First-Class U. S . Postage Paid New York, NY Permit No. 4119 Vol. 39, No. 7 www.nyc.gov/nycha JULY 2009 From a High-Rise to the Highest Court Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama’s Nominee for Supreme Court Justice By Heidi Morales IF YOU'RE A NATIVE NEW YORKER form part of the highest court. OR PERHAPS A FAN OF THE NEW For the past 11 years, she has YORK YANKEES, THE NAME SONIA been a judge on the United SOTOMAYOR MAY HAVE SOUNDED States Court of Appeals for FAMILIAR TO YOU EVEN BEFORE the Second Circuit, based in SHE BECAME PRESIDENT BARACK New York City. OBAMA’S NOMINEE FOR U.S. Ms. Sotomayor, who is of Puerto Rican descent, was born SUPREME COURT JUSTICE. In 1995 in 1954 and grew up in the New Judge Sotomayor became as York City Housing Authority's legendary as baseball hall-of- (NYCHA's) Bronxdale Houses. famers for ending a long baseball Bronxdale Houses, located in the strike by ruling against owners in Bruckner section of the Bronx, DAY ONE (from left) NYCHA Board Member Margarita López, Deputy General Manager for favor of players. According to has 28 seven-story buildings with Ms. Sotomayor, the owners Finance Felix Lam, Citywide Council of Presidents Chair Reggie Bowman, NYCHA Chair John B. 1,496 apartments. Bronxdale is Rhea and City Council Member Alan Gerson at the Rutgers Houses in Manhattan on Chair were trying to destroy the labor home to approximately 3,500 Rhea’s first day on the job. residents. A modern, high-tech Community Center opened its NEW CHAIR VISITS FIVE BOROUGHS ON doors on the grounds of this development back in 2007, and offers educational and recre- WHIRLWIND, FIRST-DAY MEET-AND-GREET ational activities for children and By Howard Silver adults of the development and the surrounding community. JOHN B. RHEA BEGAN DAY ONE AS CHAIR OF THE NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY WITH WELCOME REMARKS Ms. Sotomayor was raised in TO EXECUTIVE AND SENIOR MANAGERS IN A STAFF MEETING FOLLOWED BY A FULL DAY OF FIELD VISITS IN ALL FIVE BOROUGHS TO BEGIN MEETING AND TALKING TO RESIDENTS, EMPLOYEES, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OTHER PARTNERS. public housing by her mother, who worked as a nurse at a Chair Rhea had an easy rapport public housing families, as well At the Queens Community methadone clinic to support Ms. with the many stakeholders that as its physical assets. House, Pomonok Center in Sotomayor and her brother, he met on Monday, June 1st, who At Rutgers Houses on Flushing, the new Chair was Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the Juan. At the tender age of eight, also included members of the greeted by Department for the Chair met with Council Members Ms. Sotomayor was diagnosed NYPD and staff from community Aging Commissioner Lilliam based organizations, and clearly Rosie Mendez and Alan J. Judge Sonia Sotomayor with diabetes and just one Barrios-Paoli for a discussion of showed his interest in hearing Gerson, Citywide Council of speaks at Pace University year later her father, a factory senior services at NYCHA what they had to say. President (COP) Chair Reginald Graduation Ceremony worker, died of a heart condi- developments. He also met “My job here today is to hear Bowman, Manhattan South tion. She is no stranger to Photo Credit: Pace University your concerns so that when I COP Chair Rose Bergin, and with Queens COP Chair Ann adversity, but she did not let Resident Association President go back I can take them into Cotton Morris. these challenges deter her from Michael Steele before inspecting system and the concept of consideration,” said Chair Rhea. In the Melrose section of the reaching her goals. an energy-efficient boiler room collective bargaining. A die-hard “This is a great time for public Bronx, at Adams Houses, Chair Judge Sotomayor attended there. “Sometimes the best way to Rhea met with Human Resources fan of the Bronx Bombers housing, with new support from Cardinal Spellman High School, see how things work is to go Administration (HRA) Commis- herself, Judge Sotomayor took Washington, stimulus funds, and where the ‘guts’ of the operations a private Catholic school in the sioner Robert Doar and engaged only 15 minutes to issue the the need for affordable housing are housed,” said Rhea. Bronx, and was later accepted Borough President Ruben Diaz, directive that led to the settle- more pressing than ever.” At the next stop, Bushwick into Princeton University, where Jr. and Council Member Maria ment in the 1994-95 strike and Crowds gathered in front of Houses in Brooklyn, the Chair she graduated with honors at del Carmen Arroyo in a spirited make baseball history. Management Offices as the Chair was greeted by Assembly Member a time when the school had discussion about job training Now Judge Sotomayor is arrived, and accompanied him on Vito Lopez, City Council Member just begun to accept female and placement opportunities at making headlines again as the walks throughout development Erik Martin Dilan and Borough students. She then went on to NYCHA’s Resident Employment President’s nominee to replace grounds. Conversations went President Marty Markowitz, as study law at Yale Law School, Services satellite office located retiring Supreme Court Justice beyond pleasantries to include well as Resident Association where she was editor of the there. Bronx South COP Chair David H. Souter. If confirmed by school's law journal. Her inspira- comments the Chair solicited President Gloria Bonilla. He then John Johnson and Bronx North the U.S. Senate, Ms. Sotomayor, tion to pursue a career in law about how NYCHA can improve visited an elevator motor room on COP Chair Herma Williams who has more than 16 years of came from reading Nancy Drew services for residents and provide the rooftop of one of the build- joined Resident Association court experience, will become detective novels and watching employees with the support they ings, after which, he viewed President Sylvia Sierra at Adams the first Latina ever to serve on episodes of Perry Mason, a need. The day’s activities allowed CCTV footage with NYPD Hou- to meet the new Chair. the U.S. Supreme Court and the defense attorney, on TV. the Chair to gain insight into the sing Bureau Brooklyn Borough third woman in U.S. history to (Continued on page 5) Authority’s programs serving Commander Gerald Dieckman. (Continued on page 10) PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 8 20TH ANNUAL THE BEST YEARS FOR PUBLIC SUMMER FEEDING RESIDENT ART SHOW HOUSING IN NYC ARE STILL AHEAD PROGRAM SITES THE HOUSING AUTHORITY JOURNAL 2 JULY 2009 MAYOR’S MESSAGE OVER 200 RESIDENTS RECEIVE AWARDS Become A FDNY Fire AT 20TH ANNUAL RESIDENT ARTS SHOW Protection Inspector Independence Houses in the Bronx, who won an award for a THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF NEW group mixed media project, YORK CITY (FDNY) IS LOOKING said his favorite thing about FOR CANDIDATES TO BECOME creating the piece was, “We FIRE PROTECTION INSPECTORS. could do it all together and help Becoming a Fire Protection each other.” Inspector will give you a real Consultant Carlton Murrell opportunity to make a positive taught at Pomonok Houses in impact in the lives of others — as Queens and at Breukelen and well as your own. Applications Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn submitted by New York City over the past year, his ninth year Housing Authority (NYCHA) with program. “I like the fact residents will be fast-tracked that people have something to for consideration. say, to express, to create from A Fire Protection Inspector the heart,” Mr. Murrell said of conducts inspections of premises to ensure that they are in his experience teaching. compliance with all rules, regulations and requirements of the New The art was on display from York City Administrative Code regarding life and fire safety. June 2nd through the 19th. The kinds of inspections you would perform may include: inspec- NURTURING TALENT NYCHA Vice-Chair Earl Andrews, tions of sprinkler/standpipe systems, carbonated gas systems and Jr. (left) and Chair John B. Rhea with a young artist awardee. extinguishing systems. If assigned to District Office Headquarters your responsibilities may include: inspecting for permits governing By Eileen Elliott the storage of flammables and combustible mixtures and compressed ONCE AGAIN, THE RUTGERS Lucero, who has been running the gasses; if assigned to the Public Safety Unit you would perform HOUSES COMMUNITY CENTER program from the beginning, as safety inspections on hotels and office buildings; in the Field Public ON MANHATTAN’S LOWER EAST well as all of the Center Directors Communications Unit you would handle and address complaints SIDE WAS OVERFLOWING WITH and artist-consultants. “We hope to from the public and private sectors. Other responsibilities may THE DRAWINGS, PAINTINGS, do more programs like this,” Mr. include representing the FDNY at the New York City Board of PHOTOGRAPHS, COLLAGES, MURALS Spence said, as he thanked Standards and Appeals; conducting inspections of building AND SCULPTURES OF THE HUNDREDS NYCHA’s Board — the Chair, construction; completing and issuing violation forms, orders and/or OF NEW YORK CITY HOUSING Vice-Chair and Member Margarita summonses; testifying in court when required; reviewing, AUTHORITY (NYCHA) RESIDENTS López, for supporting the program. formulating and amending the New York City Administrative Code; WHOSE WORK WAS SELECTED FOR Before the actual awards were or working with the Fireworks Safety Group to conduct safety THE 20TH ANNUAL RESIDENT handed out the NYCHA Youth inspections and monitor all fireworks shows throughout the City. ART SHOW EXHIBIT. Chorus performed an uplifting Salary and Benefits “To all of the young artists who musical selection, under the The starting salary for a Fire Protection Inspector is $33,291 for are here today, your friends and direction of Larry Matthew and the first year and $38,285 after two years of service.