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.

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Committee on Housing

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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?

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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: