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NYCHA Now
May 2022 PACT 

NYCHA Residents & Employees Honored by Citizens Housing & Planning Council

Latoya Jordan

On April 27, members of the NYCHA community received awards from the Citizens Housing & Planning Council (CHPC) at the organization’s 62nd Annual Luncheon, “Policy with a Purpose.” CHPC is a non-profit organization that focuses on housing and planning policy, and its work has helped shape housing policy in New York City for more than 80 years. 

NYCHA residents from Fulton Houses and Elliott-Chelsea Houses received the “Impact Award for Planning” in recognition of their work forming the Resident Review Committee for PACT and being the first group of residents to lead a PACT planning process. This group worked countless volunteer hours to review, interview, and help select the new PACT partner for their developments. The committee helped reshape the PACT process and serves as a model for how future PACT residents will have a seat at the table in making important decisions about the future of their homes. (Read more about the PACT work at these developments here.) Accepting on behalf of the committee were Darlene Waters, Resident Association President for Elliott-Chelsea Houses, and Miguel Acevedo, Resident Association President for Fulton Houses. 

Darlene Waters, Resident Association President for Elliott-Chelsea Houses, accepting the Impact Award for Planning onstage at CHPC’s 62nd Annual Luncheon.
Miguel Acevedo, Resident Association President for Fulton Houses, accepting the Impact Award for Planning onstage at CHPC’s 62nd Annual Luncheon.

Additionally, NYCHA’s Vice President of Portfolio Planning Simon Kawitzky received the “Ibo Balton Community Planner Award” for his work in helping the Authority add new community planning processes into its real estate work. Mr. Kawitzky oversaw the Resident Review Committee at Elliot-Chelsea and Fulton Houses, which empowers residents with decision-making opportunities and ensures that development team proposals are written with a focus on resident needs. He is currently working to implement this new model of resident-centered planning across PACT projects.  

Simon Kawitzky (Photo courtesy of CHPC awardee bios)
Simon Kawitzky accepting the Ibo Balton Community Planner Award onstage at CHPC’s 62nd Annual Luncheon.

Featured photo caption: Resident Association Presidents Miguel Acevedo (3rd from left) and Darlene Waters (4th from left) at a meeting to discuss the PACT for Fulton, Chelsea, Chelsea Addition, and Elliott Houses.