Making a Difference

Meet Elaine Nunez, Housing Manager at Straus Houses

As part of a new series, we’re periodically featuring the female property managers who help NYCHA carry out its mission to better serve residents and strengthen our partnership with them. NYCHA supports and encourages women in leadership positions in all departments, including property management. Currently, there are 260 women working as property managers at the Authority. In this installment, meet one of them – Elaine Nunez.

Elaine Nunez, Housing Manager at Straus Houses, celebrated her 32nd anniversary at NYCHA this year. She started working at the Authority in 1989 as a secretary in the Leased Housing Department and has served in different capacities ever since.

During her tenure, Ms. Nunez took part in both NYCHA’s and her own personal transformation: While building a successful career at the Authority, she started a family, raised two kids, and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology.  

“I had all the energy in me to get all this done,” she said. “And I am glad I did. I set a great example to my children to show the importance of going to college and pursuing one’s dreams and career.”

Ms. Nunez has held a variety of managerial positions in different areas at NYCHA, and has served as a property manager since 2015.

“I always say that the developments are the most important component – the backbone of the housing authority,” she noted. “So, in every capacity that I work in, I take pride and ownership of my responsibilities and I do my best to provide good service to the residents and a pleasant work environment for the staff to take pride in.”

“I like to live in a clean, well-kept environment,” Ms. Nunez said. “This is the same type of service I like to provide to my residents. It gives me such great satisfaction when people come to me and tell that they have seen the difference since I stepped foot here; they’ve seen the change.”

Her experience at NYCHA has taught her that hard work pays off: “Thanks to the challenges I faced, I learned so much and many doors opened for me. I was able to show my true potential and to prove to myself that I was able to do much more than I gave myself credit for.”

Ms. Nunez said her degree in psychology helps her to better understand people and keep both staff and residents happy.

“I am making a difference not only for residents but also for my employees,” she said. “I always remind my staff that we are all professionals regardless of what job we do. It doesn’t matter if you are from janitorial, maintenance, or trades: Whatever your position, you are a key component for making this operation happen in a safe, proud way, to provide quality service to residents.”  

After more than three decades of working at NYCHA, Ms. Nunez is retiring at the end of August to start a new phase in her life: “I am planning to use my skills and continue to make a difference in people’s lives by opening my own business. If I could help someone else do it, why not do it for me?”