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Bronx public housing tenants are next to vote on joining Preservation Trust
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Dec 4, 2023
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By
Catalina Gonella
Published Dec 4, 2023
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The public housing tenants of NYCHA’s Bronx River Addition development will be the next to vote on the future of their complex, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday.
A 30-day voting period for the Bronx River Addition will begin March 13, following 100 days of public engagement. The first development to hold a vote was the Nostrand Houses in Sheepshead Bay, which is nearing the end of its voting window on Dec. 7.
"It's a new day for Bronx River Addition [senior buildings]," Norma Saunders, president, Bronx River and Bronx River Addition Resident Association, said in a statement. "We have had our share of challenges, but finally, not only are we getting the attention we need and deserve, but the ability to choose the way forward for our homes is in our hands. The residents will be the ones guiding the future of Bronx River Addition."
Residents will be able to weigh in by choosing one of three options. The first two options — entering the development into the Public Housing Preservation Trust or joining the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program — would unlock alternative federal funding streams for repairs needed in deteriorating apartments. The third choice is to stick with the traditional public housing financing model, remaining Section 9 housing, which does not allow NYCHA to access other funding sources, such as Section 8 funds.
The Preservation Trust model, established by the mayor last year, maintains public control of NYCHA apartments, while switching the source of federal funding for each unit to the Section 8 program. Tenants will keep all their same lease rights under the program, NYCHA officials said. Meanwhile, PACT turns over management of the campus to a private company while also switching the source of funding to Section 8.
“As someone who grew up on the edge of homelessness, I know how important it is to have access to affordable and reliable housing,” Adams said in a statement Monday. “From the start of this administration, we have worked to help NYCHA residents have a seat at the table and a say in the future of their homes. We are thrilled that Bronx River Addition will follow in Nostrand Houses’ footsteps to cast ballots in this historic voting process, and I urge all residents to make their voices heard.”
The Bronx River Addition is home to 146 residents from 133 households, according to the mayor’s office. The complex has a 20-year capital need of $66 million and has dealt with several severe infrastructure issues in recent years, causing tenants to be relocated in one of its two buildings, officials said.
“Following the vote at Nostrand, residents of Bronx River Addition will now have their own opportunity to weigh in on the future of their campus through this important and groundbreaking process,” NYCHA CEO Bova-Hiatt said in a statement. “Every day, we see the impacts that decades of federal disinvestment have had on public housing developments across the portfolio. We are pleased that, through this voting process, residents will be able to decide how to address the vast and growing needs of their buildings.”
Years of federal divestment and local mismanagement have left NYCHA buildings in a state of disrepair. The agency estimates needing nearly $80 billion for repairs across its properties.
David Brand contributed reporting.
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