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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Metin N Sarci, Public Housing Expert, on NYCHA Transparency Issues
4:26:48
ยท
147 sec
Metin N Sarci, a public housing expert, testified about transparency issues within the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). He highlighted discrepancies between NYCHA's policies on paper and actual practices, emphasizing how city interests often override those of residents. Sarci called for significant reforms to NYCHA's structure and oversight.
- Criticized NYCHA's board size, mayoral control, and use of misleading metrics in reports
- Highlighted issues with funding allocations, capital needs assessments, and resident engagement
- Proposed reforms including increasing board members, removing mayoral control, and favoring social enterprise over private partnerships
Metin N Sarci
4:26:48
Thank you chair Beggs.
4:26:49
My name is Matine Sarsi.
4:26:51
The opinions shared in this testimony are based upon my own experience and do not necessarily represent the views of the housing authority as an employee.
4:26:58
If you have time to go through thousands of pages related to practices policies and procedures then you already know how NYCHA works on paper.
4:27:06
To NYCHA's credit these sources are publicly available.
4:27:10
I use them regularly to avoid retaliation because outspoken employees are targets.
4:27:15
However my issue isn't what's on paper.
4:27:18
My issue with transparency in NYSHA stems from the fact that they are forced to comply with the system that regularly pits city interests over those of our residents.
4:27:28
The office of the mayor has direct control over the performance of this authority through their ability to appoint leadership.
4:27:34
NYCHA's board is too small.
4:27:36
They do not meet for every committee under the federal agreement and this guarantees authority is only as effective as its mayor will allow.
4:27:45
This year's mayor's management report for example uses broken repair metrics to hide the true length of time it takes for residents to receive repairs or rehabilitate vacant units.
4:27:55
Where NYCHA appears in the MMR they do not appear in the city's adopted budget.
4:28:00
Funding allocations are made through individual agencies identifying NYCHA as a footnote making it difficult for the public to obtain qualitative information on the city's agenda.
4:28:11
NYCHA's twenty twenty three physical needs assessment purposefully admits the existence of over 400 community facilities to inflate the cost of repairs per unit.
4:28:20
Meaning if you were to look at the capital tracker versus the capital needs tracker, you will only see community centers in one of those.
4:28:29
When the city makes decisions on rezoning, it does so without our residents sneaking disposition through NYCHA's draft agency plan.
4:28:38
Instead, residents are offered the illusion of choice.
4:28:41
Privatize, join the trust, or enjoy government enforced misery.
4:28:48
If this city cares about affordable housing then it's time to redirect the welfare checks from developers to the only true affordable housing stock.
4:28:57
And I suggest that if we're gonna do that, NYCHA needs a reform.
4:29:01
We need to increase the number of board members, diversify that stakeholder, provide actual oversight, remove mayoral control, and deviate from private partnerships in favor of social enterprise.
4:29:14
Thank you.