New Members Appointed to NYCHA Board
Three new members have been named to the NYCHA Board of Directors, where they will work to ensure residents are represented in decision making to preserve and protect public housing.
Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Joseph Adams Sr., a current NYCHA resident; Paula Gavin; and Matt Gewolb to the Board.
“NYCHA residents are the backbone of New York City, and the Board serves an important role in making sure the city is best serving the needs of those who call NYCHA home,” said Mayor de Blasio. “I welcome Joseph, Paula, and Matt to NYCHA’s Board, and look forward to working with them to ensure we do right by public housing residents and strengthen public housing for the next generation.”
NYCHA’s Board is comprised of seven members appointed by the Mayor, including three current residents of public housing, who have a direct say in NYCHA’s operations. Board members attend monthly meetings and vote on contracts, resolutions, policies, motions, rules, and regulations that affect all NYCHA residents.
Joseph K. Adams Sr.
“I’ve called NYCHA my home for years, and I am proud to serve as a voice for the thousands of other New Yorkers who also call NYCHA home,” said Joseph K. Adams. “I would like to thank Mayor de Blasio for appointing me to the Board, and I look forward to working with other members to ensure every resident has a say in the way NYCHA is managed.”
A NYCHA resident for more than 20 years, Joseph K. Adams Sr. currently resides at Manhattan’s Sondra Thomas Apartments. He is a former resident of Manhattan’s Woodrow Wilson Houses and the Bronx’s Patterson Houses. Mr. Adams’ extensive experience in advocating on behalf of the community is reflected through the jobs he’s held and his volunteer work over the past few decades. A School Safety Agent for over 15 years, he later worked at his alma mater, CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice, as a Research Assistant for a professor in the Department of Africana Studies and as a Research Coordinator in the Women’s Center’s Department of Counseling.
While overcoming a learning disability, Mr. Adams obtained his High School Equivalency Diploma. He later earned his bachelor’s degree and Master of Public Administration degree from John Jay College. He raised four of his six children as a single parent while living in public housing, and was proud to see them graduate from elite high schools and universities, including Harvard University and the University of Chicago. (Click here to read Mr. Adams’ full bio.)
Paula L. Gavin
“Public housing provides thousands of New Yorkers with opportunities for a better future,” said Paula Gavin. “I thank Mayor de Blasio for appointing me to the NYCHA Board, and I am excited to help tackle the challenges facing NYCHA and provide all residents with those opportunities to pursue a high quality of life.”
In a career that spans 50 years of leadership and executive management, Paula L. Gavin possesses a unique combination of business, nonprofit, and government experience, focused on strategic planning and youth, community, and leadership development. She supports multiple government and nonprofit organizations as a strategic coach and formerly served as the New York City Chief Service Officer, responsible for NYC Service. NYC Service – a division of the Office of the Mayor – promotes volunteerism, engages New Yorkers in service, builds volunteer capacity, and mobilizes the power of volunteers and national service members to address the city’s greatest needs. A graduate of the University of Delaware, Ms. Gavin has been an adjunct professor at the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, The New School, and Columbia University. (Click here to read Ms. Gavin’s full bio.)
Matt Gewolb
“In a city as costly as this one, NYCHA serves a critical role in ensuring that New Yorkers have affordable housing options in their neighborhoods,” said Matt Gewolb. “I appreciate Mayor de Blasio naming me to the NYCHA Board and am looking forward to getting to work to ensure we are making the best decisions to support the thousands of NYCHA residents across the five boroughs.”
Matt Gewolb is Assistant Dean & General Counsel at New York Law School. He is the Law School’s chief legal adviser, serves as Secretary to the Board of Trustees, and advises the Dean, members of the Board of Trustees, and others on a variety of legal, policy, academic, and operational matters. He was Executive Director and Counsel for the 2018 New York City Charter Revision Commission. Mr. Gewolb is a graduate of Cornell University and Emory Law School. He also holds master’s degrees in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. (Click here to read Mr. Gewolb’s full bio.)
