7th annual kids walk payment residents · cashing locations. the initiative was designed not only...

THANKS TO THE NEW YORKCITY HOUSING AUTHORITY’S(NYCHA’S) COLLABORATIONWITH THREE LOCAL BANKS, RESIDENTS NOW HAVE MOREOPTIONS WHEN IT’S TIME TO PAYTHE RENT. In addition tomailing checks or money ordersto the central “Lockbox ” — asystem which was implementedin the Spring of 2001 —residents can now pay their rent at eight bank branches affiliated with Carver FederalSavings, Capital One andWachovia Bank. Currently,approximately 94,000 NYCHAresidents pay their rent usingthe Lockbox and another68,000 pay through checkcashing locations.

The initiative was designednot only to provide NYCHAresidents with more rent-payingoptions, but also to encouragefamiliarity with banks, banking,and financial services. A NewYork Observer article dated May21st cites a New York StateDepartment Banking estimatethat nearly one in 10 NewYorkers are “bankless” and thatnearly three out of four publichousing developments are closerto a check cashing store than toa bank.

“Our hope is to introduceresidents to more traditionalfinancial institutions so thatthey can use what banks areoffering in terms of openingbank accounts and buildingcredit history," said NYCHA’sDepartment of Accounting andFiscal Services Deputy DirectorAdham Choucri.

The pilot program first beganin October 2007 at the Carverbank branch located in thePathmark supermarket at 300West 145th Street in Harlem. Itwas so successful that Carver’sJamaica Center Branch at

Vol. 38, No. 9 www.nyc.gov/nycha SEPTEMBER 2008

PAGE 7HOW YOU CAN HELPSAVE THE PLANET

First-ClassU.S. Postage

PaidNew York, NY

Permit No. 4119

PAGES 10 AND 11END OF SUMMERPHOTO SPREAD

PAGE 2 BOXING CHAMPNISA RODRIGUEZ

TAKING BACK THE STREETS (left to right) Woodside HousesResident Association President Ann Cotton-Morris, PSA #9Captain Nancy Barry, and Staten Island and Queens BoroughManagement Director Carolyn Jasper with a proclamationfrom Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

SINCE 1984, THE FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY AUGUST HAS BEEN DESIGNATED

AS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME (NNO). What began nation-ally as a 400-community, 23-state, 2.5-million participant event hasgrown over the years to include over 10,000 communities including all50 states and U.S. territories and well over 35 million participants. Thisyear, August 5, 2008 marked the 25th anniversary of NNO and residents of NYCHA’s Woodside Houses and the surrounding community in Queens, came out to make their voices heard and showtheir support for the campaign. Woodside was just one of ten siteswhere NYCHA residents “took back the streets” with a NNO event.

NNO is the brainchild ofMatt A. Peskin, who as the executive director of the National Association of TownWatch (NATW) — a nonprofitumbrella organization forthousands of crime preventiongroups and law enforcement agencies across the country —conceived of the event toimprove community involvement in the fight against crime. NNO seeks to heighten crimeand drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anticrimeprograms, strengthen neighbor-hood spirit and police-community partnerships, andsend a message to criminalsletting them know that neighbors are organized and are fighting back.

This year, the crowd at the Woodside Houses/PoliceService Area #9 event grew

larger and larger as the DJ’sharmonious sounds and thearoma of the smoking grill filledthe air. That crowd included localpolice, residents and members ofcommunity groups.

Woodside Houses ResidentAssociation President and QueensCouncil of Presidents Chair AnnCotton-Morris served as mistressof ceremonies, kicking things off. Ms. Cotton-Morris thankedthe residents for coming to, “show the bad guys that we are not afraid to be out in our communities.”

The festivities continuedwhen on behalf of NYCHAChairman Tino Hernandez,Staten Island and QueensBorough Management DirectorCarolyn Jasper presented CaptainNancy Barry of PSA #9 and Ms. Cotton-Morris with the NNOproclamation from Mayor

MORE RENT

PAYMENT

OPTIONS FOR

RESIDENTS

NYCHA CELEBRATES 25TH‘NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME’

By Michelle Eames

By Michelle Eames

(Continued on page 7)

REGISTER TO VOTE!

The General Election is just two months

away, on Tuesday, November 4th.

Residents of public housing are encouraged to vote.

First-time voters must register by October 10th. For your

convenience, enclosed is a New York State Voter

Registration Form. You can also use the Voter Registration

Form to update your name and/or address. Just fill out the

form and mail or deliver it to your County Board of

Elections by October 10th. Your County Board will notify

you of your eligibility.

— For more information, call your County Board of

Elections or (212) VOTE-NYC (212-868-3692)

— Residents of New York City can call toll-free at

1-866-VOTE-NYC.

— Hearing impaired people with TDD can

call (212) 487-5496.

— To get the Voter Registration Form in Spanish,

Chinese or Korean, call 212-286-3692.

— For more information, visit the Board of Elections

website at www.vote.nyc.ny.us

Sponsored by Teamsters Local 237(Continued on page 4)

7TH ANNUAL KIDS WALK

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) held its SeventhAnnual Kids Walk at Clove Lakes Park in Staten Island on August19th to emphasize the importance of exercise in the fightagainst obesity. NYCHA Board Member Margarita López wasthere to lend her support to the 1,850 youth from 44 communitycenters Citywide who participated in the two-and-a-half milewalk-a-thon. Big Apple Circus clowns, like the one above, kepteveryone entertained. Community health providers taughtabout nutrition and proper eating habits, and a banner contestand group games centered on health and fitness completed theday's activities. Each child received a t-shirt, ball cap and a bagwith health-related items provided by various sponsors,including Affinity Health Plan, Community Health Action ofStaten Island, Health Plus, Maramont Corporation, and StatenIsland University Hospital.

ESTABLISHED 1970 • CIRCULATION 200,000

Published monthly by the New York City Housing AuthorityDepartment of Communications

250 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10007Tel (212) 306-3322 • Fax (212) 577-1358

nyc.gov/nycha

Michael R. Bloomberg...........................................MayorTino Hernandez..............................................................................................ChairmanEarl Andrews, Jr. ...................................................................................Vice-ChairmanMargarita López....................................................................................Board MemberVilma Huertas.................................................................................................SecretaryDouglas Apple ...................................................................................General ManagerSheila Greene ............................................Director, Department of CommunicationsEileen Elliott.........................................................................................................EditorHeidi Morales...........................................................................Editor, Spanish EditionAna Victoria Reguera-Rodríguez...............................................................Guest EditorTischelle George............................................................................Online News EditorAllan Leicht ................................................................................................Staff WriterDeborah Williams.......................................................................................Staff WriterPeter Mikoleski, Leticia Barboza .............................................................PhotographyMichelle Eames ....................................................................................................InternMing Fearon..........................................................................................................InternAshley Grosso ......................................................................................................Intern

If you are interested in placing an advertisement in the Journal, please call ourmarketing representatives in the Office of Business and Revenue Development at(212) 306-6616. The inclusion of any advertisement in this Journal does not constitute any endorsement by the Housing Authority of the advertiser or its products or services or any other representation by the Housing Authority withrespect to such products or services.

74years

of Public Housingin New York City

2 THE HOUSING AUTHORITY JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER 2008

The Housing Authority

Journal y

New Executive Order to ExpandLanguage Access

OVER THE SUMMER I SIGNED

THE CITY'S FIRST LANGUAGE

ACCESS EXECUTIVE ORDER,WHICH ESTABLISHES A UNIFORM

POLICY AND STANDARDS FOR

TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETA-TION SERVICES FOR CITY

AGENCIES THAT HAVEDIRECT

INTERACTION WITH NEW

YORKERS. Executive Order 120requires every such City agencyto provide language assistancein the top six languages spokenby New Yorkers.

To ensure that limited-English-prof icient residents

have meaningful access to City programs, services and activities,the City's new Customer Service Group, housed within theMayor’s Office of Operations, will work closely with the Mayor’sOffice of Immigrant Affairs to facilitate the application andoversee compliance with the executive order by each agency.

For the 1.8 million New Yorkers with limited English proficiency, interacting with government all too often can be achallenge. All New Yorkers should have the same access to thesame services and the same opportunities. This Executive Orderwill make our city more accessible, directly impacting thousandsof New Yorkers while helping us become the most inclusivemunicipal government in the nation.

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), whichserves such a large population of applicants as well as residentsand Section 8 Voucher Holders, has a Language Services Unit(LSU) through its Department of Equal Opportunity. LSUprovides language assistance services by translating vital documents or providing interpreters for eligibility interviews,apartment rentals, termination of tenancy hearings, and publicmeetings and to disseminate important information to residentsat individual developments. LSU also manages NYCHA'sLanguage Bank, which consists of over 200 trained employee-volunteers who collectively speak 46 languages, and assist withthese services.

Nearly one-half of all New Yorkers speak a language other thanEnglish at home, and 25 percent of City residents do not speakEnglish as their primary language. New York City residents whohave diff iculty speaking, reading, writing or understandingEnglish will now have better access to City governmentinformation and services in their language.

Executive Order 120 requires that City agencies provideinterpretation services, including the use of telephonic interpre-tation, oral or written translation services, and translation of essential public documents into the most commonly spokenlanguages including Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Italianand French Creole. Each agency will designate a LanguageAccess Coordinator who will work to develop a Language Accesspolicy and implementation plan.

The Language Access Executive Order expands our commitment to accessible services for limited English proficientNew Yorkers. In 2003, the 311 Customer Service Center changedthe way New Yorkers interacted with City government byproviding information for callers in 170 different languages. Theexpanded Translation Unit in the Department of Educationcurrently provides parents with information in eight languages.Under Local Law 73, which I signed in 2003, the Department ofHealth and Mental Hygiene, the Department of HomelessServices, the Administration for Children's Services and theHuman Resources Administration already provide enhancedlanguage access for limited-English-proficient individualsseeking vital services.

Michael R. Bloomberg

MAYOR’S MESSAGE THE FACES OF NYCHA

ON THE FLOOR BENEATH THE

HEAVY BAGS IN THE BOXING ROOM

AT ST. MARY’S RECREATION

CENTER IN THE SOUTH BRONX

THERE WERE GYM BAGS, MATS, A PUDDLE OF SWEAT, AND A

SINGLE PONYTAIL HOLDER. Thatponytail holder was a sure signthat boxer Nisa Rodriguez was around.

Nisa, who lives across thestreet in the New York City Housing Authority’s(NYCHA’s) Betances Houses,started out as the only femaleboxer in the gym when herfather brought her to the ring atthe Betances CommunityCenter and NYCHA’s boxingprogram at the age of 12.Before that, all of her fightswere in the schoolyard and onthe street. Now, at 17 years old,Nisa has already fought sevenofficial matches with womenand frequently spars with men.

I caught up with her on anoppressively hot July 22nd,while she was back home inNew York City, after fighting inthe Women’s National GoldenGloves competition in Florida(July 8-12) and just before theEmpire State Games in Binghamton (July 24-26),which she won by default.Nisa’s trainer of six years, JayKortright, founder of theBetances Boxing Program, hadconvinced her to work outdespite the heat that day. “Idon’t give breaks,” he said.

Even at six feet tall and 154pounds, Nisa seems too sweetto fight. This quality earnedher the nickname “SweetHands.” She is quick to smile,chat with everyone in the gym,and show off her pictures fromthe trip to Florida. But whenshe trains, her appearancechanges. Her jeans, t-shirt, andjewelry are replaced by layersof gym clothes that must bestifling: a long-sleeved shirt,zip-up jacket, baggy shorts,blue boxing shoes and greenhand wraps. She looks deter-mined. Her long wavy hair ispulled back loosely as sheworks out.

In the boxing room you canhear Spanish-language music,jump ropes snapping on thefloor, and gloves hitting theheavy bags repaired with ducttape. Flags hang in thewindows, and the walls arelined with pictures of BruceLee as well as some localboxers, including Sweet Handsherself. A boy passing throughthe room points out to his

GOLDEN GLOVES WINNER NISA RODRIGUEZ


By Ashley Grosso

Celebration of Life – They blew out the candles and in that instant Brooklyn’s Vandalia Housesresidents Susie Mushatt Jones and LeocadioFigueroa Vazquez marked their 109th and 96thbirthdays, respectively. Kings County District

Attorney Charles J. Hynes joined 135 seniors atthe Vandalia Senior Center to celebrate what can

only be remembered as a milestone event, with cakes,fruit salad, and the dances, the Electric Slide and the Macarena. The DApresented both celebrants with Citations of Honor, as “ExtraordinaryElders” for living their lives with “grace, dignity and wisdom.”

Susie Mushatt JonesMs. Jones was born on July 6, 1899in Loundes County, Alabama andsays she has held on to many goodmemories during her 109 years. Sheremembers that Booker T. Wash-ington sat on the Board of Trusteesof the school she attended — theCalhoun Colored School inCalhoun, Alabama. She livedthrough many historic eventsincluding the Civil Rights Movement. “I remember meetingDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at Blumstein’s department store, during hisbook signing tour,” Ms. Jones, or as she is better known, Miss Susie,said. (The book Ms. Jones is referring to is “Stride Toward Freedom,”which was copyrighted in 1958.) Ms. Jones also witnessed the HarlemRenaissance (approximately 1920 to 1930), and the women’s strugglefor the right to vote, granted in 1920.

After graduating from the Calhoun Colored School, Ms. Jones wasaccepted into Tuskegee University, in Alabama, but was unable to attendbecause her father couldn’t afford the tuition on his sharecropper’ssalary. Ms. Jones vowed to make sure everyone had a chance to go tocollege. One of her many achievements while at Calhoun was co-founding the “Calhoun Club,” to help financially disadvantagedyouth with scholarships or loans for college. In honor of her work withthe Calhoun Club, the Harvard University Library Open CollectionsProgram presented Ms. Jones with a portfolio of prints of the CalhounColored School during the 2005 Family Day celebration.

In addition to her work with the Calhoun Club Ms. Jones promisedherself that she would send the first girl born into her own family tocollege. True to her word, on the meager salary of $50 per week shemade as a housekeeper and childcare provider, Ms. Jones financed herniece Lavilla Watson’s college education. Today, Lavilla — Dr. LavillaWatson — is just one of the three nieces that Ms. Jones has put through college.

Ms. Jones attributes her longevity to good health and lovingrelationships. As one of 10 children, with more than 100 nieces andnephews combined, and 13 godchildren, Ms. Jones has many lovingrelationships. Ms. Jones has resided in Vandalia Houses for 20 yearsand even though she lost her sight in 1999, she sat on the Vandaliatenant patrol until the age of 107.

Leocadio Figueroa VazquezMr. Leocadio Figueroa Vazquez wasborn at Naranjito, Puerto Rico onApril 8, 1912, as one of threesiblings. At age 15 Mr. Vazquez’smother passed away and because hewas the oldest child, he was forcedto work on sugar cane plantations tosupport the family. Mr. Vazquezeventually enlisted in the U.S. Armyserving as a civil patrolman inEurope, stationed in Belgium,France and England. He wasawarded the American DefenseService and Good Conduct Medal with seven overseas bars. In 1945,Mr. Vazquez was discharged from the Army and returned to PuertoRico. To fulfill his desire to learn the culinary arts trade Mr. Vazquezenrolled in and attended the University of Rio Piedras where hemastered the art of baking and became a baker. Mr. Vazquez came to themainland U.S. in 1954 and moved into Vandalia Houses in 1988. As a result of two marriages, Mr. Vazquez is the proud parent of five children.

friend, “Look, a real boxingring.” A younger girl shadowboxes in the mirror.

Other boxers stopworking out and gatheraround the ring to watchNisa. Her punches are so fastthe camera cannot capturethem. Jay wears focus mitts,padded targets for her tostrike and practice combina-tions. One of the mitts isflung across the ring as shehisses with each jab of her fist.

When Jay first saw Nisaboxing he knew that she hada special skill and made it hisbusiness to pay attention toher. The training has paid off so far. Nisa came insecond place at the Women’sNational Golden Glovesin Miami, a somewhat disappointing experienceafter winning the New YorkGolden Gloves competitionin Madison Square Gardenon April 17th of this year.She waited five years to beable to compete at theGarden and it was one of hermost memorable matches, sofar — she defeated her opponent with a knockout inthe first round.

Many people at the gymand in the community aresupportive of Nisa and wanther to succeed. Anotherboxer says of Nisa and Jay,“Both of them are formi-dable. She’s the real thing.”The press keeps reaching outto her, including the DailyNews, New York magazine, and the Bronx Beat. Shekeeps a low-key attitude.

Nisa said that as a womanit was especially hard for herto earn the respect of themale boxers when she beganboxing. But earning respectis not the only problem forfemale boxers like Nisa. Sparring matches with mendo not count on her officialrecord, and some otherwomen are afraid to fight her.Women’s boxing is not aswell known as men’s boxing,though it is growing in popularity. Boxing iscurrently the only Olympicsport without a women’sevent. Nisa’s dream is tocompete in London if the International OlympicCommittee decides to addboxing to the roster ofwomen’s sports in the 2012 Games.

Since women boxers also

The Senior Benefit andEntitlement Fair is a Great

Resource for NYCHA’s SeniorsON OCTOBER 2ND, THE NEW YORK

CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY’S

(NYCHA’S) DEPARTMENT OF

RESIDENT SUPPORT SERVICES WILL

HOST ITS FOURTH ANNUAL SENIOR

BENEFIT AND ENTITLEMENT

(SBEF) FAIR AT RIVERBANK STATE

PARK IN UPPER MANHATTAN. Thetheme for this year’s fair is“Health and Financial Fitness,”and all day long, from 10AM to3PM, seniors will be able to takeadvantage of a comprehensiverange of services.

The Senior Benefit & Entitlement Fair offers seniors theconvenience of having a large

number of service providers in one location. There will be over 50participating organizations and NYCHA expects approximately1,500 seniors from all five boroughs to attend.

Prior to the Fair, pre-registered seniors will receive a list of theinformation required for the services being offered so that they canbe prepared to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

Financial FitnessA special component of this year’s Fair is Financial Literacy.

We’ve developed a series of brief, 20 minute seminars on How toOpen and Manage a Bank Account, Check Cashing vs. LocalBanking, and Identity Theft. Representatives from a number ofbanks and financial advocacy organizations will be present toaddress any questions or concerns.

Benefits and ServicesThe Senior Benefit & Entitlement Fair will provide attendees with

application assistance and registration opportunities for variousentitlements such as: Access-A-Ride, Reduced Fare MetroCard andthe Food Card. Seniors will have the opportunity to arrange forDirect Deposit for their Social Security benefits, register to vote, beadded to the permanent absentee voter list, and reclaim unclaimedfunds being held by the state. The latest information and options onthe Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program will be available aswell as other health related information.

Health Screenings and ServicesA broad array of health services will be provided by various

hospitals and health organizations including screenings for bloodpressure, vision/glaucoma, diabetes/glucose/cholesterol, hearing,foot and prostate. In addition, flu shots will be provided by the NYCDepartment of Health and Mental Hygiene and administered by theVisiting Nurse Service of New York. Massage therapists and groupexercise classes such as Tai Chi will also be available on the plazaoverlooking the Hudson River.

Don’t Forget to RegisterAll costs associated with the production of this event have been

covered by contributions from the participating Medicare Advantage Plans, banking institutions and other organizations. I’dlike to thank them for the support.

I strongly urge our seniors to pre-register for this year's event.Interested seniors should call Resident Support Services at (212)306-8443. (See the ad on page 13.)

Tino Hernandez

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY JOURNAL 3SEPTEMBER 2008

GOLDENGLOVES

DEBORAH’S DIARY By Deborah Williams


(Continued from page 2)

CALL 311 FOR ALLNON-EMERGENCY

CITY SERVICES

Year Up was founded in Bostonin October 2000 by HarvardBusiness School graduate GeraldChertavian and is now operating infive cities. Its goals are to close the“opportunity divide” and empowerurban talent to reach their potential.Participants in Year Up NYC takesix months and 16 credits’ worth ofcourses at Pace University, andwork for six months in internshipswith prestigious Fortune 500companies such as Merrill Lynch,Bank of America, and MorganStanley. Each student receives a$150 weekly stipend for the year.

Mentors and volunteers of theprogram were in attendance at theceremony, as well as Year Up NYCstaff and private and corporatepartners of Year Up.

JPMorgan Chase Global Infrastructure Managing DirectorJohn Ropas was the keynotespeaker. Mr. Ropas noted that hewas a former resident of NYCHA’sRavenswood Houses in Queens.His speech included tips on how toget ahead in the corporate work-force and detailed his success story.“If I could do it,” Mr. Ropasdeclared to the graduates, “youcan, too.”

While Year Up has requirementsfor applicants — they must be highschool graduates or GED recipientsbetween the ages of 18 and 24, andlow-to-moderate income residentsof participating cities — Mr. Chertavian noted that “motivatedstudents who are willing to workhard and take advantage of a goodopportunity are always the ideal applicants.”

“It takes a lot of dedication butdon’t give up,” said JenniferThompson, 22, a resident ofBrooklyn’s Howard Houses, whowas the Student Speaker at

the ceremony. Ms. Thompsonintroduced herself to the audienceas a former introvert. Shecommented that Year Up doesn’ttolerate that kind of behavior andhelped her to come out of her shell.“Today I’m speaking in front ofhundreds of people,” she said in herspeech. “I guess I can’t call myselfshy anymore.”

What NYCHA Graduates Say About the Program

Nineteen-year-old JustinaMoore, a resident of Brooklyn’sVan Dyke Houses, remarked thatthe program, “isn’t hard if you’remotivated. Take in all the knowl-edge you can and network. In thelong run it’ll get you far,” Ms.Moore said.

“In order to finish, you need tobe really committed, especially ifyou’re young,” said KeannaMoseley, a resident of the SouthBronx’s Webster Houses. At 18years of age, Keanna was one ofthe two youngest members of thegraduating class. “Year Up is verydifferent from high school,” Ms.Moseley continued. “In highschool there’s a ‘me mentality’—you do things your own way, you’renot focused on punctuality. For theprogram you have to break out ofyour comfort zone, learn tonetwork, and gain confidence.”With a huge grin, Ms. Moseleyadded, “At the end of it, you’ll be awhole new person.”

If You Are Interested...If you are interested in partici-

pating in the Year Up program andmeet the qualifications mentionedin this article, please call Year Upat (212) 785-3340 ext 1321 or ext. 1325.

In this issue we continue our editorial policy of publishing the namesof individuals who have been permanently excluded from our publichousing developments. The purpose of this list is to keep residentsinformed of the Housing Authority’s ongoing effort to improve thequality of life for all New Yorkers in public housing and to allow forthe peaceful and safe use of our facilities. Here follows a list of thepeople excluded after hearings were held on May 2, 9, 16 and 30 andJune 6, 2007. Please note: These exclusions are based onNYCHA’s Administrative Hearing Process and should not beconfused with the Trespass Notice Program under MayorBloomberg’s Operation Safe Housing Initiative.

REMEMBER, IF YOU SEE ANY OF THESEINDIVIDUALS ON HOUSING AUTHORITY PROPERTY,

PLEASE CALL YOUR MANAGEMENT OFFICE ORNYCHA’S SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT AT

(212) 306-8595.

Prohibited as of May 2, 2007Chaniqua Williams Case 3164/07 formerly associated with the second floor of 40-05 12th Street, Queensbridge North Houses, Queens.Prohibited as of May 9, 2007Terry Johnson Case 3095/07 formerly associated with the fourth floor of 405 Lexington Avenue, Louis Armstrong Houses, Brooklyn.

Corey Danzy Case 3093/07 formerly associated with the second floor of 255 West 114th Street, King Towers, Manhattan.

Evelyn Puelo Case 3293/07 formerly associated with the first floor of 240 Lockman Avenue, Mariner’s Harbor Houses, Staten Island Prohibited as of May 16, 2007Michael Pledger Case 3243/07 formerly associated with the sixth floor of 51-15 Almeda Avenue, Ocean Bay Apartments, Queens.

Lamar Brown Case 352/07 formerly associated with the third floor of 333 Georgia Avenue, Unity Plaza, Brooklyn.

Efrain Baez Case 3301/07 formerly associated with the sixth floor of 65 East 99th Street, Carver Houses, Manhattan.

Ziomar Correa Case 3326/07 formerly associated with the first floor of 500 West 177th Street, Fort Washington Consolidated, Manhattan.

Luis Gonzalez Case 3447/07 formerly associated with the fourth floor of 1670 Pacific Street, Albany Houses, Brooklyn.

John Johnson Case 3448/07 formerly associated with the fifth floor of 681 Courtlandt Avenue, Melrose Houses, the Bronx.

Dominique Frazier Case 3580/07 formerly associated with the sixteenth floorShanique Frazier of 344 East 28th Street, Straus Houses, Manhattan.Prohibited as of May 30, 2007Kenneth Lloyd Case 3648/07 formerly associated with the first floor of 1-04 Astoria Blvd., Astoria Houses, Queens.

Daniel Whitfield Case 3767/07 formerly associated with the first floor of 1144 Lenox Road, Reid Apartments, Brooklyn.

Danny Jones Case 3713/07 formerly associated with the eleventh floor of 123 East 112th Street, Johnson Houses, Manhattan.

Curtis Woodley Case 3778/07 formerly associated with the third floor of 225 West 152nd Street, Harlem River Houses, Manhattan.Edioriel Garcia Case 3839/07 formerly associated with the first floor of 5612 Farragut Road, Glenwood Houses, Brooklyn.

Michael Pledger Case 3243/07 formerly associated with the sixth floor of 51-51 Almeda Avenue, Ocean Bay Apartments, Queens.

Ramel Gibson Case 2315/07 formerly associated with the fifth floor of 3194 Bayview Avenue, Gravesend Houses, Brooklyn.

Elbert Mordaunt Case 3880/07 formerly associated with the first of 63 Avenue W, Marlboro Houses, Brooklyn.

Shamar Watts Case 681/07 formerly associated with the second floor ofDonyell Burton 2935 West 33rd Street, O’Dwyer Gardens, Brooklyn.Prohibited as of June 6, 2007Gerald Liverman Case 3908/07 formerly associated with the seventh floorMarcus Smith of 2331 West 11th Street, Marlboro Houses, Brooklyn.

Marion Johnson Case 3911/07 formerly associated with the fourth floor of 671 Willoughby Avenue, Sumner Houses, Brooklyn.

Charlene Soto Case 8528/06 formerly associated with the ninth floor ofTerence Meyers 435 East 105th Street, Wilson Houses, Manhattan.

THE NYCHA NOT WANTED LIST


SEPTEMBER 2008

Michael R. Bloomberg. “Tonightsends the message that we are organized and our neighbor-hoods are getting safer and safer.With the ongoing partnership ofthe NYPD and NYCHA, we willwork to stay that way,” BoroughDirector Jasper said.

Captain Barry spoke of thenecessary partnership requiredto keep crime down. “We allhave the same agenda in mind —keeping housing developmentsthroughout Queens safe.”

The Captain highlightedsome of the community and lawenforcement initiatives in placeto honor the principle of NNOall year long. They include the 24-hour hotline for anonymous reports of suspiciousbehavior: 1-888-NYC-SAFE;the Auxiliary Police Programopen to the general public ages17 ½ to 60; and the LawEnforcement Explorers, aprogram for youth and youngadults ages 14 to 20 who areinterested in law enforcement asa career.

Renee Brailsford, a cityemployee who attended the event,was accompanied by her twogranddaughters, one of whom hasa keen interest in criminal justice,and the other, aspirations of beinga scientist. Brailsford indicatedthat NNO is, “helpful to thecommunity and to the youngpeople. As a community we haveto come together. It is not only upto the police.”

Night Out was also celebrated at LaGuardia Houses, Jackie Robinson Houses and ManhattanvilleHouses, in Manhattan, sponsored by PSAs #4, #5 and#6, respectively. NYCHA Vice-Chairman Earl Andrews, Jr.presented Mayoral proclamationsto Department Inspector StephenCapasso of PSA #5 for JackieRobinson Houses and CaptainElisa Cokkinos of PSA #6 forManhattanville. Board MemberMargarita López presented aMayoral proclamation to CaptainEdward F. Britton, CommandingOfficer of PSA #4 for LaGuardiaHouses, on Manhattan’s LowerEast Side.

In Staten Island Night Outwas celebrated at Midland Beachfor all NYCHA residents. StatenIsland is served by PSA #1ASatellite. In the Bronx, Night Outwas celebrated at Patterson andThroggs Neck Houses, which areserved by PSAs #7 and #8. InBrooklyn, Night Out was celebrated at Pink Houses,Bushwick Houses and CoffeyPark, served by PSAs #1, #2and #3.

‘NIGHT OUT’(Continued from page 1)

By Ming Fearon

ONWARD AND UPWARD Ruth Boddie (center) and Jacqueline Pimentel (right) of NYCHA’s Resident EmploymentServices join NYCHA residents (left to right) Justina Moore, Keanna Moseley and Jennifer Thompson at the Year Up Graduation Ceremony on August 29th at the Embassy Suites Hotel.

Bright Futures For ‘Year Up’ Grads

YEAR UP NYC CELEBRATED ITS JULY 2008 GRADUATES IN THE STYLISH ATRIUM

OF THE EMBASSY SUITES HOTEL AT THE WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER. The 280attendees of the graduation ceremony lauded the efforts of the 32 graduates,four of whom are NYCHA residents and plan to continue their education.

6 THE HOUSING AUTHORITY JOURNALSEPTEMBER 2008

CALL THE CENTRALIZED CALL CENTER AT (718) 707-7771 FOR ALL MAINTENANCE SERVICES.


NEW YORK CITY

HOUSING AUTHORITY

Board Meeting Schedule

Notice is hereby given that the New York City Housing

Authority’s Board Meetings take place every other

Wednesday at 10:00 A.M. (unless otherwise noted)

in the Board Room on the 12th Floor of 250

Broadway, New York, New York. The remaining

meetings for Calendar Year 2008 are as follows:

September 3, 2008

September 17, 2008

October 2, 2008 (Thursday)

October 16, 2008 (Thursday)

October 29, 2008

November 12, 2008

November 26, 2008

December 10, 2008

December 24, 2008

Any changes to the schedule above will be posted on

NYCHA’s Website at nyc.gov/nycha and in the

NYCHA Journal to the extent practicable at a

reasonable time before the meeting.

These meetings are open to the public.

Pre-registration of speakers is required. Those who

wish to register must do so at least forty-five (45)

minutes before the scheduled Board Meeting.

Comments are limited to the items on the agenda.

Speakers will be heard in the order of registration.

Speaking time will be limited to three (3) minutes.

The public comment period will conclude upon all

speakers being heard or at the expiration of thirty

(30) minutes allotted by law for public comment,

whichever occurs first.

For Board Meeting dates and times, and/or

additional information, please visit our Website at

nyc.gov/nycha or contact us at (212) 306-6088.

Copies of the agenda can be picked up at the Office

of the Secretary at 250 Broadway, 12th floor, New

York, New York, no earlier than 3PM on the Friday

before the upcoming Wednesday Board Meeting.

Any person requiring a reasonable accommodation in

order to participate in the Board Meeting, should

contact the Office of the Secretary at (212)

306-6088 no later than five (5) business days before

the Board Meeting.

158-45 Archer Avenue inJamaica, Queens, also beganaccepting rent payments this pastsummer. Since June 1, 2008, resi-dents have also been able to makerent payments at the Capital Onebranch located at East 3rd Streetand Avenue C, and at theWachovia branches located atAvenue of the Americas and 45thStreet, Park Avenue and 48thStreet, and Broadway at 10th,70th, and 85th Streets — all in Manhattan.

While the transaction fee of$1.50 remains the same whetherpayments are made at a checkcashing establishment or a bankbranch, the bank affiliation doesprovide access to a full array ofbanking options includinginvestment, credit and smallbusiness services.

Online Rent PaymentsNYCHA residents can also

pay their rent online 24 hours aday, seven days a week throughNYCHA’s ePayment system bylogging on to NYCHA’s Websiteat nyc.gov/nycha and clickingon the “ePayment — online rentpayment” logo. Within the first month of availability (February 2008) over 7,000residents took advantage of thisnew high tech option.

ePayment presents a way toadd convenience and expedi-ency to an already too short day.To take advantage of ePaymentresidents need only have achecking or savings account andaccess to a computer withInternet capabilities. Wheretypically a payment by mail cantake four days or more forprocessing, ePayment allows forsame-day processing for anypayments made before 6:00 PMEST. Payments made after 6:00PM EST or on weekends andholidays are credited to theresidents’ rent accounts the nextbusiness day. ePayments areconfidential and easy to track.There is a $1.00 processing fee.

Rent Payment By PayrollDeduction for City Employees

In 2007 an additional rentpayment option became available to employees of theCity of New York who also livein public housing, which is tohave the rent paid through apayroll deduction.

RENT PAYMENT

OPTIONS(Continued from page 1)

GREEN TIPS TO HELPSAVE OUR PLANET

By Ming Fearon

HOTLY DEBATED ONCE UPON A TIME,MOST PEOPLE NOW BELIEVE THAT

HUMAN BEINGS DO HAVE AN IMPACT

ON GLOBAL WARMING. The need tobe environmentally friendly ismore urgent now than ever.

Minute changes in your habitsand lifestyle are all that is necessary to lessen the negative impact you have on the earth’s environment. Current trends toward eco-friendliness have led to asurge in the number of methods and products available, making iteasier than ever to live green. Although the following suggestionsare no quick-fixes, these five simple habits are both cost-effectiveand will help to preserve the earth for your children and theirs.Websites such as Nationalzoo.si.edu (the website for the Smithsonian National Zoological Park) and www.energy.com notonly highlight the following tips but provide many more that maybetter suit your lifestyle.

Ditch Bottled Water – Take advantage of living in New York. Thecity health commissioner, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, described NewYork City tap water as “the Champagne of municipal tap waters.”The New York Times calculated that drinking eight glasses of watera day will cost you about 49 cents a year if you take it from a NewYork City tap and $1,400 a year if you buy it bottled. Why spendmoney on something you could get for virtually no cost. Purchasinga reusable bottle to drink from will also have a vast impact on theenvironment by eliminating the waste of the approximately 60million plastic water bottles thrown away each day. While you’reat it, try turning the tap off while brushing your teeth or scrubbing dishes.

Bring Your Own Bag – Plastic bags are not biodegradable and treesneed to be cut down for paper bags. Refuse both plastic and paperfrom stores and bring your own reusable canvas or cloth bags tocarry groceries in. Some stores, like Trader Joe’s, have even taken torewarding customers that do so with a monthly chance towin store gift certificates.

Change Your Light Bulbs – Unscrew those traditional incandescent light bulbs from your lamps and switchthem with compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs.Although CFLs are initially a little pricier, they use 75%less energy, last ten times longer than an incandescent,and will ultimately end up saving you money.

Switch the Oven Off a Little Sooner – A simple trick to save electricity is to turn the oven off before the full recommended cooktime. It takes a little bit of time for an oven to cool down. For everyhour of cook time, shave off five minutes of oven time; it’ll have thesame effect on what’s cooking as turning it off after the complete cooktime would and thousands of watts of electricity a year can be saved.

GOLDEN GLOVEStend to make less money than men, Nisa has been pursuing asmany options as possible for sponsorships. Although she goes tothe salon only once a year and rarely gets dressed up, Nisa usedto model when she was younger and has been getting offersrecently for modeling opportunities again.

Outside of the gym, Nisa loves music and movies. She hastwo brothers and one sister. A goal-oriented young woman, Nisais working toward her GED.

As a lifelong Betances resident, Nisa has Bronx pride andmissed her neighborhood during the recent trip to Miami. Thecommunity appeals to her because the location is lively, there isalways noise, and the store is right there.

In the future, Nisa wants to give back to her communitythrough an animal shelter (she loves her dogs) or a program foralcoholics and their families, something close to her heartbased on experiences in her own life. Her philanthropic goalsstem from a realization of how she herself has been helped. Shesays of boxing and sports, “It saved my life.”

The kids in the gym look up to her and ask her to trainthem. Her advice for the next generation in her neighborhood is“If you want something, do it. Don’t let nobody tell you otherwise. It doesn’t hurt to try.” It doesn’t hurt, that is, unlessyou are fighting Nisa.

(Continued from page 3)


SEPTEMBER 2008


New York City Police DepartmentToll-Free Terrorism Hotline

Reports May Be Made To:

1-888-NYC-SAFE

1-888-692-7233


SEPTEMBER 2008

CELEBRATING SUMMER 2008 NYCHA-STYLE!

NYCHA senior residents kick up their heels at the 23rd Annual Senior Resident Volunteer Luncheon at Leonard’sin Great Neck, Long Island. The luncheon honored seniors for their volunteer work.

The O’Jays were the subject of a special tribute concert kicking off the Harlem Summer Stage Concert Series held at the Harlem State Office Plaza on 125th Street on July 17th.Shown above (left to right) are O’Jays Eric Nolan Grant, Walter Williams, the show’s producer Chris Curry, and Eddie Levert. The concerts are on Thursday nights and will continuethrough September 11th. The Phil Young Trio, Ghanniyya Greene and Seleno Clarke are scheduled for September 4th and Battle of the DJs on September 11th.

Assembly Member Vito Lopez (third from left) hosted his annual picnic for seniors atthe Sunken Meadow Park in Long Island on July 17th. The Assembly Member isshown here with (left to right) NYCHA Vice-Chairman Earl Andrews, Jr., ChairmanTino Hernandez and Assembly Member Michael N. Gianaris.

(Left) Wall climbing at the CitywideCarnival, hosted by NYCHA’s SportsThrough Education Program and (above)face painting at the Kids Walk Event on August 19th.

(Above, left to right) Entertainer Bette Midler of the New York Restoration Project joins NYCHABoard Member Margarita López for a Million Trees New York initiative.

(Above) Young residents compete at Sports Through Education’s Track andField Day at Riverbank State Park in Upper Manhattan in July.


CELEBRATING SUMMER 2008 NYCHA-STYLE!

The O’Jays were the subject of a special tribute concert kicking off the Harlem Summer Stage Concert Series held at the Harlem State Office Plaza on 125th Street on July 17th.Shown above (left to right) are O’Jays Eric Nolan Grant, Walter Williams, the show’s producer Chris Curry, and Eddie Levert. The concerts are on Thursday nights and will continuethrough September 11th. The Phil Young Trio, Ghanniyya Greene and Seleno Clarke are scheduled for September 4th and Battle of the DJs on September 11th.

(Above) Youth from the South Beach Community Center in Staten Island, fishing off the pier,and, (at left, and below) more fun at one of the Citywide Carnivals, which were held inManhattan’s Central Park, Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, and Baisley Park in Queens.

Seniors from the Bushwick Senior Center lined up for this photo at Assembly Member Vito Lopez’Annual Picnic in Sunken Meadow Park in Long Island on the first of two picnics the Assembly Memberhosted, July 17th

(Above, left to right) Entertainer Bette Midler of the New York Restoration Project joins NYCHABoard Member Margarita López for a Million Trees New York initiative.

(Above) Young residents compete at Sports Through Education’s Track andField Day at Riverbank State Park in Upper Manhattan in July.


SEPTEMBER 2008


Conflict?

FREE MEDIATION SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS

The Safe Horizon Mediation Program is a leader in the practice ofmediation as an effective cost-free alternative to expensive litigationor violence. Safe Horizon’s Mediation Program can provide New YorkCity Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents and staff with a safe,confidential environment where a neutral mediator will assist partiesin diffusing their conflict, communicating more effectively, and inconsidering mutually agreeable solutions to problems.

For more than 25 years, Safe Horizon mediators have helpedthousands of New Yorkers to peacefully address many kinds ofdisputes related to housing, families, schools, courts and much more.Other typical disputes involve parent-teen conflicts and other familyconflicts, elder-care planning, noise complaints, harassment, andproblems with merchants.

Of course, reaching an agreement or a resolution can’t beguaranteed, but approximately 80% of the people who choose tomediate a dispute report that they are satisfied with the outcome. Thelarge majority of people who reach an agreement stick to theiragreement; because in mediation people voluntarily fashion their ownsolutions. The mediator is not a judge; instead he or she facilitatesunderstanding between the participants.

Although Safe Horizon already provides services to many membersof the NYCHA community, many New Yorkers aren’t aware thatmediation services are convenient and free. It’s as easy as picking upthe phone, dialing one of the numbers listed below and talking to acase manager about your conflict. Many of the centers are open in theevening for those who work day shifts. See the list below to find the

Dispute Resolution Center nearest to you.

New York City CommunityDispute Resolution Centers

Brooklyn and Manhattan: Safe Horizon Mediation

Brooklyn Mediation Center

210 Joralemon Street, Room 618

Brooklyn, NY 11201

(P) 718-834-6671 Ext. 13 (F) 718-834-6681

Manhattan Mediation Center

346 Broadway, Suite 400 W

New York, NY 10013

(P) 212-577-1740 Ext. 125 (F) 212-577-3879

Queens:

Community Mediation Services

89-64 163rd Street

Jamaica, NY 11432

(P) 718-523-6868 (F) 718-523-8204

Staten Island:

New York Center for Interpersonal Development

130 Stuyvesant Pl, 5th Floor

Staten Island, NY 10301

(P) 718-815-4557 (F) 718-876-6068

Bronx:

IMCR Dispute Resolution Center

384 East 149th Street, Suite 330

Bronx, NY, 10455

(P) 718-585-1190 (F) 718-585-1962

CAREER EXPO

COMING THIS

OCTOBER HOSTED

BY NYCHA’s

RESIDENT

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES.

IF INTERESTED,

PLEASE CONTACT

OUR HOTLINE

TO REGISTER

AT

718-250-5904.

To: Public HousingResidents

NOTICE OF PROPOSEDCLASS ACTIONSETTLEMENT

What is this notice about? This notice is about a lawsuit called

Blatch et al. v. Hernandez, et al, 97Civ. 3918 (LTS) (HBP).

What was the Blatch case about?Who brought it?

The Blatch case was brought bymentally disabled tenants and occupants of public housing run bythe New York City Housing Authority (also called NYCHA) who had administrative grievances, tenancy terminationproceedings, eviction proceedingsin housing court, or appeals from administrative determinations.

What did the tenants andoccupants who brought the casesay was the problem?

The tenants said that the NewYork City Housing Authority doesnot try to solve problems of tenantswith mental disabilities before theytry to end their tenancy and makethem leave. The tenants whobrought the case also said thatNYCHA did not try to helptenants and occupants with mentaldisabilities at each stage of theprocess of ending their tenancy. Thetenants said that NYCHA did notgive these people the help they weresupposed to at the project level, atNYCHA and in court. The tenantswho brought the case said thatNYCHA did not accommodatetenants and occupants with mentaldisabilities as they were supposedto under the law.

What did the New York CityHousing Authority say aboutthe case?

The New York City HousingAuthority (NYCHA) said that itwas following the law about howto treat people with mental disabilities. Specifically, NYCHAsaid it tried to solve problems ofdisabled and non-disabled tenantsby consulting with the tenant,family members and outside agencies. NYCHA said that itnotified both the New York CityHuman Resources Administrationand the City Marshal of impendingevictions of disabled people so theycould try to solve the problemleading to the eviction. NYCHAsaid that it asked tenants if they hadany disabled residents in theirhousehold and, if so, if they neededany help for their disability. It hadan employee whose job was toresolve complaints of discrimina-tion against the disabled. Since1997, it had a formal procedure todetermine if a tenant is mentallydisabled and to not go forward withtermination of tenancy proceedingsagainst mentally disabled peoplewho were not properly represented.

What happened to the case? In 2005, the judge issued a

lengthy decision discussing all of the claims. She found that occupants of public housing apartments who have not signed thelease do not have any rights in theirapartments that are protected by theUnited States Constitution; that theDisability Rights statutes do notrequire NYCHA to providepersonal financial management,apartment cleaning, or other individualized services to mentallydisabled tenants; and that not allmentally disabled persons need aguardian or other expert representative at grievance ortenancy termination hearings. Onthe other hand, she found thatNYCHA’s procedures wereinsufficient to protect the rights ofmentally disabled tenants at administrative hearings because itdid not present to hearing officersinformation that may indicate amental disability, it did not alwayssuspend hearings for mentallydisabled tenants who were not properly represented, and it did notalways evaluate a tenant’s mentalcompetence when such an evalua-tion was required. The judge alsofound that NYCHA must notify theHousing Court about information inits possession that may suggest thetenant may need a guardian. Thejudge did not resolve other aspectsof the case. She ordered plaintiffsand NYCHA to discuss with eachother, and with a Magistrate Judge,a plan for solving the problems thatshe found with NYCHA’s proce-dures. The tenants and NYCHAhave now reached a plan they bothagree on that will resolve the wholecase. But first, the Court has to saythat the settlement is ok.

How will the Court decide if thesettlement is ok?

The judge must decide if the settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate.

Does the Court have to listen toany of the tenants or occupantswith mental disabilities who wereresidents of public housing whoare affected by this case?

Yes. If you are a class member ofthis case, you can tell the Courtwhat you think about this settlementand the Court will listen to you.Keep reading to learn how to get intouch with the Court or the lawyerson this case.

Who is a class member of thiscase?

You are a class member in thiscase if you are now:

•A tenant or occupant who livesin housing owned and operated byNYCHA and

•You have a mental disability and•You had administrative

grievances and/or tenancy termina-tion proceedings and/or evictionproceedings in housing court or appeals from NYCHA’s


SEPTEMBER 2008

A translation of this document is available in your management office.Please call the Language Services Unit at 212-306-4443 for an oral interpretation of this

document in other languages.

administrative determinations inState Supreme Court.

What is the settlement? The Housing Authority has

established certain procedures thatit will follow with respect to class members who are or may be incompetent.

What does it mean to beincompetent?

A tenant is incompetent if, as aresult of mental disease or defect,the tenant is not able to understandwhat is going on with the proceed-ings to end her tenancy or evict heror not able to adequately protecther rights to her apartment.

What will NYCHA do with classmembers who are or may be incompetent?

NYCHA will not go ahead toend a tenancy when a person isincompetent unless the person isrepresented by a guardian.

What is a guardian? A guardian is a person who is

appointed to represent the interestsof someone who has been found to be incompetent.

What will NYCHA do with classmembers who may beincompetent when NYCHAbrings them to Housing Court?

NYCHA will tell the court if ithas information that the tenant maybe incompetent when it appearsbefore a housing court judge orwhen it requests a warrant of eviction.

What about cases that are incourt right now?

For cases that are in court now,or old cases that are brought backto court, NYCHA will also tell thecourt if it has information that thetenant may be incompetent when itappears before a housing courtjudge or when it requests a warrantof eviction on the case.

How long will NYCHA followthese rules under the settlement?

Some parts of the settlement willbe permanent. The rest of thesettlement will be in effect for a 4year period unless modified by theCourt. For more informationabout this, please review the whole settlement.

Can I ask for a copy of the settlement?

Yes. Please contact one of thelawyers for the tenants or NYCHAlisted below.

Can you object to or comment onthe settlement?

The Court must approve thissettlement. You may comment on itor object to it. This settlement hasnot yet been approved by the Court.If the Court approves it, membersof the class will be covered by thissettlement and will have to follow it.

How do you comment on orobject to this settlement?

The Court will hold a hearing toconsider this settlement onSeptember 23, 2008 at 11:00 am inCourtroom 17C of the UnitedStates Courthouse at 500 PearlStreet, New York, NY 10038.

You may present comments orobjections in writing to this

Proposed Settlement. You may alsoconsult with a lawyer of yourchoice regarding this settlement. Ifyou wish to present writtencomments or objections, you mustindicate on the letter that it relatesto Blatch et al. v. Hernandez, et al.,97 Civ. 3918 (LTS)(HBP), andmust mail them so as to be receivedby September 12, 2008 to:

Hon. Laura Taylor SwainUnited States District CourtSouthern District of New York500 Pearl StreetNew York, NY 10007

Please send copies of yourcomments to the attorneys for thetenants and the attorneys for theHousing Authority listed below:

Judith Goldiner, Esq.The Legal Aid SocietyLaw Reform Unit – Civil Practice199 Water StreetNew York, NY 10038Attorneys for the Plaintiff Class

Ricardo Elias MoralesGeneral CounselNew York City Housing AuthoritySteven J. Rappaport, of counsel250 Broadway, 9th FloorNew York, NY 10007Attorneys for Defendant

New York City Housing Authority

How do I contact lawyers for thetenants who brought this case if I have questions aboutthe settlement?

If you have questions concerningthe settlement, you may also callthe attorney for the plaintiff class at212-577-3640.

7th annual kids walk payment residents · cashing locations. the initiative was designed not only...

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