NYCHA Now

Author: Michael Corwin

June 2017News to Use

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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June 2017News to Use

Free Financial Planning Seminars

The NYC Office of Labor Relations offers a variety of free financial planning seminars that are presented by certified financial planners. Seminars are available on the following topics: College Planning Deferred Compensation Plan Basics Distribution Planning Estate Planning Health Benefits for Active NYC Employees Insurance Planning Retirement Planning Social Security & Medicare Tax Planning For… MORE

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December 2016NYCHA Notes

Haitian-American Assoc. Responds to Hurricane Matthew

On November 14, the Haitian- American Association at NYCHA hosted a Hurricane Matthew fundraising luncheon, which was well attended by staff from various departments. Acting President of the Association Sybille Louis introduced its mission and the members of the Association’s board. Yvette Andino, Director of Employee Engagement and Special Assistant to the Chair, shared with… MORE

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December 2016

NextGen Values: Commitment, Collaboration and Service

Senior leaders from NYCHA and labor unions representing its workforce honored some of the Authority’s most outstanding employees at the 2016 Employee Recognition Awards Ceremony held at District Council 37 in Manhattan on November 18. “Today we’re honoring employees who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to advancing themselves, our organization, and the community,” General Manager… MORE

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December 2016Employee Voices

CEP Reorganization Provides Better Direct Service to Residents

The Community Engagement and Partnerships Division (CEP), formerly known as Community Programs and Development, engages and connects NYCHA residents to critical services provided by the City and to programs and resources in their communities. Serving as a bridge for resident and community transformation, CEP is grounded in NextGen NYCHA strategies and will continue to ensure… MORE

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December 2016Employee Voices

Customer Service Week Takes Senior Staff to the Frontlines

On October 27, during Customer Service Week, 18 senior administrators took employee appreciation to another level. Early that morning, they arrived to shadow employees at 12 developments to see the details of their everyday responsibilities and even help them to complete daily tasks. The visits allowed employees who interact with residents to relay resident issues… MORE

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December 2016NYCHA Notes

Congratulations

Jackie Primeau, formerly Deputy Communications Officer in the Department of Communications, was promoted to Chief of Staff in December 2016. Ms. Primeau assists in the supervision of NYCHA’s operations and provides assistance to the Chair in the planning and execution of all the Authority’s strategic priorities, including NextGeneration NYCHA. In addition to working closely with… MORE

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November 2016NYCHA Notes

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration

Congratulations to the Hispanic Society of NYCHA for hosting its Hispanic Heritage Month celebration on October 13. Proud Hispanic employees and others attended the lively event, along with District Council Local 957 President Walthene Primus; Board Member Victor Gonalez; executive staff; and Society members, families, and friends. The evening included remarks from guest speakers Yvette… MORE

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November 2016

NYCHA Is Committed to Providing Excellent Language Assistance Services

Since July of this year, Department of Communications’ (DOC) Senior Manager for Events Communications Services Millie Molina and Associate General Counsel Rosanne Pisem have delivered training to Operations property managers and senior staff on NYCHA’s language assistance services policy. NYCHA is committed to providing meaningful access to information and services for individuals with limited English… MORE

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NYCHA NotesOctober 2016

Congratulations on the following recent promotions:

Nicole Ferreira, formerly Vice President for Real Estate Development, was promoted to Executive Vice President for Real Estate. As a leader of the senior team, Ms. Ferreira oversees the Real Estate Development Department, leading the team to execute NextGeneration NYCHA strategic initiatives for both the preservation and new construction of affordable housing. She also oversees… MORE

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October 2016

IDNYC Visits NYCHA

Many central office employees took advantage of IDNYC pop-up events held at 250 Broadway during the week of October 3. More than 450 applications for the City’s government-issued identification card were processed by NYC Human Resources Administration staff. IDNYC provides free one-year membership at 33 of the City’s leading cultural institutions and much more. To… MORE

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October 2016

Webinar Shares Information About Section 8 Process Improvements

The Office of Intergovernmental Relations hosted the eighth installment of its NextGeneration NYCHA Webinar Series on September 28 with a lunchtime presentation by Vice President for Leased Housing Lakesha Miller and Leased Housing Department (LHD) Director Robert Tesoriero on NYCHA’s Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8). Ms. Miller provided background information on NYCHA’s federally funded… MORE

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October 2016

Kim Maxwell: “I Am NextGen”

NYCHA brings outstanding employees, residents and other stakeholders to the attention of the public through its popular “I Am NextGen” campaign. Please meet Consultant Kim Maxwell, who drives one of NYCHA’s Digital Vans, bringing internet access and technical assistance that connect residents to opportunities. What kind of equipment is in the mobile Digital Vans? In… MORE

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October 2016

Improve Your Performance

To help you get ready for Customer Service Week (Oct. 24-28), here are a few tips to enhance the service you provide. 1) R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Treat everyone with respect! Courtesy, a sincere smile, and your undivided attention go a long way toward a positive customer service outcome. 2) Acknowledge customers’ concerns: Some customers are not happy… MORE

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October 2016

DOI Report on Fire Safety

The Department of Investigation (DOI) released the findings of their investigation into NYCHA’s compliance with our safety inspection protocols. The report states that property management staff failed to properly conduct six key apartment safety checks including testing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The investigation also found that NYCHA staff often falsely reported that they had… MORE

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NYCHA NotesSeptember 2015

NYCHA Notable

Fernando Montejo, former advisor to the EVP for Administration, joined NYCHA directly following his volunteer service here through Civic Corps. Before long, he reached the level of Advisor to the General Manager. After dealing with the complex problems facing a major municipal agency, Fernando realized that he wanted to continue his education with a graduate… MORE

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NYCHA NotesSeptember 2016

Congratulations on the following recent appointments:

Deborah Goddard, former Managing Director for Policy and Program Development at MassHousing, was appointed Executive Vice President for Capital Projects in August 2016. She is responsible for leading and directing the activities of NYCHA’s Capital Projects Division, which manages and administers NYCHA’s multi-billion dollar, multi-year capital program committed to preserving and modernizing NYCHA’s public housing… MORE

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September 2016

A Stand-Up Guy

The City’s seven-week Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), which provided job experience and earnings for almost 900 New York City youth at developments and offices, ended in August. But the encouragement that Grant Houses Supervisor of Grounds Muhammad Watley and his staff gave their young helpers could affect their lives forever. That’s Mr. Watley’s conviction… MORE

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September 2016

Property Management Staff Attend “Sustainability Boot Camp”

This summer, almost 200 property managers, property management supervisors and assistant supervisors from more than 100 developments attended a two-day energyefficiency training course organized by the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), Building Owners and Managers Association of New York (BOMA), and Urban Green Council. Known as “Sustainability Boot… MORE

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News to UseSeptember 2016

Free Financial Planning

The NYC Office of Labor Relations offers a variety of financial planning seminars which are presented by Certified Financial Planners. Seminars are available for the below topics. For more information on these seminars or to attend a seminar, you must register at http://www1.nyc.gov/site/olr/financialplanning/financial-planning-seminars.page. Topics include: Basics of Diversified Investing College Planning Deferred Compensation Plan Basics… MORE

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August 2016NYCHA Notes

Say Hello to “J” Stakenburg, Director of the Office of Emergency Management

Jeffrey Stakenburg, formerly Emergency Manager at the Federal Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was appointed Director of the Office of Emergency Management in July 2016. Mr. Stakenburg is responsible for coordinating NYCHA’s preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts to minimize disruptions to the Authority’s operations and services in the event of a… MORE

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August 2016NYCHA Notes

Resident Watch to Merge With City’s Emergency Response Team

NYCHA has teamed up with the Office of Emergency Management to merge the existing Resident Watch Program with the City’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), creating a more responsive community-based watch effort that will be an asset not just to NYCHA developments but also to surrounding communities. CERT trains volunteers for different types of disasters,… MORE

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August 2016NYCHA Notes

Watch “Ras” at Urban Decision-Makers Conference

On July 19, Rasmia (“Ras”) Kirmani- Frye, President of the Fund for Public Housing and the Director of NYCHA’s Office of Public/Private Partnerships, participated in a conference sponsored by the New York Times called “Cities for Tomorrow: The Pre-eminent Conference for Urban Decision-Makers.” People value public systems such as police, libraries, parks, and schools but… MORE

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August 2016

Same Reasons, Different Name

The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) has announced the 2016 NYC Gives charitable campaign (previously known as the Combined Municipal Campaign). NYC Gives offers City employees an opportunity to contribute, through convenient payroll deductions, to a vetted group of charitable organizations that provide urgently needed services to local, state, national, and international communities. Since… MORE

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August 2016

NYCHA Recognized for Excellence in Construction Management

The Construction Management Association of America’s (CMAA) New York and New Jersey chapter recognized the Authority for excellence in managing two major renovation projects at NYCHA developments—both of which were completed ahead of schedule—benefiting more than 6,800 residents. The Kingsborough Houses renovation project in Brooklyn, which started in September of 2013 and was expected to… MORE

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August 2016Employee Voices

Public Interest Design: Why Should Designers Work Inside Government?

Studying architecture for three years and practicing for four did not make me particularly interested in mold prevention or roof flashing for 80-year-old brick buildings. However, these aspects of building science are now priorities in my work as an Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow within the largest owneroperator of public housing in the nation, the New… MORE

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August 2016

National Night Out

National Night Out, which brings together residents and the police to make communities safer, was celebrated across the country on August 2. Chair Shola Olatoye and Ingersoll Houses Resident Association President Anthony Sosa (in red) stand with members of the NYPD’s Police Service Area 3, who received a mayoral proclamation recognizing their partnership with the… MORE

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August 2016

Get Your IDNYC Card

Chair Shola Olatoye signed up for a free IDNYC card at the August 2 opening of the Sedgwick Community Center pop-up IDNYC enrollment center in the Bronx – the first IDNYC pop-up at a NYCHA development. NYCHA residents and community members enrolled in the program to receive the free, government-issued ID, which allows card holders… MORE

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July 2016NYCHA Notes

LGBTQ Association Marches with Pride

Members of NYCHA’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) Employee Organization joined thousands of New Yorkers at the City’s Pride March on June 26. “Our members were excited by the opportunity to participate in this year’s Pride March under our organization’s banner—NYCHA’s Association of LGBTQ Employees,” said Association president D’Andra Van Heusen (third from… MORE

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July 2016NYCHA Notes

Congratulations to Rosanne Pisem

School’s out for Associate Counsel Rosanne Pisem, who completed the Department of Citywide Administrative Services’ (DCAS) Leadership Institute on June 28. The NYC Leadership Institute prepares outstanding mid-level executives to lead organizational change initiatives by introducing them to state-of-theart change models focusing on process and performance improvement. The four-month curriculum focuses on planning and implementing… MORE

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July 2016

The NYCHA Players Present …

The popular NYCHA Players performed an original playlet dramatizing a safety scenario selected by the audience earlier in the morning. The story concerned an employee who was assaulted by a homeless person in the hallway of a development. The play was followed by an audience talk-back, where employees and players discussed the proper response. The… MORE

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July 2016

Handhelds Used for Real-Time Safety Checks

Handheld devices issued to maintenance workers starting this summer will improve the efficiency of real-time safety checks included in NYCHA’s fire safety campaign. Whenever apartment repairs or inspections are performed, there are five quick safety-related items that staff should check for, fix or install, and document: Alarms – working smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors Ledge –… MORE

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July 2016

REES Honored With Partner Award

The HOPE Program helps empower New Yorkers economically through job training, placement, and education programs, making it an excellent partner for NYCHA. At its annual ceremony on June 1 honoring program graduates and alumni achievements, HOPE also recognized its partnership with NYCHA by honoring REES with its “Referral Partner of the Year” award. REES (Department… MORE

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July 2016

“I Am NextGen” Honoree Connects Residents and Employees

NYCHA continues to bring outstanding employees, residents and other stakeholders to the attention of the public with its popular “I Am NextGen” campaign. Our latest honoree is D’Andra Van Heusen, founding president of NYCHA’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) employee association. Ms. Van Heusen joined NYCHA in 1997 as a Community Associate and… MORE

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