Public Advocate Williams questions administration on NYCHA management and Syracuse code enforcement model

I mean,

I was working a lot on this in my previous job and had some good successes.

I will say one to two families, while have a certain appropriate role to play in our market, they're challenging because of the need for so much.

You know, development, right?

The density that we need to achieve is hard to achieve with one to two family homes.

That said, there are some neighborhoods that are appropriate and we are actively exploring where we can bring some of the offsite construction models into New York City because of the price points we were able to achieve.

Madam Chair, I have one question and a comment.

That's okay.

Thank you.

So the question is for both of you.

It's just about NYCHA.

Is there anything in the plan to deal with the management that is there now and in management when we're trying to do RAD and PAC?

Rad Pack or anything like that to make sure the management is better than it is now.

And the comment, which you're happy to respond to, but it's for Commissioner Tagani.

I was recently in Syracuse, met with the mayor, the administration.

I'm actually going to cities to try and see what they're doing about public safety.

And it was interesting because they're using code enforcement to address public safety issues, which I thought was pretty unique.

I don't know if we've done things like that.

I'd love to speak to you about what I saw there, even off record, but I just wanted to bring that up.

Thank you.

Yeah, I can speak to the NYCHA question.

So supporting NYCHA and NYCHA's residents is, of course, a major priority for our administration, and we're really laser-focused on committing billions of dollars to improving public housing quality for NYCHA residents.

Really proud to launch in the housing plan a $20 million critical repairs initiative, which is really modeled after the success of the Omnibus Call Center.

It's $7.5 million in new funds per year for FY27, 28, and then $2.5 million a year after that.

And its goal is to dramatically increase the number of repair categories eligible for this OCC-style support, where there's a third party that NYCHA residents can call to ensure that they're going to actually get their issues addressed.

We are very committed to continuing oversight of public housing after it goes through the PACT program.

So we still believe that those...

buildings are public housing and are within the NYCHA family and want to continue to make sure that NYCHA residents, whether they are in a packed building, whether they are in a Section 9 building, have access to the public sector stewardship that public housing can provide.

I would love to talk to you about the public safety conversation that you had.

I will just say that part of the reason why DOB's presence focused on construction safety and safety overall as part of the housing plan does feel different.

I've also been around for a couple of housing plans.

And to see it so anchored, actually seeing the Committee on Construction Safety, part of the overall housing plan is a testament to how we see that as a public safety benefit.

Also, the maintenance and how the streetscape looks, appeals, feels is a problem that DOB has a responsibility to address.

Sidewalk sheds is the thing that I think comes up often for many people from a public safety perspective.

So working to reduce the frequency of it, the longevity of it, making sure that we have a process that asks people to tell us what they're doing to limit the need for it and not just renew it.

These are some of the things that we're looking at from public safety, but I want to talk more.

Thank you.

They had an even different angle.

That's great.

They had an even different angle.

I'd love to talk to you about it.

Thank you, Sia.

But I'd obviously love to keep talking about some of the concerns that we have.

But thank you all.

Thank you, Manish.

Thank you, Public Advocate.

Now, Councilmember Epstein, followed by Caban.