New Leadership Training Program Graduates First Class of Administrators

NYCHA recently celebrated the first graduates of a new training initiative that seeks to empower agency leaders as part of citywide efforts to enhance services for residents.   Thirty employees serving as neighborhood administrators across the five boroughs completed the 12-week program, the Operations Leadership Institute (OLI), with a ceremony on July 26. A project administered… MORE

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NYCHA Recognizes Staff at 2023 Safety Awards 

NYCHA’s 2023 Safety Awardees and Safety Associates were honored at a June 28 Safety Awards Ceremony for their efforts to create, practice, and uphold healthy and safe working environments.  At the awards ceremony, held at the Johnson Community Center in Harlem, awards were also presented for two employee-nominated categories: Safety Innovation and Safety Leadership. The… MORE

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Meet the Leaders of NYCHA’s New Caribbean-American Association  

June is Caribbean-American Heritage Month in the U.S., which celebrates the culture, heritage, and contributions of people of Caribbean descent living in America. This month, a new employee group, the Caribbean-American Association, launched and is open to all employees, including Caribbean Americans and those who have an appreciation for the countries and their cultural diversity.… MORE

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Meet Arturo Vargas, Supervisor City Laborer for Mold Remediation 

As the supervisor city laborer for mold remediation at NYCHA, Arturo Vargas was ready to take on the challenge of battling mold.   He knew that by helping to rid apartments of mold growth, he would be ensuring a healthier environment for residents in their homes and improving their quality of life.  “I was ready for… MORE

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NYCHA Rolls Out New IT Initiative to Improve Customer Service  

Management offices across the five boroughs will soon experience a reduction in the amount of time they have to wait for their information technology (IT)-related challenges to be resolved, thanks to a new “Neighborhood IT” initiative launched in March.   Led by Kim Maxwell (formerly senior driver of NYCHA’s Digital Van), technicians from the new… MORE

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Meet Michael Sills, Housing Manager of LHD Central Office Operations

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, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+). In honor of Pride Month, we highlight the work of NYCHA’s LGBTQIA+ employees.

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NYCHA’s Runners Club Participates in 2023 JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge 

On June 1, members of the NYCHA Runners and Walkers Club joined thousands of runners and walkers from across the city for the 2023 JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge in Central Park. The 3.5-mile race, established in 1977, is the world’s largest corporate running event.   More than 20,000 runners from over 500 companies participated in… MORE

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Meet Amanda Moore, Assistant Director of Intake, Assessment, and Zone Coordination  

Growing up in Tilden Houses in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Amanda Moore always knew she wanted to work in public service. In the summers, she went to camp through her development’s community center and took part in the center’s after-school program: “The center gave us a place to go, and the staff were amazing! I’ll never forget… MORE

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Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Meet Chief Administrative Officer Kerri Jew 

As someone who relishes taking on a diversity of tasks, Kerri Jew welcomes a NYCHA job portfolio that can be “extremely varied.”   “I really like to do lots of different things at once,” Ms. Jew said about her responsibilities as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. “I think it’s exciting and interesting to learn… MORE

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Meet Kimberly Tyre, NYCHA Resident & Emergency Preparedness Associate 

Kimberly Tyre is a longtime Jefferson Houses resident who is committed to bettering her community. She recently became a NYCHA employee, in a position that enables her to pursue her passion for engaging her fellow residents and connecting them to beneficial resources. In November 2022, Ms. Tyre joined NYCHA’s Emergency Management and Services Department as… MORE

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Honoring NYCHA’s Administrative Professionals

NYCHA appreciates the hard work of our administrative staff who support residents and employees across the five boroughs. In honor of National Administrative Professionals Day, celebrated during the last week of April, we recognize the contributions of Red Hook West Houses Secretaries Brenai Campbell and Laura Gonzalez, two of the many administrative employees whose dedication… MORE

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Meet NYCHA’s Audiovisual Unit 

If you have ever attended an official NYCHA event, either at a central office or at a development, or used NYCHA’s conference room audio-visual equipment to conduct a meeting, then you have experienced firsthand the handiwork of NYCHA’s Audiovisual (A/V) Unit.   The unit, part of the Department of Communications, is made up of two audio-visual… MORE

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Meet the Coaching and Mentoring Leadership Academy Participants 

In January 2023, NYCHA launched its first-ever Coaching and Mentoring Leadership Academy (CMLA). Participants in the 16-week program are receiving training and coaching in areas such as strategic communications and crisis management, and they get the opportunity to enhance their leadership and management skills through mentorship.  Read on to learn more about a few of… MORE

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Meet NYCHA’s Asbestos Team Supervisors 

Richard Kocurek, Mohammed Hossain, and Jose Seymour lead a small but vital team of asbestos inspectors and handlers who address about 90 percent of asbestos issues in NYCHA developments across the five boroughs.   The three supervisors have a combined 87 years of experience in the field of lead and asbestos abatement. Mr. Kocurek, an asbestos… MORE

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Celebrating Women’s History Month: Meet Lauren Gray, Chief of Staff to the Chief Operating Officer

During Women’s History Month, we honor the contributions women have made and continue to make. From frontline staff at developments to executives in the central offices, women employees at NYCHA are leading the way in helping to improve and strengthen NYCHA.  We spoke with Lauren Gray, Chief of Staff to the Chief Operating Officer (COO),… MORE

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Celebrating Social Work Month: Meet Marina Oteiza, Director of Family Partnerships 

March is Social Work Month, an opportunity to celebrate the profession and help others learn about the many positive contributions its practitioners make to society.  NYCHA has had its own social services department since 1978. The department, now known as Family Partnerships, has undergone several changes – in name and function – since its creation.… MORE

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Celebrating Women’s History Month: Meet Michele Moore, Director of Comprehensive Modernization 

Michele Moore is not one to shy away from a challenge. On the contrary, she welcomes it. Coming from a family of public servants – her mother was a public school teacher and her father worked at NYCHA for over 30 years – Ms. Moore said she knew public service could be challenging sometimes. But… MORE

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Celebrating Black History Month  

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… MORE

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Meet Yolanda Brooks, Community Associate in the Office of Public Safety & Security 

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… MORE

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NYCHA Celebrates Key Landmarks for Sustainability in 2022 

In a year when climate policy advancements took shape across the globe, NYCHA and its partners celebrated several local achievements that continue the Authority’s progress toward a more sustainable future.  From the launch of a Clean Energy Academy and other programs supporting green careers, to the awarding of several grants and development of innovative projects,… MORE

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Meet Tischelle George, Director of Special Projects in Operations Support Services

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… MORE

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NYCHA’s Healthy Homes Unit Makes Significant Progress for Residents in 2022 

The past year was a productive one for NYCHA’s Healthy Homes Unit as it increased its efforts to provide safe and healthy homes for residents, through projects such as roof fan replacement and collaboration with other NYCHA departments to clean up mold and stop leaks.   In 2022, the Healthy Homes Unit’s Office of Mold Assessment… MORE

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Final Voting Procedures for the Public Housing Preservation Trust Now Available

We are pleased to announce that after several months of in-person and virtual public meetings with residents, resident leaders, and advocates to develop the Public Housing Preservation Trust draft voting procedures, and a nearly six-week public comment period on the draft voting procedures, the final voting procedures are now available.   Based on the valuable feedback… 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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Visioning the Future of Gowanus Houses and Wyckoff Gardens

Over 200 residents from Gowanus Houses and Wyckoff Gardens recently had the opportunity to share their ideas and feedback on the future repairs and renovation work coming to their development during community visioning workshops led by NYCHA’s Comprehensive Modernization (Comp Mod) team. The workshops (held in Wyckoff Gardens in October and Gowanus Houses in November)… 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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Longtime Resident Dedicates Career to NYCHA, U.S. Army 

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… 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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Longtime NYCHA Law Employee Sam Mordi Lauded for Service Upon Retirement 

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… 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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Meet Shanna Castillo – Senior Director of NYCHA’s REES Office

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… MORE

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Meet Brian Honan, Senior Vice President of Intergovernmental Relations 

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… 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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Meet the EHS Integrated Pest Management Oversight Team (IPMOT) 

NYCHA’s Environmental Health and Safety Department’s (EHS) Integrated Pest Management Oversight Team (IPMOT) oversees pest mitigation and extermination measures to ensure compliance with best practices and existing standard procedures, in accordance with the principles of NYCHA’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. As part of its work, the IPMOT:  Conducts oversight inspections of staff providing pest… MORE

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NYCHA Tips Off New Season of Junior Knicks Basketball League 

The Junior Knicks are back at NYCHA.   Following its inaugural season last year, the Junior Knicks Basketball League has returned with 25 sites across NYCHA slated to host games and skills and drills clinics this summer.   In partnership with the Junior Knicks and the NYPD, NYCHA kicked off the 2022 league season with a community… 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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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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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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Recognizing James Secreto, NYPD Housing Bureau Chief

At the December NYCHA Board meeting, General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo announced the retirement of James Secreto, Chief of the NYPD’s Housing Bureau, whose 2,100 officers patrol NYCHA developments. Following the announcement, Chair Greg Russ presented Chief Secreto with a plaque recognizing his work in maintaining safety at our developments. Chief Secreto began his NYPD career… MORE

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Opportunity, Transformation, and Excellence

On December 16, about 230 NYCHA staff came together at the NYPD headquarters’ cavernous auditorium to discuss “opportunity, transformation, and excellence,” the theme of the Quarterly Leadership Meeting. Director of Community Development Leroy Williams kicked off the daylong event: “We’re bringing back this NYCHA tradition because it’s a great way to discuss where we are… MORE

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NYCHA Employee Receives Public Service Award

Denise Guess, Administrative Community Relations Specialist in the Resident Engagement Department, was honored on December 11 with the prestigious 2019 Isaac Liberman Public Service Award. Sponsored by The Hundred Year Association of New York, comprising companies, religious institutions, and non-profit organizations that are over 100 years old, the award has been presented to outstanding New… MORE

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Practicing Preparedness

Every September during National Preparedness Month, Americans are encouraged to get prepared for disasters or emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities. Since 2013, NYCHA’s Emergency Services Department (ESD) has actively promoted that effort by ensuring its staff is well trained and properly equipped to address challenges that arise from gas leaks, floods, power failures,… MORE

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NYCHA’s New Departments

To improve service to residents and their quality of life, NYCHA is implementing significant health and safety-related improvements Authority-wide while continuing its focus on accountability and integrity. As part of this work, NYCHA created three new departments: The Compliance Department, which ensures that the Authority meets its legal, regulatory, and ethical responsibilities; The Environmental Health… MORE

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Announcing the 2019 NYCHA-CUNY Scholars

They are the next generation of social workers, advocates, journalists, IT professionals, doctors, teachers, and public servants – NYCHA residents pursuing their degrees at City University of New York colleges, and this year’s recipients of NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarships. On September 17, NYCHA and CUNY celebrated 25 residents for their academic excellence, leadership, and contributions to… 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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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Safety and Security Upgrades at 7 Manhattan Developments

Seven NYCHA developments across Manhattan will receive $13 million in safety and security upgrades thanks to a new grant from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC). More than 6,000 public housing residents will benefit from upgrades that include new facades, exterior LED lighting, and CCTV cameras at seven developments. As part of the new upgrades… MORE

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