Committee on Public Housing meeting
March 24, 2026, 10:30 AM
The Committee on Public Housing held its FY2027 preliminary budget hearing on the New York City Housing Authority. The committee took testimony and recorded no votes.
What was discussed
- Chair Chris Banks opens the NYCHA preliminary budget hearing Chair Chris Banks opened the Committee on Public Housing hearing on the New York City Housing Authority's FY2027 preliminary budget, welcoming attendees and setting up testimony from NYCHA leadership followed by resident and public testimony.
- NYCHA's opening testimony on its budget and capital program NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt and Chief Financial Officer Annika Lescott-Martinez testified on the authority's FY2027 budget and its roughly $3.6 billion 2026 capital investment program, describing continued city investment in NYCHA amid large unmet capital needs.
- How much is the city investing in NYCHA's Section 9 capital needs? Asked by Chair Chris Banks about city investment and deferred mismanagement, CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt and CFO Annika Lescott-Martinez cited about $11.2 billion in city support over a 10-year horizon plus an additional $662 million in HPD's capital budget for PACT and trust conversions, while saying they
- Why is NYCHA pursuing demolition and new construction at Fulton Elliott-Chelsea? Pressed repeatedly by Chair Chris Banks and Council Member Christopher Marte on the Fulton Elliott-Chelsea plan, EVP and Chief Real Estate Officer Jonathan Gouveia said the project would rebuild all 2,056 existing apartments plus add affordable and market-rate units, with the EIS studying up to
- How does the PACT/Trust conversion process work, and are residents truly engaged? Asked by Chair Chris Banks about PACT, EVP Jonathan Gouveia said NYCHA has converted just over 31,000 apartments and engages residents starting roughly six months before, toward a 2028 target of 62,000 PACT units, and that resident surveys show about 77% satisfaction. CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt and Chief
- Can NYCHA require a resident vote for future PACT conversions? Asked directly by Council Member Harvey Epstein whether NYCHA could require a resident vote at future RAD/PACT conversions, CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt answered no, prompting Epstein to call the lack of a binding vote a problem.
- How are PACT resident complaints and grievances handled after conversion? Asked by Chair Chris Banks who oversees disputes at PACT developments, CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt said NYCHA's Office of Impartial Hearings handles NYCHA-tenant disputes but not PACT landlord-tenant disputes, which go to housing court, and that the office has roughly 750 active matters of all types. EVP
- How is Council capital funding and rezoning money being used at NYCHA? Asked by Council Member Christopher Marte about discretionary capital, Chief Asset Officer Shaan Mavani said the Council provides about $47 million and that a typical capital project runs 4-5 years from allocation, and CFO Annika Lescott-Martinez addressed rezoning commitments such as Gowanus and
- How is NYCHA reducing its vacant-unit turnaround time? Asked by Chair Chris Banks and Finance Chair Linda Lee about vacancies, Chief Operating Officer Eva Trimble said average turnaround is 341 days as of February 2026, down from 401 a year earlier, with about 6,192 vacant units in the turnover process and an average cost near $40,000 per unit; lead and
- What is happening with Emergency Housing Voucher funding? Asked by Chair Chris Banks about Emergency Housing Vouchers, CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt said EHV was originally funded through 2030 but a federal change altered that, and CFO Annika Lescott-Martinez put the total annual cost to maintain those families' housing at $124 million, with NYCHA working with the
- What is NYCHA's rent collection rate, and how are arrears handled in PACT deals? Asked by Finance Chair Linda Lee and Chair Chris Banks, CFO Annika Lescott-Martinez said NYCHA's rent collection rate with arrears is about 65% and that the authority does not distinguish COVID-era arrears from more recent arrears, and explained that at PACT conversion arrears are addressed at
- Can NYCHA generate more revenue from vacant commercial spaces and Amazon lockers? Asked by Chair Chris Banks and Council Member Darlene Mealy about revenue, CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt said NYCHA has 70 commercial spaces with 60 occupied and 10 vacant and committed to a plan to fill them, and CFO Annika Lescott-Martinez said Amazon pays roughly $50-100 per locker box per month, with that
- What sustainability, resiliency, and heating improvements is NYCHA pursuing? Asked by Council Member Harvey Epstein about greening NYCHA, composting, and developments left without heat, Chief Asset Officer Shaan Mavani described limited-scale composting pilots and a forthcoming sustainability and resiliency plan developed with resident leadership, and Chief Operating Officer
- What savings is NYCHA pursuing under the Chief Savings Officer mandate? Asked by Council Member Christopher Marte about the citywide savings mandate, CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt said NYCHA built its 2026 budget anticipating reductions and is pursuing operational savings, while noting NYCHA is a non-mayoral agency continuing conversations with City Hall and OMB about its
- Fulton, Elliott, and Chelsea residents oppose demolition and privatization Residents of the Fulton, Elliott, and Chelsea Houses testified against the proposed demolition and privatization of their homes and for repairs and renovation under public ownership, including Miriam Salles and Jacqueline Lara of Fulton Houses, Savasiah Gardner of Chelsea Houses, Maribel Rodriguez
- PACT/RAD residents report lost Section 8 and unresolved repairs Residents of converted PACT/RAD developments testified about problems after conversion, including Ms. Yves of Penn-Wortman Houses (now under Stanley Avenue Preservations), who said tenants lost their Section 8 without notice, along with Lorraine Roberts, Zulay Velazquez, Danette Chavis (LaGuardia
- Tenant leaders call for a PACT moratorium and independent oversight Tenant association leaders urged a moratorium on PACT and independent oversight of conversions, including Aixa Torres and Reginald Bowman (Citywide Council of Presidents), Cynthia Tibbs (TA President, Wise Towers/West Side brownstones), Dana Elden (President, St. Mary's Park Houses), Mark Glover
- Advocates and community groups defend Section 9 public housing funding Advocates and community organizations testified to protect Section 9 public housing and scrutinize the Trust, including Layla Law-Gisiko (Chelsea district leader), Metin Sarci, Anna Luft, Malika Khalsa (Salvadori Center), Renee Keith, Daren Sealey (Housing program), Celines Miranda, and Ramona
Agenda
1 item
- T2026-1379 New York City Council Budget and Oversight Hearings on The Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2027, The Preliminary Capital Plan for Fiscal Years 2027-2030 and The Fiscal 2026 Preliminary Mayor’s Management Report 10:30 a.m. New York City Housing Authority 12:30 p.m. Public Hearing Held by Committee