A Year of Partnership and Achievement
Dear Residents,
It’s been a momentous and impactful year for the NYCHA community, filled with progress through partnership as well as an unwavering commitment to transformation. There were also many exciting moments to celebrate. NYCHA turned 90 this year; to commemorate this meaningful milestone – a testament to the enduring power and importance of public housing – NYCHA leadership and community advocates got together with the residents of First Houses, the nation’s first public housing development, for a fun and festive event that was a great kickoff to the holiday season.
That vivid demonstration of community and collaboration reminded me of how vital it is for us to work together to ensure that NYCHA is here to serve and support New Yorkers for another 90 years and beyond. In this letter, I’d like to tell you about some of the work that we accomplished this year to strengthen and preserve our city’s precious resource of affordable housing.
Improving Homes
We are proud of our efforts to make a difference for NYCHA families. Our major housing preservation programs like PACT, the Trust, and Comprehensive Modernization (Comp Mod) are leveraging new and creative models for funding, project delivery, and partnership, bringing billions of dollars of investment to revitalize our developments and deliver the quality of life NYCHA residents deserve. More than 39,000 apartments across 146 developments are in pre-development, under construction, or have completed renovations through PACT, representing nearly $14 billion in upgrades. This year, the Trust signed design-build contracts for projects to modernize nearly 1,400 homes at Nostrand Houses and Bronx River Addition, representing almost half a billion dollars in building upgrades; to date, four developments have voted to join the Trust to unlock funding for much-needed renovations of their homes. The Comp Mod program is active at four developments currently, where it will transform residents’ homes thanks to nearly $1 billion in funding.
As part of NYCHA’s regular capital investments program, we are spending about $1 billion a year on projects across the city, replacing roofs and fixing facades, updating elevators and boilers and plumbing and waste management systems, and enhancing safety and security infrastructure. We are also leading the charge on introducing key sustainability measures, from solar panels and climate resiliency infrastructure to energy-efficient heating and cooling units and stoves. And we are reimagining and revitalizing our developments, transforming our open spaces to better serve residents through renovated playgrounds and gathering spaces as well as farms, gardens, and public art. Check out the new murals at Amsterdam Addition and Bronx River Houses, for instance, or the beautifully restored Harlem Renaissance-era “Exodus and Dance” artwork at Kingsborough Houses!
Promoting Opportunity
Our focus is not just on brick-and-mortar improvements – supporting residents by fostering opportunity is another key part of our mission. On that note, there was another notable anniversary this year: the NYCHA-CUNY Scholarship program celebrated its 20th year of providing vital scholarships that help residents pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees at CUNY schools. Since the program’s inception in 2005, NYCHA has awarded more than 615 scholarships totaling over $615,000, thanks to support from City Council funding and donors from the private and public sectors. Some of the funding was facilitated by our partners at the Public Housing Community Fund, which spearheads a variety of great work in service to NYCHA communities across the city, through programs focused on community health, financial empowerment, leadership development, and workforce training.
Our Resident Services, Partnerships, and Initiatives (RSPI) team is also dedicated to life-changing opportunities for residents. This year, we connected 1,826 residents to job placements and facilitated 1,064 resident referrals to economic opportunity partners; supported resident associations in putting over $2 million in Tenant Participation Activity funding to good use in their communities; and dispersed over $620,000 in funding from City Council members. Since its inception, RSPI has obtained a total of over $8.5 million in grants for education, employment, health initiatives, community services, and public safety programs to benefit residents.
In closing, I would like to wish you and your family happy holidays and a healthy and joyous year to come! You are an indispensable part of NYCHA – a vibrant community and pillar of our city – and I appreciate your continued partnership as we strive to further improve your quality of life.
Sincerely,
Lisa Bova-Hiatt, Chief Executive Officer