Relates to membership and composition of the New York city housing authority board

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1. Amends subdivisions 3 and 4 of section 402 of the Public Housing Law, as amended by chapter 531 of the laws of 2010. Increases board membership from three to 10 members (seven of whom shall be voting members). The 12 members are broken down as follows: one Chairperson, five non-voting tenant representatives and six board members. The members are to be appointed by the mayor of the city of New York and shall serve at his/her pleasure. The members may be removed by the mayor for cause after a public hearing.

The aforementioned six board members must have expertise in one or more of the following competencies: housing finance, workforce development, management/administration, housing policy, health and human services, and community development. These six voting members, other than the chairperson, shall be appointed upon a written recommendation of the New York city council.

The five non-voting tenant representative members shall be residents of any one of the 335 federal projects owned or operated by NYCHA. Additionally, the tenant representative must be at least 18 years of age and be the tenant of record or an authorized member of the tenant household. Furthermore, there must be a representative from each of the five boroughs.

The chairperson of the authority shall give his/her whole time to the duties of the authority and shall not engage in any other occupation, profession or employment. The chairperson and the other six voting members shall receive salaries, the amounts of which shall be fixed by local law. The tenant representatives shall receive a monthly stipend in the amount of $250.

Section 2. Effective Date

Justification

This bill addresses the growing concern that NYCHA's board is unresponsive, unaccountable, and unfit for the enormous and imperative task of effectively managing the more than 400,000 NYCHA residents. NYCHA oversees a network of over 400 community facilities that include community centers, senior centers, health care centers, day care and Head Start educational centers. Programs at many of these centers include sports, photography, painting, literacy classes and general education courses, computer training, arts and crafts, childcare, meal programs, and senior companion initiatives.

To fulfill its vital mission and even better serve residents while facing dramatic reductions in traditional government funding, NYCHA

must develop new financing options and build innovative partnerships to help NYCHA increase resident access to a multitude of community, educational and recreational programs, as well as job readiness and training initiatives.

Unfortunately, many incidents in the recent past have proven to residents and public officials that the current board structure/composition of NYCHA is ill-equipped for the task at hand. Tens of thousands of complaints go unanswered each year, millions of federal and state dollars earmarked for capital improvements remain unspent, and most recently they have engaged in the practice of selling off community space for the purpose of luxury apartments; only 20% of which will be made available for affordable housing purposes. Moreover, the lack of transparency that exists within the organization is alarming and must be corrected to ensure that NYCHA is acting in accordance with it statutorily mandated purpose. Such purpose being to provide decent and affordable housing in a safe and secure living environment for low- and moderate-income residents throughout the five boroughs.

Prior legislative history

New Bill

Fiscal implications

None to the state.

Effective date

Immediately