New Construction to Benefit 1,500 NYCHA Residents

On October 27, NYCHA started construction on a $123 million Recovery to Resiliency project at Redfern Houses in Far Rockaway, Queens. NYCHA will replace all nine of the development’s roofs, install cameras, renovate playgrounds and lighting, and build a new community center that will house a childcare center and full back-up emergency power generators. The project, which… MORE

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Apply Now for the 2018 Hayes Prize

The annual Frederick O’Reilly Hayes Prize recognizes individual City employees or teams of employees who develop or enhance innovative programs, processes, or technologies that significantly improve service delivery to the public. In partnership with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), this year the prize will award up to $7,500 to an individual or up… MORE

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Groundbreaking Legislation Provides Paid Safe Leave to Victims of Violence

On November 6, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed legislation that expands paid leave to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and trafficking survivors. This new law will allow the nearly 3 million New Yorkers eligible for paid leave to attend to immediate safety needs without fear of penalty or loss of income. “No New Yorker should… MORE

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Customer Service Week Shines a Light on NYCHA’s Core Values

In light of Customer Service Week, the Employee Engagement Committee’s (EEC) October meeting focused on the service we offer to residents and other stakeholders. EEC members discussed instances where good customer service reinforced our core values as well as some cases where poor customer service detracted from them. We examined how we can continue improving… MORE

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NYCHA Tech Pilots Winners Announced

Seven technology startup companies are the winners of the first-ever NYCHA Tech Pilots, a real estate technology competition to find new and creative solutions to strengthen and modernize public housing. The winners are: BlocPower, Carbon Lighthouse, Enertiv, hOM, Numina, Pansofik, and Radiator Labs. NYCHA Tech Pilots was launched by the Fund for Public Housing, a nonprofit dedicated to investing in NYCHA residents… MORE

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Building Bonds of Trust

James Scanlon, Vice President, Capital Projects/Planning and Design: On October 19, several staff members from the Capital Planning Group in Capital Projects accompanied me on a site visit to Rutgers Houses to spend time with frontline staff and to acknowledge Customer Service Week. We were greeted professionally and enthusiastically by the management office staff, including… MORE

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Good Service Comes in 34 Languages

NYCHA’s Language Bank Volunteers provide language assistance to the Authority’s limited English proficient residents, applicants, and Section 8 voucher holders, ensuring they have access to information and resources in their original languages. On October 20, 2017, these employee-volunteers were recognized for their service. NYCHA’s Language Bank began in 1990 with 44 employee-volunteers who spoke eight… MORE

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Round the Clock Caretakers Improve Service and Customer Satisfaction

As part of NYCHA’s efforts to improve customer service, the Authority is piloting a live-in caretaker program at three senior developments in the Bronx: Boston Road Plaza, Middletown Plaza, and Twin Parks East. The live-in caretaker performs janitorial and maintenance work in the developments during regular business hours. As a resident of the development, he… MORE

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How Dreams Are Made

NYCHA’s Food Business Pathways (FBP) program might just be responsible for the next Sylvia Woods, “The Queen of Soul Food” and founder of the famed Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem. FBP is a collaboration between NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability (REES), NYC Department of Small Business Services, Citi Community Development, Hot Bread Kitchen, Start… MORE

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Cyber Security Awareness Month: Tip of the Week

How much do your “smart” devices know about you? These days our cars, fitness trackers, refrigerators, thermostats, and coffee makers can be connected to the internet and controlled through mobile apps. While “smart” technologies make our lives easier, they present new security risks. Limited privacy controls on internet-connected devices and apps may leave sensitive personal… MORE

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The NYCHA Journal Is Going Digital!

Dear Colleagues, Exciting news! The NYCHA Journal has gone digital. Available anytime, anywhere; on your tablet or phone, the new Journal allows you to share stories with friends and on social media, like this new story on the continuing success of our RAD program. The digital Journal is another change inspired by our NextGeneration NYCHA vision of safe, clean, and connected communities. We’re… MORE

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Mayor’s Graduate Scholarship Program

Submit your application now for the Mayor’s Graduate Scholarship Program for the 2018-2019 school year. Last year, more than 80 City employees received full and partial scholarships for graduate study in a variety of fields, including computer science, education, business, and public administration. For application materials and additional information, including participating schools and eligible degree… MORE

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Cyber Security Awareness Month: Tip of the Week

In today’s digital world, IT professionals aren’t the only ones responsible for protecting a company from cyber criminals. Everyone in an organization shares a responsibility to be vigilant about online threats. To help keep NYCHA safe and secure: Beware of phishing emails. Do not open emails, links, or attachments from strangers. Phishing attacks use email… MORE

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Seeking Success through Collaboration and Accountability

On September 13, Employee Engagement Committee (EEC) members met to discuss how we personify NYCHA’s core values in our daily work lives. One group’s conversation centered on what it means to be “a collaborative workforce, accountable to ourselves and to our residents.” It was fitting that during this discussion we were joined by the leadership… MORE

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Fund for Public Housing: Crowdsourcing for Sustainability Projects

The Fund for Public Housing, a nonprofit established last year to supplement the New York City Housing Authority’s finances and services, launched an online platform this week in conjunction with ioby, a crowdfunding website, to enable NYCHA residents and community-based organizations to source funds for local sustainability initiatives like rooftop gardens and water conservation. The online portal, called Ideas… MORE

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National Preparedness Month: Financial Preparedness

Having access to financial, insurance, medical, and other records is crucial for recovering quickly and efficiently from a disaster or other emergency. Take these steps to safeguard your records and get some peace of mind, even in an emergency: Collect and secure critical personal and household information and records now, before an emergency. Consider saving… MORE

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Celebrating the 2017 NYCHA-CUNY Scholars

On September 20, NYCHA and the City University of New York (CUNY) celebrated 23 residents for their academic excellence, leadership, and contributions to their communities at the 12th annual NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship Program awards ceremony, held at Borough of Manhattan Community College. The NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship is awarded to residents in full-time CUNY programs with… MORE

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Learn about the CUNY/DCAS Public Administration Program

For nearly a decade, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and CUNY’s Murphy Institute have partnered with participating unions to provide City employees with the CUNY/DCAS Public Administration program, for both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Whether you are interested in advancing your career, debating new ideas, or preparing to become a leader in… MORE

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Fun in the Sun

This summer, Chair & CEO Shola Olatoye, General Manager Michael Kelly, and other NYCHA staff have been enjoying Family Day celebrations at developments across the city, along with residents, elected officials, local police officers, and other members of the community. Hosted by resident associations, Family Days offer good food, games, and fun, as well as… MORE

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CEP Celebrates a Year of Achievements

This summer, the Community Engagement & Partnerships (CEP) department celebrated its one-year anniversary. Under the leadership of Executive Vice President Sideya Sherman, CEP embodies the NextGen NYCHA mission to engage residents in new and better ways through connections to best-in-class services. CEP was formed following a reorganization of NYCHA’s former Community Programs & Development department.… MORE

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The Future Is in Good Hands with Today’s Youth

On June 8, NYCHA Youth Leadership Councils – groups composed of 14-21-year-old residents dedicated to addressing community concerns and building leadership skills – came together for celebration and education. The Youth Leadership Council (YLC) Summit featured dance performances, spoken word poems, and singing duets, but the focus was on presentations by the Youth Leadership Councils… MORE

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NextGen Computing at NYCHA

Say hello to new, top-of-the-line computers! All NYCHA desktop computers, approximately 3,000 at developments and 3,500 central office computers, will be replaced with new, 23-inch-screen Dell OptiPlex 5040 computers as part of the NextGen Office program. “We are trying to improve how we do things by digitizing and automating more,” said NYCHA Vice President for… MORE

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Talking Respect, Efficiency, and Sustainability at the EEC

How important are respect, efficiency, and sustainability to you in your everyday life? It’s safe to assume that your answer lies somewhere between “very important” and “absolutely vital.” Now consider that the people we serve and serve with would say the same. That’s why these values comprise NYCHA’s first two core values (see below), and… MORE

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Creating Safe, Clean, and Connected Communities with Tracy Lovelace

Tracy Lovelace is the coordinator of the Resident Watch program in Brooklyn. For more than 40 years, thousands of residents have volunteered their time as Resident Watch members, patrolling their developments and fostering safety, security, and community pride in collaboration with property management staff. What is your role in making NYCHA communities safer? We recruit… MORE

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Congratulations on the Following Appointments and Promotions

Kathie Soroka, formerly Senior Counsel to the General Counsel at HUD, was appointed Vice President for Real Estate Development in April 2017. Responsible for implementation of NYCHA’s real estate development strategy as outlined in NextGeneration NYCHA, Ms. Soroka oversees the management of development opportunities on vacant and underutilized NYCHA-owned land and the preservation of NYCHA’s… MORE

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Advance Your Career at CUNY’s Murphy Institute

Applications for the fall 2017 semester of the City University of New York/Department of Citywide Administrative Services (CUNY/DCAS) Public Administration program are now being accepted. Offered in partnership with participating unions, the innovative degree and credit-bearing certificate programs on both the undergraduate and graduate levels prepare City employees to deliver effective services to residents of… MORE

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