FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 28, 2024
CONTACT: media@nycha.nyc.gov | (212) 306-3322

NYCHA, as the City’s Largest Landlord, Announces New Micromobility Policy Shaped by Resident Feedback and Public Comments 

The policy, which goes into effect March 1, 2024, is the result of extensive engagement over a nearly two-year period and seeks to balance fire safety with increased transportation options for residents

NEW YORK – The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) today, as the City’s largest landlord, announced its new micromobility policy that was extensively shaped by resident feedback and public comments. NYCHA previously proposed for public comment a ban on micromobility devices — including e-bikes — from its apartments and developments across the five boroughs. However, as a result of the feedback received — including concerns from residents who rely on these devices for work — NYCHA revised its proposed policy and issued an amended version for public comment in November 2023. Following the closure of the second public comment period on December 31, 2023, NYCHA is now moving this policy forward with an effective date of March 1, 2024. It is being implemented in lockstep with City partners and aims to balance fire safety with transportation options for residents. 

“This administration has focused on empowering New Yorkers, including delivery workers, in their use of micromobility devices while also keeping them safe," said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. "We welcome NYCHA's community-informed policy as one that strikes the right balance for using micromobility devices.” 

“We’re enthusiastic about establishing a practical and safe framework to incorporate micro-mobility vehicles into our City’s future,” said Executive Director for Housing Leila Bozorg. “I applaud NYCHA's community-driven strategy that strikes a technological balance between safeguarding New Yorkers and advancing mobile technology.” 

“The safety of NYCHA residents is paramount, and as the largest landlord in New York City, we felt compelled to take a closer look at this important issue,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “As we finalized this new policy, we did so having taken extensive stakeholder engagement and feedback into account. We are pleased to have landed on a policy that considers the needs of residents, while promoting better and smarter practices for the charging and storage of micromobility devices, which we know to be a sustainable transportation alternative.” 

NYCHA’s new policy on e-micromobility is an important step in ensuring safe access to these types of devices for all New Yorkers,” said Worker's Justice Project Executive Director Ligia Guallpa. “Allowing NYCHA residents to store and charge e-micromobility devices is essential to modernizing transportation and livelihoods for New York City’s residents and workers, particularly for the many delivery workers that New Yorkers count on to deliver their food and other essential items.

Under the new policy, residents are advised that they may keep or charge e-bikes and e-scooters in their apartments, as long as they can be operated legally in New York City. However, they are reminded that the following precautions must be followed: 

• Residents may charge only one e-bike, e-scooter, or battery at a time; 
• Someone 18 years or older must be present and awake in the apartment for the entire time the device or battery is charging;  
• The charger must be plugged directly into an electrical wall outlet (extension cords or power strips must not be used); 
• Any lithium-ion battery that has been assembled, refurbished, or reconditioned in a way prohibited by New York City law cannot be kept or stored;  
• Lithium-ion batteries cannot be charged within five feet of a radiator or any other direct heat source; 
• Lithium-ion batteries or micromobility devices cannot be charged next to an apartment entrance door or any other place that could prevent escape in the event of a fire; and 
• E-bikes, e-scooters, or lithium-ion batteries cannot be charged in common areas unless that area is specifically designated as a charging area by NYCHA. 

Additionally, electric micromobility vehicles and devices that cannot be operated legally in New York City, or that require DMV registration or a driver’s license to operate, are prohibited in NYCHA buildings (for example, electric mopeds, large electric scooters weighing 100 pounds or more, electric motorcycles, gas-powered vehicles and devices, electric dirt bikes, electric skateboards, Segways, electric hoverboards, electric unicycles, and electric all-terrain vehicles, and their batteries). 

Since 2022, NYCHA has participated in the Adams administration's Interagency Electric Micromobility Task Force, which assisted in the development and application of the City's Micromobility Action Plan. 

In March 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced the “Charge Safe, Ride Safe Electric Mobility Action Plan,” which uses a multifaceted approach to reduce fires and promote safe usage of micromobility devices — more affordable and sustainable transportation alternatives. Included in the plan was a pilot program between NYCHA and Con Edison to install outdoor charging and storage areas for micromobility devices at four developments: Queensbridge North and Queensbridge South in Queens, De Hostos in Manhattan; and Van Dyke 1 in Brooklyn. The project is currently in procurement, with an expected contract date for design and construction in May 2024. 

NYCHA was also selected to receive a $25 million grant from the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to expand micromobility charging and storage facilities to 53 more campuses. NYCHA is currently working with US DOT to finalize and implement the grant. 

In addition to posting notice of the new policy on the NYCHA website, NYCHA also notified residents through an email blast, development postings, The NYCHA Journal, newsletters, and rent inserts, among other outreach. 

For more information about which types of micromobility devices are allowed or not allowed, please visit on.nyc.gov/info-on-ebikes.     

###     

About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)    

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1935 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to 1 in 17 New Yorkers, providing affordable housing to 528,105 authorized residents through public housing and Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) programs as well as Section 8 housing. NYCHA has 177,569 apartments in 2,411 buildings across 335 conventional public housing and PACT developments. In addition, NYCHA connects residents to critical programs and services from external and internal partners, with a focus on economic opportunity, youth, seniors, and social services. With a housing stock that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.