Markham Gardens Residents Return – and Now They Can Be Owners Young Public Housing Residents ‘Achieve’ Early Career Aspirations Pre-Approved for a Mortgage
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First-Class new york city housing authority U.S. Postage Paid New York, NY Permit No. 4119 NYCHA NYCHA Vol. 40 No. 7 Journalwww.nyc.gov/nycha September 2010 INSIDE Markham Gardens Residents Return – THIS ISSUE and Now They Can Be Owners By Eric Deutsch ou really can go home again. Natasha Chapman, Ya 40-year old single mother who used to live in Markham Gardens in Staten Island, has just moved back to Markham Gardens. When Ms. Chapman lived there in the 1990s, she was a tenant in NYCHA public housing, but she returns as a homeowner of a two-family home, now that Markham Gardens is a private development. NYCHA SUMMER FILLS DayS “It’s overwhelming,” said Ms. Chapman. “It’s an & NIGHTS WITH FUN, Community Actiities excitement you can’t even imagine. It’s success.” » see photo spread on pages 8 and 9 Ms. Chapman was the first “Working that hard, person to take advantage of there had to be a a program that gave former light at the end Markham Gardens residents of the tunnel.” first preference to purchase one of the new townhouses. Natasha Chapman stands in her new kitchen at Markham Gardens in The development’s original buildings, which included Staten Island. 360 apartments, were razed in 2007. The redeveloped as she heard about the chance, Ms. Chapman knew she property now has 240 affordable rental units and wanted to take advantage of it. 25 two-family homes for affordable homeownership. However, she knew she was not making enough money To qualify for owning one of the homes, Ms. Chapman at her clerical job at the Richmond University Medical NYCHA SPEAKING GREEN had to take a course on home ownership, achieve an Center to realize her dream, so she took a second job, and LECTURE: acceptable credit score, earn a minimum income and have worked seven days a week. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, HOW TO COMBAT the hot climate enough in savings to cover the down payment. As soon she would wake up at 5:30 a.m. and continued on page 2 » read more on page 3 Young Public Housing Residents her academic studies and gave her hands-on experience with cases involving domestic violence and ‘Achieve’ Early Career Aspirations emergency transfers. Although the By Heidi Morales senior wants to pursue a career in ore than two dozen young Manhattan. “Having that workplace clinical social work, which focuses MNYCHA residents were not experience, especially being placed more on providing assistance content to spend the summer work- within a department [Social Services] through counseling, Ms. Hernandez ing in a typical seasonal job. Instead, that is associated with my major, I said this experience helped expose DADS & SONS STRENGTHEN they spent eight weeks as full-time thought was good for me to grow her to other areas of the field. She BOND AT NYCHA Fatherhood Initiative Authority employees in the NYCHA and learn some things.” is a full-time student at Lehman » read more on page 6 Achievers program. Geared towards Ms. Hernandez’ work in the Social College in the Bronx and has found residents aged 17 to 22 who are Services Department complemented it incredibly continued on page 2 NYCHA’s Customer college-bound or enrolled in college, CONTACT CENTER: How it Works the Achievers program is designed » read more on page 5 for young adults who want an opportunity to work in a fast-paced, faST facTS government environment related to their academic training and interests. The New York City Housing Participants work in NYCHA’s Social Authority already has Services, Law or Public-Private converted to clean burning Partnerships Departments, or are oil or natural gas in all of placed at an outside organization. its 334 properties. “It was a great opportunity,” said 22-year old Melissa Hernandez, a The Markham Gardens site resident of Lillian Wald Houses in in Staten Island covers NYCHA Achiever Melissa Hernandez attends 541,000 square feet. Lehman College in the Bronx. 2 September 2010 The Housing Authority Journal continued from page 1 continued from page 1 Markham Gardens Residents Return – and Now They Can Be Owners Young Public Housing Residents ‘Achieve’ Early Career Aspirations pre-approved for a mortgage. Markham Gardens is difficult to find a job because NYCHA’s Law Department considered a mixed-income of a lack of work experience; helped encourage his desire community, and tenant-based she believes the Achievers to attend Law School. “It’s Section 8 vouchers were program changed all of that. great. I’m learning about provided to all returning “This is something that I can different statutes and all the residents. Returning residents put down on my résumé and intricacies of law, which I had must have satisfactory credit, it can help me get a job in no clue about,” Mr. White undergo a criminalbackground the future,” she said. said. He has been busy check and be a public housing “Today is another step in summarizing depositions resident in good standing. A your journey. But it’s a big and pre-trial hearings and final phase of the project will step,” said NYCHA Chair- extracting information from include development of an man John B. Rhea during the summaries to use for the 80-unit building for seniors, the program’s closing development of other cases. with construction set to ceremony. “As you return Ms. Hernandez is set to The new Markham Gardens stands ready for more residents to move in and begin in 2011. to school this fall, remem- graduate in May 2011 and call it home. Ms. Chapman had lived in ber what you learned this plans to attend graduate get home at 11:00 p.m. and Development, New York Markham Gardens since 1992 summer about the value of school, and ultimately obtain would not even see her two State Affordable Housing when she moved to Mariners teamwork, commitment and her Ph.D. in social work. sons. “It was pretty rough, we Corporation, New York State Harbor Houses in 2004 in believing in yourself. We Mr. White also expects to all worked together and I had Division of Housing and advance of the demolition of believe in you, we’re count- graduate next spring from the help from family and friends,” Community Renewal and the development. She lived ing on you and we have University of Pennsylvania and said Ms. Chapman. “Working HSBC Bank. there until August 2 of this every faith you will succeed.” plans to attend Law School. that hard, there had to be a Former residents of year, when she closed on her Paul White, a 21-year old The program was created light at the end of the tunnel.” Markham Gardens have new home and slept there resident of Throggs Neck by NYCHA’s Human Participants in the program top priority at the new that night, even though she Houses in the Bronx, said Resources Department and receive several subsidies development, and 14 have had no furniture moved in yet. he too enjoyed the program received funding from New that help with the costs of moved back, with another 24 Already, she has rented out and that his placement in York State Assemblyman the down payment and residents receiving approval the second unit in her new, Vito Lopez (Brooklyn). The closing. NYCHA provided Ms. to join them. The next priority two-family home. funding covered this year’s Chapman with a $50,000 note goes to NYCHA residents “Was I going to continue program and will sponsor that will be absolved after living on Staten Island. After to pay all of this rent, or did another group of Achievers 15 years, if she still owns and them, any remaining homes I want to own?” said Ms. during the summer of 2011. lives in the building. She also are offered through a lottery Chapman. “Now I can leave NYCHA Achiever Paul White received assistance from the system to any qualified my kids something. I had to attends the University of New York City Department household. So far, one other do this. It’s so important to Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. of Housing Preservation and NYCHA resident has been own something.” Comments? Questions? E-mail [email protected]. Back to School News from new york city housing authority 76 the Department of Education years NYCHA of Public Housing t is September and that means more than one parent coordinator for any middle school in the NYCHA in New York City Journal Imillion children in New York City, including district they are interested in visiting to find out ESTABLISHED 1970 • CIRCULATION 200,000 thousands of children who reside in NYCHA the date and time of the Open House. After Published monthly by the New York City Housing Authority developments, are heading back to school. attending the various Open House sessions Department of Communications That also means that more than 900,000 and Fairs, parents will be better informed about 250 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10007 families citywide will be taking part in the the schools their child wants to attend. Families Tel (212) 306-3322 • Fax (212) 577-1358 annual ritual of shopping for school supplies in some districts with choice will be given the nyc.gov/nycha Michael R. Bloomberg .........................................Mayor and looking for information to help their opportunity to choose from amongst more than John B. Rhea ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Chair children succeed in school. one middle school in the district, which must Earl Andrews, Jr. ................................................................Vice‑Chair For families with students in the 5th grade, it be ranked in order of preference. Only schools Margarita López .........................................................Board Member Vilma Huertas .......................................................................Secretary is important to make a note on the calendar that that parents are willing to allow students to Michael Kelly ..........................................................General Manager Middle School Fairs will take place in districts attend either within walking distance or via Lynn Godfrey �����������������������������������Chief Communications Officer Sheila Stainback .........................................Communications Officer with middle school choice in mid-October.