VOL. 45 NO. 5 AUGUST 2015 INSIDE THIS ISSUE 5 6 9 Eight Miles of Sidewalk Sheds Gone Take the pledge Fix-It-Forward A JOB AND A VOICE RESIDENTS LAUNCH WORKER Summer Fun in COOPERATIVE IN QUEENS A group of Astoria Houses residents has launched a worker-owned security services business. Called OnPoint the City Streets Security, it is the first-ever worker cooperative launched by and for public housing residents in the This summer, almost 10,000 New York New York City area. City children had the opportunity to Created with guidance from the have fun in the city streets, when the nonprofit organization Urban Up- Police Athletic League (PAL) closed off bound, whose mission is to “break streets throughout the five boroughs cycles of poverty in public housing for its annual Playstreets. Every neighborhoods,” OnPoint Security year since 1914, PAL Playstreets has currently employs six residents and is provided kids with a safe, supervised in the process of training an addi- space to play sports, do arts & crafts, tional 30 Astoria Houses residents for listen to and play music, and dance positions with the business, accord- during the summer months. This ing to Fritz Vincent, the company’s year, the program ran from July 6 general manager. The business will to August 21 and some of the fun provide security services to buildings, games included double Dutch, tug- night clubs, and businesses providing of-war, skelly, and rock climbing. PAL special events. After six months of Playstreets were held at ten NYCHA employment, employees are able to locations: Monroe, Forest, Brownsville, buy shares in the company and be- Linden, Marlboro, Ocean Bay, Wagner, come part-owners of OnPoint, sharing Grant, Morris, and Mariner’s Harbor. the profits and taking part in running the business. “I think it’s important to be part of an employee-owned organization, because it gives you one of the most important things you can have on a job and that’s a voice—it allows you to give feedback and be heard,” said one of the employees, Dawn Mc. “As a single mother of five, I strive to instill in my children good morals and values that they can use throughout their lifetime. And something I tell them often is ‘always reach for better.’ The goal is to exceed me, so I’m setting the bar high.” At the cooperative’s launch, at (CONTINUED ON PAGE 4) Members of the OnPoint Security workers’ cooperative at the Doorways to Opportunity launch in July 2015. FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.NYC.GOV/NYCHA LETTER FROM THE CHAIR 100 Percent SUMMER IN THE CITY! Affordable Housing York Small Business Services, New York City Economic Development To Be Built At Corporation, Urban Upbound CAMBA, and Brownsville Partnership, NYCHA residents will 3 Developments receive programs and services, N JULY 1, NYCHA released a developers, including non-profit such as tax preparation, job “Request for Proposals” (RFP) entities and M/WBE firms, to submit placement, and support for new O from potential developers proposals for the design, financing, business start- ups, that will help to expand 100 percent affordable construction, and operations of 100 them earn a decent living and housing opportunities at Ingersoll, Van percent affordable new housing at the save for the future. Dyke and Mill Brook developments. developments. For the purposes of this When I talk about connections, The plan to create affordable senior RFP, affordable is considered a senior I also mean keeping up with and family housing on underused or family household earning less than today’s times. We live in a digital NYCHA property was the outcome of 60 percent of the Area Median Income age and it’s so critical to have an extensive and meaningful planning (AMI). The proposed developments will access to the internet to get a process with hundreds of residents and be 100 percent affordable and seek to job, good grades in school, or community advocates. reach households at lower AMI levels. vital information. More than a “We must use every tool at our NYCHA will retain rights to the third of New York City’s low- disposal to preserve public housing land developed through a long-term income households don’t have and create more affordable housing ground lease, provide critical oversight internet at home. That’s why we’re opportunities for seniors and families to the project, require developers so pleased that President Obama that are trying to make ends meet to train and hire NYCHA residents, and Mayor de Blasio are investing while living in the City they are proud and proactively engage residents in free, high-speed internet to call home,” said NYCHA General on a regular basis as the project NYCHA’S BUSINESS is being access for thousands of Manager Michael Kelly. “By taking moves forward. Additionally, NYCHA a landlord, but we’re more than New Yorkers (see the article on a thoughtful approach to how we residents will have a preference for that – we are a community. page 11). You’ll also read about use NYCHA property, we can create 25 percent of the units. There has been We’re home to 400,000 men, how one resident, a mother of more affordable housing options for an overwhelming response to the RFP women and children, five four, used NYCHA’s Digital Van to residents and New Yorkers.” from potential developers wishing to percent of the City of New York. help her graduate from college. Through the RFP, the City has invited work with NYCHA on this project. We employ 11,000 people, As we think about the future a group bigger than many of NYCHA, it’s important to make small cities. When we were sure our youngest residents developing NextGeneration are provided opportunities NYCHA BOARD NYCHA, our 10-year strategic to become successful adults. plan, I visited dozens of NYCHA This summer, NYCHA youth developments to talk with across the City are working MEETINGS residents and employees as urban planners, mapping YCHA’S BOARD MEETINGS, open to the public, take place on about their ideas and visions their developments to identify Wednesdays at 10 am in the NYCHA 12th floor conference room at 250 for the future of NYCHA. issues that need to be fixed as N Broadway. People who wish to speak during the public comment period Connecting with our residents well as places to play, garden, must pre-register at least 45 minutes before the meeting is scheduled to begin and employees provided the recycle, and shop for food. and may comment about items on that meeting’s agenda only. Each speaker’s vision for our strategic plan: They are helping to improve time is limited to three minutes. The public comment period concludes either safe, clean and connected their community’s quality of when all speakers are finished or after the 30 minutes allotted by law for public communities. As you’ll see, this life through this awesome comment, whichever comes first. issue of the Journal is all about collaboration with the Mayor’s Copies of the calendar for the upcoming board meeting are available on these connections, about the Office of Operations. NYCHA’s website or can be picked up at the Office of the Corporate Secretary, many positive ways we can grow I’m also happy that so many 250 Broadway, 12th floor after 3 pm on the Monday before the meeting. Copies individually and collectively NYCHA youth had the chance of the dispositions of prior meetings are available on NYCHA’s website or can when we work together. We to have some fun before school be picked up from the Office of the Corporate Secretary no earlier than 3 pm on can’t build a better NYCHA starts. Through the Police Athletic the Thursday after the board meeting. Any person requiring reasonable accom- without these relationships to League’s Playstreets, more modation in order to participate in the meeting should contact the Office of the one another. than 10,000 young New Yorkers Corporate Secretary at 212.306.6088 no later than five business days prior to the I’m really inspired by a group had some good, clean, and meeting. For additional information regarding the calendar of meetings, disposi- of Queens NYCHA residents safe fun, while making positive tions, dates and times, please call 212.306.6088. who were empowered to connections with police officers launch a new business, OnPoint in their neighborhoods. UPCOMING MEETINGS: Security, with support from By working together, we September 30, 2015 November 18, 2015 non-profit Urban Upbound. will keep making NYCHA a October 28, 2015 December 23, 2015 OnPoint Security is the first ever better, safer, cleaner, and more * Note: There will be no board meeting in August. The November and worker-owned cooperative by connected place to live. I hope December board meetings are scheduled for the second-to-last Wednesday. and for public housing residents that you and your family enjoy the in New York City. This new rest of the summer! business venture is the result of an important public/private The NYCHA partnership between NYCHA JOURNAL and Citi called Doorways to Opportunity. With $1.4 million in ESTABLISHED 1970 • CIRCULATION 200,000 funding from Citi and the help Shola Olatoye PUBLISHED BY THE NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY from partners including New Chair and CEO DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS 250 Broadway, New York, NY 10007 • Tel 212-306-3322 • Fax 212-577-1358 www.nyc.gov/nycha 2 FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.NYC.GOV/NYCHA include, assessments, career counsel- Opening Doors to New Opportunity ing, resumé and interview develop- ment, connections to training, financial tunity for outreach and impact is enor- counseling, screening and referral to mous,” said Eileen Auld, Director of New employment opportunities, and more.