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QUESTION
How are residents engaged in NYCHA decision-making, and what measures are taken to rebuild trust?
2:02:17
ยท
3 min
NYCHA officials describe communication efforts with Tenant Association leaders and residents, but Council Member Stevens calls for more direct inclusion of resident recommendations in decisions.
- NYCHA Chief Executive Officer mentions proactive communication efforts with Tenant Association leaders through calls and letters.
- Council Member Stevens highlights the necessity of including residents' actual recommendations and feedback in the decision-making process and ensuring their active participation.
- Concerns are raised about the lack of residents' voices in recommendations and the need for their perspectives to thoroughly evaluate and improve processes.
- Council Member Stevens queries about actions aimed at rebuilding trust with NYCHA residents, pointing out the importance of restoring confidence after repeated issues.
Althea V. Stevens
2:02:17
But I haven't heard anything about how you've engaged residents to see and get their input as well.
2:02:22
I would love to hear what that process would look like and how you're using nitrile leadership, you know, the TA leaders to be a part of this process and why weren't they a part of the process if they weren't before.
UNKNOWN
2:02:37
Thank you so much for that question.
Lisa Bova Hiatt
2:02:39
I can tell you that we all routinely speak to TA leaders and resident advisors the day that This happened on February 6th, myself and our Chief Operating Officer, Eva Trimble, sent out a letter both to our staff as well as our residents.
2:03:05
We also had our EVP for resident engagement call each of the TA leaders to speak to them about it.
2:03:16
I personally called several of them as well.
2:03:19
Of course, when they have something to share with us, We engage with them.
2:03:26
I think some of them were just as surprised as we were.
2:03:31
But we will continue to speak with them.
2:03:32
We have regularly scheduled calls with both the CCAP and other TA leaders.
Althea V. Stevens
2:03:38
Like, that's nice, and I know you speak with them often, but that's part of the issue.
2:03:43
Right?
2:03:43
Because you're talking to them, but you have recommendations, but where are their recommendations.
2:03:47
Right?
2:03:47
These are people who live in there who are actually directly affected.
2:03:50
And so part of the issue is they should be part of this conversation around, like, when we're about these recommendations and maybe thinking about how we implement you know, I know there were some talks about, like, pictures and things like that, but how are we making sure we're doing 360 evaluations of the work that's being done and having them be included.
2:04:06
And I think that that is a layer that we are missing in this process when we're talking about it because like I said before, I think that It is important to have accountability, but in these moments, we often overcorrect, and we make the process longer.
2:04:21
And even in this conversation, residents are missing from it.
2:04:24
And so I'm really concerned that there are not people also making recommendation, and I love to hear.
2:04:30
You just listen with, like, 15 recommendations, not one of them was from a resident.
2:04:34
So that needs to be a part of the conversation.
2:04:36
So as we are going through this process, not only telling them what their recommendations are because I know that's a lot what we do in the city.
2:04:44
We tell folks and but, like, having real input in them being part of the process to kinda help alleviate some of this moving forward.
2:04:52
I think it's gonna be really important.
2:04:55
And could you talk to me a little bit about what You guys are doing to really restore the trust in residents.
2:05:01
As you guys know, Nitro residents.
2:05:04
This is just adding on to the list of reasons why they are always upset.
2:05:07
Right?
2:05:08
And so, really, what does the outreach look like to kinda restore the trust?
2:05:13
Because, especially, what this and these were people who were there a day in, day out.
2:05:17
And so this has broken a level of trust.