Welcome to the Compliance Department’s first newsletter! Who Are We? The Compliance Department was created as part of the January 31, 2019 Agreement between NYCHA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The department is led by Acting Chief Compliance Officer… Read More Inspiring a Compliance Culture!
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NYCHA hosted a job fair at 250 Broadway on July 12 that resulted in job offers for 36 of the pre-screened attendees. The job offers were for positions at NYCHA such as Construction Project Manager (Levels 1-3), Industrial Hygienist, and Construction Inspector. In addition to on-the-spot interviews, the job fair featured a presentation from the NYC… Read More Joining the Ranks
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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… Read More Announcing the 2019 NYCHA-CUNY Scholars
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One of Chair & CEO Greg Russ’s top priorities during his first 100 days on the job is to meet with NYCHA residents and staff across the city to hear how we can best work together to make progress. In addition to joining residents for Family Days and holding discussions with Resident Association members, Chair… Read More Chair Russ Tours NYCHA Developments and Offices
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On the morning of August 29, Plasterer Jerzy Skiba and Plasterer’s Helper Joseph Hunter were about to do some plastering work in a bathroom at Mitchel Houses in the Bronx, a routine repair, when a fire broke out in the apartment’s bedroom. By acting fast, and heroically, they potentially saved many lives. Mr. Skiba and… Read More True Heroes
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June 20 was a typical day at work for Anita McDougald, a Referral Associate in NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES). Her regular duties include speaking with residents who call the REES hotline seeking more information about available services and job opportunities, as well as greeting residents who come to the REES… Read More A Surprise Award for Stellar Service
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More than 2,700 NYCHA residents in Bushwick, Brooklyn, will see major repairs and renovations to their homes, scheduled to be completed in 2021. Approximately 1,315 apartments at Hope Gardens, Palmetto Gardens, Bushwick II (Groups A & C), Bushwick II (Groups B & D), and Bushwick II CDA (Group E) will benefit from complete kitchen and… Read More Upgrades Coming for 2,700 Residents
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A new mural series at the Lillian Wald Senior Center vividly showcases the rich history and culture of immigrants who shaped the Lower East Side and continue to shape the community. Unveiled on July 10, “Roots/Raíces” is a series of five colorful murals on 1,200 square feet of the center’s exterior walls. The mural project… Read More Vibrant New Mural for Wald Houses
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Dear Colleagues: I am incredibly honored to be appointed Chair and CEO of the New York City Housing Authority by Mayor Bill de Blasio. As the nation’s largest public housing authority, NYCHA leads the way in demonstrating the importance of investing in and preserving affordable housing. And I appreciate the Authority’s critical role in the… Read More Message from the New Chair & CEO Greg Russ
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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… Read More New Electric Tilt Truck Pilot Program at NYCHA
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“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… Read More Free Books for NYCHA Families
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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… Read More Employees Honored by City Hall for Rat Reduction Efforts
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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,… Read More Rapid Response
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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… Read More NYCHA Staff Train to Become Mold Busters
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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… Read More Celebrating the Upgraded Ocean Bay Apartments
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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… Read More Reducing the Rat Population
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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… Read More Beneficial Connections
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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… Read More NYCHA Employee Graduates from the NYC Leadership Institute
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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… Read More NYCHA’s Situation Room: Handling Any Emergency
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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… Read More Career Column: Rigoberto Charriez
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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… Read More The Authority’s New Plan to Tackle Waste
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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… Read More Communications in Action: Utica College Students Visit NYCHA
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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.… Read More Fostering a Discrimination-Free Workplace
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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… Read More NYCHA Begins Lead-Based Paint Testing at 135,000 Apartments
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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… Read More NYCHA’s New Smart Screens
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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… Read More Kudos to NYCHA’s Financial Planning & Analysis Team
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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… Read More Women’s History Month: A Spotlight on Women at NYCHA in Non-Traditional Careers
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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… Read More A NYCHA Black History Month Celebration
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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… Read More Lead-Based Paint Testing of 135,000 NYCHA Apartments
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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… Read More Happy Lunar New Year
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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… Read More Don’t Wait, We’ll Call You Back
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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… Read More Meet Denise Beverly
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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… Read More Message from Interim Chair & CEO Kathryn Garcia
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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… Read More NextGen 2019: Communication & Collaboration
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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… Read More Launching Alternative Work Schedule (AWS)
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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… Read More Moving NYCHA Forward
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NYCHA’s Executive Vice President (EVP) for Leased Housing Lakesha Miller recently participated in three events hosted by partner organizations who opened or are in the process of building new affordable housing in the city. As the largest Section 8 program in the country, NYCHA is providing project-based Section 8 vouchers for these developments to help… Read More NYCHA Supports New Affordable Housing in NYC
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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… Read More Safety and Security Upgrades at 7 Manhattan Developments
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For five weeks, Evan Solomon experienced the ins and outs of a large, fast-paced governmental agency, when he worked at NYCHA as part of the Coro Fellows Program, a post-college leadership program where the city is the classroom. Mr. Solomon is a Public Affairs Fellow in the program, which was founded in 1942 to prepare… Read More NYCHA as Classroom for a Future Leader
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This past summer, Joseph Luciano, Senior Digital Producer in the Department of Communications, hosted two high school interns at NYCHA, providing them valuable guidance and hands-on experience as part of Futures and Options’ internship program. Due to the students’ successful engagement, the non-profit organization invited Mr. Luciano to be part of its “Careers in Technology”… Read More All in a Day’s Work: Mentoring and Inspiring
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Today, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Interim Chair and CEO Stanley Brezenoff unveiled NYCHA 2.0, a comprehensive plan to preserve public housing. This plan will address $24 billion in vital repairs to New York City’s aging public housing and ensure residents have the safe, decent, and affordable homes they deserve. The 10-year plan will deliver… Read More NYCHA 2.0: New Comprehensive Plan to Fix & Preserve Public Housing
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As part of Mayor de Blasio’s OneNYC goal to make New York the most equitable city in the world, City government has pledged to award $20 billion in contracts to minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBE) by the year 2025. NYCHA is an important contributor to this effort: Since the goal was announced, it has… Read More Creating Opportunity for All
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NYCHA closed more than 800 maintenance work order requests in one day at five developments as part of the Authority’s proactive initiative to eliminate repair backlogs. While developments have limited staffing during most weekends, Patterson Houses in the Bronx, Kingsborough Houses in Brooklyn, Baruch Houses in Manhattan, Ravenswood Houses in Queens, and West Brighton Houses… Read More Saturday Work Order Blitz
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As part of a lively celebration at City Hall on December 5, Kim Truong, Community Coordinator for NYCHA’s Health Initiatives unit, received the “Outstanding Agency Collaboration” award from the City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) for her work on Thrive NYC’s Mental Health First Aid program. ThriveNYC is a multi-agency initiative spearheaded by First Lady… Read More An Outstanding Collaborator
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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!
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The years of disinvestment have eroded our buildings and, in a similar fashion, our morale. The conditions and the times we face can be summed up in one word: adversity. NYCHA is facing a critical time of adversity and all of us in the room for the Employee Engagement Committee’s (EEC) monthly meeting were aware.… Read More Managing through Adversity
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On October 30, Kevin Morris, a community liaison from the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) presented a workshop, Intimate Partner Violence 101, for property management and community center staff at Van Dyke Houses in Brooklyn. Since many NYCHA residents regularly meet with and confide in property management staff, NYCHA partnered with… Read More NYCHA Staff Get Educated about Intimate Partner Violence
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NYCHA is working to update its urban design with residents and their neighbors in mind. Through the Connected Communities initiative, the Authority is comprehensively addressing the community connectivity of over 300 public housing developments across New York City. NYCHA’s new Connected Communities initiative seeks to make big changes to better connect NYCHA residents physically to… Read More Connecting Communities at NYCHA
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The MyNYCHA portal and mobile app was recently recognized as a digital tool that improves services for residents when it was named winner of a 2018 Government Experience Award by the Center for Digital Democracy. The Center is a national organization focused on technology policy and best practices in government. Its Government Experience Award is… Read More MyNYCHA Wins Government Digital Experience Award
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Innovative public-private partnerships, including the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, are bringing extensive repairs to 62,000 NYCHA apartments, home to about 140,000 residents. This will address nearly $13 billion of much-needed repairs. These apartments will be converted to Section 8 funding and will remain permanently affordable. Residents will keep all their rights as public housing… Read More Comprehensive Repairs for 62,000 Apartments
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The Employee Engagement Committee’s (EEC) October meeting was filled with enthusiasm. Meeting once a month with colleagues in all lines of work can be the best way to learn how to improve our workday. Chatting before the meeting started, EEC members shared stories of what each of us does at NYCHA. Although we were unaware that the… Read More Sharing Is the Key to Good Communication
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In partnership with the Police Athletic League, NYCHA hosted the “Senior Health and Musical Festival” at Polo Grounds Towers’ community center in September. Seniors from a variety of developments got everyone moving by performing jazz, blues, gospel, and opera classics. Participants also got access to a range of health resources, including blood pressure, asthma, and… Read More Getting Their Groove On
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The total renovation of Harlem’s historic Randolph Houses is now complete, thanks to the efforts of NYCHA and a range of partners from the public and private sectors. Randolph Houses’ 36 buildings on West 114th Street were built in the 1890s and acquired by NYCHA in the 1970s. The first phase of the renovations, which… Read More A Historic Effort at Randolph Houses
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NYCHA Management Trainer Sue Ellen Doria kicked off a recent “Exceptional Customer Service” training class with an essential, and not so theoretical, question: “What does exceptional customer service mean to you?” She then summed up the purpose of the day: “We want you to have the courage, wisdom, and heart to provide that service. We… Read More Exceptional Customer Service
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They are the next generation of community advocates, social workers, medical staff, teachers, accountants, and public servants. But first, they’re NYCHA residents in pursuit of their educational dreams at City of University of New York colleges — and the 2018 recipients of NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarships. The scholarships are given to residents who are full-time CUNY students displaying… Read More Announcing the 2018 NYCHA-CUNY Scholars
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Although it was a sweltering day in August, the Employee Engagement Committee (EEC) was out in full force for a walking tour of First Houses in Manhattan, NYCHA’s first development. This was our first activity as a group since the EEC’s initial cohort “passed the torch” to us, the second cohort, in July. At first… Read More A Look at First Houses, the Birthplace of Public Housing
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Whitman Houses resident Skye Carson, 14, wants to be a writer or a lawyer in the future, two careers that require good communication skills. This summer, she greatly improved those skills while working at NYCHA through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). SYEP, which is is operated by the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, provides… Read More On-the-Job Experience for Young NYCHA Residents
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For the first time in their five-year history, NYCHA’s softball team, the Skyliners, made it to the top of the NYC Government Softball League, with 10 wins and only 2 losses! For the team’s players, it’s not just about playing a softball game but a way to get together after work, relieve some stress, and… Read More A Home Run for the Skyliners
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About 300 NYCHA employees attended the Authority’s fifth annual Safety Symposium on June 28 at the Johnson Community Center in East Harlem. Interim Chair and CEO Stanley Brezenoff and Teamsters Local 237 President Gregory Floyd and Vice President Ruben Torres welcomed attendees – property managers, supervisors, and safety associates from across the city as well… Read More Safety Symposium Puts Spotlight on Safety
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You may have met him – for 35 years, Senior Photographer Pete Mikoleski, armed with his trusty Canon camera, has chronicled important events at the Authority, capturing also the hard work of the employees who make it all happen. His work appeared in The NYCHA Journal, this publication, and a variety of informational materials for… Read More The Eyes of the Authority
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One of the goals of NYCHA’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is to help residents stay resilient and safe when faced with emergencies or disasters. OEM partnered with the New York State Citizen Preparedness Corps, which offers courses led by National Guard troops on how to prepare for emergencies. On June 19, seniors at the… Read More Getting Prepared
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NYCHA developments are now smoke-free, a policy that provides healthier homes for residents and healthier working environments for employees. The “Smoke-Free NYCHA” initiative was developed as part of a new U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rule for public housing nationwide that prohibits smoking in apartments and buildings or within 25 feet of… Read More NYCHA Goes Smoke-Free
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Waldina Benedith, a Section 8 voucher holder in Brooklyn, was so pleased with her recent experience using one of NYCHA’s Digital Vans that she took the time to send NYCHA an email praising the van’s operator, Malin Bey: This morning I found out about the Digital Van through NYCHA’s website, including its location on Warren… Read More Driving Success
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NYCHA employees are getting some valuable information about housing court proceedings. This spring, Deputy General Counsel Sam Mordi, along with Landlord and Tenant Division Chief Tracy Forrest, brought some clarity to a complicated process. In nine sessions covering all five boroughs, more than 500 property managers, assistant property managers, and housing assistants got tips on… Read More Housing Court 101
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On June 13, NYCHA’s Chinese-American Association (CAA) and more than one hundred guests and participants gathered at 90 Church Street for a Dragon Boat Festival, a vibrant, annual celebration of Chinese history and culture. Nancy Lam, CAA Chair and Chief of NYCHA’s Leased Housing Department, kicked off the event by informing attendees that they could… Read More CAA Hosts Dragon Boat Festival
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On May 30, nearly a dozen members of NYCHA’s Running Club took part in the annual J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge in Central Park, and it was a good time for all. From left to right in the photo above, Maintenance Worker Alonzo Floyd, Senior Advisor Xiomara Carcamo, HR Deputy Director Robin Yudkovitz, Construction Safety &… Read More Fun on the Run
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Through day-long, weekly workshops each spring, the City’s Management Academy helps new and emerging leaders in city government become better managers. NYCHANow spoke with a recent graduate, Alex Mathew, Deputy Director in the Leased Housing Department, about his experience in the program. Why did you decide to participate in the Management Academy? I first learned… Read More Learning to Move Mountains
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Evelyn Melendez was born and raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, one of the neighborhoods she serves as a REES Zone Coordinator (the others are Bed-Stuy and Bushwick). She connects residents of 30 developments to partner organizations in their communities, enabling residents to pursue careers and empower themselves and their families economically. Her dedicated service has not… Read More REES Zone Coordinator Honored for Service to the Community
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Deputy Director for Real Estate Development Polina Bakhteiarov has been recognized as one of Real Estate Weekly’s 2018 “Rising Stars of Real Estate.” “As a public servant, I am very grateful to be recognized by the real estate industry,” Ms. Bakhteiarov told NYCHANow. “I am passionate about our work to preserve public housing and ensure… Read More A Rising Star at NYCHA
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On a monthly basis, 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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In April, the NYCHA community lost a beloved colleague. Kisha Jackson changed the lives of thousands of employees and residents during her more than 20 years of service. Over the past four years, Ms. Jackson connected residents to life-changing opportunities in her role as a REES Zone Coordinator for Downtown Brooklyn. She was also lauded… Read More Remembering Kisha Jackson
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Get to know the first 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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Tammy Daniels certainly knows good customer service when she sees it – she’s a customer service supervisor in NYCHA’s Human Resources Department. She’s also a lifelong resident of Riis Houses in Manhattan who was in need of some assistance during Winter Storm Toby, one of the many Nor’easters to bring snow and icy conditions to… Read More Kudos, Mr. Clemente
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More than 180 job seekers attended a job fair at 90 Church Street’s 5th Floor Ceremonial Room on April 11, hoping to get a position at NYCHA as a maintenance worker, heating plant technician (HPT), oil burner specialist, or housing assistant. And almost all of them received job offers by the end of the event.… Read More You’re Hired!
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Erenisse Tavarez, Acting Senior Vice President for Operations, was honored as the first-ever recipient of NYCHA’s Women’s History Month award. Chair Shola Olatoye presented the award to Ms. Tavarez along with a proclamation of gratitude from Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel, Chair of the Council’s Committee on Public Housing. “We are so honored to thank you… Read More Erenisse Tavarez: NYCHA’s First Women’s History Month Awardee
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On April 5, Leroy Williams received the 2017 Excellence in Customer Service Award from the Mayor’s Office of Operations at a ceremony at NYPD headquarters. Over his 20 years of service, Mr. Williams has become known to many employees and residents alike. NYCHANow spoke to him about the award, his career at NYCHA, and what… Read More Leroy Williams: Service Superstar
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Dear Colleagues, I am announcing that after four incredible years, I will be stepping down as Chair and CEO of NYCHA at the end of this month. It has been a profound honor and privilege to hold this position and to work with all of you. NYCHA is a unique agency, and unless you work… Read More News from the Chair
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Roseann and Kenneth Case are celebrating their 42nd wedding anniversary in October. And on March 30, they celebrated their last day of work at NYCHA. Both worked for the Queens/Staten Island Property Management Department – Kenneth as a supervisor painter and Roseann as a secretary. Between the two of them, they have 50 years of… Read More Celebrating Years of Success
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On a monthly basis, 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!
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NYCHA staff arrived to work at 7 a.m. the morning of the March 21 nor’easter to begin snow removal, keeping our residents safe. Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye checked in with Smith Houses staff and Resident Association President Aixa Torres. Chair Olatoye and General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo also visited Jefferson Houses with Mayor Bill de Blasio and… Read More Snow Day Cleanup
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Dear Colleagues, Today is International Women’s Day, an annual commemoration to celebrate women’s accomplishments and bring worldwide attention to discrimination against women. NYCHA’s creation is in large part due to the work of larger-than-life women like Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of New York and then the United States, and Mary K. Simkhovitch, president of the… Read More NYCHA Celebrates International Women’s Day
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As a member of NYCHA’s IT Project Management Office, Nina Winer knows that information security is the responsibility of every single NYCHA employee. She strives to show employees how, through careful and intelligent use of technology, we can help safeguard NYCHA’s systems and data while fulfilling our mission of providing safe, clean, and connected housing… Read More Spotlight on IT Department Employee Nina Winer
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Over the past four years, under the leadership of Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye, NYCHA has made critical advancements to improve customer service, repairs, and permanent renovations. Listen to NYCHA employees and residents talk about the Authority’s progress.
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In October, Deputy Director for Community Safety Strategies Andre Cirilo organized a fundraiser on Staten Island that raised more than $1,000 and collected nearly two dozen boxes of supplies for victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Recently, he and members of NYCHA’s Culture & Arts Exchange employee organization partnered with Why Not Care, a… Read More Pairs with Purpose
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Dear Colleagues, February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the major contributions African Americans have made to all facets of American life, from the advancement of equal rights to excellence in the arts and sciences. We remember those who came before us, whose perseverance in the face of adversity continues to inspire. And… Read More Black History Month
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Daryl Grey, a 14-year NYCHA veteran, supervises a team of four technicians who configure and deploy Android smartphones and tablets and perform high-level repairs at the Authority. As a volunteer, Mr. Grey also commands a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Auxiliary flotilla (unit) based in Sheepshead Bay. He appoints the Flotilla Staff Officers, leads and supervises… Read More Safeguarding Our Seas
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On a monthly basis, 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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Even before “Bomb Cyclone” Grayson arrived in New York on January 4, many NYCHA residents were struggling with heat and hot water outages across the five boroughs due to an early cold spell that began just after Christmas, testing NYCHA’s aging infrastructure. In response to the extremely cold weather, NYCHA staff have been working 24/7 to… Read More Working Up a Storm
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It was a typical day for Dominique Derville, a housing assistant at the CCC Walk-in Center in Brooklyn, as she cheerfully answered the questions of residents and Section 8 voucher holders and made sure they understood the information she provided. Little did she know, however, that some of these residents were really staff from the… Read More Now That’s NextGen!
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This fall, NYCHA’s softball team, the Skyliners, really knocked it out of the park. This is the first time in their four-year history that the Skyliners won an NYC Government Softball League playoff game, beating the Human Resources Administration. The weekly games aren’t just a good way to show off athletic skills and blow off… Read More Bring It On Home
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Chair & CEO Shola Olatoye discussed NYCHA’s lead-based paint compliance program with Cheryl Wills on “In Focus,” a NY1 news program. The segment aired on December 10, but you can watch it below. Cheryl Wills grew up in Hammel Houses in the Rockaways.
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On November 20, 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the appointment of Edna Wells Handy to the New York City Housing Authority’s Executive Compliance Department as Acting Chief Compliance Officer. Handy will begin full-time in December. Handy currently serves as legal Counsel to the NYPD Commissioner, and previously served as Commissioner of the City’s Department… Read More New Chief Compliance Officer
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J.A. Stakenburg, Director of NYCHA’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM), spent 15 days in Puerto Rico to help the island recover from the catastrophic destruction of Hurricane Maria. The co-lead and operations section chief of an interagency team sent by the State of New York to assist, Mr. Stakenburg managed the efforts of experts from… Read More Lending a Hand to Americans in Need
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James Scanlon, Vice President, Capital Projects/Planning and Design: On October 19, several staff members from the Capital Planning Group in Capital Projects accompanied me on a site visit to Rutgers Houses to spend time with frontline staff and to acknowledge Customer Service Week. We were greeted professionally and enthusiastically by the management office staff, including… Read More Building Bonds of Trust
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NYCHA’s Language Bank Volunteers provide language assistance to the Authority’s limited English proficient residents, applicants, and Section 8 voucher holders, ensuring they have access to information and resources in their original languages. On October 20, 2017, these employee-volunteers were recognized for their service. NYCHA’s Language Bank began in 1990 with 44 employee-volunteers who spoke eight… Read More Good Service Comes in 34 Languages
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On November 4, volunteers transformed an unused recreational area at Pomonok Houses in Queens into a safe, fun, beautiful playground. It took just six hours for residents, neighbors, and volunteers from NYCHA, KaBOOM!, Playworld, and JetBlue to pour and lay concrete, paint a basketball court and playground floors, and assemble playground equipment to build a… Read More Pomonok Houses Builds a Playground
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Janitorial staff at Ingersoll Houses spent a day learning how to use new floor-cleaning machines that will save them hours of labor. NYCHA plans to buy over 1,000 machines so that all NYCHA developments have access to this time-saving equipment. All janitorial staff will be trained on how to use the machines by the end… Read More New Floor-Cleaning Machines Promote Efficiency in Building Maintenance
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On September 13, Employee Engagement Committee (EEC) members met to discuss how we personify NYCHA’s core values in our daily work lives. One group’s conversation centered on what it means to be “a collaborative workforce, accountable to ourselves and to our residents.” It was fitting that during this discussion we were joined by the leadership… Read More Seeking Success through Collaboration and Accountability
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On October 9, 2017, I had the privilege and once-in-a lifetime opportunity to be honored at the 73rd Columbus Day Parade – the largest celebration of Italian-American heritage and culture in the United States – for my memoir, “Deformed: My Remarkable Life.” The parade’s Grand Marshal, Leonard Riggio, Founder and Chairman of Barnes & Noble,… Read More A NYCHA Author’s Dream Comes True
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On September 20, NYCHA and the City University of New York (CUNY) celebrated 23 residents for their academic excellence, leadership, and contributions to their communities at the 12th annual NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship Program awards ceremony, held at Borough of Manhattan Community College. The NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship is awarded to residents in full-time CUNY programs with… Read More Celebrating the 2017 NYCHA-CUNY Scholars
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