Zulay Velazquez has lived at the Jacob Riis NYCHA development in the East Village for more than 40 years.

Velazquez, along with the roughly 3,600 other residents, has a big decision — to remain as a Section 9 program, or move to project-based Section 8 properties.

“I want to keep Section 9 the way it is because we have more rights that we fought for, for decades,” Velazquez said.

The City’s Rental Assistance Demonstration program converts public housing into Section 8 properties, known as the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together program or PACT — but Velazquez says she’s concerned the switch could jeopardize tenant’s housing.

“They’re evicting people at a much faster pace than NYCHA is and we want to know why,” she said.

A report from the city comptroller’s office shows a higher eviction rate for Fiscal Year 2024 for 13 PACT projects at 0.57%, slightly lower than the citywide rate of 0.60%. NYCHA evictions are 0.12%.

“I’m making a survey of how they’re going to vote, vote yes or no for PACT, or yes or no for Section 9,” Jacob Riis tenant Elizabeth Rodriguez said.

Ahead of Friday’s deadline to vote, Rodriguez showed NY1 her survey revealing how dozens of residents say they’re voting.

“My finding is a “no” for PACT and “yes” for Section 9,” Rodriguez said.

PACT is said to access more stable federal funding for the development’s $940 million capital needs.

In a statement, NYCHA says PACT will “unlock necessary funding,” and “the choice is ultimately in the hands of residents.”

Velazquez says they don’t need to switch programs, but rather more funding from elected leaders.

“Politicians are the ones who fund the programs, right? And right now we get funded through Section 9 and so they’ve been depleting that fund, however, the same politicians that are defunding it could fund it again,” Velazquez said.

If residents vote in favor of PACT, NYCHA will continue to own the land, but private partners will carry out improvements and manage the properties.