NYCHA

The New York City Housing Authority is the largest public housing agency in North America, responsible for putting a roof over approximately 633,177 heads. This comprises about 7.7 percent of New York City’s total population, according to 2010 census data, including residents of the Section 8 Leased Housing Program. Section 8 is also administered by NYCHA. The housing developments are patrolled by a specialized branch of the police force, the NYPD Housing Bureau.

NYCHA was established in 1934 in the midst of the Great Depression, as a citywide effort to eliminate its overcrowded slums. The First Houses, located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, were opened in 1935 and are still in use today. As more buildings emerged, every project in each borough has developed its own unique character, reflecting the history of New York City’s many migrant groups and the changing economic fortunes of the city as a whole.

“If NYCHA was a city, it would rank 22nd in population size in the United States, with New York City ranked first (per July 2009  U. S. Census Bureau),” according to NYCHA.

NYCHA selects its tenants anonymously using a computer system that analyzes income and assesses other needs. The agency’s services are in high demand. As of February 1, 2011, there were 143,960 families on the waiting list for Conventional Public Housing. The vacancy rate of apartments available for occupancy was 0.60 percent as of March 1, 2011. The Authority’s struggle to maintain its aging facilities, particularly in the wake of the financial crisis, is a perpetual concern for residents. Under the 2009 Stimulus Plan, NYCHA was awarded $423 million for improvements.

NYCinFocus aims to capture the diverse stories of NYCHA’s many tenants, their feelings about gentrification, privatization and the administration that governs their housing.

The statistical information written above is attributable to the latest statistics found on the New York City Housing Authority’s official website.