Hylan Houses Residents Select the Trust in Runoff Vote
On April 10, NYCHA announced the final results of the tie-breaking runoff vote at Hylan Houses. Residents have weighed in on the future of their homes and decided to enter the Public Housing Preservation Trust, a fully public entity expected to unlock new funding streams for comprehensive repairs. In January, a full recount of votes confirmed a tie between residents’ top two selections of the Trust and the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program. In accordance with the protocol for breaking a tie, as outlined in the voting procedures, a runoff vote was held between these two ballot options, during which residents were able to cast their votes online, in person, or by mail. An initial tally of votes was conducted and preliminary results were announced on April 4. Any mail-in votes postmarked no later than the last day of voting would have been accepted and counted toward the final results, but no additional mail-in votes were received. Hylan Houses is the fifth development to hold a vote of this kind, and the fourth to select the Trust, following Nostrand Houses, Bronx River Addition, and Coney Island I (Site 1B).
“With all the votes counted and the final results certified, Hylan Houses residents determined a new future for their home — unlocking millions of dollars in much-needed funding through the Public Housing Preservation Trust,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “This is now the fourth NYCHA development to select the Trust, tapping into new funding streams for comprehensive repairs across 1,776 NYCHA apartments. Our administration fought hard in Albany to give NYCHA residents this option and we are beyond excited that so many residents are taking advantage of this opportunity. Now the work begins as we continue to collaborate with Hylan residents and bring much-needed improvements to their home.”
“I’m happy to see that after a thorough community engagement and planning process with NYCHA, residents at Hylan Houses have voted to ensure the long-term stability of their homes,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr. “I look forward to seeing the renovation of over 200 homes and I congratulate the residents and the NYCHA team for reaching this crucial step in preserving these homes and improving quality of life at Hylan.”
“What the vote at Hylan Houses showed us is that the residents of this development are ready for something new,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “Hylan residents showed up to cast their ballots, not just once but twice, to make it known that they’re ready to bring change to their lives and their homes. We are very much looking forward to working in close collaboration with Hylan residents as we start a brand-new chapter at their campus through the Public Housing Preservation Trust.”
“Residents at Hylan voted overwhelmingly for long-overdue investment,” said NYC Public Housing Preservation Trust President Vlada Kenniff. “In partnership with NYCHA, we’re ready to get to work with the residents and deliver the building repairs and healthier communities they’ve been waiting for.”
“I am so proud of my community at Hylan Houses,” said Hylan Houses Tenant Association President Audrey Fraser. “The majority of eligible voters showed up to have their voices heard not just one time but two times, and I feel like that says it all. Our community is ready to work with the Public Housing Preservation Trust to bring real change to our homes, and we cannot wait to begin seeing much-needed renovations being made.”
The final, certified results for the runoff vote at Hylan Houses yielded a total of 176 resident votes, including 129 heads of household, representing 58 percent of all eligible voters and 62 percent of heads of household from the development. By the election administrator’s count, the development’s residents have voted to join the Public Housing Preservation Trust with a total of 150 votes, while 25 voted to enter the PACT program. One ballot could not be counted due to unclear voter intent. Hylan Houses will now begin the process of converting to Project-Based Section 8, unlocking millions of dollars in much-needed funding for capital renovations to 209 apartments.
It is estimated that Hylan Houses, home to 410 residents, has a 20-year capital need of nearly $90 million. Portfolio-wide, a Physical Needs Assessment (PNA) released by NYCHA in 2023 estimates the Authority’s total capital needs to be nearly $80 billion following decades of federal disinvestment.
According to the official voting procedures, residents are eligible to vote if they are 18 years or older and part of the household composition. Participation from a minimum threshold of 20 percent of all heads of household is required for a vote to be considered valid.
NYCHA’s Voter Engagement Team conducted 30 additional days of engagement at Hylan Houses following confirmation of the tied vote, which included door-knocking, phone-banking, and distribution of physical materials to residents. A total of eight public information sessions were held to explain the vote and ballot options to residents during the public engagement periods at Hylan Houses. These and other engagement efforts amounted to over 607 total touchpoints with a total of 220 eligible voters.
The New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust, a fully public entity signed into law by New York Governor Kathy Hochul in 2022, is expected to unlock billions of dollars in federal funding for comprehensive renovations at NYCHA developments to improve living conditions for residents. Under the Trust, a development is kept 100 percent public and converted to the more stable, federally funded Project-Based Section 8 program, while residents maintain their rights, including permanently affordable rent. The voting period is currently underway for residents of Throggs Neck Addition and Randall Avenue-Balcom Avenue and is expected to run from through April 22.