July Work Anniversaries
Each month, NYCHANow recognizes the staff who’ve achieved more than five years of service, in multiples of five. Congratulations to the employees who reached these milestones in July!
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Author: Michael Corwin
New Electric Tilt Truck Pilot Program at NYCHA
NYCHA is piloting a faster way to handle garbage pickup with the use of six new, 100 percent electric-powered tilt trucks. The trucks will also improve development cleanliness at six sites and reduce the Authority’s vehicle-related carbon emissions. These electric-powered vehicles can carry up to 1,000 pounds of trash each trip and will enable property… MORE
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Free Books for NYCHA Families
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss This summer, NYCHA’s youngest residents are going on amazing new adventures found in the pages of books. During the month of June, NYCHA handed out 62,700 free books to children and… MORE
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Employees Honored by City Hall for Rat Reduction Efforts
NYCHA staff members were recognized recently by Deputy Mayor for Operations Laura Anglin for their hard work helping to reduce the rat population at developments where they were most problematic. On July 29, NYCHA staff, along with employees from the city’s Departments of Education, Mental Health and Hygiene, Sanitation, and Parks & Recreation, were singled… MORE
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Providing Excellent Service to Residents
We’re periodically featuring the hardworking men and women who provide excellent service to residents, including through the NYCHA Cares and weekend maintenance work order blitz initiatives. Learn more about how we’re improving residents’ homes and becoming a better landlord through their perspective. In this installment, meet Robert Rodriguez, a Maintenance Worker since 2010: We go… MORE
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Daily News Op-ed from the General Manager
The Daily News published an op-ed from General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo about how the Authority’s staff are working hard to make progress for residents. Read it here: https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-the-nycha-monitors-diagnosis-isnt-news-to-us-20190723-evcmizqh7fegrmnnpomlhfyacq-story.html
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Rapid Response
NYCHA activated its Situation Room at 90 Church Street from Thursday, July 18 through Sunday, July 21 to centralize its efforts to handle issues arising from the heat wave that struck the city during that time. It included representatives from departments such as the Office of Emergency Management; Emergency Services; Operations; Capital Projects; Maintenance, Repairs,… MORE
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Alternative Work Schedule Rollout Continues
Alternative Work Schedule (AWS), which started rolling out this spring, is a new way of scheduling certain front-line staff: caretakers, their supervisors, assistant resident building superintendents, and resident building superintendents work at our buildings from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, through five staggered schedules. Phase 2 of AWS launched earlier this… MORE
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Message from General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo
Dear Colleagues, I am pleased to announce several new appointments and members of our executive team in Operations. Carolyn Jasper has been appointed Acting Executive Vice President of Operations, effective July 8. In this role, Carolyn will oversee the activities of the Operations Division, composed of approximately 8,700 staff in three divisions: Property Management, Support… MORE
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Nominate a Caretaker for the John DeCarlo Memorial Award
We are pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the New York City Housing Authority’s annual John DeCarlo Memorial Award. This award was established in 1999 and is presented each year to a Caretaker whose outstanding job performance reflects the exceptional standards maintained by Caretaker John DeCarlo. Mr. DeCarlo had served NYCHA residents for… MORE
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Remembering Craig Williams: Dedicated Public Servant, Father, and Friend
I met Craig back in the early 90s in the beginning of our NYCHA careers in Brooklyn. Craig and I worked side by side as Burner Mechanics learning the importance of our newfound responsibilities. I immediately noticed how seriously Craig took his job; he was always professional, approachable, and helpful to all. During this time, Craig… MORE
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June Work Anniversaries
Each month, NYCHANow recognizes the staff who’ve achieved more than five years of service, in multiples of five. Congratulations to the employees who reached these milestones in June!
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What Creates Health at NYCHA?
Healthy and safe housing is linked to healthier, longer lives. To empower and support resident leaders, NYCHA and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Center for Health Equity recently hosted the “What Creates Health @ NYCHA?” summit, which connected participants to resources and activities for creating healthier communities and indoor environments. Nearly 120… MORE
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Celebrating NYCHA’s Dads
Looking good, dads! Fun was had by all at NYCHA’s Father’s Day Celebration at Johnson Houses on June 14. The program included a fashion show and performances of ‘oldie-but-goodies’ tunes. Attendees were also treated to lunch, gift baskets, health resources to encourage men to be more proactive about their health, and grooming services from barbers… MORE
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Extended Hours on Wednesdays at Property Management Offices
NYCHA is providing extended office hours on Wednesdays at Property Management Offices to assist residents with all tenancy-related inquiries. Extended Hour Wednesdays are 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. until August 28, 2019. Residents can visit the property management office anytime until 7:30 p.m. to get help with: • Rent payment issues • Annual recertifications • Interim recertifications… MORE
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New Members Appointed to NYCHA Board
Three new members have been named to the NYCHA Board of Directors, where they will work to ensure residents are represented in decision making to preserve and protect public housing. Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Joseph Adams Sr., a current NYCHA resident; Paula Gavin; and Matt Gewolb to the Board. “NYCHA residents are the backbone… MORE
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Message from the Interim Chair & CEO
Dear Colleagues, I was extremely honored and humbled when Mayor de Blasio asked me to serve as NYCHA’s interim Chair and CEO. I knew it would be a challenging assignment – and yet one of the most fulfilling in my career in public service. In the last several months, I’ve had the pleasure to meet… MORE
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NYCHA Staff Train to Become Mold Busters
Over the course of five days, Charles Starks, Assistant Superintendent at Queensbridge Houses North, and Julio Figueroa, Assistant Superintendent at Queensbridge Houses South, joined a group of their colleagues at a special training to learn the ins and outs of inspecting mold, identifying its underlying causes, and using new tools to efficiently identify and remediate… MORE
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Celebrating the Upgraded Ocean Bay Apartments
It was a momentous day for NYCHA and the future of New York City’s public housing as partners cut the ribbon to celebrate $560 million in completed upgrades to Ocean Bay Apartments in Far Rockaway, Queens. This was NYCHA’s first, and the country’s largest, single-site conversion under HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD), switching 1,395 apartments… MORE
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Reducing the Rat Population
As part of NYCHA’s efforts to reduce the rat population, 57 developments are receiving extra help tailored to each development’s specific needs – that includes dry-ice abatement treatments, more exterminators, new trash bins, and new interior and exterior compactors. In addition, NYCHA is replacing 50 dirt basements with concrete and installing 8,000 door sweeps on… MORE
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Providing Excellent Service to Residents
We’re periodically featuring the hardworking men and women who provide excellent service to residents, including through the NYCHA Cares and weekend maintenance work order blitz initiatives. Learn more about how we’re improving residents’ homes and becoming a better landlord through their perspective. In this installment, meet James Nelson, a NYCHA Plasterer since 2012: “We go… MORE
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Alternative Work Schedule Rollout Continues
Alternative Work Schedule (AWS), which started rolling out this spring, is a new way of scheduling certain front-line staff: caretakers, their supervisors, assistant resident building superintendents, and resident building superintendents work at our buildings from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, through five staggered schedules. Phase 2 of AWS launched earlier this… MORE
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New Members Appointed to NYCHA Board
Three new members have been named to the NYCHA Board of Directors, where they will work to ensure residents are represented in decision making to preserve and protect public housing. Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Joseph Adams Sr., a current NYCHA resident; Paula Gavin; and Matt Gewolb to the Board. “NYCHA residents are the backbone… MORE
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Message from the Interim Chair & CEO
Dear Colleagues, I was extremely honored and humbled when Mayor de Blasio asked me to serve as NYCHA’s interim Chair and CEO. I knew it would be a challenging assignment – and yet one of the most fulfilling in my career in public service. In the last several months, I’ve had the pleasure to meet… MORE
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New Cyber Awareness Video Training
NYCHA’s cyber awareness training program now includes monthly video training and fake phishing attacks from the NYC Cyber Command (NYC3). Monthly video training Beginning June 17, 2019, the NYC Cyber Command will email you a secure link every month, giving you access to your secure library of training videos. To complete your assignment and earn… MORE
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Residents: Apply for a NYCHA-CUNY Scholarship
Applications are currently open for the NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship Program, which awards $1,000 scholarships to NYCHA residents enrolled as undergraduates at the City University of New York (CUNY) to support their studies. The deadline to apply is June 23, 2019. The program includes the following scholarships: NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship – for NYCHA residents who are… MORE
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Apply Now for a NYCHA Job Fair
NYCHA is hiring for multiple, newly established professional positions in its Healthy Homes Unit – an opportunity for those already permanent in a civil service title or for provisional appointment to the following civil service titles and program areas. All the positions feature a competitive salary and full benefits package, and do not require NYC… MORE
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Better Accommodating Residents and Staff
At the Employee Engagement Committee’s (EEC) April meeting, the first topic we covered was the Alternative Work Schedule (AWS). Our fearless leader, Director of Employee Engagement Yvette Andino, went over a few facets of AWS. AWS enables us to bring services to residents during expanded hours and days at the developments. Residents who are working… MORE
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Celebrating Jewish Heritage
Batei Tsibur, NYCHA’s organization of Jewish employees, held its annual Jewish Heritage Celebration on May 22 at the 90 Church Street Ceremonial Room. Guest speaker Joel Leyden, Director of the organization “Jews Against Hate” (at the podium in the photo above), presented on the topic of “Anti-Semitism: Security Realities.” It was a compelling and timely… MORE
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Speed Networking for Young NYCHA Residents
Career experts agree that in addition to experience and education, a major factor in achieving your goals is the power of your professional network. Networking can help an individual improve skills, gain industry resources, and make connections to employers. It’s never too early to learn how to network: NYCHA recently hosted a speed networking event… MORE
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NYCHA’s Office of Impartial Hearings Is Moving
NYCHA’s Office of Impartial Hearings (OIH) is moving to 803 Atlantic Avenue on June 14, 2019. The office will be open at this location on June 24, 2019. Scheduled hearings will begin at this location on July 8, 2019. The OIH is moving as part of the Authority’s cost-savings initiative to consolidate central office locations.… MORE
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Building Their Careers
Twenty-seven NYCHA residents took their first steps toward careers in construction: They successfully graduated from the NYCHA Resident Training Academy (NRTA) Construction track. The NRTA, managed by NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES), provides residents with training opportunities and job placement assistance for careers in the construction, janitorial services, and maintenance fields. REES partners… MORE
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Beneficial Connections
On May 2, NYCHA’s M/WBE & S3BC Procurement Fair at the Johnson Community Center at Manhattan’s Johnson Houses drew over 260 M/WBE and S3BC vendors looking to learn about the numerous contracting opportunities available at NYCHA and other organizations – one of the biggest turnouts ever for the annual event. M/WBEs are “minority- and women-owned… MORE
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New B-ball Court at Ravenswood
The community voted, and Ravenswood Houses won. The development now has a new basketball court thanks to Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, Participatory Budgeting, and the youth of the development. The basketball court was funded through Council Member Van Bramer’s participatory budgeting process, in which a district’s members vote on community improvement projects to be… MORE
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NYCHA Employee Graduates from the NYC Leadership Institute
For nearly four months this past year, Ajene Eustace, Director of the Capital Projects Division’s (CPD) Construction Safety & Quality Department, spent one day a week discussing and learning with his colleagues across City government about how to lead organizational change at their agencies as part of the NYC Leadership Institute. Mr. Eustace joins other… MORE
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NYCHA’s Situation Room: Handling Any Emergency
This past winter season, NYCHA’s Situation Room was activated on 10 separate occasions for extreme cold and snowstorms. NYCHANow spoke with Rudy Murillo, NYCHA’s Director of the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), to learn more about how the Situation Room operates in its mission to help safeguard the Authority’s residents, staff, and property during emergency… MORE
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May Work Anniversaries
Each month, NYCHANow recognizes the staff who’ve achieved more than five years of service, in multiples of five. Congratulations to the employees who reached these milestones in May!
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Career Column: Rigoberto Charriez
Through this NYCHANow feature, employees write about their careers at the Authority. If you’d like to share your story, please send an email to nychanow@nycha.nyc.gov. On February 22, 2011, I started my career as a fulltime employee of NYCHA as a Caretaker J at Williamsburg Houses, after coming through NYCHA’s Resident Training Academy. During my first… MORE
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Providing Excellent Service to Residents
We’re periodically featuring the hardworking men and women who provide excellent service to residents, including through the NYCHA Cares and weekend maintenance work order blitz initiatives. Learn more about how we’re improving residents’ homes and becoming a better landlord through their perspective. Our first profile is of Taiesha Andino, a Caretaker P who’s been with… MORE
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Get Free Help to Quit Smoking
The Employee Smoking Cessation Assistance Program (ESCAPE) offers free, confidential quit-smoking support for all eligible City government employees and members of their household. “World No Tobacco Day” is May 31 – take this opportunity to request your free nicotine patches to quit smoking or vaping, and end your addiction to nicotine. To get started, click… MORE
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Free Books for NYCHA Residents Ages 0-18
During the month of June, NYCHA will give away over 62,000 free books to residents ages 0 to 18. The books are courtesy of Book Rich Environments (BRE), a program that connects public housing communities with resources to help children create a lifelong joy of reading. BRE is organized by the National Book Foundation in… MORE
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Alternative Work Schedule Rollout Continues
Alternative Work Schedule (AWS) launched April 1 at 13 consolidated developments: Farragut, Ingersoll, Marcy, Stuyvesant, Tompkins, and Whitman Houses in Brooklyn and Clinton, Dyckman, Harlem River, Polo Grounds Towers, Rangel, Riis, and Saint Nicholas Houses in Manhattan. It’s a new way of scheduling certain front-line staff: caretakers, their supervisors, assistant resident building superintendents, and resident… MORE
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April Work Anniversaries
Each month, NYCHANow recognizes the staff who’ve achieved more than five years of service, in multiples of five. Congratulations to the employees who reached these milestones in April! 5 Years of Service 10 Years of Service 15 Years of Service 20 Years of Service 25 Years of Service 30 Years of Service 35 Years of Service 40… MORE
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Green City Force 2019 Graduation
Over the course of four to ten months, 47 young NYCHA residents from 31 developments served their fellow residents; by managing the Authority’s six Farms at NYCHA sites, distributing free organic produce, or going door-to-door to collect recyclables, they worked together to help make NYCHA communities greener and healthier. On April 12, those residents, Corps… MORE
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NYCHA Youth Learn Baseball with the Pros
On what was a beautiful day for baseball, 135 young NYCHA residents from 16 developments learned techniques from experts at the first-ever “Heart of the City Baseball” training program and tournament held on April 13 at Sternberg Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The children, ages 8 to 14, participated in free training clinics on hitting, pitching,… MORE
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NYCHA Celebrates Kick Butts Day
On March 20, NYCHA recognized “Kick Butts Day” with multiple events at developments across the city. Led by Youth Leadership Council (YLC) members, Senior Champions, and partner organizations, the activities highlighted the dangers of smoking as well as NYCHA’s smoke-free policy. Kick Butts Day is an opportunity for young people to speak out about the dangers… MORE
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The Authority’s New Plan to Tackle Waste
Every year, NYCHA developments produce nearly 200,000 tons of waste. Managing such a large amount of waste and the pests it attracts is a daily challenge. This month, the Authority released its NYCHA 2.0 Waste Management Plan to tackle this challenge and improve resident quality of life by making NYCHA developments visibly clean and free of pests… MORE
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All About the CCC
The Customer Contact Center (CCC) assists residents in a variety of ways. Learn more in this video…
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Communications in Action: Utica College Students Visit NYCHA
In May 2000, I graduated from Utica College with a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations and journalism. Nineteen years later, students from my alma mater visited me at NYCHA to learn more about careers in the communications industry. This past March, NYCHA was one of the first stops for the school’s “Communications in… MORE
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Elevating Social Workers
March was National Social Work Month and, in recognition, the Family Partnerships Department hosted a ceremony for all of NYCHA’s social workers and social service coordinators on March 28 in the 90 Church Street Ceremonial Room. This year’s national theme – Elevate Social Work – provided an opportunity to highlight the vital role social workers… MORE
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Fostering a Discrimination-Free Workplace
NYCHA’s Employee Engagement Committee (ECC) monthly meetings provide us with the knowledge needed to help create a more productive and collaborative work environment. So it wasn’t a surprise that an area of concentration that is sometimes overlooked was highlighted for EEC members by Celeste Segure, NYCHA’s Director of Equal Opportunity, at the EEC’s February meeting. Ms.… MORE
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NYCHA’s Newest Changemakers
Meet the second group of NYCHA Changemakers – employees who use our core values to create meaningful, sustainable change in every aspect of their work.
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NYCHA Begins Lead-Based Paint Testing at 135,000 Apartments
On April 15, Mayor Bill de Blasio joined Interim Chair and CEO Kathryn Garcia and General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo at the Williamsburg Community Center in Brooklyn to kick off NYCHA’s new lead-based paint testing program. For the first time ever, 135,000 apartments will be tested with portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers. Surpassing local and federal… MORE
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Celebrating Fair Housing Month
Congress passed the Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968, making it illegal to deny housing to people based on their race, skin color, religion, or country of origin. It essentially prohibited discrimination in the housing market and provided marginalized groups with equal opportunity to rent or purchase homes. Upon signing the Act into law… MORE
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Over 27,000 Repairs Completed via “NYCHA Cares” to Date
Through NYCHA Cares, an innovative approach to skilled trades repairs, the Authority has completed more than 27,000 work orders across the city to date, benefitting nearly 11,000 residents. Mayor Bill de Blasio committed $20 million to target more than 50,000 open work orders requiring skilled trades workers, which include plumbers, electricians, plasterers, carpenters, and painters… MORE
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Strengthening Our Buildings
Watch Joy Sinderbrand, NYCHA’s Vice President of Recovery and Resilience, discuss Sandy recovery efforts in this video produced by the American Museum of Natural History:
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March Work Anniversaries
Each month, NYCHANow recognizes the staff who’ve achieved more than five years of service, in multiples of five. Congratulations to the employees who reached these milestones in March! 5 Years of Service 10 Years of Service 20 Years of Service 25 Years of Service 30 Years of Service 35 Years of Service 40 Years of… MORE
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Voices of Queensbridge
“I love Queensbridge, there’s no place like it,” Karen Alston, a Queensbridge Houses resident for 57 years, says at the beginning of a short documentary, “Voices of Queensbridge.” The film tells the story of a year-long project to collect oral histories from long-time Queensbridge residents. The project is a partnership between LaGuardia Community College’s Gardiner-Shenker… MORE
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NYCHA Youth Leaders Win Grants
Two of NYCHA’s Youth Leadership Councils (YLC) were recently awarded $1,000 grants to host important projects in their communities. NYCHA’s 15 YLCs give young people ages 14 to 21 who live in NYCHA developments and neighborhoods training to work with the agency’s leadership and partners so they can be part of the decision-making process on… MORE
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Ready to Improve Community Health
On February 25, NYCHA staff joined partners from the College of Staten Island and Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) to celebrate five residents who completed Community Health Worker training and will soon be out in their communities helping residents navigate the healthcare system and working to improve health outcomes in Staten Island. The residents, who… MORE
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Older Adults Master Computer Class
On March 20, 10 older adults graduated from the “Beyond Basics” computer class at the Carter Burden/Lehman Village Senior Program at NYCHA’s Lehman Village development in East Harlem. The class was taught in English and Spanish by Older Adults Technology Services (OATS). Class participants learned how to use e-mail and social media and do shopping… MORE
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Meet Curtis Williams
Through this new NYCHANow feature, employees write about their careers at the Authority. If you’d like to share your story, please send an email to nychanow@nycha.nyc.gov. Since July 2016, I have had the privilege of working in the Resident Engagement Department at our Long Island City facility (and temporarily at 250 Broadway). As a Manager, I… MORE
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NYCHA’s New Smart Screens
If it hasn’t come to your development yet, it will soon: a 55-inch, interactive touch-screen monitor that can support everything from video conferencing and training webinars to real-time updates on each development’s work orders and potential emergencies. You can also use these “Smart Screens” like computers to access NYCHA Connect, NYCHANow, and The NYCHA Journal… MORE
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Kudos to NYCHA’s Financial Planning & Analysis Team
For the fourth consecutive year and for the fifth time, NYCHA received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) last August. GFOA created the award program in 1984 to recognize state and local governments that prepare budget documents of the highest quality, as established by the National Advisory Council on… MORE
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Women’s History Month: A Spotlight on Women at NYCHA in Non-Traditional Careers
For the past 85 years, tens of thousands of women have worked at NYCHA, helping the Authority provide affordable housing to low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. Currently, women make up nearly half of NYCHA’s employees. This year, we closed Women’s History Month by featuring interviews with NYCHA employees working in non-traditional careers for women. The… MORE
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Alternative Work Schedule Launches
Alternative Work Schedule (AWS) launched April 1 at 13 consolidated developments: Farragut, Ingersoll, Marcy, Stuyvesant, Tompkins, and Whitman Houses in Brooklyn and Clinton, Dyckman, Harlem River, Polo Grounds Towers, Rangel, Riis, and Saint Nicholas Houses in Manhattan. It’s a new way of scheduling certain front-line staff: caretakers, their supervisors, assistant resident building superintendents, and resident… MORE
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Visionary Women
NYCHA’s NAACP Chapter celebrated Women’s History Month in the 90 Church Street Ceremonial Room on March 15, recognizing the accomplishments of visionary women throughout history who championed peace and non-violence – women who led efforts to end war, violence, and injustice and pioneered the use of nonviolence to change society. The event focused on both famous… MORE
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Important Deadlines for Accessing Your Commuter Benefits Account
Attention City government employees: Your ability to make changes to your commuter benefits plan will be limited while the City of New York transitions our commuter benefits program provider from WageWorks to Edenred Commuter Benefit Solutions. From March 25 – March 31, you will NOT be able to: Make any changes to your commuter benefits plan From… MORE
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Saturday Work Blitzes Continue
NYCHA is bringing repairs to residents faster through the ground-breaking Saturday work blitz initiative. Since the program’s launch in December 2018, NYCHA maintenance workers working twice a month on weekends have completed nearly 8,000 repairs at over 50 developments. In addition, housing assistants helped residents complete more than 1,500 annual recertifications. “Our Saturday blitzes continue… MORE
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Remembering Robert White
By Onel Hidalgo, Community Outreach Manager, NYCHA’s Office of Recovery and Resilience Robert White had the type of presence you couldn’t ignore. He would catch your attention the moment he entered a room. Always joyful and energetic – it seemed he never had a bad day. Mr. White applied that same energy and optimism toward… MORE
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New Boilers for 11 NYCHA Developments
Nine new boiler plants will be constructed at 11 NYCHA developments with aging boilers, which will improve heat and hot water service for 24,000 residents. Construction on the new boiler plants will begin at the selected developments this year and is scheduled to be completed by 2022. NYCHA recently selected seven contractors to install the… MORE
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Senior Care Right at Home
Residents of the Conlon-Lihfe Towers senior development in Queens now have access to important health services right in their building. Preferred Home Care of New York is collaborating with NYCHA’s Family Partnerships Department to improve the health and quality of life for residents by increasing access to information and resources that support wellness at every… MORE
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February Work Anniversaries
Each month, NYCHANow recognizes the staff who’ve achieved more than five years of service, in multiples of five. Congratulations to the employees who reached these milestones in February!
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A NYCHA Black History Month Celebration
NYCHA residents ended Black History Month with a musical celebration that highlighted legends and the achievements of African Americans throughout the country’s history. On February 28, more than 300 residents from developments across the city filled the Johnson Community Center in Harlem for the event hosted by NYCHA’s Family Partnerships Department. Audience members were treated… MORE
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Lead-Based Paint Testing of 135,000 NYCHA Apartments
This spring, NYCHA will begin lead-based paint testing of approximately 135,000 NYCHA apartments citywide. NYCHA recently selected seven contractors to provide lead-based paint inspection services: Airtek Environmental, Arc Environmental, ATC Group, JLC Environmental, Lew Corporation, The ALC Group, and TRC Environmental. The $88 million contract starts April 1 and continues through September 30, 2020. Contractors… MORE
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Happy Lunar New Year
General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo ushered in the Lunar New Year with NYCHA’s Chinese-American Association on February 14 at the Jing Fong restaurant in Manhattan’s Chinatown. About 200 employees and guests enjoyed a nine-course banquet, Chinese dance performances, a tai chi demonstration, and a visit from ancient China’s “King of Fortune.” General Manager Mustaciuolo delivered greetings… MORE
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Don’t Wait, We’ll Call You Back
If you’ve called NYCHA’s Customer Contact Center (CCC) recently, you may have noticed a new feature that allows you to receive a callback instead of waiting on hold. The new option was launched in January to improve customer service for residents. The callback feature lets callers know the estimated wait time and gives them the… MORE
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Video Message from the Interim Chair & CEO
Watch this video message from Interim Chair & CEO Kathryn Garcia:
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Kathryn Garcia Appointed NYCHA’s Interim Chair
On February 5, Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Kathryn Garcia as Interim Chair of NYCHA, succeeding Stanley Brezenoff, who will depart later this month. Under Interim Chair Brezenoff’s leadership, the Authority launched a comprehensive plan to deliver $24 billion in vital repairs for 175,000 residents, achieved a historic contract agreement with Teamsters Local 237 that provides… MORE
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Interim Chair Garcia on NY1’s “Inside City Hall”
Interim Chair and CEO Kathryn Garcia discussed how the Authority is moving forward with Errol Louis, the host of NY1’s “Inside City Hall,” on February 19. Watch the program here.
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January Saturday Work Order Blitz Results
During the month of January, NYCHA closed nearly 2,345 maintenance work orders at developments across the city as part of its Saturday work order blitz initiative, a program launched in December 2018 to tackle the work order repair backlog. NYCHA developments have limited staffing during weekends; however, developments included in the Saturday blitz receive regular… MORE
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Let’s Move NYC
As City employees, we take great pride in keeping New York City moving. NYC Parks and WorkWell NYC have teamed up with New York Road Runners to bring you MoveNYC, a fun outdoor event created specifically for City employees! Whether you walk, run, or roll, we welcome you to join us on the evening of… MORE
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Major Repairs for Eastchester Gardens Community Center
On February 1, Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced that Eastchester Gardens Community Center will receive nearly $4 million from the City to renovate and upgrade the center, which serves over 2,000 NYCHA residents. Construction will begin in 2021. “Community centers are the heart of our neighborhoods and… MORE
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City Hall in Your Borough: The Bronx
As part of “City Hall in Your Borough: The Bronx,” representatives from a range of City agencies, including NYCHA, provided information and answered questions for Bronx residents at a January 29 Resource Fair at the Latino Pastoral Action Center. In the photo above, Mayor Bill de Blasio and General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo met with a… MORE
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In Memory of Mitch Nat, Former Chief of NYCHA’s Utility Marketing Division
On Friday, July 21, 1978, I walked into a small office located in the corner of the 10th floor of 250 Broadway, Room 1015-B, which housed the new Energy Control and Conservation Division, formed in response to the nationwide energy crisis occurring at the time. It was there that I met my friend and colleague, Mitch… MORE
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NYCHA Heat Team Preps for Cold Spell
On January 30, NYCHA activated its Situation Room in Long Island City in anticipation of dangerously low temperatures affecting New Yorkers starting Wednesday through Friday. The Authority’s heating response teams and developments will also be fully staffed to ensure any issues with heat or hot water are addressed quickly and efficiently, continuing NYCHA’s ongoing strategy… MORE
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January Work Anniversaries
Each month, NYCHANow recognizes the staff who’ve achieved more than five years of service, in multiples of five. Congratulations to the employees who reached these milestones in January!
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Meet Denise Beverly
NYCHANow is introducing a new feature in which employees write about their careers at the Authority. If you’d like to share your story, please send an email to nychanow@nycha.nyc.gov. Since October 2007, I have worked at REES’s central office at 787 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I conduct one-on-one assessments and use… MORE
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Message from Interim Chair & CEO Kathryn Garcia
Dear Colleagues, I am excited to introduce myself as NYCHA’s new Interim Chair & CEO. For years, I have worked on behalf of my fellow New Yorkers to ensure they receive the best essential services from the City. As Senior Advisor for Citywide Lead Prevention, I led the development and launch of LeadFreeNYC, a comprehensive… MORE
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NextGen 2019: Communication & Collaboration
As part of the NextGen Office initiative, NYCHA’s IT Department continues to improve the technology available at development offices to help staff work more efficiently. Below are some programs that will launch this year; each involves virtual training, help desk support, and, in some cases, on-site training. NextGen Smart Screens: A 55-inch, interactive touch screen… MORE
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Free Tax Prep for NYCHA Residents
Thousands of NYCHA residents and other low-income families will be able to get the tax refunds they deserve thanks to a partnership between NYCHA, the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), and the Food Bank For New York City to provide free tax preparation services across the five boroughs. With over 20 NYCHA locations across… MORE
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Launching Alternative Work Schedule (AWS)
Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce the launch of Alternative Work Schedule (AWS), a new way of scheduling certain front-line staff that ensures greater coverage at our developments. For the first time in about 50 years, we will have caretakers, their supervisors, assistant resident building superintendents, and resident building superintendents working at our developments… MORE
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NYCHA’s Situation Room
Watch the video below for a special look inside NYCHA’s new and improved Situation Room. Our heating staff is working 24/7 to better serve our residents. Residents should call the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771, or use the MyNYCHA app, to report heat and/or hot water complaints.
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Moving NYCHA Forward
Dear Colleagues, On January 31, Mayor Bill de Blasio, HUD Secretary Ben Carson, and the Southern District of New York (SDNY) announced a settlement to improve the lives of the 400,000 New Yorkers who call NYCHA home. As part of this agreement, the City will invest an additional $2.2 billion in the Authority, and HUD… MORE
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First Saturday Work Blitz of 2019 Closes Nearly 1,000 Work Orders
NYCHA closed nearly 1,000 maintenance work order requests across five developments in its first Saturday blitz of 2019, marking the most closed work orders on a single Saturday since the start of the Authority’s proactive initiative to eliminate its repair backlog. While NYCHA developments have limited staffing during weekends, Wagner Houses in Manhattan, Albany Houses… MORE
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NYCHA Launches Mold Busters
Dear Colleagues, As you are all aware, the age of our buildings and the condition of our infrastructure makes NYCHA vulnerable to mold. However, the battle against mold is one we intend to win. Next week, we are launching a program to combat mold at NYCHA developments citywide called “Mold Busters.” Mold Busters originally began… MORE
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Happy New Year
Looking back on 2018, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the many achievements we have reached thanks to the dedication and hard work of each of you. The stories of the residents we serve, improving their lives and providing them with safer and decent homes, fill us with hope this holiday season… MORE
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Visiting the Past
Two staff from NYCHA’s Department of Communications, Senior Manager for Events and Communications Services Millie Molina and Photographer Leticia Barboza, toured the La Guardia and Wagner Archives, located at La Guardia Community College in Queens, on December 6. According to Ms. Molina: “We got a glimpse of the Archives’ wonderful historical collection of NYCHA photos,… MORE
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Get a Taste of NYCHA Residents’ Food Businesses at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
Red Hook Houses West resident Luquana McGriff dreams of one day opening a baked goods storefront for her business, A Cake Baked in Brooklyn, and a new opportunity is helping her prepare: In October, Ms. McGriff became the first NYCHA resident to operate the new food service kiosk in the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Building 77. The… MORE
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