stapleton Houses may soon notice some brightly colored signs promoting health and wellness, family support, youth programming, and career opportunities while walking the grounds.   The yellow and black directories are not calling attention to self-help services but rather to a dedicated outdoor space where residents can get access to a variety of information on beneficial community resources. Dubbed “Stapleton… MORE

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Making a Difference

Meet Andre Gonzalez, Employee Safety Oversight Advisor We’re periodically featuring the hardworking staff members who are making a difference for our organization. In this installment, meet Andre Gonzalez, Employee Safety Oversight Advisor in the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Department. A NYCHA employee since 2012, he is also a former resident of the Longfellow Avenue… MORE

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Patti Bayross, NYCHA’s New Chief Information Officer

Patti Bayross, NYCHA’s newest Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO), is somewhat of an anomaly. For starters, she is a woman in an industry largely populated by men*. She prefers public service to private industry, and she doesn’t believe in technology for technology’s sake alone. “While new technologies arise all the time, their… MORE

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Daily News Op-Ed: “NYCHA’s Last Hope”

The Daily News Editorial Board published an op-ed on February 1 in support of NYCHA’s A Blueprint for Change ideas titled “NYCHA’s last hope: A public housing trust is the best chance to save New York’s beleaguered authority.” A Blueprint for Change is a set of proposals to transform and invest in the Authority’s properties, residents, and organization. The Editorial Board writes: “…it’s refreshing to see an… MORE

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