NYCHA Eliminates Over 200000 Repair Work Orders From Its Backlog

NYC Housing Authority


Prress Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 1, 2013
Contact: media@nycha.nyc.gov, (212) 306-3322

New York City Housing Authority Eliminates Over 200,000 Repair Work Orders from Its Backlog

NYCHA is on track to clear the entire backlog of repairs in 2013

The New York City Housing Authority today announced as of July 1, 2013, it has reduced the number of open work orders to less than 220,000 from a peak of 423,000. The reduction is a result of NYCHA’s Action Plan to improve its efficiency in responding to maintenance and repair work orders. The decrease of more than 200,000 work orders keeps NYCHA on target to achieve its goal of eliminating the backlog by the end of 2013. NYCHA has continued to focus on the efficiency and quality of our repair efforts. As NYCHA continues to implement the Action Plan throughout the year, residents will begin to see shorter wait times to address issues in their apartments. NYCHA's ultimate goal is to meet a service level expectation of responding to maintenance request within an average of 7 days; and addressing complex maintenance requests within an average of 15 days. Emergency repairs will continue to be handled within an average of 24 hours. Currently, NYCHA is addressing mildew, intercom, compactor, roof fans, doors, and public space lights repairs in less than two weeks.

Over the past months, staff members have directed significant time, energy and resources throughout the five boroughs to resolve numerous maintenance and repair requests allowing the Authority to reduce the outstanding number of work orders. NYCHA redistributed staff members geographically, ensuring that each development has sufficient representation from each skilled trade; made targeted contact with groups of residents who need similar kinds of work done, ensuring that each staff member can complete more repairs each day; and continued to schedule repairs more effectively. NYCHA has also improved its performance management systems and improved the availability of materials.

While NYCHA continues to implement components of its Action Plan, to date it has added 565 employees to support the work order reduction plan, including 389 new maintenance and skilled trade workers; and the City Council has allocated new funding of $10 million in 2013, the same amount it allocated for 2012 to hire workers for maintenance and repairs.

NYCHA developed a presentation in which the Property Management Directors, the Executive Vice President for Operations, and the General Manager discussed key aspects of the Plan and the specific challenges facing each borough and/or development, as well as staff in other customer-facing departments. After the presentations, staff is encouraged to share their observations, comments, and concerns about the Plan.

NYCHA’s Action Plan is based on a combination of internal process improvements and additional resources made available through internally generated savings ($30 million) and City Council funds ($10 million each for 2012 and 2013). These amounts, when combined with efficiencies in NYCHA’s existing operations, fund NYCHA’s Action Plan. The Action Plan was developed by NYCHA management with input from employees, residents; the labor unions representing NYCHA workers; and advocacy groups. NYCHA will continue to provide regular progress updates on this initiative on its website.