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Q&A
Discussion on Far Rockaway Trauma Center land transfer process
1:09:32
ยท
6 min
Council Member Banks questions NYCHA officials about the land transfer process for a proposed Far Rockaway Trauma Center. NYCHA CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt and SVP Brian Honan explain that both funding and a provider are required to start the HUD approval process for the land transfer.
- NYCHA states that funding and a provider are necessary to begin the Section 18 process with HUD
- Council Member Banks expresses frustration with NYCHA's responsiveness and claims this was not initially a stipulation
- NYCHA officials assert that these requirements are set by HUD, not NYCHA
Chris Banks
1:09:32
We will now proceed with some more questions.
1:09:38
This is actually from council member Salvina Brooks.
1:09:47
And this is pertaining to a Far Rockaway Trauma Center.
1:09:50
Last year, the mayor and his administration agreed to support their efforts to build a trauma center in the Rockaway on the Rockaway Peninsula.
1:10:00
As part of this agreement, the administration allocated $25,000,000 in the previous fiscal year and agreed to transfer over the NYCHA property to the city as a site of the trauma center.
1:10:15
We are currently working to secure $300,000 in discretionary funding to pay for the NYCHA fees associated with the land transfer process.
1:10:26
NYCHA remains committed Does NYCHA remain committed to the land transfer process the mayor committed to?
Lisa Bova-Hiatt
1:10:37
Yes.
1:10:39
And as we've spoken about, we need a plan that includes both funding and a provider before we can start the section 18 process because we do need authorization from HUD to transfer the property.
Chris Banks
1:10:59
Given the mayor's commitment to this transfer, what further steps are needed to move this process forward?
Lisa Bova-Hiatt
1:11:07
Funding and a provider.
Chris Banks
1:11:08
The provider was not part of the plan?
1:11:12
Pardon?
1:11:12
Was the provider not part of the plan?
Lisa Bova-Hiatt
1:11:15
It's my understanding that they haven't there's no provider at the moment, but that might have changed.
1:11:22
But we need both funding and a provider in order to start the process with HUD.
Chris Banks
1:11:28
So there was no provider that was part of the plan?
Lisa Bova-Hiatt
1:11:31
It's my understanding that there was not.
1:11:34
No.
Chris Banks
1:11:36
Okay.
1:11:37
What is the timeline?
1:11:40
And by when does NYCHA expect to have this land transferred to the city?
Lisa Bova-Hiatt
1:11:45
So that really is dependent upon making sure that the funding is in place and that there is a provider for the trauma center.
James Elseviera
1:11:56
But but
Chris Banks
1:11:56
that was never a stipulation.
Lisa Bova-Hiatt
1:11:59
That is the requirement
Chris Banks
1:12:00
of for HUD.
1:12:02
We that Do we have that in writing?
Lisa Bova-Hiatt
1:12:05
We have spoken at length with the council member about it.
1:12:09
We are also very excited about this program.
Chris Banks
1:12:12
Can you get that to us in writing?
Lisa Bova-Hiatt
1:12:13
Sure.
1:12:14
We've already provided it in writing, hopefully.
1:12:16
We can provide it again.
1:12:19
But there are certain steps that are required by HUD, not by NYCHA, in order to facilitate this.
1:12:27
We've provided it but we will provide it again.
Chris Banks
1:12:30
Well, don't believe that's a requirement but if you can get that to us in writing, we'll greatly appreciate it.
1:12:36
They've not been they've been very unresponsive.
Lisa Bova-Hiatt
1:12:39
Who is they?
Chris Banks
1:12:40
The the authority.
1:12:43
Who?
1:12:44
The the authority has been very unresponsive as as far as the the the the information that is given and we are still waiting to make sure that to find out if this is a requirement or not.
1:13:02
Again, we just wanna put pressure on the authority to get us the information that's needed to make sure to find out to to make sure that this is a requirement.
1:13:12
And again, we just wanna stress the fact that early on, this was not a stipulation in the land transfer.
Brian Honan
1:13:19
Council member, I I could speak to this.
1:13:21
I I've met with accounts with council member Brooks Barrow several times and her staff including HHSC.
Richard Soohoo
1:13:28
Sorry, can I interrupt
UNKNOWN
1:13:29
you to administer the oath?
1:13:31
If you could raise your right hand.
1:13:34
Do you affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth before this committee and to respond honestly to council member questions?
Trenton Price
1:13:40
Do.
1:13:40
And if you could
UNKNOWN
1:13:41
state your name and title, please.
1:13:42
Thank you.
Brian Honan
1:13:42
My name is, Brian Honan.
1:13:43
I'm the executive vice president of Nature's Intergovernmental Department.
1:13:48
So, council member, I've met with council member Brooks Parrotts, her staff, and HHC several times on this on this matter.
1:13:55
After the first time we met with, CEO Bova Hyatt, I did send them the rules on section 18 dispositions.
1:14:03
In this case, we'd be giving the land at well below market rate, in fact, zero.
1:14:10
We'd have to justify that to HUD.
1:14:13
The justification would be that it would serve a community benefit.
1:14:18
Now, all of us believe that a trauma center, especially on the Rockaway Peninsula, would certainly serve a community benefit.
1:14:26
However, HUD will ask us, okay, what is the plan in place, where is the funding, and who is the who is the provider?
1:14:34
Right now, we have an idea but not a plan.
1:14:37
We need more of a solid plan in order to move forward.
1:14:42
I'm confident that the with the council member's leadership that she could put together a plan that will get us there, but we're not there now.
Chris Banks
1:14:49
Well well, during the one of the first meetings that was held with the DM, it was confirmed that the provider could come later.
1:14:59
Is that still
Brian Honan
1:15:02
That that that is not the case.
1:15:04
No.
1:15:04
So, HUD would not approve, and I've never seen HUD approve any section 18 disposition without a partner in place and without funding in place.
Chris Banks
1:15:18
So so, is that is that a stipulation?
1:15:20
Is that part of the stipulation?
Brian Honan
1:15:22
It is a requirement.
1:15:23
Yes.
Chris Banks
1:15:23
Okay.
1:15:25
Well, Brian, it it it's amazing that now we're getting this information when there was multiple emails that were sent to you and you were unresponsive to it.
Brian Honan
1:15:36
I was not unresponsive.
1:15:37
I sent and I can councilmember, if you want, I could forward them to you.
1:15:41
I sent the rules in fact, probably hours after we met with the CEO and the council member.
1:15:48
I literally took them from HUD's website, copied and pasted them, and forwarded them to you.
1:15:53
And council member, I can forward them to you as well.