SCHUMER DEMANDS FEDS PUT UP $1.2 BILLION IN NEW FUNDS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING IN UPCOMING TRUMP BUDGET; RECENT SETTLEMENT GIVES FEDS AUTHORITY OVER NYCHA; ONLY FAIR THEY INCREASE FUNDING & REVERSE DECADES OF FED DISINVESTMENT TO MAKE VITAL REPAIRS & MORE

Schumer Personally Spoke With HUD Sec. Carson & Urged Increased Federal Resources & Investment In Authorities Like NYCHA

With NYCHA Deal Done, Schumer Says Feds Should Deliver New Funds To Public Housing; Accountability Is Good—But Without Fed Dollars In Mix, Lasting Reform Will Elude

Schumer: HUD Needs To Put Its Money Where Its Mouth Is To Improve NYCHA

On the heels of a settlement agreement between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the City of New York and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is making a public push for HUD to put up at least $1.2 billion in new federal investment for large public housing authorities with persistent issues, like NYCHA. Schumer’s public push comes after calls and discussions with HUD Secretary Ben Carson, where the two discussed NYCHA and the soon-to-be-released Trump Administration’s budget.  

“We have seen the spiraling results of decades of federal disinvestment in public housing at NYCHA, specifically,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “The recent settlement between NYCHA and HUD was important and a positive step forward, but you cannot address the structural and systemic problems here without the federal government providing its fair share to fix the pipes, the boilers, address lead and more. That is why, as the Trump Administration crafts its upcoming budget, I am urging HUD to add at least $1.2 billion in its request for public housing authorities that NYCHA can immediately tap.”

Just this month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the City of New York and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) came to an agreement to address longstanding issues at the housing authority’s properties. According to HUD, the agreement establishes specific requirements and milestones to address health and safety hazards at NYCHA properties, including lead-based paint, mold, heat, vermin, among others. NYCHA was not placed into receivership, but the federal government will now have stronger controls to oversee NYCHA.

The agreement includes:

1. A federal monitor appointed by HUD, SDNY, and NYC to address health and safety hazards. The federal monitor will be required to submit quarterly reports to both HUD and SDNY.  
2. A commitment from NYC to provide to NYCHA at least $2.2 billion over the course of the next 10 years.  

“The recent settlement gives the feds control over NYCHA, and so, it is only fair they increase funding to help reverse decades of federal disinvestment in New York City public housing,” Schumer added.

“As we fight to get our public housing system back on track, we’re grateful for Senator Schumer’s advocacy for new funding in Washington," said State Senator Brian Kavanagh, chair of the Senate Housing Committee. “We're committed to promoting better management and more funding at the state and city level, but we know that federal disinvestment has played a big role over many years in NYCHA’s worsening conditions. The new funding that Senator Schumer is calling for would allow us to move as quickly as possible to address the deplorable, sometimes dangerous conditions residents face every day — and we need it now.”

Schumer points out, the agreement does not include any commitment from HUD to dedicate new federal dollars to NYCHA. While the agreement between HUD and NYC prioritizes the well-being of NYCHA residents by requiring significant changes with increased oversight, while maintaining some form of local control; Schumer argued that having a federal monitor and clear benchmarks for NYCHA to hit is only fair if the feds chip in to help address their decades of disinvestment.

Schumer says that New York City and New York State shouldn’t have to come up with all funding on their own to address the $32 billion capital backlog. The City of New York is committing at least $2.2 billion over the next 10 years. Schumer says there needs to be additional federal funding available to supplement this local commitment.

Schumer has requested that HUD include more than $1 billion of additional funding in the Trump Administration’s upcoming budget to address persistent issues with large housing authorities, like NYCHA.

In addition to his direct conversations with Secretary Carson, Schumer also signed on to a letter in December with his colleagues in both the House of Representatives and the Senate stating that “additional federal resources…are almost certainly needed.”

The New York City Housing Authority aims to increase opportunities for low-and moderate-income New Yorkers by providing safe, affordable housing and facilitating access to social and community services. More than 400,000 New Yorkers reside in NYCHA’s 326 public housing developments across the City’s five boroughs. 

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