NYCHA Now

NYCHANow chronicles the hard work of the men and women who make the New York City Housing Authority run, reporting the latest news and happenings.

NYCHA Now
August 2015 

GM Kelly Announces Organizational Changes

Michael Corwin

In a July 10, 2015, email to staff, General Manager Michael Kelly announced a series of organizational changes and staff appointments that followed an agency-wide assessment of functions and operations at the development level and at central offices.

“If we are to create safe, clean, and connected communities, we must fundamentally change the way we do business,” the message read. The assessment “identified opportunities to consolidate processes, eliminate redundancies, realign functions and prioritize operations.”

Building on a restructuring initiative announced by Chair and CEO Shola Olatoya and GM Kelly in January, the most recent changes are in keeping with the principles of NextGeneration NYCHA, the 10- year strategic plan to stabilize the Authority and “to operate as a smarter organization.”

The changes include:

  • The Office of Facility Planning and Administration has been renamed the Department of Real Estate Services. This renamed department has assumed responsibility for all NYCHA nonresidential real property leasing and licensing activities, including retail store marketing and leasing; wireless communications leasing and licensing; inter-city agency property use agreements; community facility use transactions; and corporate office leasing. In addition, the Department of Real Estate Services will lead our NextGeneration NYCHA strategy to leverage NYCHA’s ground floor spaces, which will enable NYCHA to locate more services and programs on development grounds.
  • Creation of the Heating Services & Operations Department to develop a comprehensive plan to address NYCHA’s heating concerns. The department will report to the Senior Vice President for Operations Support Services, with NYCHA veteran Robert Knapp serving as director, as previously reported.
  • Transferring of the Energy Finance & Sustainability Management Department from Finance to the Capital Projects Division to pursue a comprehensive sustainability agenda. Led by newly appointed Vice President of Energy Sustainability, Bomee Jung, this department will continue to manage the Authority’s utility costs through a combination of financial management, competitive procurement, and implementation of energy projects.

Ms. Jung’s leadership positions at Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., and as a mayoral appointee on the City Planning Commission, will support the development of NYCHA’s comprehensive sustainability agenda.

  • Chris Haun, formerly Acting Director of the Department of Energy Finance and Sustainability Management, has been appointed Director of the Energy Finance Department, where he will continue to lead efforts in analyzing and monitoring NYCHA’s utility consumption; procuring gas and oil through competitive bid process; and projecting utility needs.
  • Administrative responsibility for all direct social service components has been transferred from Operations to Community Programs and Development to allow for the development of a comprehensive and collaborative service and program delivery model for residents.
  • Kilsys Payamps-Roure, formerly Special Assistant to the Chair, has been appointed Chief of Staff to the General Manager. In addition to managing the daily operations of the GM’s office, Ms. Payamps-Roure will oversee and provide strategic support on priority initiatives and projects. She also will serve as liaison to NYCHA’s external partners and to the Office of the Chair, and will represent the GM in various capacities.
  • Ukah Busgith, formerly Director of Manhattan Borough Community Operations, has been appointed Senior Director of Borough Community Operations within Community Programs and Development. In this capacity, she will over-see borough operations, transitioning services to a partnership-based model and providing oversight to ensure compliance with NYCHA and HUD regulations.
  • Xiomara Carcamo, formerly Director of Operations’ Quality Assurance Department, has been appointed Director of Strategic Initiatives for Operations and will report to the Senior Vice President for Operations Support Services. The unit will focus on executing initiatives aligned to overall strategic goals.
  • Shanna Castillo, formerly Assistant Director at Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES), has been appointed Director of REES and will assume oversight of economic opportunity programs and initiatives.
  • Lillian Harris, formerly a Director in the Leased Housing Department, has been appointed Director of the Management Services Department. Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Operations, Ms. Harris will be responsible for resident tenancy matters as well as program and policy administration for property management.
  • Jenelle Hudson, formerly Community Operations Borough Director for Brooklyn, has been appointed Director of Resident Engagement, where she will head the development of a new resident engagement model. Ms. Hudson brings a unique perspective, having extensive experience serving residents in times of crisis and calm.
  • Sideya Sherman, formerly Director of REES, has been appointed Vice President for Strategy and Partnership within Community Programs and Development. She will support EVP Melanie Hart in transitioning Community Programs and Development to a partnership-based, collective impact service model as outlined in NextGeneration NYCHA.
  • Joseph Schmidt, formerly Deputy Director of Technical Services, has been promoted to Director of Procurement. A 26-year NYCHA veteran who began his career as a maintenance worker, Mr. Schmidt’s work in the Technical Services Department in Contract Services Support provides valuable experience and information for this new role.

The following additional appointments included in GM Kelly’s message were reported in the prior issue of NYCHANow: Sibyl Colon, promoted to Director of the Optimal Property Management Department; Erenisse Tavarez, promoted to Director of ESD; and Conrad Vazquez, appointed Director of the Manhattan Property Management Department.