Digital Van Driver Will Be NYCHA’s First ‘Neighborhood Tech Supervisor’ 

Kim Maxwell, a senior driver with NYCHA’s Digital Van program, has been tapped to become NYCHA’s first Neighborhood Tech Supervisor. He will lead a new mobile team of IT technicians who will visit property management offices to help staff troubleshoot their computers and train them on new software. Mr. Maxwell has been a digital van… MORE

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Celebrating Community at the Chinese-American Association’s Holiday Luncheon

After three years of hiatus due to the pandemic, NYCHA’s Chinese-American Association (CAA) again held its annual winter holiday luncheon on December 9. “We’ve been trying to do this since 2019,” CAA President Linda “Qi” Zhang said.   More than 80 CAA members – all NYCHA employees and a few NYCHA retirees – enjoyed the… MORE

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Eight Questions for Lisa Bova-Hiatt, NYCHA’s Interim Chief Executive Officer

Lisa Bova-Hiatt was appointed NYCHA’s Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in September 2022. She was previously the Authority’s Executive Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, a role she held for nearly three years. With more than 25 years of experience at various City and State agencies, Ms. Bova-Hiatt brings deep knowledge of how… MORE

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Guidance Regarding COVID-19 (Updated 2/8/23)

2/8/23 update (COVID-19 Vaccination Now Optional for City Employees): Dear Colleagues, Due to the success of the City’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate, over 331,000 City workers – more than 96 percent – are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. On February 6, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced that the City will make vaccination optional for current City employees and prospective… MORE

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NYCHA’s Language Services Unit Completes Its 10,000th Translation 

The Spanish-language flier posted at the Bronx’s Butler Houses announcing a planning meeting for basketball court and playground upgrades is no ordinary flier: It is the 10,000th document translated into a foreign language for NYCHA residents in the 14 years the Language Services Unit (LSU) has been keeping track.   “It’s a huge achievement that we… MORE

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Meet Eva Trimble, NYCHA’s Chief Operating Officer

Eva Trimble was appointed NYCHA’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) in July 2022. She was previously the Authority’s first-ever Executive Vice President for Strategy and Innovation, a role in which she led efforts to develop and implement the Transformation Plan to strengthen our organization and the ways we serve residents. Read on to learn more about COO Trimble and… MORE

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Gas Restored at 17 Developments Impacting More Than 1,000 Households in Time for Thanksgiving

NYCHA additionally repaired or replaced more than 5,000 stoves in more than 150 developments and, alongside staff and volunteers, is distributing approximately 9,000 Thanksgiving meals at 210 developments NYCHA announced today that since the beginning of November, gas service has been restored at Breukelen, Coney Island I (Sites 4 & 5), Bland, East River, Gun… MORE

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With Help from NYCHA, Parkside Houses Resident Starts and Advances Public Service Career

Tytionna Peterkin was looking for a better job. Working as a caterer wasn’t what the 20-something Parkside Houses resident had in mind for herself when she attended college.  Unfortunately, financial pressures had forced her to cut short her college career at Albright College in Pennsylvania and the Borough of Manhattan Community College. But her previous… MORE

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Recognizing NYCHA’s OMAR Staff

On June 9, NYCHA’s Office of Mold Assessment and Remediation (OMAR) held a ceremony to recognize more than 50 staff who worked on NYCHA’s ventilation programs. Notably, OMAR staff completed an Authority-wide roof fan project, which involved replacing 6,188 roof fans and confirming that an additional 2,248 fans are functional and can be kept in… MORE

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NYCHA Observes ‘America Recycles Day’ Every Day of the Year

November 15 is America Recycles Day, but NYCHA recognizes the importance of recycling every day – the Authority has renewed its focus on recycling and created new programs to improve the collection of recyclables.  NYCHA’s Waste Management Department launched its Recycle First initiative in Staten Island in September 2021, working closely with development staff and… MORE

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NYCHA’s Policy Advisor Presents at International Sustainability Conference 

NYCHA Policy Advisor Debora Lopes discussed the latest developments in sustainability and wellness in built spaces at the 2022 Greenbuild International Conference in San Francisco last week.   “It was fantastic to present on NYCHA’s decarbonization roadmap, especially our Clean Heat for all Challenge,” Ms. Lopes said. “Decarbonization in affordable housing requires ambitious policies and… MORE

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Say ‘Hola’ to NYCHA’s Newest Employee Association, OHLA

NYCHA has a new Hispanic and Latin American organization. Say Hola to NYCHA’s Employee Association, OHLA, the Organization of Hispanic and Latin American. Human Resources Department Associate Staff Analyst Franklin Velez launched this new employee association to share Hispanic and Latin American cultural celebrations with NYCHA employees.   Mr. Velez got the idea of starting… MORE

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Workplace Safety

Workplace Violence Prevention Is Everyone’s Responsibility NYCHA employees and contractors should immediately report any potential or actual workplace violence by calling the Office of Safety & Security at (212) 306-8800. In case of a workplace violence incident: Retreat from, and do not engage in, a potential workplace violence situation. Act professionally and calmly when confronted… MORE

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NYC Celebrated as Finalist for C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Award

New York City was celebrated as one of 20 finalists for a 2022 C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Award at a ceremony held on October 19 at the C40 World Mayors Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina.   The award celebrates the most impactful projects or programs spearheaded by cities from around the world to tackle the… MORE

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It’s National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

Every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) partner to raise awareness about the risks of lead poisoning during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (October 23-29 this year). This year’s theme, “Get the Facts, Get Your Home Tested, and… MORE

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It’s Fire Prevention Week

The theme of this year’s Fire Prevention Week – Fire won’t wait; plan your escape – highlights the importance of creating a home fire escape plan. In observation of this national event and to promote your family’s safety, NYCHA’s Environmental Health and Safety Department would like to provide the following information. NYCHA Fire Safety Notice:          … MORE

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Mayor Adams Honors NYCHA Employee for Supporting Resident Associations

It’s not every day that one gets singled out by the mayor of New York City for doing a great job. But earlier this month, Mayor Eric Adams honored Jacqueline Howard, a 32-year veteran NYCHA employee, for her work as project coordinator in the Resident Participation & Civic Engagement department. The ceremony took place at… MORE

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Advancing NYCHA’s Transformation Plan with an Updated Leadership Structure

Dear Colleagues, Over the last several years, we have made significant changes across NYCHA. As part of NYCHA’s Transformation and Implementation Plans, earlier this year the Board amended NYCHA’s by-laws to separate the roles of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chair of the Board of Directors. This leadership model is what we have been working toward… MORE

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NYCHA Distributed Welcome Baby Bags to Expecting Families

More than 205 bags with baby essentials and toys were distributed to NYCHA families who registered their expecting status through the Authority’s Self-Service Portal. NYCHA’s Resident Engagement Department, in cooperation with Health Initiatives and the Fund for Public Housing (the Fund), partnered with Baby2Baby and Moms for Moms to purchase, assemble, and deliver door to… MORE

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Meet the EHS Lead Oversight Team (LOT)

NYCHA’s Environmental Health and Safety Department’s (EHS) Lead Oversight Team (LOT) oversees all lead-based paint (LBP) activities to identify, prevent, or correct any non-compliance with the applicable requirements. The team consists of three U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-certified Risk Assessors who are led by a certified Field Supervisor. As part of NYCHA’s Lead Compliance Assurance program,… MORE

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NYCHA Conducts Coastal Storm Preparedness Tabletop Exercise

On August 4, NYCHA’s Emergency Management and Services Department conducted a coastal storm preparedness tabletop exercise with Operations’ borough vice presidents and neighborhood administrators at the Emergency Operations Center in Long Island City. The tabletop exercise and dialogue with Operations leadership was designed to provide a better understanding of preparedness issues or gaps that impact… MORE

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NYC Selected as Finalist for C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Award, Spotlighting NYCHA’s Sustainability Agenda

Recognizing its leadership in addressing climate change, New York City was selected as one of 20 finalists for the 2022 C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Award. The awards celebrate the most ambitious and impactful projects or programs spearheaded by cities from around the world to tackle the climate crisis. The theme of this year’s awards is… MORE

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The Clean Energy Academy Will Prepare Residents for Green Careers

The Fund for Public Housing (the Fund) and NYCHA, in partnership with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), National Grid, New York Power Authority (NYPA), Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies, NorthLight Foundation, and Rise Light & Power, recently announced the launch of the Clean Energy Academy. Over two years, the $2… MORE

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NYCHA Plumber Organizes Workshops for Girls

“Jobs don’t have genders,” says Judaline Cassidy, who first picked up plumbing tools 25 years ago and has been working in the industry ever since. Five years ago, she founded Tools and Tiaras, a non-profit committed to advancing the participation of females in traditionally male-dominated industries such as electrical, carpentry, plumbing, and auto mechanic trades.… MORE

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$70M Initial Investment Will Decarbonize NYCHA Buildings with New Electric Heat Pumps

Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams joined the NYCHA, New York Power Authority (NYPA), and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to announce the Clean Heat for All Challenge (#CleanHeat4All or #CH4A) — making an initial $70 million investment in the development and production of 30,000 new heat pump units for use in New York City public housing facilities.

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NYCHA’s “M/WBE In Action” Virtual Procurement Fair

NYCHA’s “M/WBE In Action” virtual event was hosted by the Authority’s Supply Management and Procurement Department on July 13, 2022, with over 100 City-certified Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) firms from various industries in attendance. “M/WBE In Action” commemorated the one-year anniversary of the launch of NYCHA’s formal M/WBE program and was the first… MORE

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Making a Difference 

Meet Ernesto Rodriguez, Administrative Training Coordinator at Learning & Development’s Maintenance Training Center Whenever Ernesto Rodriguez goes to a NYCHA development, he recognizes most of the property management and maintenance staff – because he trained them. Mr. Rodriguez is the Administrator of HR’s Maintenance Training Center, which equips assistant superintendents, superintendents, and field staff with… MORE

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NYCHA Employee Elected Treasurer of the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association

Raquel Miranda, Agency Attorney in NYCHA’s Law Department, was recently elected Treasurer of the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association (BWBA). The BWBA was established more than a century ago by nine women lawyers to achieve equality, diversity, fairness, and opportunities for women. It is affiliated with the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York… MORE

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NYCHA Begins Design and Construction of State-of-the-Art Pneumatic Waste Collection System at Polo Grounds Towers

On Thursday, June 30, NYCHA officially gave a Notice to Proceed (NTP) to a construction team comprised of Navillus Contracting, Dewberry Engineers Inc., Marvel Architects, Landscape Architects, Urban Designers, PLLC, and Atreo (Pneumatic Waste Collection Systems), for work on a $31 million large-scale installation of a pneumatic waste collection system that will serve the NYCHA… MORE

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Nominate Yourself or a Colleague for a Safety Award

​In celebration of National Safety Month, which is every June, NYCHA is re-launching the Safety Awards Program. This year’s theme is “Safety Starts with Me,” which reaffirms the Authority’s commitment to preventing workplace injuries and to promoting workplace safety awareness. NYCHA’s Environmental Health and Safety Department (EHS) is accepting nominations for the NYCHA Safety Awards… MORE

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Meet Antonia Zambrano, Assistant Director of LHD Central Office Operations

Twenty-three years ago, Antonia Zambrano submitted her resume at a job fair and shortly after became a NYCHA employee. Starting out as a Bilingual Housing Assistant for the Leased Housing Department, she is now the Assistant Director of the Leased Housing Department’s Central Office Operations. All of the positions Ms. Zambrano has held at the… MORE

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Spotlight on NYCHA’s Chinese-American Association

The Chinese-American Association (CAA) is one of many employee associations at NYCHA. The association was created almost three decades ago to promote Chinese language and culture and to strengthen bonds among co-workers. Currently, the CAA has more than 200 members, including several retired employees who remain active in the association.  In May, the CAA observed… MORE

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Governor Signs Legislation Establishing the Public Housing Preservation Trust

On June 16, Governor Kathy Hochul signed new legislation S.9409-A /A.7805-D establishing the New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust and paving the way for the overdue repair, rehabilitation, and modernization of 25,000 apartments under control of the New York City Housing Authority. Governor Hochul signed the bills alongside New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Assembly Member Steven… MORE

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Meet Cherry McCutchen, Director of Learning and Development

June is National Pride Month, which commemorates the 1969 Stonewall uprising and recognizes the impact and contributions of individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+). In honor of Pride Month, we’re highlighting the work of NYCHA’s LGBTQ+ employees.    “I’m ‘Cherry.’ I don’t ascribe to labels or pronouns. If someone asks how… MORE

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NYCHA Celebrates New Community Garden at Manhattanville Houses

NYCHA has a long-standing commitment to fostering resident access to green spaces at its developments. A 2017 survey of NYCHA gardens, conducted by the NYC Parks Department’s GreenThumb program, counted 595 gardens at 146 NYCHA developments. One recent community garden was created at Manhattanville Houses in West Harlem by former NYCHA residents in partnership with… MORE

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Indoor Air Quality at NYCHA

NYCHA’s Environmental Health and Safety Department’s Indoor Air Quality Oversight Team (IAQOT) identifies and addresses hazards that impact air quality, such as mold, leaks, asbestos, toxic gases, and other airborne contaminants. The IAQOT includes one administrator and five specialists, who perform a range of health hazards investigations and oversight of mold remediations to ensure that… MORE

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$434 Million in Comprehensive Renovations Completed at 9 Developments

Resident Association Leaders, PACT Partners Deliver Comprehensive Apartment Upgrades, Renovated Community Spaces, and Infrastructure Enhancements That Will Improve Public Safety and Quality of Life for More Than 6,000 Brooklynites On May 20, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Regional Administrator Alicka Ampry-Samuel, NYCHA Chair and CEO Greg… MORE

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Meet the OEM Field Coordinators Team

NYCHA’s Office of Emergency Management’s (OEM) Field Coordinators program improves the coordination of response efforts to emergency incidents across the Authority. Before becoming a permanent program, the initiative was launched in 2019 as a six-month pilot program, with 12 on-call field coordinators managing day-to-day communications between different responding departments (and, in some cases, other City agencies).… MORE

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Celebrating Graduates of NYCHA’s Construction Training

Sixteen NYCHA residents recently graduated from the NYCHA Resident Training Academy’s (NRTA) construction training. The training was conducted by the Business & Industry Workforce Training Center at CUNY’s New York City College of Technology. The NRTA is a collaboration among NYCHA, the Robin Hood Foundation, and a variety of premier training providers in New York… MORE

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NYCHA’s Mattress Recycling Featured in Circular City Week

On May 3, NYCHA’s mattress recycling program, NYC’s first and only mattress recycling program, was discussed during Circular City Week, an open collaborative festival dedicated to topics about circular economy (that is, an economy where goods are reused and recycled as much as possible). Circular City Week is the biggest circular economy festival in the… MORE

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Preschoolers at Smith Houses Compost Food Scraps

The Hamilton-Madison House preschool, located at NYCHA’s Smith Houses in Manhattan, installed a compost bin so preschoolers can compost food scraps from their lunches and snacks. The bin was established with funding from City Council Member Christopher Marte and is maintained by Earth Matter, a non-profit dedicated to advancing composting in the metropolitan area. The… MORE

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Discussing Data Sharing with NYCHA’s Chief Information Officer

NYCHA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Patti Bayross recently participated in City & State’s Creating a Culture of Data Sharing panel, which brought together data and information leaders in public service to discuss how to foster a data-sharing culture in government.   Ms. Bayross spoke about how information technology and data sharing at… MORE

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Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Unit Available for NYCHA Residents

NYCHA residents from Harlem, the Upper East Side, and Queens can now check their prostate health at the Mount Sinai Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Unit. The mobile van – which is the result of collaboration between NYCHA, the “One Hundred Black Men” non-profit, and Mount Sinai’s Department of Urology – was launched… MORE

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NYCHA’s Waste Calculator to Efficiently Manage Waste and Increase Recycling

Waste management is one of the most complex challenges that NYCHA faces. Since the release of NYCHA’s 2.0 Waste Management Plan in 2019 and NYCHA’s new Sustainability Agenda in 2021, NYCHA is making comprehensive changes to its waste management practices and infrastructure. One outcome of these changes has been the NYCHA Waste Calculator. NYCHA generates… MORE

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$72 Million of Heating System Improvements Coming to Marble Hill and Berry Houses

On April 19, NYCHA and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) announced the start of construction on energy-efficient heating upgrades at Marble Hill Houses in the Bronx and Berry Houses on Staten Island. The $72 million projects will provide greater heat and hot water service for more than 4,000 residents across 2,100 public housing apartments… MORE

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NYCHA Chair Russ Discusses Housing Preservation at Crain’s Power Breakfast

On April 6, NYCHA’s Chair and Chief Executive Officer Gregory Russ was interviewed by Crain’s New York Business Editor-in-Chief Cory Schouten as part of this year’s first “Crain’s Power Breakfast.” Approximately 150 business and nonprofit executives and government leaders attended the event, including Jessica Katz, the City’s Chief Housing Officer. Chair Russ discussed how a… MORE

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13 NYCHA-owned Houses to Be Rehabilitated and Sold to Low- and Moderate-income New Yorkers

Sixteen eligible families will have an opportunity to purchase their first home through “Habitat Net Zero,” a project bringing long-term affordable homeownership opportunities to Southeast Queens. Through the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s (HPD) Open Door program, 13 vacant, dilapidated, previously NYCHA-owned houses will be rehabilitated into 16 new Passive House standards homes… MORE

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Meet Kimberly Taylor, Director of Public Housing Tenancy Operations

Kimberly Taylor, who grew up at Manhattan’s Johnson Houses, is now the Authority’s Director of Public Housing Tenancy Operations. But when her NYCHA career journey began nearly four decades ago, she was an Emergency Services Aide in the Emergency Services Department (ESD). Back then, in 1984, work tickets were written out by hand and then… MORE

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Free Internet Installed at 3 NYCHA Developments

On March 26, three Manhattan NYCHA developments – Riis, Wald, and Baruch Houses – celebrated the launch of free internet service for residents provided by Flume Internet. The initiative is part of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides eligible households with a discount on broadband service and connected devices. ACP seeks to ensure that… MORE

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Women’s History Month: A Spotlight on Women at NYCHA

This year’s National Women’s History theme, “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope,” is both a tribute to the ceaseless and vital work of caregivers and front-line workers (especially during a pandemic) as well as a recognition of the countless ways that women have provided healing and hope throughout history. We’d like to honor the contributions to… MORE

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NYCHA’s Chief Information Officer Talks About Our Tech

NYCHA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Patti Bayross recently participated in City & State’s 2022 Digital New York Summit, which brought together technology and information leaders for thought-provoking conversations about their work. Ms. Bayross was part of a panel titled “Using Technology to Impact our Communities,” which provided her the opportunity to present… MORE

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Inspiring a Compliance Culture

Read the Compliance Department’s Quarterly Newsletter Restart of PHAS REAC Inspections Background Nearly two years after being put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) restarted Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) inspections at NYCHA developments in January 2022. With the restart… MORE

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Green City Force Graduates its 22nd Cohort of NYCHA Residents

In March, Green City Force (GCF) celebrated the graduation of its 22nd Cohort via Zoom, 22 members who began their service to NYCHA communities during the pandemic. GCF is an AmeriCorps program that provides NYCHA residents ages 18 to 24 with full-time service projects, training, and education on sustainability and green technologies, as well as… MORE

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