The NYCHA Journal

The NYCHA Journal has informed and inspired residents since 1970, covering the news, contributions, and uplifting stories of the NYCHA community while providing the latest information on Authority initiatives.

Fort Independence Houses
PACT Top Story 

New PACT Projects to Deliver Comprehensive Repairs & Quality Property Management for More Than 5,900 Bronx & Manhattan Apartments

Michael

On October 8, NYCHA released a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to attract development partners for new projects under the Authority’s Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program to repair and preserve more than 5,900 apartments in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. The latest RFEI will maintain the Authority’s focus on proposals that showcase robust resident engagement approaches, diverse partnership teams, and community-enhancing urban designs.

The official RFEI is the eleventh one issued by the Authority since the PACT program was first launched in 2016, and represents an essential first step in unlocking the capital funds needed to address the infrastructure repair needs of severely distressed properties. In the past year, NYCHA’s Real Estate Development Department has worked diligently to incorporate feedback from stakeholders in designing a proposal submission process that prioritizes such measures as diverse partnerships, resident programming and services, deep decarbonization activities, connected urban designs, and engagement plans that meaningfully incorporate resident input throughout the development process. The proposals will be reviewed by resident committees formed by the Tenant Association leaders to assist NYCHA in the selection of partners for their respective developments.

Residents in developments participating in the PACT program will see their buildings, common spaces, and apartments modernized through extensive renovations. Repairs to individual apartments will include comprehensive work on kitchens, bathrooms, windows, and living spaces. Chronic heat and gas outages will be addressed and renovations of interiors and common spaces, as well as elevator repairs, will be completed. Additionally, there will be improvements to building security, including upgraded entry systems and additional security cameras. Partnerships with social service providers have also been established to improve on-site services and programming through input from residents.

PACT is a key tool to fund comprehensive repairs at developments citywide while safeguarding tenant rights and protections. Through PACT, developments will be included in the federal Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) and receive Tenant Protection Vouchers (TPV) to transition to a more stable, federally funded program called Project-Based Section 8. PACT depends on partnerships with private and nonprofit development partners. Once the property is converted to Project-Based Section 8, NYCHA will lease the land and buildings to the development partners, who will conduct the repairs, serve as the new on-site property manager, and provide enhanced social services and community programs.

NYCHA will continue to own the land and buildings, administer the Section 8 subsidy and waitlist, and monitor conditions at the development. NYCHA will ensure that the partners adhere to standards outlined in the RAD Roundtable Guiding Principles created by NYCHA residents and advocacy groups to preserve resident protections and guarantee permanent affordability. More information on the PACT program can be found here.

Pre-qualified partners designated through the annual PACT Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process will be invited to submit proposals in response to the following projects:

  • Boston Secor, Boston Road Plaza & Middletown Plaza (952 units)
  • Jackie Robinson & Harlem Scattered Sites (1,063 units)
  • Manhattanville (1,272 units)
  • Murphy Private (850 units)
  • Northwest Bronx Scattered Sites (1,817 units)

“The applicants selected through this RFEI announcement will play a crucial role in securing comprehensive capital upgrades to NYCHA properties in dire need of full-scale infrastructural repairs,” said NYCHA Chair & CEO Greg Russ. “We look forward to weighing the submitted proposals for the care and attention they place on delivering meaningful quality-of-life improvements on behalf of the thousands of residents targeted under this latest iteration.”

“Modernizing NYCHA is imperative for the well-being and quality of life of NYCHA residents,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. The City welcomes development partners who are committed to improving living conditions and providing safe, quality housing in a thriving community that meets the needs of NYCHA tenants.”

“Over the past year, NYCHA’s Real Estate Development Department has worked diligently to revise our PACT requirements in a way that reflects the thoughtful concerns of our residents and stakeholders,” said NYCHA’s Executive Vice President of Real Estate Development Jonathan Gouveia. “We are confident that our approach will yield a host of high-quality rehabilitation proposals capable of improving the health, prosperity, and living conditions of NYCHA residents.”

“As the TA President at Boston Secor, I am thrilled to be part of the PACT program, which will bring much-needed repairs to our development, so that we may have the safe, affordable homes we all deserve,” said Emma Miller, Tenant Association President at Boston Secor. “I look forward to working continually with NYCHA and ensuring that the voices of Boston Secor residents are heard throughout this process for the betterment of our community.”

“My vision for Middletown Plaza is finally being realized through PACT! As the TA President, I have advocated for safe, clean, and affordable housing for our seniors for over a decade,” said Reverend Marilyn Oliver, Tenant Association President at Middletown Plaza. “Through PACT and NYCHA’s continued hard work, I am overcome with excitement about what lies ahead for Middletown Plaza and our amazing residents.”

“Taft Rehabs is a small scattered development in central Harlem with large capital needs. The residents and I are looking forward to working with the New York City Housing Authority to select our PACT partners and to continue planning the improvements, upgrades, and increased social services for the betterment of our community,” said Charlene Fuller, Tenant Association President at Taft Rehabs.

The pre-qualified partners will be provided a copy of the Round 11 Request for Expression of Interest. All proposals are due by February 14, 2021. Interested Pre-Qualified Partners can attend a virtual pre-submission conference on October 21. Details on how to RSVP for the virtual conference can be found within the RFEI.

For more information about the pre-submission conferences or proposal requirements, pre-qualified partners can email pact.partners@nycha.nyc.gov.

Photo caption: Fort Independence in the Bronx, one of the sites included in the RFEI.