October 2020

This year, the theme for Customer Service Week is “Dream Team,” highlighting the employees who work together to provide excellent customer service while adapting to an ever-changing work and world environment. Staff members from NYCHA’s dream team were recently singled out for their outstanding customer service when they were awarded the Mayor’s Office 2020 Excellence… MORE

The Mayor’s Office of Operations announced its individual and group winners of the 2020 Excellence in Customer Service Awards. The awards, which are presented across City agencies, recognize “outstanding City workers and teams that demonstrate their dedication and commitment to New York City through their customer service achievements.”  Representing NYCHA this year is individual award… MORE

Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart. Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility. You can do your part by reporting anything suspicious, implementing stronger security practices, and helping to raise awareness. How to Be Cybersmart Cyberattacks at work don’t just impact your co-workers and you – they also affect our residents and others who rely on us to keep their… MORE

Joy Sinderbrand, Vice President of NYCHA’s Recovery and Resilience Department, recently spoke about NYCHA’s Sandy recovery work as part of the Silman Resiliency Forum, held virtually on October 13.  Ms. Sinderbrand participated in a session on “Setting the Stage – The NYC Waterfront,” which featured expert speakers discussing current resiliency work on the New York City waterfront, how the present work is preparing the waterfront for climate change, and whether or not New York… MORE

NYCHA recently released its Climate Mitigation Roadmap, a portfolio-wide strategic plan for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from NYCHA operations. It’s the Authority’s most ambitious effort in more than 25 years of energy conservation programs.  NYCHA developed the Roadmap to meet the City’s Local Law 97 requirement of a 40 percent reduction in GHG emission… MORE

Resources for Survivors During COVID-19 October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In the United States, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men experience severe physical violence by their partners. In 2019, the NYPD responded to over 245,000 domestic violence incidents. Domestic violence affects people from all walks of life and includes intimate partner violence and family violence. … MORE

From October 1 through May 31, New York City building owners must maintain an indoor temperature of at least 68 degrees between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. when it’s below 55 degrees outside. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., indoor temperature must be at least 62 degrees regardless of the temperature outside. Hot water must… MORE

On October 1, 2020, CABS Home Care, a nonprofit, licensed home care service agency, honored NYCHA Service Coordinator Ginette Scafidi with an award for her commitment to caring and advocating for vulnerable older adult NYCHA residents.  Since 2019, CABS has partnered with NYCHA’s Family Partnerships Department to provide home care resources to disabled and elderly residents.   CABS celebrated Ms. Scafidi and others with the “Circle of Care Award” during an online awards… MORE

In the photo above, Shirell Taylor (third from left) at the elevator training in early March at Long Island City. Improving elevator service for residents is a top priority for NYCHA, and maintaining 3,200 elevators requires a lot of skilled workers. Since these workers are sometimes in short supply, NYCHA’s Elevator Services and Repair Department… MORE

Earlier this summer, Vlada Kenniff, NYCHA’s Vice President of Energy and Sustainability, was a panelist at the U.S. Green Building Council’s Women in Green Conference. We caught up with Vlada recently to find out more about her NYCHA career and the sustainability and energy work underway at NYCHA.  At the conference it was mentioned that… MORE

Helping NYCHA Residents Create Healthier Communities Two years ago, NYCHA and public housing authorities across the country went smoke-free to help create healthier environments for public housing residents by curbing exposure to secondhand smoke.  A major part of the Smoke-Free NYCHA initiative is educating residents about the policy and providing resources and referrals to residents who want to stop smoking. NYCHA’s smoke-free policy prohibits the use of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and hookahs anywhere inside… MORE

NYCHA recently launched a Digital Signage Pilot at Polo Grounds Towers in Manhattan to expand communications to residents, providing them with an additional, convenient platform to learn about NYCHA news, outages in their building, work being done on the grounds, capital projects underway, important health and safety information, and available activities and programs.   The first digital monitors have been installed and the remaining… MORE

Red Hook Houses is the first NYCHA campus to host a new public art project that repurposes temporary construction fencing and sidewalk sheds into a wide range of large-scale photography, digital print works, murals, and mixed-media art installations to improve the pedestrian experience and increase opportunities for artists.   Red Hook’s new art is thanks to a multi-part series of artist fellowships through the City Canvas pilot… MORE

Five hundred older adult NYCHA residents in the Bronx and Manhattan recently received free herb plants and nutrition gift bags from the NYC Department for the Aging (DFTA) as part of the agency’s ongoing work to help older New Yorkers stay healthy, socially engaged, and connected.  The plants, part of an initiative carried out in… MORE

The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for everyone, but for older adults the isolation and disconnection from services, family, and friends caused by social distancing may be especially impactful.  To help alleviate the isolation, the City invested $5 million to provide 10,000 NYCHA seniors with free, internet-connected T-Mobile tablets so they can digitally connect with… 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 September! 5 Years of Service 10 Years of Service 15 Years of Service 20 Years of Service 25 Years… MORE

Three days after Tropical Storm Isaias made landfall in New York City, NYCHA’s Office of Emergency Management Director Rudy Murillo inspected the damage at Cooper Park Houses and Marcy Houses in Brooklyn. Considering the impacts throughout NYC, the damage was minimal, thanks to prudent measures such as addressing trees with the potential to injure residents… MORE