NYCHA Residents Join NYC Comptroller to Announce Audits of Repair Processes and Eviction Rates at the Housing Authority

 

Resident committee convened by Comptroller Lander announce new audits to assess the quality of work by NYCHA contractors and eviction rates at RAD/PACT developments

Residents of New York City Housing Authority developments joined New York City Comptroller Brad Lander to announce two audits selected by the Comptroller’s NYCHA resident audit committee. The Comptroller’s Bureau of Audit will review both the New York City Housing Authority’s repair process and the eviction rates at RAD/PACT developments. The committee, which is tasked with steering the Comptroller’s new “resident-powered” audit process, was first convened in the fall following a summer of roundtables and listening sessions throughout the five boroughs.  A livestream of the announcement is available here.

The audit of the repair process will analyze how NYCHA selects contractors hired to conduct repair work, the quality of work performed, and what kind of evaluations are done. In conversations with committee members and other residents closed repair tickets that did not result in completed repairs came up as a frequent problem. Auditors will assess the process for vendor selection as well as the oversight that NYCHA conducts to ensure timely and quality repairs. 

The second audit will look at eviction rates at RAD/PACT developments, how they have changed since RAD/PACT conversion, and whether the reasons for eviction are different than other developments. 

The Comptroller’s office has kept a close eye on NYCHA’s operational and management issues for years, putting the authority on a “watch list” to face more frequent scrutiny. In his first year in office, Comptroller Lander initiated the resident-powered audit process with the goal of incorporating resident voices and experiences into the oversight and accountability process to deliver change at NYCHA. Over the course of the next several months, the committee will provide the Comptroller’s office with feedback and input as they conduct these two audits.  

“Residents are the experts on what is broken in their homes, and their insight is an integral part of the oversight process to ensure that NYCHA is meeting its obligations. Problems with the repairs process and concerns about rising evictions rose to the top in our conversations, and our auditors will be diving in on the details to understand what’s happening and what needs improvement. I want to thank the committee for their thoughtful feedback and collaboration and look forward to continuing this work together to improve conditions at NYCHA,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. 

In December, Comptroller Lander announced the results of a survey conducted by his office to garner resident feedback and input in the audit process. Sanitation, safety, and repair tickets being closed before repairs were completed ranked highest amongst the nearly 800 respondents from across 132 developments and received in five different languages. The NYCHA resident committee discussed the results of the survey in the process of deliberating on priority topics for the Audit Bureau’s attention. 

Prior to today’s announced audits, the Comptroller’s office conducted two reviews in response to resident concerns. A quick response field review of building entry doors at NYCHA developments found that nearly 60% of residential building entrance doors were open and/or had broken locks. That number was up dramatically from 23.5% in a similar field review conducted in 2018. The office is also currently auditing rent calculations based on concerns raised at a Red Hook round table. 

“In order to deliver quality services, New York City agencies have a responsibility to collaborate with New Yorkers who interact with these services every day. Our new, resident-powered approach to auditing will help focus our independent and objective oversight on the issues that matter most to NYCHA residents. This is the first step towards bridging the gap between our community and government, and we look forward to continuing our work with the NYCHA resident committee throughout this process,” said Maura Hayes-Chaffe, Deputy Comptroller for Audit. 

“The residents of NYCHA need answers to these critical quality of life issues, that are depressing reminders of the struggles we face, including disproportionate rates of illnesses. The audits we have selected are important steps to finding solutions to these problems,” said NYCHA Resident Aixa Torres.

“As the RAD/PACT program continues to expand to NYCHA developments, we as residents want to ensure that there is accountability and oversight of this program. I am grateful to Comptroller Lander for creating the resident committee so that our voices are heard throughout this process. City resources must be directed towards robust outreach to tenants in converted buildings to learn more about their experiences of RAD/PACT,” said NYCHA Resident Brenda Temple.

“Achieving real progress for NYCHA residents must include a close look at how the authority is operating. I am proud to be a part of the resident committee on behalf of my community to provide insight on the impact evictions are having on residents. The commitment of Comptroller Lander and the audit bureau to reviewing the eviction rates at RAD/PACT developments is an important step toward change and accountability,” said NYCHA Resident Joveta Paige. 

EDITOR'S NOTE:

It has come to our attention that the RAD program can only be used if the building is 100% Section 8 tenants. That could be the reason for some evictions of tenants who are not Section 8.