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Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 20, 2019

CONTACT: media@nycha.nyc.gov

IN PREPARATION FOR MLK HOLIDAY WEEKEND, NYCHA ACTIVATES HEATING RESPONSE TEAMS AND IMPROVED EMERGENCY REPSONSE COMMAND CENTER

Heat team prepares for inclement weather and cold spell with additional robust staffing

NYCHA's Incident Command System (ICS) is now open to ensure faster response times in assisting public housing residents during emergencies

NEW YORK — With forecasts pointing to inclement weather and dangerously cold temperatures this weekend and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) has activated additional heating response teams and its "Situation Room," an incident command center in Long Island City, to help the Authority minimize any interruptions and rapidly respond to any outages.

"NYCHA is working around the clock to ensure our staff is prepared to respond to any disruptions for our residents this holiday weekend," said NYCHA General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo. "We encourage any resident who experiences heat or hot water service interruptions to report these issues to NYCHA immediately so we can resolve them as quickly as possible."

Following its successful Thanksgiving and holiday season heat service improvements, NYCHA has taken additional steps to secure resident apartments ahead of this holiday weekend. While the Authority's heat staff work regularly from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week and its heat desk staff are on site 24/7 to respond to any service interruptions citywide through the end of heating season, NYCHA has also:

Increased heating response teams to 14, with two shifts operating from 8 a.m. to midnight on Sunday, one shift from midnight to 5 a.m. on Monday, and regular heat staff scheduled from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. The teams will be assigned to every borough and will be dispatched across the City as needed;

Increased coverage by third-party vendors that now manage several of NYCHA's heating plants across the City;

Skilled trades staff — including plumbers and electricians — will be available from 8 a.m. to midnight each day to respond to more advanced or technical needs for service restoration; and

Doubled staff coverage at the Customer Contact Center from 7 a.m. to midnight on Sunday and 6 a.m. to midnight on Monday to accommodate a higher call volume.

Scheduled the opening of 12 Warming Centers across the City on Monday for residents experiencing heat issues while staff work on repairs.

The Authority has also triggered its Situation Room in order for essential NYCHA personnel to gather information and coordinate response and resources to better assist affected residents this holiday weekend. These departments include, but are not limited to, Emergency Management, Heating, Elevators, Information Technology and Maintenance, Repair and Skilled Trades.

Going forward, staff can now coordinate a 24/7 response in one central location to minimize disruptions to the Authority's operations and services. In the event of an emergency, the Situation Room is customizable and able to fit the needs of different incidents impacting the Authority and its residents.

NYCHA and the de Blasio Administration previously announced new measures this heat season to improve and respond to heat service interruptions. As a result of NYCHA's efforts to improve heating this year, outages are being restored in 10 hours on average, as compared to 36 hours at this time last year. NYCHA is committed to reducing the number of outages overall and rapidly restoring those that do occur.

Anyone experiencing issues in their developments should create a work ticket by using the MyNycha app or by calling the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771.

About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)

NYCHA’s mission is to increase opportunities for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers by providing safe, affordable housing and facilitating access to social and community services. Over 390,000 New Yorkers reside in NYCHA’s 316 public housing developments and PACT/RAD developments formerly managed by NYCHA around the five boroughs. Over 190,000 receive subsidized rental assistance in private homes through the NYCHA-administered Section 8 Leased Housing Program. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/nycha, and for regular updates on NYCHA news and services, connect with us via  www.facebook.com/NYCHA and www.twitter.com/NYCHA.