More than 2,000 public housing tenants are in the midst of a historic voting period which will determine the future of the Nostrand Houses in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.
What You Need To Know
- Residents have three options on the ballot: the Preservation Trust, the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together initiative, also known as PACT, or to remain in Section 9 public housing
- PACT and the Preservation Trust are part of a strategy to tackle NYCHA’s capital repair needs — an estimated $78.3 billion-worth over the next 20 years
- Through the Trust, the entity can lease public housing units, transfer them to a more financially stable housing program and raise funds for rehabilitation
- Tenants have until Dec. 7 to cast their ballots
“As a baby, I grew up in it and I would love to see it flourish,” said Greta Miller, who has lived at the Nostrand Houses for 70 years.
She’s among dozens of tenants who went out to the polls Tuesday to vote on whether the NYCHA development should join the Preservation Trust, a state-created public entity that can access more private and public funding to make much-need capital repairs.
“The next 10 days, you will decide your destiny and how you want your housing to be,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “This is no longer in the hands of outsiders, this is in the hands of insiders. Those who live in NYCHA.”
Residents have three options on the ballot: the Preservation Trust, the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together initiative, also known as PACT, which would enable Nostrand Houses to enter long-term leases with private developers, or to remain in Section 9 public housing.
“The goal here is to be able to deal with those fundamental issues and their root causes like heat issues, elevator issues, mold issues by doing capital renovations with the additional funds which come through options like the Trust or the PACT program,” said Andrew Kaplan, chief of staff for NYCHA.
PACT and the Preservation Trust are part of a strategy to tackle NYCHA’s capital repair needs — an estimated $78.3 billion-worth over the next 20 years.
“When you grow up in [the] New York City Housing Authority and you’ve been in there over five to 10 years, you see the change. Cracks in the walls, bugs running around no matter how clean your apartment is and sometimes during the winter, you’re freezing,” said Barbara McFadden, resident leader of Nostrand Houses.
Through the Trust, the entity can lease public housing units, transfer them to a more financially stable housing program and raise funds for rehabilitation. It also ensures these apartments stay publicly owned and protections for residents.
“When you give people the equal opportunity to make choices, you provide them with literature, you provide them with knowledge, you provide them with information, they can make the best choice for the development,” said McFadden.
Tenants have until Dec. 7 to cast their ballots. They can also vote by mail or online by logging onto nyc.gov/nycha.