Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams, NYCHA Undertake Effort to Replace Elevators in Developments Serving Nearly 34,000 Residents

 

335 Elevators Will Be Replaced as Part of Large-Scale Modernization Work That Will Improve Elevator Service at 20 Developments

$300 Million Funding Agreement Between NYCHA and DASNY Will Deliver Much-Needed Repairs to Developments in All Five Boroughs

 Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and interim New York City Housing Authority CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt today announced that Phase I planning for critical capital work has begun to replace 335 elevators at 20 NYCHA developments, as part of a $300 million funding agreement with the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York that was signed in April 2022. The financing was made possible through close collaboration between NYCHA, the New York State Legislature, and Governor Hochul — who all worked together to develop a framework for modernizing NYCHA's elevator infrastructure, as outlined in the 2019 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development agreement.

"With this important milestone, NYCHA is set to begin major building improvements, leveraging $300 million in state investment to improve the homes and lives of thousands of New Yorkers," Governor Hochul said. "Right now, as our state faces a dire shortage of safe, stable, and accessible housing, my administration is committed to preserving our housing stock — which is why I signed legislation to create the New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust last year. I am proud to partner with NYCHA, its residents, and local and state officials, and look forward to even more opportunities to grow and support NYCHA communities."

"Every day, NYCHA residents experience the consequences of decades of underinvestment and tens of billions of dollars in capital needs. Providing them the quality of life that every New Yorker deserves requires creativity and partnership — and this agreement represents both," said Mayor Adams. "With the Public Housing Preservation Trust, the PACT program, and programs like this, we are giving residents a true menu of options to get the repairs they need in their homes in the way they prefer. I want to thank all of our partners in Albany for their investment in NYCHA, and I look forward to getting this work done to help 34,000 New Yorkers avoid dangerous broken elevators."

"Bringing critical repairs to NYCHA requires an all-hands effort, and we are incredibly grateful for the partnership of the State for this $300 million in capital funding. Soon, 34,000 New Yorkers will have the relief that everyone should enjoy with reliable and safe elevators," said Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz. "We look forward to continuing to work with the state and all other government partners to bring NYCHA residents the quality of life they deserve."

Nearly 34,000 residents living in almost 16,000 apartments will benefit from improved elevator service at the 20 developments, which include six senior-designated campuses. Consistent elevator service is particularly important for seniors and residents with mobility impairments; NYCHA has over 78,000 residents above the age of 62, and nearly 40 percent of NYCHA households are headed by a resident over the age of 62. NYCHA elevators also serve more than 31,000 mobility impaired residents.

NYCHA's elevator stock is old, with the longest-running traction elevators in the portfolio installed 32 years ago in 1990. All the elevators identified in the State Capital Revitalization Plan are at or beyond the typical useful life of 15 to 20 years for a multifamily residential property.

The New York State Legislature allocated $300 million to NYCHA in the 2020 and 2021 state budgets to upgrade the oldest elevators in the Authority's portfolio. NYCHA first presented the State Capital Revitalization Plan in September 2021 to outline its approach to achieving this goal, and it was approved by DASNY in the most recent funding agreement.

The funding allowed the planning process for elevator replacement to begin in early April. The timeline for elevator replacement work across the 20 different sites is estimated to range from 49 months (Cassidy-Lafayette Houses) to 81 months (Marcy Houses), depending on the number of elevators that need to be replaced and the age of the relevant developments. All elevator construction work is scheduled to be complete by early December 2028.

A full list of the developments that will receive elevator upgrades is available here.

This effort builds upon Governor Hochul's dedication to provide safe, stable homes for New York public housing residents. Since 2016, New York State has provided over $1.2 billion to NYCHA, with $350 million allocated in FY 2023. These critical investments have been used toward heating, security, elevator, and other improvements, along with quality-of-life enhancements.

In June, Governor Hochul signed legislation creating the New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust, a public benefit corporation, to help fund repair, rehabilitation, and modernization of 25,000 apartments under NYCHA control. The Trust also guarantees homes are kept affordable by preserving rights that ensure residents only pay 30 percent of their income toward rent, residents maintain all current succession rights, apartments will continue to be reserved for low-income residents, and that apartment vacancies will continue to be filled using the NYCHA waiting list.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

This is a start to what will hopefully be better living conditions for people living in NYCHA buildings. Just a start of what repairs are needed to bring NYCHA buildings up to code.