First-Class U.S. Postage Paid New York, NY Permit No. 4119 NYCHA Vol. 42 No. 9 www.nyc.gov/nycha November/December 2012 Message from the Chairman New York City continues to face an emotional time as it recovers from Hurricane Sandy. This has been an extremely difficult period for NYCHA residents, dealing with so much hardship and destruction in our vibrant communities. At NYCHA, we all know the struggles so many of you had to face, not knowing when your lights would come back on, or if you would have to go to sleep without heat for another night. To say you were inconvenienced would not do justice to what you experienced. I want to stress just how hard we worked to make the situation better, from preparation to the moment Hurricane Sandy passed. The unprecedented damage from Hurricane Sandy destroyedJourna entire electrical and heating systems throughout l NYCHA. Our staff, assisted by the City Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), utility companies and private contracted companies, worked to restore all essential services to every public housing resident impacted by the storm as quickly as possible. However, restoring power and heat was slowed down by extensive and corrosive damage to boilers and generators as a result of flooding from the storm. At many developments, we had to transport temporary replacement systems from around the country and connect them to the buildings to bring power and heat back to residents, NYCHA Chairman John B. Rhea hugs a resident affected by Hurricane Sandy at Red Hook Houses in a process that takes time. You can read more about exactly what NYCHA has to do Brooklyn on November 12, 2012. Photo by Thomas Ngo. to get electricity, heat, hot water and elevators back on line on page 2. In anything people do, there always is room for improvement. Now that the storm neighbors helping each other out, whether it was checking on a senior, sharing food, is a bit behind us, NYCHA and its residents can start to evaluate what we all could walking up and down stairs to get supplies or just spending time together. I thank the have done differently. We will look at additional ways we prepared before the storm Citywide Council of Presidents, Resident Association Presidents and all residents, arrived, managed operations while the storm was here, and provided assistance after many of whom also were affected by the storm, who selflessly helped others. the storm left, all with the goal of improving our service moving forward. And we Together, NYCHA and residents will come back stronger and more resilient than ever. will look at ways to protect our buildings so they will be less vulnerable during similar storms in the future. You have shown incredible perseverance and patience since Hurricane Sandy hit, and I thank you for that. I also thank you for the way you came together. I have heard so many stories of John B. Rhea INSIDE NYCHA and Residents Weather Hurricane Sandy THIS ISSUE NYCHA Provides Services and Relief Before and After Storm By Eric Deutsch and Howard Silver he magnitude of Hurricane Sandy Tled to consequences that had not been seen before – 79,000 NYCHA residents in 402 buildings without electricity; 77,000 residents in 286 buildings without heat and hot water. The scope of the damage to NYCHA was far reaching, from Coney Island NYCHA RESPONDS TO to the Lower East Side and from the Rockaways to Red Hook. HURRICANE SANDY: Photo Spread » see pages 6 and 7 The Storm Approaches NYCHA staff work on repairing damage caused by Hurricane Sandy at Hammel Houses in Queens Some service disruptions were put on November 3, 2012. HURRICANE SANDY: in place by NYCHA before the storm Additional Coverage arrived, as part of the Authority’s each and every one of you needs to be are mobility impaired to make sure » read more on pages 2 and 3 preparations to minimize damage. involved in emergency preparedness they had enough supplies if they did for your development and building,” SECURITY CAMERAS: Another part of pre-storm planning not evacuate. In total, NYCHA staff was resident meetings led by Board Board Member López said. “This type of knocked on 19,000 doors in Zone A Amsterdam, Bayview Houses Get More Member Margarita López the week- weather is not going to stop.” to encourage evacuation and to assist » read more on page 5 end before it arrived. An extension of Once Mayor Michael Bloomberg residents who wanted to evacuate. CONSTRUCTION AND NYCHA’s emergency preparedness issued an evacuation order for Hur- “I didn’t want to go to a shelter,” training, they helped residents know ricane Zone A, staff from NYCHA’s said Jessica Thomas, the President of RENOvaTIONS: what to do when there is an extreme Departments of Family Services and the Resident Association at LaGuar- $69 Million in New Capital Work weather event like Hurricane Sandy. Community Operations checked on dia Houses in Manhattan. “We got » read more on page 10 “You are in charge of your life, and 4,000 residents on life support or who blankets from continued on page 3 2 November/December 2012 The Housing Authority Journal New Yorkers Mobilize to Help NYCHA Residents Why Does It Take So Long for My Lights By Eric Deutsch “I’m happy to see a little thing and Heat to Come Back On? YCHA residents were not we can do bring a lot of joy fter a NYCHA building loses power because of flooding, as happened because of Hurricane Nhelped after Hurricane to people.” A Sandy, NYCHA staff needs to follow a specific process in order to restore electricity, heat, Sandy only by NYCHA and their The City Department of hot water and elevator service to ensure the building is safe. neighbors. New Yorkers from Investigation (DOI) mobilized across the city came out to food its staff to help residents. DOI the water out so that it can distribution sites, clothing drives investigators, who usually work assess the boilers. It also and other events to do what with NYCHA to identify and needs to make sure water they could for NYCHA residents pursue cases of fraud, were able has not entered gas piping affected by the storm. to put their in-depth knowledge or oil tanks. Bibi Alladin from Queens of NYCHA operations to work. f If water did not seep into gathered food and clothes from They used flashlights to climb the piping and tanks, her friends and delivered them all up darkened staircases, carrying NYCHA can turn the boilers over the city, including the Rocka- cases of water, food and blan- back on. If water did seep ways, Lower East Side and Staten kets, and checking on residents in, the repair process can Island. She even spent three with medical needs. “We are take longer. hours driving in the Nor’Easter familiar with the developments, Elevators A NYCHA employee pumps water out of the basement at Red Hook West that hit on November 7 to bring so it enabled us to navigate even Houses on November 5, 2012. f When elevator pits flood, food to Lower East Side Rehab in the dark,” said Investigator NYCHA has to pump the Houses in Manhattan. “I always Matthew Maguire. Electricity any necessary repairs, and water out. It then needs to have helped people since I was At the Miccio Community f After water stops seeping the utility restores power to check the equipment to young, it feels good,” Ms. Alladin Center event, Brooklyn Borough into the basement, NYCHA the buildings. see if it suffered any water said. “The little you give makes President Marty Markowitz told pumps the water out and f Before NYCHA can safely damage. Salt water is very a difference in their lives. If I’m in residents that, “Your neighbor- determines whether there turn the power back on, staff damaging and can speed that situation, that’s how I’d like hood is the beneficiary of thou- is any damage to the elec- needs to make a final assess- up the deterioration and to be treated too.” sands who have never met you. trical systems. ment of all electrical compo- corrosion process. The charity Brooklyn Com- They are giving their time and f If there is no damage, nents and equipment. f Even if the equipment was munity and Youth Association money to help people out who NYCHA tells the utility com- unaffected, NYCHA still in Brooklyn spent the Veterans they do not even know.” pany, which then makes its Heat and hot water needs to make sure the el- Day weekend serving food at Ms. Alladin and Ms. Zhu own assessment. f Because boilers generally evators are operating safely, the Miccio Community Center both say the response from the f After receiving the utility’s are located in basements, and only then can it restore at Red Hook Houses. They were NYCHA residents they helped evaluation, NYCHA makes NYCHA first needs to pump elevator service. looking for a way to help and provides all the satisfaction they heard about a community servic- need. “They were very happy es event from State Assembly- and grateful,” said Ms. Alladin. man Felix Ortiz. “I love helping “They say, ‘Thank you so Hurricane Hero: Isaacs Houses Resident people,” said Katie Zhu, the much,’” Ms. Zhu said. “It’s hard Secretary of the organization. work but it’s worth it.” Saves Man’s Life By Eric Deutsch an emotional wreck and couldn’t believe her on Candelaria saw something happening grandson did that,” Mr.