Meet Annika Lescott-Martinez, NYCHA’s Chief Financial Officer Managing the funds of the nation’s largest public housing authority might seem daunting, but Annika Lescott-Martinez isn’t one to be intimidated. “I’m used to dealing with big numbers; big numbers don’t scare me,” stated Ms. Lescott-Martinez, NYCHA’s Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Finance. Her… Read More Celebrating Black History Month
Read More
Connecting NYCHA residents to sustainable employment has a deeper meaning for George Gomez. As the Supervisor of Job Generation in NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES), Mr. Gomez works with NYCHA departments, development partners, and contractors to provide residents with a variety of economic opportunities, including training and employment. “I’ve definitely found… Read More Meet George Gomez, Supervisor of REES Job Generation
Read More
For nearly a decade, Yolanda Brooks dreamed of becoming a NYCHA employee. In 2011, after recovering from a stroke she suffered in 2001, the Taft Houses resident got her first shot at collaborating with NYCHA as a supervisor for the Resident Watch program. It was a volunteer position that saw her helping to ensure the… Read More Meet Yolanda Brooks, Community Associate in the Office of Public Safety & Security
Read More
During Black History Month, we are reminded of the opportunity that public housing has provided to countless families since its foundation and its role in fostering a society that is more fair and just. We spoke with Marvin Walton, NYCHA’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer, who has spent decades working in public housing, to get his thoughts on the institution, what it’s like to help run the largest public housing authority in the nation, and what the future may bring. Read More Celebrating Black History Month
Read More
Richard Meyers has over 25 years of experience managing construction projects at college campuses, hotels, Universal Orlando rides, American Dream theme parks, and more – yet his most rewarding projects have been at NYCHA developments in service of NYCHA residents. Mr. Meyers joined NYCHA in summer 2019 as a project manager in Asset & Capital… Read More Meet Richard Meyers, Project Manager in Asset & Capital Management
Read More
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! Read More January Work Anniversaries
Read More
Her name, Victoria Vasquez, might not ring a bell, but her voice is familiar to NYCHA residents and just about anyone who has ever called NYCHA’s offices. For nearly a decade, the Vladeck Houses resident has been lending her voice to the interactive voice responses (IVR) for the robocalls NYCHA sends out to residents… Read More Meet Victoria Vasquez, The “Voice of NYCHA”
Read More
While Tischelle George has held roles in different departments throughout her 16-year career at NYCHA, they have all furthered her passion for education, mentoring, and ensuring residents and employees have the information and resources necessary to be successful. Currently, Ms. George is the director of special projects for Operations Support Services (OSS), where she provides… Read More Meet Tischelle George, Director of Special Projects in Operations Support Services
Read More
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 December! Read More December Work Anniversaries
Read More
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… Read More Digital Van Driver Will Be NYCHA’s First ‘Neighborhood Tech Supervisor’
Read More
Shetara Turner has lived at Campos Plaza since she was 6 years old. Now this mother of two is not just a NYCHA resident but is also a NYCHA employee. The former retail store employee launched her NYCHA career thanks to the New York City Cleanup Corps program, which was created to help the… Read More Meet Shetara Turner, Smoke-Free NYCHA Liaison for Manhattan
Read More
Until September 11, 2001, Alex Zablocki was sure he wanted to work on Wall Street. At the time, he was a student at Baruch College studying for a degree in finance and investment. He had worked for a stockbroker while in high school and was on a path to obtaining the licenses required to work… Read More Meet Alex Zablocki, Executive Director of the Fund for Public Housing
Read More
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… Read More NYCHA’s Language Services Unit Completes Its 10,000th Translation
Read More
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 November! Read More November Work Anniversaries
Read More
For nearly two decades, Joy Sinderbrand has been instrumental in the execution of several public-private partnership projects that have shaped the city of New York; she has a knack for ensuring project teams are on the same page so they can achieve ambitious goals. As NYCHA’s Senior Vice President for Capital Programs, streamlining the… Read More Meet Joy Sinderbrand, Senior Vice President for Capital Programs
Read More
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… Read More Recognizing NYCHA’s OMAR Staff
Read More
When Edith Taylor-Campbell makes a commitment to serve, she turns it into a career. This can be said for both her work at NYCHA and service with the United States Army. The housing assistant joined the NYCHA workforce nearly three decades ago in 1994, while accumulating an equally impressive 26 years of military service with… Read More Longtime Resident Dedicates Career to NYCHA, U.S. Army
Read More
No one is more surprised than Motor Vehicle Operator Oren Boujo that his 33rd year as a NYCHA Fleet driver begins this November. “It’s amazing,” he said. “Who holds a job for 33 years?” Probably fellow Fleet Motor Vehicle Operator Kenneth Shindler: In January, he will begin his 31st year as a NYCHA Fleet driver.… Read More Together, Two Fleet Drivers Rack up 62 Years
Read More
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 October! Read More October Work Anniversaries
Read More
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 September! Read More September Work Anniversaries
Read More
National Hispanic Heritage Month is September 15 to October 15, a time to recognize the contributions, achievements, and culture of Americans who descend from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. NYCHA employee David Soto lives, breathes, and sings his Puerto Rican culture and Lower East Side community, working to celebrate and showcase… Read More Hispanic Heritage Month: David Soto
Read More
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… Read More Mayor Adams Honors NYCHA Employee for Supporting Resident Associations
Read More
Kudos for Longtime Service to Residents and the City 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 August! 5 Years of Service 10 Years of Service 15 Years of Service 20 Years of Service 25… Read More August Work Anniversaries
Read More
Sam Mordi might be moving on from his longtime career at NYCHA, but not without taking with him a wealth of appreciation from his colleagues. After working for 30 years in the Law Department, Mr. Mordi is retiring from his position as Deputy General Counsel for housing litigation on August 31. In recognition of his… Read More Longtime NYCHA Law Employee Sam Mordi Lauded for Service Upon Retirement
Read More
Meet Lynn Spivey, Administrative Staff Analyst in the Heating Management Services Department Lynn Spivey is often mentioned and quoted in articles, not just as a long-time NYCHA employee but also for her involvement in various employee initiatives: she is an Administrative Staff Analyst in the Heating Management Services Department (HMSD) and the President of NYCHA’s… Read More Making a Difference
Read More
For almost a decade, Shanna Castillo and her team have worked to continue to develop NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability (REES) — which connects residents to employment and career advancement, adult education and vocational training, financial empowerment, and business development — into a model of how partnership and access to opportunities can… Read More Meet Shanna Castillo – Senior Director of NYCHA’s REES Office
Read More
Like many who have worked extensively in government, Brian Honan knows that building relationships is key to advancing legislation and solving complex problems for people in the community. As Senior Vice President of NYCHA’s Office of Intergovernmental Relations, the bonds he has formed with NYCHA residents, members of the public, and elected officials are… Read More Meet Brian Honan, Senior Vice President of Intergovernmental Relations
Read More
Kudos for Longtime Service to Residents and the City 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! 5 Years of Service 10 Years of Service 15 Years of Service 20 Years of Service 25… Read More July Work Anniversaries
Read More
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… Read More Making a Difference
Read More
Kudos for Longtime Service to Residents and the City 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! 5 Years of Service 10 Years of Service 15 Years of Service 20 Years of Service 25 Years… Read More June Work Anniversaries
Read More
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… Read More Meet Antonia Zambrano, Assistant Director of LHD Central Office Operations
Read More
NYCHA Caretaker Angel Martinez can often be seen wearing a smile as he works each day to maintain a safe and clean environment for residents and employees at Smith Houses in Manhattan. Fellow veteran Caretaker Rebecca Miranda is well regarded for her customer service, which has helped make hers a familiar name among the residents… Read More Veteran Caretakers Presented with John DeCarlo Award for Exemplary Service
Read More
A resident of Brooklyn’s Boulevard Houses, Lisa Gladden has worked at NYCHA for about 22 years. Most of that time was spent at Sumner Houses in Brooklyn, where she served as a secretary before accepting the housing assistant job at Breukelen Houses nearly two years ago. Ms. Gladden started her career at NYCHA through the… Read More Meet Lisa Gladden, Housing Assistant at Breukelen Houses
Read More
Kudos for Longtime Service to Residents and the City 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! 5 Years of Service 10 Years of Service 15 Years of Service 20 Years of Service 25… Read More May Work Anniversaries
Read More
Awarded for 18th Year in a Row On Thursday, May 12, the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada awarded the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) with a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year that ended on December… Read More NYCHA Recognized for Excellence in Financial Reporting
Read More
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… Read More Meet Kimberly Taylor, Director of Public Housing Tenancy Operations
Read More
NYCHA’s Capital Projects Division (CPD) presented six staff members with its 2021 Employee Recognition Award to honor their exemplary efforts toward meeting the department’s mission. CPD is committed to preserving and modernizing public housing for NYCHA residents by providing professional design and construction services efficiently and with the highest degree of safety and quality. The… Read More Capital Projects Division Employees Honored for Exemplary Service
Read More
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… Read More Women’s History Month: A Spotlight on Women at NYCHA
Read More
Twenty-seven years ago, when Lisa Bova-Hiatt started her career at the New York City Law Department, Office of the Corporation Counsel, she didn’t know the turns her career would take over the years – but she knew for sure that she wanted to serve the city where she was born and grew up. Since then,… Read More Meet Lisa Bova-Hiatt, Executive Vice President for Legal Affairs & General Counsel
Read More
Women’s History Month: Providing Healing, Promoting Hope For more than 30 years, Ukah Busgith has made it her mission to help improve the quality of life for NYCHA residents – whether through enrichment programs for young people, managing arts and garden programs, overseeing community centers, or connecting residents to the activities, programs, and social services… Read More Meet Ukah Busgith
Read More
Meet Sue Ellen Doria, Senior Management Trainer If you’re a NYCHA employee, you’ve probably already met Sue Ellen Doria. She is the first person to meet and greet all NYCHA employees on their first day on the job. That’s because Ms. Doria is the lead trainer for new employee orientation training, imparting important tips about… Read More Making a Difference
Read More
Meet Edwin Mendez, Acting Deputy Director of Energy & Sustainability Programs in the Capital Projects Division Since his very first day at NYCHA, Edwin Mendez has worked in various energy-efficiency programs in the Energy and Sustainability Programs Department. In fact, his first role at the Authority – an internship in 2006 – later became Mr.… Read More Making a Difference
Read More
Meet Devon Boyd, Contract Specialist in Procurement Operations When handling priority assignments for NYCHA’s Procurement Operations, Contract Specialist Devon Boyd is prepared to put in the time to get the jobs done. A former NYCHA resident who lived in Cypress Hills Houses for most of his life, Mr. Boyd said he knows how important it is to address repairs… Read More Making a Difference for Residents
Read More
Meet Jeffrey Sanders, Supervisor of Special Initiatives in the Pest Control Department Formerly a regional manager of a healthcare company’s marketing team, Jeffrey Sanders took a new direction in his career by joining NYCHA in 2019. Mr. Sanders was hired to supervise the work to install door sweeps across the portfolio. After all the necessary… Read More Making a Difference
Read More
Meet Elena Tenchikova, Senior Director of NYCHA’s Office of Mold Assessment and Remediation (OMAR) Elena Tenchikova first stepped into a NYCHA office 10 years ago, as a NYC Civic Corps volunteer. She was assigned to be a liaison to the Authority’s resident green committees, which are organized groups of NYCHA residents volunteering to beautify their developments.… Read More Making a Difference
Read More
Meet Katie Gordon, Deputy Director of Compliance Monitoring Meet Katie Gordon, Deputy Director of Compliance Monitoring in the Compliance Department. Katie has worked at NYCHA since 2017. She previously worked as a senior analyst in the Authority’s Office of Strategic Innovations before joining the Compliance team. Before coming to NYCHA, she worked at a nonprofit… Read More Making a Difference
Read More
Just after a fire was extinguished at Riis Houses, word soon spread about how a group of good Samaritans met tragedy with heroism: the NYCHA employees, residents, and construction contractors who sprang into action with a quick-thinking solution to keep two young residents out of harm’s way. The incident unfolded after a fire broke out on the fourth floor of the Manhattan development at about 7:15 a.m. on December 16. Resident Building… Read More NYCHA Workers, Residents Help Teens Escaping Fire
Read More
We’re periodically featuring the female property managers who help NYCHA carry out its mission to better serve residents and strengthen our partnership with them. NYCHA supports and encourages women in leadership positions in all departments, including property management. Currently, there are 260 women working as property managers at the Authority. In this installment, meet one… Read More Meet Mildred Aviles, Housing Manager at Rutgers Houses
Read More
Meet Janine Rodriguez, Housing Manager in Manhattan Property Management We’re periodically featuring the female property managers who help NYCHA carry out its mission to better serve residents and strengthen our partnership with them. NYCHA supports and encourages women in leadership positions in all departments, including property management. Currently, there are about 260 women working as… Read More Making a Difference
Read More
When he was fresh out of high school, longtime NYCHA employee Juan Santiago found the U.S. Navy to be just the place to pursue his ambitions at the time. Having only left his home in the Bronx on a few occasions to visit extended family in the Dominican Republic, the young Mr. Santiago “really wanted to… Read More NYCHA Veteran Recalls Time in the Service as Navy Journalist
Read More
Every month, we feature the hardworking staff members who are making a difference for residents. Learn more about how we’re becoming a better landlord through their efforts. In this installment, meet Marlon Forbes, Deputy Director of the Compliance Integration Reporting and Evaluation Unit. Marlon Forbes has been working at NYCHA for the last 15 years.… Read More Making a Difference for Residents
Read More
Meet Shekeiva King NYCHA is celebrating National Customer Service Week 2021 during the week of October 18-22. This year’s theme, “Power of Service,” reaffirms and celebrates our commitment to excellent customer service. As part of the celebrations, we are highlighting NYCHA Changemakers – employees who use our core values to create meaningful, sustainable change in… Read More Making a Difference for Residents
Read More
Meet Linda Padilla NYCHA is celebrating National Customer Service Week 2021 during the week of October 18-22. This year’s theme, “Power of Service,” reaffirms and celebrates our commitment to excellent customer service. As part of the celebrations, we are highlighting NYCHA Changemakers – employees who use our core values to create meaningful, sustainable change in… Read More Making a Difference for Residents
Read More
Meet Sam Awelewa, Lead Oversight Team Specialist NYCHA is proud of our hardworking staff members who are making a difference for residents. Learn more about how we’re becoming a better landlord through their efforts. In this employee spotlight, meet Sam Awelewa, Lead Oversight Team Specialist in the Environmental Health and Safety Department. A resident of Brooklyn, Mr. Awelewa has worked… Read More Making a Difference for Residents
Read More