Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 15, 2019

CONTACT: media@nycha.nyc.gov

NYCHA CLOSES NEARLY 1,000 MAINTENANCE WORK ORDERS IN 2019'S FIRST SATURDAY BLITZ

The Authority was out across the City again on Saturday at Wagner, Albany, St. Mary's Park, Morrisania Air Rights/Jackson and South Jamaica Houses to tackle open maintenance work orders and annual income recertifications.

NEW YORK —The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) completed nearly 1,000 maintenance work order requests across five developments in its first Saturday blitz of 2019, marking the most closed work orders on a single Saturday since the start of the Authority's proactive initiative to eliminate its repair backlog.

While NYCHA developments have limited staffing during weekends, Wagner Houses in Manhattan; Albany Houses in Brooklyn; St. Mary's Park Houses and Morrisania Air Rights/Jackson Houses in the Bronx; and South Jamaica Houses in Queens had regular and extra staff on site from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 12. Housing Assistants were also at the respective management offices to help residents with their annual income recertifications.

"In our first Saturday work order blitz of 2019, we continued last year's successful momentum and closed nearly 1,000 maintenance work orders in a single day," said NYCHA General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo. "We remain focused on being a better landlord, and that means addressing our residents' needs and bringing real improvements to their homes across the five boroughs. Under the leadership of Mayor de Blasio, NYCHA will utilize innovative solutions to quickly offer repairs and provide our residents with the assistance they deserve."

In all, 974 work orders were addressed and closed by 57 NYCHA maintenance staff members:

• At Wagner Houses in Manhattan, there were 1,649 open maintenance work orders.
  • Staff completed 301 open maintenance work orders and created 92 work orders for skilled trades and/or vendor repairs.
  • Housing Assistants helped complete 21 annual recertifications.
• At Albany Houses in Brooklyn, there were 424 open maintenance work orders.
  • Staff completed 292 open maintenance work orders and created 54 work orders for skilled trades and/or vendor repairs.
  • Housing Assistants helped complete 14 annual recertifications.
• At St. Mary's Park Houses in the Bronx, there were 375 open maintenance work orders.
  • Staff completed 164 open maintenance work orders and created 16 work orders for skilled trades and/or vendor repairs.
  • Housing Assistants helped complete 23 annual recertifications.
• At Morrisania Air Rights/Jackson Houses in the Bronx, there were 177 open maintenance work orders.
  • Staff completed 71 open maintenance work orders and created 38 work orders for skilled trades and/or vendor repairs.
  • Housing Assistants helped complete 63 annual recertifications.
• At South Jamaica Houses in Queens, there were 185 open maintenance work orders.
  • Staff completed 146 maintenance work orders and created 37 work orders for skilled trades and/or vendor repairs.
  • Housing Assistants helped complete 25 annual recertifications.

Last month, staff closed nearly 2,000 maintenance work orders and completed over 220 annual income recertifications at 10 developments citywide during the Authority's Saturday blitzes on December 8 and December 15. NYCHA will continue its Saturday blitz effort this month to address residents' repair work order backlogs at developments.

Efforts like the Saturday blitz initiative and the expansion of NYCHA Cares – a $20 million initiative funded by the de Blasio administration to tackle the skilled trades backlogs – make up major components of NYCHA 2.0, a plan to assure quality affordable housing for all NYCHA residents.

These work orders do not include emergency health and safety repairs, which are addressed immediately by the Authority.

About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)

NYCHA’s mission is to increase opportunities for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers by providing safe, affordable housing and facilitating access to social and community services. Over 390,000 New Yorkers reside in NYCHA’s 316 public housing developments and PACT/RAD developments formerly managed by NYCHA around the five boroughs. Over 190,000 receive subsidized rental assistance in private homes through the NYCHA-administered Section 8 Leased Housing Program. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/nycha, and for regular updates on NYCHA news and services, connect with us via  www.facebook.com/NYCHA and www.twitter.com/NYCHA.