NYS Seal

ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON HOUSING

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

SUBJECT:
The Maintenance of Public Housing Developments

PURPOSE:
To review and analyze the New York City Housing Authority's maintenance policies and practices for its public housing developments.

Tuesday
October 26, 2010
11:30 A.M.
Assembly Hearing Room
Room 1923, 19th Floor
250 Broadway
New York, NY

The New York City Housing Authority has provided affordable public housing to the five boroughs since 1935. The majority of the developments operated by the Authority were built between 1945 and 1965. Given the age of these buildings, proper maintenance is essential for the continued safety and well-being of those who reside in such units. With the number of requests for repairs rising, a timely response by the Authority is critically important. Properly maintained buildings also reduce operating costs and environmental impact of the buildings. Affordable and safe housing for all New York residents is a long-standing goal of the Assembly. It is extremely important that public housing, which serves our most economically vulnerable population, is well-maintained in a manner that ensures the residents' health and safety.

Please see the reverse side for a list of questions to which witnesses may direct their testimony.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committee's interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

Committee on Housing




SELECTED ISSUES TO WHICH WITNESSES MAY DIRECT THEIR TESTIMONY:
  1. Does the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) have written policies and procedures that set forth the steps it takes when a resident requests repairs to a NYCHA-operated unit? If so, please produce a copy.

  2. How does a tenant make a request for repairs? Must the request be in writing? If so, is there a form for such requests produced by NYCHA? If there is such a form, please produce a copy. How do the tenants obtain the form?

  3. Does NYCHA have any policies or regulations governing the time in which a complaint or request for repairs should be addressed? What is the actual response time? Are certain claims treated with more urgency than others? Does NYCHA have records that chart when a request is made and when repairs are completed?

  4. How is the response time coordinated? Who within NYCHA is in charge of ensuring an appropriate response is made and who monitors how long it take to complete the repairs? What process does NYCHA use to record and track requests for repairs and the response to such requests?

  5. NYCHA moved from a decentralized to a centralized system of complaint processing. What benefits and what detriments have resulted from this change? Is the current system of centralized complaint process efficient? Are there changes that could improve the efficiency of this system?

  6. To what extent does NYCHA currently employ contractors to make repairs to its public housing units? For what types of repairs does NYCHA employ contractors? What expertise related to building maintenance and repairs is possessed by NYCHA staff?



PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on New York City Housing Authority's maintenance practices and policies are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail, e-mail or fax it to:

Zach Shapiro
Legislative Associate
Assembly Committee on Housing
Alfred E. Smith Bldg., 22nd Floor
Albany, New York 12248
E-mail: shapirz@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4355
Fax: (518) 455-7250
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I plan to attend the following public hearing on New York City Housing Authority's maintenance practices and policies to be conducted by the Assembly Committee on Housing on October 26, 2010.
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I plan to make a public statement at the hearing. My statement will be limited to 10 minutes, and I will answer any questions which may arise. I will provide 10 copies of my prepared statement.
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I will address my remarks to the following subjects:




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I do not plan to attend the above hearing.
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I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required:




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