THE NEW USER-FRIENDLY RENT BILL Keeping Residents
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Vol. 37, No. 1 www.nyc.gov/nycha DECEMBER 2006/JANUARY 2007 HUD SECRETARY VISITS THE NEW USER-FRIENDLY RENT BILL THE NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY’S (NYCHA’S) MONTHLY RENT BILL HAS A NEW LOOK! NYCHA has changed the format of the bill to provide public hous- ing residents with more detailed information about transactions recorded to your account. In addi- tion to rent due, the new state- ment now shows utility fees for the usage of heavy-duty appli- ances, parking fees and retroac- tive fees. The statement also shows the most recent payments and credits to your account. “Our purpose is to have a user-friendly statement that shows exactly what residents are being charged for,” said Deputy Director Adham Choucri. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secre- NYCHA began sending the tar y Alphonso Jackson (right) joined New York City Housing Authority new bills out in December, to Chairman Tino Hernandez and executive staff for a visit to the Grant reflect December payments and Houses Senior Center on the morning of December 6th. The Secre- January charges. The information tary spent some time getting to know residents after touring the sheet to the right of this article Harlem facility. The Grant Houses Senior Center is one of 95 spon- will also be included with the sored senior centers on NYCHA property. It provides meals and ser- new bill. Any resident who still vices to approximately 70-80 seniors daily, including arts and crafts, has questions should contact his recreation and field trips. NYCHA also operates an additional 42 or her housing assistant. senior centers. Shown from left to right are: Grant Houses Resident Association President Sarah Martin, Chairman Hernandez, Drew Hamilton Resident Association President and Manhattan North Coun- Keeping Residents Safe With CCTV cil of Presidents Chair Barbara G. Barber and U.S. Department of By Eileen Elliott systems in NYCHA developments, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson. THERE IS NO QUESTION: THE USE OF and for Fiscal Year 2007 Council CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION CAM- Members have already allocated an First Houses’ 70th Anniversary ERAS, OR CCTVS, HAS HAD A DRA- additional $5.8 million. Today MATIC IMPACT ON CRIME IN THE NEW Small-Scale CCTV systems exist in YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY 21 NYCHA developments. In addi- (NYCHA) DEVELOPMENTS WHERE tion, Large-Scale, or VIPER (video THEY ARE LOCATED. In a December interactive patrol enhanced) sys- 14th New York Times article, the tems, which are significantly more paper quoted a statement made by expensive to operate, now exist in NYPD chief spokesperson, Paul J. 15 NYCHA developments. Browne, in which he refers to the The cameras are effective not cameras as “a highly effective crime only because they facilitate arrests fighting tool.” Residents report feel- but also because they act as deter- ing greater security, and residents rents. Because the Small-Scale sys- who live in developments that do tems were installed relatively wick, Brooklyn captured footage not have the CCTVs have petitioned recently, NYCHA does not yet have of an armed robbery. The footage NYCHA, the NYPD and various statistics on their effectiveness. was used to create a wanted poster, elected officials for the systems. However, with regard to the VIPER and because of that poster, officers Responding to improvements in systems, on average, index crimes from PSA #3 were able to recog- CCTV technology which made the (i.e., murder, rape, assault, robbery, nize and arrest the suspect three 70TH ANNIVERSARY! NYCHA celebrated First Houses’ 70th systems more affordable, NYCHA burglary and car theft) go down by days after the crime was commit- Anniversary in October. In the picture above (left to right) NYCHA Vice- and the City Council formed a part- 25% the first year after cameras are ted. This is just one example of Chairman Earl Andrews, Jr. presents a proclamation to long-time First nership in 2004 to bring Small- installed, and crime continues to go how the Small-Scale CCTVs can Houses resident, 91-year-old Andrew Hladek, and First Houses Scale CCTVs to public housing down in subsequent years. help facilitate arrests. Manager Tedric Gamble. Signed by Mayor Bloomberg, the document developments. Over the past two The Small-Scale CCTV Program Under the Small-Scale CCTV proclaims October 21, 2006 in the City of New York, “First Houses years Council Members have allo- Program, NYCHA installs state-of- Day.” See page 5 for the complete story. cated approximately $7 million for In November 2006, elevator the-art high resolution video cameras the purchase and installation of the cameras at Hylan Houses in Bush- (Continued on page 4) PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 5 INCREASED ACCESS THE FUTURE OF PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TO HEALTHY FOOD PUBLIC HOUSING OPEN HOUSES THE HOUSING AUTHORITY JOURNAL 2 DECEMBER 2006 / JANUARY 2007 MAYOR’S MESSAGE NYCHA: Making a Difference in People's Lives Increased Access to Healthy Food By Heidi Morales A LITTLE OVER 70 YEARS AGO, THE IN MID-NOVEMBER I JOINED NEW YORK CITY HOUSING CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER CHRIS- AUTHORITY (NYCHA) WAS CRE- TINE C. QUINN AT MELROSE ATED TO DO AWAY WITH TENEMENTS HOUSES IN THE BRONX TO AND SLUMS AND THE OVERALL ANNOUNCE A CONCERTED EFFORT DEPLORABLE LIVING CONDITIONS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO FACING THE POOR IN THE 1930S. HEALTHY FOODS IN LOW-INCOME Although no running water, rooms COMMUNITIES BY CREATING A without windows, outhouses and NEW FOOD POLICY TASK FORCE communal bathrooms are pretty AND THE NEW POSITION OF FOOD much a thing of the past, there are POLICY COORDINATOR. This col- other factors that today affect the laboration between my office quality of life of many working and the City Council will class families. expand the availability of nutri- Dania and Ricardo Mendoza, tious, affordable food in under- new residents of NYCHA’s Dyck- served communities, enhance NEW HOME Riccardo and Diana Mendoza are very happy with their man Houses can attest to the reali- the nutritional standards fol- new home in Manhattan’s Dyckman Houses. ties facing many working families lowed by City agencies in feed- in New York: realities such as lack ing clients and staff, and improve access to food support programs. about public housing and decided we are,” Mr. Mendoza said with a of space, noise pollution, deterio- The City’s nutritious foods agenda also includes increasing enroll- to apply. That was three years ago. sigh of relief. rating buildings and perhaps most ment in food support programs, such as Food Stamps. Over 1.08 mil- This past summer the Mendozas Looking Toward the Future devastating for the working poor, lion New York City residents received Food Stamps in July 2006 — a were notified about their eligibility higher and higher rents. 36% increase since January 2002. Yet despite these gains, there are for a NYCHA apartment but they This humble Honduran family Before moving into this north- still many New Yorkers who are eligible for Food Stamps but have had no other choice but to turn it said now the future looks a little ern Manhattan development, the not enrolled. down because they were strapped more comfortable and relaxed and Mendozas lived just three blocks It is now easier than ever for New Yorkers to determine if they are for cash — they’d been saving that’s why people should realize away in a one-bedroom apartment eligible for Food Stamps and a host of other programs. In October, the money to send their eldest daugh- how important public housing is where they said they endured poor City launched ACCESS NYC, an online tool that brings 21 different ter to Mt. Saint Mary College in and protect it. living conditions. Mr. Mendoza City, State, and federal human service benefit programs –— including upstate New York in September. “This is heaven. So, what are we said the building in which they food stamps –— into a single Web site. By entering basic household In this situation an applicant who supposed to do? Support the sys- lived and paid a market-rate rent of information into the site (available at www.nyc.gov/ACCESSNYC), turns down an apartment is placed tem and try to make it better,” Mr. close to $1,000 a month started to residents can receive a list of the programs for which they are poten- back on NYCHA’s Tenant Selection Mendoza said. “It’s up to us to look rundown and dirty and added tially eligible, print partially-complete application forms and find and Assignment Plan (TSAP) ros- continue this [public housing]. that he couldn’t deal with the noisy office locations. If you don’t have Internet access, call 311. ter, which was established to ensure This system has to continue not neighbors who played loud music At the same press conference, I also announced the expansion of that all applicants for public hous- just for us but for the ones that into the wee hours of the morning. the Healthy Bodegas initiative from 200 bodegas to more than 1,000 ing are processed and treated under come after us,” he added. “I work six days a week. I would in the South Bronx, East and Central Harlem, and Central Brooklyn equal terms. It can be months, “This is a great benefit for us. get up for work after not sleeping over the next two years. Expansion of the initiative will also include sometimes years before they are We are getting back on our feet. all night. I was uncomfortable. I the launching of the “Green Light” section in bodegas to highlight notified about the availability of This is just the beginning but we was tense.” healthier food items available for purchase, such as 1% milk, diet bev- another apartment.