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Public Advocate Jumaane Williams addresses HPD budget and staffing concerns
1:09:06
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163 sec
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams provides a statement on HPD's budget, staffing issues, and housing priorities during a City Council hearing. He highlights concerns about HPD's high attrition rates, current vacancy rates, and the proposed budget for fiscal year 2026.
- Williams notes that HPD's vacancy rate increased by 2.1% within a month, reaching 15.9% with 449 vacancies.
- He expresses concern over the proposed FY2026 budget of $1.56 billion, which is lower than previous years' proposals.
- Williams emphasizes the importance of supportive housing in addressing the city's mental health crisis and mentions falling behind on the city's 15-year housing plan.
Jumaane Williams
1:09:06
Thank you council member, Chess Sanchez for allowing me to give my opening statement in the middle of the hearing.
1:09:12
Appreciate it.
1:09:13
First, as mentioned, Jermaine Williams.
1:09:15
My name is public advocate, city of New York.
1:09:17
Just for those who care, I'm not a million dollars in debt.
1:09:20
I do not homeless, and I have not committed any mortgage for it at all.
1:09:25
And go Knicks.
1:09:28
Thanks again for the opportunity and, chairs and the members of the committee and housing buildings for holding this hearing.
1:09:33
Allow me the opportunity to provide a statement.
1:09:35
I would like to highlight the same crucial data points I raised during the preliminary hearing for housing and buildings.
1:09:42
For the past few years, the Department of Housing Preservation Development, HPD, has faced high attrition rates, a 45.6% change from pre pandemic to current trends.
1:09:51
The attrition rate pre pandemic twenty sixteen to twenty nineteen was a 64 and with a peak in 2022 with 273 staff members leaving HPD, in twenty twenty three three hundred, and in May 2024, '2 hundred '30 '8.
1:10:04
For fiscal year 2025, there were a total of 208 2,832 budgeted full time positions.
1:10:11
As of March 2025, the actual headcount is 2,383 with a vacancy rate of 15.9% which is a total of 449 vacancies.
1:10:21
There was an increase from February 2025 as the HPD's vacancy rate was 13.8% with a total of 382 vacancies.
1:10:29
HPD's vacancy rate went up by 2.1% with a total increase of 67 vacancies within a month.
1:10:35
Although HPD has bounced back from pre pandemic lows, it is extremely concerning that within a few months there was a large dip.
1:10:42
HPD needs to prioritize hiring to ensure the gaps are filled and that they will be able to operate in full capacity.
1:10:48
According to the executive financial plan, the fiscal year twenty twenty six executive budget for HPD is 1,560,000,000.00.
1:10:55
This is significantly lower than the fiscal year twenty twenty five executive budget proposed proposal of 2,130,000,000.00 unless even in the proposed 2026 preliminary budget of 1,690,000,000.00.
1:11:06
It comes in just as over just over the fiscal year twenty twenty five adopted budget of 1,400,000,000.0.
1:11:12
I hope the council does not consider any further cuts from the adoption of the budget.
1:11:16
The fiscal year twenty twenty six executive budget included additional 46,600,000.0 in fiscal year twenty seven, fiscal year '20 '9 for fifteen fifteen supportive housing which will help the transition of 5,800 in supportive housing units to congregate settings.
1:11:31
Supportive housing must be a priority when it comes to responding to the city's mental health crisis.
1:11:36
In year ten of the city's fifteen year plan for housing, we are falling behind.
1:11:40
I hope during today's hearing we'll hear more from the administration on their plans to address the issues I mentioned along with the federal cuts that are looming.
1:11:48
Thank you.
1:11:48
Appreciate it.