Vol. 35, No. 1 First Class U.S. Postage Paid — Permit No. 4119, New York, N.Y. 10007 January 2005 NYCHA’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY South Beach Community Center Ribbon Cutting In Staten Island CELEBRATION AT BROOKLYN MUSEUM $2.7 Million Federal Grant Makes Renovation Possible early 800 friends of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) gathered at the recently renovated Brooklyn NMuseum to celebrate NYCHA’s 70th Anniversary on December 1st. And because the great and ambitious program of public housing began here in New York City on the steps of City Hall with Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in 1934, they also came to celebrate the birth of public housing in the United States. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg tion’s commitment to preserve joined U.S. Department of Hous- NYCHA’s 345 public housing ing and Urban Development developments. In introducing (HUD) Assistant Secretary Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the Michael Liu, LaGuardia College Chairman thanked him for making President Gail O. Mellow and affordable housing a priority of his NYCHA Chairman Tino Hernan- administration. dez for brief remarks at the start The Mayor began by pointing of the evening, with radio person- out some of the famous people ality Bob Lee serving as Master who grew up in NYCHA develop- of Ceremonies. ments, including the founder of The Chairman said he was Starbuck’s Howard Schultz, rap- proud to be leading the premier per Jay-Z, and Brooklyn Borough housing authority in the country, President Marty Markowitz. and reaffirmed his administra- The Mayor acknowledged the (Continued on page 5) It’s Up To You, New York: NYCHA Chairman Tino Hernandez (Center) surrounded by the Broad- way Kids, who provided the highlight of the ribbon-cutting ceremony with their performance of “New York, New York.” Also shown in this photo, to Mr. Hernandez’s left are South Beach Resi- dent Association President Scherisce Lewis and Community Center Director Kathleen Pesantes. By Deborah Williams n November 19, 2004 the South Beach Community Center celebrated its official opening with a rib- bon-cutting ceremony. Chairman Tino Hernandez, Vice-Chairman Earl Andrews, Jr., Board Member OJoAnna Aniello, Department of Community Operations Deputy General Manager Hugh Spence, Staten Island Community Operations Director Carl Billington and Center Director Kathleen Pesantes joined Assemblyman Matthew Mirones and a representative from City Councilman James Oddo’s office, Steven Matteo, along with other officials and residents to commemorate the event. As Chairman Tino Hernandez NYCHA’s Department of Capital intent was to design a center that remarked, it was more than the Projects and Development’s is very 21st Century with a futur- $2.7 million from the U.S. Office of Design because the istic look, yet very durable.” Department of Housing and Community Center is housed in NYCHA’s Office of Design Urban Development (HUD) that the basement level of 155 Norway accomplished that goal in con- made the renovation and expan- Avenue. Ceilings were low, and junction with the consulting firm sion of what is now an 8,585 there was piping that could not be Ahuja Priya Architects. The South square-foot center possible. “It removed. Beach Community Center’s slop- took resident leaders and NYCHA According to Associate Project ing multi-purpose room measures staff to bring this to fruition.” Manager Jeffrey Ornstein, “the (Continued on page 5) Construction, which initially began only as the rehabilitation of the old center and grew to include Inside: the expansion of the multi-pur- pose room, began in June 2001. • Manhattan North COP Installation . .page 2 The completed Center, now twice • Historic Drop In Crime In 2004 . .page 2 Generations of Excellence: Housing Bureau Police Chief its original size, opened unoffi- • Increased Fee For Pay-O-Matic . .page 3 Joanne Jaffe, Chairman Tino Hernandez and Mayor Michael cially in April 2004. Bloomberg at NYCHA’s 70th Anniversary reception held at the The rehabilitation and expan- • Peace On Earth Holiday Concert . .page 4 Brooklyn Museum. sion presented a challenge to Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Jan. 17 Page 2 THE HOUSING AUTHORITY JOURNAL January 2005 Message From The Mayor Manhattan North Council Of Presidents Installation HISTORIC CRIME REDUCTION IN 2004 t was my pleasure to join Police Commissioner Ray- Imond W. Kelly and Criminal Justice Coordinator John Feinblatt at the 77th Precinct in Crown Heights, Brooklyn last month to announce that New York City’s crime rate reached new historic lows in 2004 and that based on the FBI Uniform Crime Index Report, New York City remains the safest large city in America. With reductions in every bor- ough, New York City experienced another dramatic decrease in 2004 in overall crime Citywide of almost 5% from last year, 9% from two years ago, and 15% from three years ago. And when crime is down in New York City crime is also down in public housing. As of the end of November 2004, crime had dropped a Shown here (left to right) are NYCHA Board Member JoAnna Aniello, Manhattan North COP Vice- full 6% in New York City Housing Authority developments Citywide, Chair Gloria Wright, Manhattan North COP Recording Secretary Patricia Herman, NYC Council 9.4% over the last two years and 14.1% over the last three years. Member Robert Jackson, Manhattan North COP District Chair Barbara G. Barber, NYCHA Chair- The remarkable drop in crime shows that our strategy of focusing on man Tino Hernandez, Manhattan North COP Treasurer Paulette Fisher, NYCHA Vice-Chairman problem people and problem places is working. This achievement is Earl Andrews, Jr., Manhattan North COP Financial Secretary Cynthia Waiters-Artis, NYCHA Man- even more noteworthy given that we have 3,000 fewer officers on the hattan Borough Director Carolyn Jasper, and Community Operations’ Deputy General Manager street today than we did in January 2002, and that in that time the Hugh Spence at the Manhattan North COP Installation Ceremony. NYPD has also taken on the additional responsibilities related to he Manhattan North Council of Presidents (COP) Executive Board held its Installation Ceremony on counter-terrorism. Our quality of life is strong, our schools are improv- November 10, 2004 at the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building in Harlem. New York City ing, and businesses are growing every day – thanks, in large part, to our Council Member Robert Jackson administered the oath to the Board’s Chair, Barbara G. Barber, who efforts to reduce crime. T is Resident Association President for Drew Hamilton Houses, and together New York City Housing Authority According to FBI crime figures released last month, for the first six (NYCHA) Chairman Tino Hernandez and Vice Chairman Earl Andrews, Jr. administered the oath to the rest months of 2004, New York City remained the safest big City in the of the Manhattan North COP Executive Board. They are: Vice-Chair Gloria Wright Jr., who is Resident Asso- United States. Of the 25 largest cities reporting to the FBI, New York ciation President of 131 St. Nicholas Houses, Recording Secretary Patricia Herman, who is Resident Associ- City had the lowest crime rate during the first six months of 2004. Of ation President of Lincoln Houses, Treasurer Paulette Fisher, who is Resident Association President of East the 217 cities reporting with populations greater than 100,000, New River Houses, and Financial Secretary Cynthia Waiters-Artis, who is Resident Association President of the York City was ranked 203rd, between Alexandria, Virginia and Ann Fred Samuels Apartments. Arbor, Michigan. There are nine COP districts gratitude to Ms. Barber, who has ager Hugh Spence presided over Throughout 2004, the NYPD, working with other criminal justice agencies, employed many of the successful crime-fighting strategies representing NYCHA residents been Manhattan North COP Chair the traditional candle lighting cer- that have helped bring crime down over the last three years, and also living in all boroughs of the City. for 14 years. The Chairman emony, during which Board Mem- created new, targeted initiatives. These initiatives include Operation The current Manhattan North expressed his appreciation to Ms. bers pledged to faithfully perform Impact and Operation Safe Housing. Executive Board will represent Barber for her dedication to resi- the duties of their offices. NYCHA Since January 2003, Operation Impact has led the way for driving over 60,000 residents from 32 dent issues and her passionate Executive Assistant Lorrayne down crime in New York City, reducing and preventing serious and vio- developments over the course of advocacy on behalf of residents Glover and Chief Council of Pres- lent crimes by deploying approximately 1,000 Police Officers each day the next three years. The current over the years. idents Liaison Keith Mitchell to strategically targeted locations or Impact Zones that exhibit a greater Board was elected in June. Department of Community served as the Mistress and Master propensity for crime during certain hours and days. In June of 2004, I The event was well attended, Operations Deputy General Man- of Ceremonies. announced Operation Safe Housing, a four-pronged initiative aimed at with special guests in addition to reducing drug-dealing, sexual assault, and gun violence in New York those shown in the photograph City public housing. above, including Housing Bureau The Housing Authority Chief Joanne Jaffe, and NYCHA’s 71 With initiatives such as these and the help and cooperation of years Deputy General Manager for of Public Housing NYCHA residents, I am confident that we can build on our success to Journal in New York City bring crime down even further in 2005. Have a great year! Operations Robert Podmore. In his remarks Chairman Her- Michael R. Bloomberg nandez congratulated the entire Board and extended his personal ESTABLISHED 1970 • CIRCULATION 200,000 Published monthly by the New York City Housing Authority Department of Public and Community Relations Department of Resident Employment Services Job Development Unit 250 Broadway, New York, N.Y.