Conference Panel Highlights PACT Resident Engagement Process 

On October 16, the American Planning Association’s New York Metro Chapter held its annual conference featuring a panel which highlighted NYCHA resident participation in the planning process for the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program.  

The conference, “Planning in an Era of Change,” was hosted by the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at the NYU Kimmel Center for University Life in Manhattan. Closing out the all-day conference was the panel, “Residents Shaping the Future of Their Homes: NYCHA’s Evolving PACT Engagement Process.”  

The PACT-focused discussion was led by Justin Lamorella, NYCHA’s Deputy Director of Community Planning in the Real Estate Development Department, and Moore Houses Resident Association President Rosa Pinero, a longtime resident of the Bronx development, which is scheduled to receive comprehensive improvements under PACT next year. Other panelists included Majed Abdulsamad, a Resident Advisor and Associate with the WXY architecture and design firm, and Danny Cabrera, Development Project Manager at MDG Design and Construction, a PACT partner.  

Throughout the discussion, the panelists spotlighted the role of NYCHA residents as decision-makers in the planning and procurement process as developments are converted to the PACT program. The speakers provided an overview of the various tools and resources residents use to plan for their community improvements, while also addressing the ways in which residents are empowered to learn, participate, and make decisions in the PACT program.  

Ensuring that residents are at the center of decision-making, panelists noted, can help drive meaningful and sustainable change under PACT. Ms. Pinero is among the NYCHA residents who have taken an active role in guiding their development through its transformation under PACT, and she has worked to ensure that her fellow residents’ voices are heard throughout the engagement process.       

“It was an honor to showcase the engagement work we do in partnership with NYCHA residents, their resident advisors, and PACT partners,” Mr. Lamorella said. “Thoughtful planning and feedback from many departments within NYCHA, resident leaders, advocates, and community stakeholders have helped NYCHA evolve our process over the years and reshape the PACT engagement process. By responding to the unique needs in each community, we can ensure that residents have the tools and resources they need to meaningfully participate in the reimagining of their homes.” 

Featured photo caption: Participants on the PACT-focused panel included (from left) NYCHA Deputy Director of Community Planning Justin Lamorella; Moore Houses Resident Association President Rosa Pinero; Danny Cabrera, Development Project Manager at MDG Design and Construction; and Majed Abdulsamad, Associate with the WXY architecture and design firm.