NYCHA Now

February 2023

CelebrationsFebruary 2023

Celebrating Black History Month at Red Hook Houses 

Staff at NYCHA’s Red Hook West development celebrated Black History month with an extra special tribute this year – recognition of the Employee of the Month. The award went to Ann Marie Charles Kareem, a caretaker at the development.  “At Red Hook West, we are trying to bring up the morale of staff,” said Angela… Continue Reading Celebrating Black History Month at Red Hook Houses 

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Exceptional ColleaguesFebruary 2023HighlightedNYCHA Leadership

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… Continue Reading Celebrating Black History Month  

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Exceptional ColleaguesFebruary 2023

Meet George Gomez, Supervisor of REES Job Generation 

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… Continue Reading Meet George Gomez, Supervisor of REES Job Generation 

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Exceptional ColleaguesFebruary 2023Highlighted

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

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February 2023PACT

NYCHA and Resident Leaders Select PACT Partners to Address $85M in Repair Needs at Metro North Plaza and Gaylord White Houses

891 residents will receive comprehensive repairs and upgrades to all 523 apartments, common areas, public spaces, heating and cooling systems, elevators, security systems, and other building systems. The PACT project builds on the more than $2 billion driven in 2022 to renovate over 8,500 apartments across 17 developments, with support from the Adams administration. Continue Reading NYCHA and Resident Leaders Select PACT Partners to Address $85M in Repair Needs at Metro North Plaza and Gaylord White Houses

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Exceptional ColleaguesFeaturedFebruary 2023NYCHA Leadership

Celebrating Black History Month

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. Continue Reading Celebrating Black History Month

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February 2023Health & Safety

HUD Commends Work of NYCHA’s Lead Hazard Control Team 

NYCHA’s work is being recognized at the federal level for helping to ensure that apartments where children under 6 years old live or routinely visit are being cleared of any lead hazards.  In a message to NYCHA Healthy Homes management on February 2, a representative of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)… Continue Reading HUD Commends Work of NYCHA’s Lead Hazard Control Team 

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Exceptional ColleaguesFebruary 2023

Meet Richard Meyers, Project Manager in Asset & Capital Management

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… Continue Reading Meet Richard Meyers, Project Manager in Asset & Capital Management

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February 2023Health & Safety

It’s National Burn Awareness Week

The American Burn Association (ABA) is dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by burn injury. Each year, the ABA recognizes the first week of February as National Burn Awareness Week; this year’s theme is “Hot Liquids Burn Like Fire!”    A burn is defined as damage to your body’s tissues caused by heat, chemicals,… Continue Reading It’s National Burn Awareness Week

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February 2023

NYCHA Launches First-Ever Leadership Academy for Staff 

NYCHA’s first-ever mentoring program for staff, the Coaching and Mentoring Leadership Academy, is now up and running; the pilot program began on January 31 and will run for 16 weeks. It will provide participants with an opportunity to enhance their leadership and management skills through training and mentorship.   Twenty-six supervisory staff from across NYCHA with… Continue Reading NYCHA Launches First-Ever Leadership Academy for Staff 

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February 2023

NYCHA Opens “Comp Mod” Resident Engagement Office at Todt Hill Houses Ahead of Renovations  

NYCHA’s Comprehensive Modernization (Comp Mod) team has opened the first-of-its-kind resident engagement office at Todt Hill Houses on Staten Island.   Comp Mod  oversees and utilizes capital funding to deliver comprehensive apartment and building rehabilitation focused on abating mold, lead, and asbestos; kitchen and bathroom renovations; and elevator replacement. This streamlined renovation approach will bring improved… Continue Reading NYCHA Opens “Comp Mod” Resident Engagement Office at Todt Hill Houses Ahead of Renovations  

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February 2023NYCHA Leadership

NYCHA’s Interim Chief Executive Officer Featured on CBS News

On January 29, NYCHA’s Interim CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt appeared on CBS New York’s “The Point with Marcia Kramer” to discuss the Authority’s rent shortfall of almost half a billion dollars and how it is working to find other resources to help residents pay rent and secure additional funding from all levels of government. Ms. Bova-Hiatt… Continue Reading NYCHA’s Interim Chief Executive Officer Featured on CBS News

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COVID-19February 2023

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

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

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