Customer Service Excellence at NYCHA
All across NYCHA, there are employees who exemplify what it means to go above and beyond with their daily work in service of the public housing community.
Fittingly, as Authority staff celebrated teamwork and the many agency-wide achievements from the past year, “The Extra Mile” theme was front and center during Customer Service Week 2026, from October 5 to October 9.
Throughout the week, colleagues came together — through senior staff site visits at developments, team breakfast/lunch gatherings, interactive functions, or volunteer opportunities — to recognize the ways both large and small in which staff go the extra mile to improve quality of life for NYCHA communities.
A special highlight of the week was the citywide recognition for the Office of Mold Assessment and Remediation (OMAR), Office of Water Quality, and Healthy Homes Administration, divisions of the Healthy Homes Department that work to ensure mold- and leak-free living environments for residents. On October 8, the OMAR team was honored with the Customer Service Excellence Award from the Mayor’s Office of Operations during a ceremony at NYPD headquarters in Lower Manhattan. The annual awards are presented across City agencies to honor “outstanding City workers and teams that demonstrate their dedication and commitment to New York City through their customer service achievements.”
Among its various responsibilities, OMAR monitors NYCHA Mold Action Plan implementation, oversees standard procedures related to mold and leaks, responds to complex mold and leak issues, and manages specialized initiatives such as the ventilation program and Building Line Initiative.
“I am truly honored to see our team recognized with the Customer Service Excellence Award,” OMAR Vice President Elena Tenchikova said. “OMAR is made up of an incredibly dynamic and dedicated group of professionals who bring expertise, commitment, and a shared drive for excellence to the many roles they serve. Whether navigating complex cases, tackling challenging projects, or working directly to improve conditions for residents, our team consistently goes the extra mile to deliver results. Their dedication is making a real difference, not only in resident satisfaction, but also in strengthening NYCHA’s culture of service and transforming how residents experience and perceive our organization.”
OMAR’s commitment to improving housing conditions and resident well-being is reflected in its authority-wide ventilation modernization efforts. To date, the team has overseen the installation of 6,188 new roof fans, the cleaning of approximately 73,000 vents, and the replacement of more than 45,000 vents.
Through its Building Line Improvement (BLI) initiatives, OMAR is also addressing aging plumbing infrastructure that contributes to recurring leaks and mold. By rehabilitating vulnerable plumbing lines, the team is tackling underlying causes of mold and leaks while supporting the restoration of apartments for residents.
OMAR has further strengthened NYCHA’s response to persistent repair needs by helping secure an additional $30 million for the Mold and Leaks: Restore and Renew Program. The initiative has addressed more than 5,000 work orders, toward a goal of at least 10,000 repairs.
Beyond mold and leak remediation, the Office of Water Quality, which works to address complex environmental health challenges, managed the cleaning of more than 170 roof tanks Authority-wide and successfully maintains NYCHA’s cooling towers.
Behind these efforts, OMAR’s Healthy Homes Administration Department oversees more than 100 contracts supporting Mold, Asbestos, Lead, and the Office of Water Quality, alongside an annual budget of approximately $500 million.
To see how other NYCHA teams celebrated Customer Service Week 2026, check out the photos below:
