Meet Bronx Maintenance Worker Richard Tulipano 

Richard Tulipano is a naturally competitive person, even when it comes to his job as a NYCHA Maintenance Worker in the Bronx. 

No matter the task, it’s that instinctive desire to always do his best that he believes has served him well throughout his extensive maintenance career. 

“Whatever I do, I like to do it to the best of my ability,” explained Mr. Tulipano, who has worked at Webster-Morrisania Houses for the past six years. “It’s a fulfilling thing if you enjoy it, and I enjoy what I’m doing.” 

After growing up with some fellow handy people in his family, Mr. Tulipano started his own maintenance career in the construction industry, focusing on electrical and plumbing repairs. He joined the NYCHA workforce 11 years ago as a maintenance employee at Monroe Houses in the Bronx and later transferred across the borough to the Webster-Morrisania consolidation, home to more than 1,800 residents. 

As one of the hard-working staff members called upon to resolve a range of maintenance needs on site — from plumbing and electrical issues to light fixtures — Mr. Tulipano relishes the opportunity to assist residents and collaborate with colleagues to address quality of life issues in the community. 

“I get to meet different people during the day, and I think helping people is a good thing,” he said. “I take pride in the work that I do.” 

Part of his competitive spirit is an insistence on strong work performance. When responding to residents’ repair needs, he aims to ensure that once the job is fully completed, it’s done correctly before he leaves the apartment.    

“The most important thing that I focus on is my quality of work,” he noted. “I want to do the work the way it’s supposed to be done, because if it were my house, that’s how I’d want it too; that’s the type of respect I like to give the residents.” 

Building a trusting relationship with residents is also top of mind for Mr. Tulipano, who believes that communication about the repair process and expected timeframe is key to providing quality customer service.  

“Communication with the residents is the most important thing,” he said. “I just try to be honest with them on the timeframe and how we’re going to proceed, and the residents always appreciate that.” 

Mr. Tulipano’s dedication to the job has extended to efforts such as the Authority-wide “Maintenance Cares” initiative, in which maintenance staff expedite apartment repairs that need immediate attention by skilled trades employees or vendors. Workers will document the issue with photos and a brief description and submit the report via a dedicated Maintenance Cares email address. 

“I try to make a point that if I see something that I can’t handle alone, I make sure to report it immediately,” he explained. “We try to help the residents get everything straightened out so they can have a better way of living in their residence. With everyone doing their part, I think it’s a very good program to have.”  

Over the years, Mr. Tulipano has also served as a union shop steward and a volunteer safety associate, helping to identify and report on potentially unsafe conditions affecting employees and residents at the development. Beyond the opportunity to ensure safe, comfortable living spaces for community members, Mr. Tulipano said he is thankful for the many connections he has developed among both residents and colleagues during his years on the NYCHA team.  

“When you’re working here so long, you get to see kids grow up and you get to know people, so it’s been fulfilling,” he concluded. “It’s nice when you can help people.”