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July 2015 Inside This Issue 3 6 12 VOL. 45 NO. 4 JULY 2015 INSIDE THIS ISSUE 3 6 12 Training Amazing garden Resident for success transformation Art Show winners THE PEACEMAKERS NYCHA YOUTH WHO’VE WITNESSED LIFE-ALTERING VIOLENCE FIRSTHAND REACH OUT TO PREVENT OTHERS FROM EXPERIENCING THE SAME PAIN. Twice a month a group of young people get together for pizza and a movie, but this isn’t just a chill session. These individuals are members of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice Peer Leadership Committee – youth under the age of 24 residing in NYCHA developments, some from the 15 developments within the Mayor’s Action Plan for Safety (MAP). They all have personal experience with gun violence, gang violence or the criminal justice system, and they are all interested in learning how to become advocates and activists for peace in their communities. The movie they watch – one they’ve seen many times – is Voices From Within, a short film by Dan Sle- pian, who worked with the staff and inmates of the Sing Sing Correction- al Facility to record inmates speak- ing directly to a camera about their Children from Monroe Houses were excited to meet NBA star Carmelo Anthony at the June 4 ribbon-cutting for a newly renovated basketball court feelings on having taken someone’s courtesy of Anthony’s Courts 4 Kids program. life. The film is wrenching, difficult to watch, and very powerful. The Peer to look forward to on a day-to-day basis. Leaders are trained by educators It’s about the youth, it’s about the kids from the Mayor’s Office of Criminal that are out here today, what they’re go- Justice and their community-based Home Court ing to do afterschool, what they’re going partner, the Maysles Institute, a to have to call their own, and this court documentary and education organi- right here is for the Monroe Houses so zation, to facilitate a discussion with you can be able to call it your own.” individuals who have just viewed the Ribbon-cutting ceremonies were film about their reactions to the film Advantages held on May 21 at Coney Island and (CONTINUED ON PAGE 10) June 4 at Monroe and were attended Carmelo Anthony Foundation Renovates by NYCHA General Manager Michael Kelly, City Councilmembers Mark Treyger Three NYCHA Basketball Courts and Annabel Palma, and NYCHA staff, residents and community members. T’S GOING TO be a summer of free now renovated three NYCHA basketball A highlight of the dedications was the throws, jump shots, and dunks for courts – the first in 2013 at Red Hook pick-up games played on the new courts Ikids at Coney Island Houses 4 & 5 Houses, where NBA basketball star by local youth. (Brooklyn) and James Monroe Houses Carmelo Anthony grew up. And the kids were excited to get on (Bronx) as they take advantage of bas- “The whole idea behind putting courts the new courts: Carey Gardens resident ketball courts recently renovated by the in underprivileged neighborhoods…is Tajheir Marcano, 8, said, “Carmelo Carmelo Anthony Foundation’s (CAF) basically to bring communities together,” Anthony, that was nice of him for doing Courts 4 Kids program. Anthony said at the Monroe Houses this basketball court and he’s a good At Coney Island, CAF painted the ribbon-cutting. “I think by putting this shooter and a good dunker,” and 14- court and added new backboards, and at basketball court here in this community, year-old Coney Island resident Maurice Monroe Houses, CAF repaved, painted, in all the communities that we touch, it’s Hayward said, “When you come here, and installed new backboards. CAF has about giving that community something it’s like you’re playing with Carmelo.” FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.NYC.GOV/NYCHA LETTER FROM THE CHAIR All About NYCHA’s SUMMER IN THE CITY! several NYCHA developments to Resident Board Members fight against crime this summer, making our communities safer for everyone. These young people, all of whom have been personally touched by gun violence or gang violence, want to change the dangerous dynamic that leads to the loss of so many young lives. Please join them on their tour through our developments, talk with them about these life and death issues, and consider the important questions they pose about the responsibilities we each have to ourselves, our Beatrice Byrd Victor Gonzalez Willie Mae Lewis families and our communities. (For more information, see the article on THE FIRST RESIDENT board member istrative matters at ten regularly sched- page 1.) was added to the NYCHA Board of uled board meetings per year. These MAY AND JUNE were busy months Of course, summer is a time Directors in 2011, following the passage meetings are open to the public. for NYCHA. Mayor Bill de Blasio and to have fun too. Thanks to the of State legislation that mandated the NYCHA’s Office of the Secretary I launched NextGeneration NYCHA, generosity of the Carmelo Anthony addition of residents to the Board to handles all resident correspondence our 10-year plan to preserve and Foundation, kids at Coney Island bring the experience, knowledge and and calls to board members at protect public housing for the next and Monroe Houses can work perspective of public housing residents [email protected] generation of New Yorkers. We’ve on their jump shots on newly to NYCHAs’ governing body. In 2013, and 212-306-3454. Board members already begun to make progress on refurbished basketball courts. additional legislative changes increased receive input from residents at the several of the plan’s initiatives. For Carmelo Anthony is not only a the number of board members from scheduled board meetings and the example, thanks to support from three-time Olympic medal-winner three to seven, of which three residents Annual Public Hearing, in addition to Mayor de Blasio and the City Council, and a record-breaking scorer for the would serve as board members. other meetings that they may attend we’ve already begun work on critical Knicks – he’s also a champion of the All board members are appointed such as Resident Advisory Board (RAB) roof repairs to our properties. NYCHA community. to fixed terms by the Mayor, with the meetings, the Citywide Council of With your help, we launched a We know it is summer when exception of the Chair who also serves Presidents (CCOP) meetings, and new recycling program at five NYCHA developments become the as Chief Executive Officer at the plea- Tenant Association meetings. developments in May: Sheepshead/ life of the neighborhood with our sure of the Mayor. The current board The first resident board member to Nostrand Houses, Bronx River, Bronx famous Family Day celebrations, members were initially appointed for be appointed, Victor Gonzalez, resides River Addition, and Boynton Avenue with all the excellent food, fixed terms of one, two or three years. at Wise Towers in Manhattan. Beatrice Rehab. That launch will be followed entertainment, and camaraderie After these initial terms, all appointees Byrd, who resides at Red Hook West by a continuous, larger roll-out to that entails. As always, we’ve got a will serve three-year terms. Houses in Brooklyn, and Willie Mae every NYCHA development by the full calendar this year – the Family Every board member votes on con- Lewis, who resides at St. Nicholas end of 2016. Look out for the iconic Days kicked off last month and tracts, resolutions, policies, motions, Houses in Manhattan, are the other blue and green recycling bins at your about 150 are scheduled in total rules and regulations, as well as admin- two resident board members. development! To learn more about through the end of September. NYCHA’s recycyling initiative, visit Check our website frequently for NYCHA’s website. updated Family Day schedules or In June, GM Kelly accepted the ask your Tenant Association NYCHA BOARD 2015 Exceptional Employer Award on or Property Manager for more behalf of NYCHA’s Resident Training information. Academy (NRTA) from Brooklyn I know how much many of you MEETINGS Workforce Innovations, one of our job love to cook, so we’ve included YCHA’S BOARD MEETINGS, open to the public, take place on training and employment partners. something special for you in this Wednesdays at 10 am in the NYCHA 12th floor conference room at NRTA and its parent organization, issue: a listing of all the farmers’ N250 Broadway. People who wish to speak during the public comment NYCHA’s Office of Resident markets in the city. There’s no time period must pre-register at least 45 minutes before the meeting is scheduled Economic Empowerment and like the summer to eat healthy and to begin and can only comment about items on that meeting’s agenda. Each Sustainability (REES) are celebrating well, and I’ll be looking for some speaker’s time is limited to three minutes. The public comment period con- their fifth anniversary this year – so far delicious dishes to try at Family Days! cludes either when all speakers are finished or after the 30 minutes allotted by we have graduated more than 1,000 law for public comment, whichever comes first. NYCHA residents who’ve learned Here’s to a happy, healthy, safe Copies of the calendar for the upcoming board meeting are available on valuable skills, and more than 88 summer season, NYCHA’s website or can be picked up at the Office of the Corporate Secretary, percent of them have been placed in 250 Broadway, 12th floor after 3 pm on the Monday before the meeting. Copies good-paying jobs. of the dispositions of prior meetings are available on NYCHA’s website or can As you’ll see in this issue, the be picked up from the Office of the Corporate Secretary no earlier than 3 pm on Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice Shola Olatoye the Thursday after the board meeting.
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