NYCHA - NextGen NYCHA's First Year: Changing Funding, Improving Operations at NYCHA 20160525

NYC Housing Authority


Press Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 25, 2016
CONTACT: media@nycha.nyc.gov | (212) 306-3322

NextGen NYCHA's First Year: Changing Funding, Improving Operations at NYCHA

NEW YORK—The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) recently marked the one-year anniversary of NextGeneration NYCHA with the release of testimonials from those, among many, that are contributing to NYCHA’s massive turnaround effort. NextGeneration NYCHA (NextGen) is the Authority’s ten-year strategic plan to stabilize the financial crisis facing New York City’s public housing while creating safer, cleaner, and more connected communities. NextGen’s 15 targeted strategies support four principal goals: change the way NYCHA is funded; operate like a more modern, efficient landlord; (re)build existing public housing and new affordable housing; and engage residents in meaningful ways. In year one, NYCHA is moving in a positive direction and seeing results.

NEXTGEN FUND GOAL: CHANGE THE WAY NYCHA IS FUNDED

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Dr. James Kim is an optometrist, who recently opened his practice on the ground floor of the Williamsburg Houses—a space that had been vacant for three years. Dr. Kim will offer public housing residents and the broader community greater access to comprehensive vision care. Making smarter, more efficient use of ground-floor space is a key strategy with NextGen’s funding goal. This year, NYCHA has leased more than 27,000 square feet of ground-floor space to new commercial and community space tenants, which bring in new streams of revenue and benefit the community. Other new tenants include a new child care center at Washington Heights Rehabs, which will provide early education learning and universal pre-K, and a new discount store in a space at Queensbridge Houses that had been vacant for over a decade.

NEXTGEN OPERATE GOAL: OPERATE LIKE A MORE MODERN, EFFICIENT LANDLORD

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NYCHA Vice President for Public Safety Gerald Nelson has been instrumental in enhancing communications and coordination with law enforcement, residents and community partners to improve security at NYCHA communities. This year, NYCHA launched the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC), led by VP Nelson, NYPD Housing Bureau Chief James Secreto, and CCOP President Ann Cotton Morris. PSAC will develop a plan that addresses a range of public safety issues affecting residents. Additionally, as part of the Mayor’s Action Plan (MAP) to reduce violent crime in targeted NYCHA developments, the Authority completed a $4.8-million lighting project at the Polo Grounds Towers, installing 341 new energy-efficient exterior lights at the development. Similar exterior lighting projects are currently underway at 9 of the 15 MAP developments.

Learn more about NextGen’s first year and key NYCHA accomplishments here.

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