Standing Together and Supporting Each Other
Fighting for Justice and Equality Across Our Nation
To the NYCHA Community:
Now more than ever, it is imperative that all of us who live and work at NYCHA stand together and support each other during this unprecedented time in our nation’s history. The COVID-19 crisis, the brutal actions that led to the killing of George Floyd by a law enforcement officer in Minneapolis, and the civil rights protests now taking place in New York City and throughout the United States have cast a blinding light, yet again, on the insidious, longstanding racism and inequities experienced by Black communities and other communities of color.
People of all races and backgrounds are expressing their sadness, anger, and deep frustration and are rightfully demanding long overdue justice, not just for George Floyd and others who have been targeted, attacked, and killed, but also for the millions of people who call America their home yet continue to live in fear, experience the repeated violation of their rights, and suffer disadvantages that many pretend do not exist. We know that solidarity, while important and appreciated, means nothing without fundamental change.
NYCHA denounces racism; we believe in the right to protest and we support the fight for equality and justice.
NYCHA is a community, and as a community it is our responsibility to listen to our residents and employees, as well as openly and fearlessly discuss what we are all experiencing, seeing, and learning during this painful time.
Both nationwide and throughout New York City, communities of color are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. While at this point DOHMH data indicates that NYCHA residents are impacted on par with all New Yorkers, this may change as more residents are tested and as we gain more information. Nevertheless, it is a fact that NYCHA residents have underlying health conditions, experience social disparities, and suffer economic hardship at higher rates, and are therefore more vulnerable to this virus and other health, social, and economic crises that may come now and in the future.
Without question, quality, stable housing is crucial to residents’ health outcomes and overall equality and success. For NYCHA, this means putting resources on the ground to improve essential and quality of life services at developments for our families, reinvesting in our buildings, and improving residents’ access to health and social support services and educational and economic opportunities. This will strengthen our developments, where 90 percent of residents are Black and/or Latinx and many have served as essential workers during the pandemic, and it will require a commitment from all Americans to put some of the great wealth of this country into public housing.
Well before the COVID-19 crisis, NYCHA had been working to transform the Authority and preserve its buildings by implementing compliance and environmental health and safety standards and addressing critical issues identified in its January 2019 federal agreement such as lead, mold, pests, heat, and elevators. This work has continued where possible throughout the crisis, but there is still much more work to be done.
Significantly, decades of financial disinvestment, from all levels of government, in NYCHA and public housing authorities throughout the nation is a glaring example of how America has devalued the health, safety, stability, equality, and success of communities of color.
Today, with renewed urgency, NYCHA remains steadfast in its commitment to working with residents and all partners toward developing long-term solutions and, most importantly, fighting for the long overdue equitable funding that residents of public housing need and deserve.
Although these are difficult and challenging times, we believe in the fortitude of NYCHA residents and employees, and we have never been prouder to serve this community.
Thank you.
Respectfully,
Javier Almodovar, Director of the Heating Management Services Department
Jeannette Almodovar, Community Associate, Family Partnerships Department
Yvette Andino, Director of Employee Engagement, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
Sylvia Aude, Vice President of Public Housing Tenancy Administration
Rassoul Azarnejad, Vice President of Healthy Homes, Office of the General Manager
Patti Bayross, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Lisa Bova-Hiatt, Executive Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel
Sandra Bradley, Social Worker, Family Partnerships Department
Barbara Brancaccio, Chief Communications Officer
Calcedonio Bruno, Director of Management and Planning
Ukah Busgith, Senior Director of the Family Partnerships Department
Matthew Charney, Vice President of Design and Construction, Real Estate Development
Michael Corwin, Editorial Manager, Department of Communications
Stephanie Davis, Director of Public Housing Operations
Thomas Duncan, Development Officer, Office of Public/Private Partnerships
Adam Eagle, Senior Director for the Capital Projects Administration Department
Ajene Eustace, Director of the Construction Safety and Quality Department
Jay Flaherty, Director of Quality and Cost Control, Office of the General Manager
Anne-Marie Flatley, Vice President of Performance Management and Analytics
Rochel Leah Goldblatt, Deputy Press Secretary, Department of Communications
Jonathan Gouveia, Executive Vice President for Real Estate Development
Daniel Greene, Chief Compliance Officer
Brian Honan, Vice President of Intergovernmental Relations
Jenelle Hudson, Director of the Resident Engagement Department
Vilma Huertas, Special Advisor to the Chair
Kerri Jew, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer
Andrew Kaplan, Deputy Chief of Staff
Joey Koch, Chief of Staff
Joseph LaMarca, Director of the General Services Department
Jesús Lebrón, Social Worker, Family Partnerships Department
Annika Lescott, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Sybille Louis, Director for Performance Tracking and Analytics
J. Steven Lovci, Executive Vice President for Capital Projects
Andrea Mata, Director of Health Initiatives
Anthony Marotta, Director of the Technical Services Department
Carolyn Mcleod, Chief of Support Services, Family Partnerships Department
Monique McLeod, Director of the Customer Operations Department
Horace Miller, Social Work Supervisor, Family Partnerships Department
Lakesha Miller, Executive Vice President for Leased Housing
Rudy Murillo, Director of the Office of Emergency Management
Vito Mustaciuolo, General Manager
Gerald Nelson, Retired NYPD and Vice President for Public Safety
Noemi Ocasio, Social Worker, Family Partnerships Department
Oliver Osterwind, Vice President for Project Management, Capital Projects Division
Marina Oteiza, Administrator for Social Services, Family Partnerships Department
Anthony Porcelli, Senior Director of the Materials Management Department
Humberto Rosero, Video Producer, Department of Communications
Gregory Russ, Chair and Chief Executive Officer
Josephine Russo, Senior Vice President of Supply Management and Procurement
James Scanlon, Vice President for Capital Planning and Design
Celeste Thomas Segure, Director of the Department of Equal Opportunity
Sideya Sherman, Executive Vice President for Community Engagement and Partnerships
Joy Sinderbrand, Vice President of Recovery and Resilience
Arvind Sohoni, Director of Strategic Planning
Elena Tenchikova, Senior Director of the Office of Mold Assessment and Remediation
Remya Thomas, Digital Communications Manager, Department of Communications
Eva Trimble, Executive Vice President for Strategy and Innovation
D’Andra Van Heusen-Thomas, Deputy Director for Community Development
Eddie Vega, Writer, Department of Communications
George Williams, Director of the Customer Contact Center (CCC)
Sandra Wynter-Brown, Social Worker, Family Partnerships Department