Resident Roundtable Member Spotlight

Richard Johnston, Kingsborough Houses 

Richard Johnston sees his residence at NYCHA as more than just a place to live but as an opportunity for public service.  

The lifelong resident of Brooklyn’s Kingsborough Houses has served his community in the past as a member of the Resident Watch tenant patrol as well as the sergeant-at-arms for the Kingsborough Resident Association. Most recently, he became a member of NYCHA’s Resident Roundtable, a committee launched in June 2021 to ensure that residents continue to play an important role in NYCHA’s Transformation Plan. 

As one of 32 residents who serve on the Roundtable for two years, Mr. Johnston is tasked with gaining input from residents to help identify and prioritize new topics, making recommendations on NYCHA policies and programs, and advising and actively participating in the implementation of approved recommendations.  

Roundtable members represent 30 neighborhoods; Mr. Johnston represents the Brooklyn 5 area, covering Kingsborough, Brevoort, Marcus Garvey (Group A), Ocean Hill, and Park Rock Rehab. The board meets virtually as a group once per month.  

Noting that the Roundtable seat offered him a different opportunity to serve his neighborhood, Mr. Johnston said he was particularly intrigued by the chance to advocate on behalf of fellow residents in regards to issues and programs that could impact their living environment.  

“I thought this sounded like a good program because we have residents that are communicating with the NYCHA [resident leaders],” said Mr. Johnston, who works on special education programs for the City’s Department of Education. 

Mr. Johnston said a key role of Roundtable members is to receive input from residents on their concerns and priorities, and he believes his experience as a longtime resident allows him to better relate to their various needs.  

“My job is to get voices from the residents,” he explained. “Being that I know how the residents feel, I thought I would have a good approach to the residents because I understand where they’re coming from.”  

Specifically, Mr. Johnson sits on the Roundtable subcommittee focused on management practices at NYCHA, helping to communicate feedback on how management can better serve residents as well as how residents can make their development safer and cleaner.  

“My focus is to learn how management can be better in each housing development,” he said, adding that safety is one of the top priorities raised by fellow residents. “This is a chance for people to work in unison trying to find out what we can do to make this work better.” 

While Mr. Johnston credited his Roundtable service with improving his problem solving and public speaking skills, he is most proud of the efforts that Roundtable members are taking to help improve the quality of life for NYCHA’s resident community.  

“It really feels good working with everybody and knowing that I’m playing a part in doing something constructive and beneficial,” Mr. Johnston remarked. “It feels good to help people out.”