State-Funded Elevator, Heating, and Facade Improvements Completed at 24 Developments
$1.2 billion in State funding provided to NYCHA has allowed for 125 elevator replacements, 17 heating system upgrades, and 36 building facade renovations
Additional capital investments currently under construction, in design, or in procurement will bring improvements to a total of 75 developments, benefitting 122,996 residents
On July 7, NYCHA announced the completion of 125 elevator replacements, 17 heating system upgrades, and 36 building facade renovations, benefitting 38,974 Ƶ at 24 developments across the five boroughs, made possible by $1.2 billion in funding that has been provided by New York State since 2019. The State funding is also supporting an additional 126 elevator replacements, 105 heating systems upgrades, and 29 building facade renovations all currently under construction, and an additional 172 elevator replacements and 59 building facade renovations in design or procurement. In total, these capital investments are expected to benefit 122,996 residents across 75 developments.
“With this important milestone, NYCHA has completed major building improvements, leveraging $1.2 billion in State investment to improve the homes and lives of tens of thousands of Ƶ,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “Ƶ deserve access to a safe, affordable, and accessible place to live — and these improvements are critical to making that reality. I am proud to partner with NYCHA, its residents, and local and State officials to support NYCHA communities.”
“We are proud to call ourselves the most pro-housing administration in New York City history, and that includes public housing. From unlocking over $4.7 billion for capital repairs through the PACT program to delivering free internet to over 150,000 NYCHA households through our Big Apple Connect initiative, we are putting public housing first every day,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “These renovations will help tens of thousands of Ƶ stay safe, stay warm, and stay healthy. Thank you to the State for funding these critical upgrades and to all our NYCHA leaders for their tireless advocacy on behalf of our public housing tenants.”
“I am glad to see NYCHA has advanced the construction and planning of these critical capital projects,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr. “I’d like to extend a thank you to Governor Hochul and our State elected officials for advocating for and supporting Ƶ. Thanks to them, families will see tangible improvements in their homes.”
“Since 2019, NYCHA has worked diligently to address the pillar areas of the HUD Agreement and make tangible quality-of-life improvements for Ƶ,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “The Authority has made tremendous progress in the face of decades of federal disinvestment, and the support of our partners at the State has been integral as we continue working to improve building infrastructure and make much-needed capital improvements across the portfolio. We deeply appreciate the State’s ongoing dedication to all the New Yorkers who call NYCHA home.”
“Critical infrastructure, such as an elevator or heating system, cannot perform optimally once past its useful life,” said NYCHA Chief Asset and Capital Management Officer Shaan Mavani. “The State’s funding has allowed us to replace and enhance these aging systems, and provide much-needed facade renovations, to developments across the city, benefitting nearly 39,000 Ƶ and counting — keeping them warm through the winter and getting them to and from their apartments quickly and safely — and we are deeply grateful for that.”
NYCHA has received a total capital funding allocation of $1.2 billion from New York State through three funding agreements: $450 million for boiler and elevator upgrades in November 2021; $300 million for additional elevator upgrades in April 2022; and $485 million for facade restoration and additional heating system upgrades in December 2023. The State reimburses agencies only after a Grant Disbursement Agreement (GDA) is in place and requisitions that meet the terms of the GDA have been submitted by NYCHA and approved by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY). NYCHA mobilizes quickly to initiate projects soon after a GDA is signed.
New York State additionally awarded NYCHA $350 million in capital funds in Fiscal Year 2023 and $135 million in Fiscal Year 2024. To date, the State has allocated $161 million in Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and $35 million in COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program (CRA) funding to NYCHA to ease rental arrears for residents.
Elevator service is a key pillar area of the 2019 Agreement with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and reducing the length and frequency of service disruptions, and expediting response times, have been focal points of improvement for NYCHA in the time since. Much of NYCHA’s elevator stock is beyond the typical useful life of 15-20 years for a multifamily residential property, making elevator replacement and modernization increasingly important, particularly in high-rise buildings, and for seniors and residents with mobility impairments. Using funding from New York State, NYCHA has completed elevator assets at Atlantic Terminal Site 4B, Carey Gardens, Coney Island I (Site 1B), Coney Island I (Sites 4 & 5), Unity Plaza (Sites 17, 24, & 25A), and Unity Plaza (Sites 4, 5A, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, & 27) in Brooklyn; Butler, Highbridge Gardens, and Mitchel in the Bronx; Queensbridge North in Queens; and Richmond Terrace in Staten Island. At Coney Island I (Site 1B) and Unity Plaza (Sites 17, 24, & 25A), NYCHA recently completed the replacement of 6 elevators, benefitting a total of 808 residents.
Another key pillar area of the 2019 HUD Agreement is heating service. With many of NYCHA’s boilers past their useful lifespan of 25 years, investment in reliable, sustainable, and lower cost heating systems and infrastructure upgrades has become a necessity for the Authority. State funding has allowed for the completion of comprehensive heating system upgrades at Pink Houses in Brooklyn; Marble Hill in the Bronx; 830 Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan; and Berry Houses in Staten Island. At Marble Hill, NYCHA recently completed installation of 6 new high-efficiency gas-condensing boilers for space heating and decoupled the hot water heating, serving 2,975 residents across 11 buildings.
Facade renovation alleviates any existing structural damage and water infiltration; ensures compliance with Local Law 11 by identifying and addressing potential hazards from building facades; and improves energy efficiency while enhancing a building’s overall physical aesthetic. Using State funding, NYCHA has completed facade renovations to buildings at Jackson and Pelham Parkway in the Bronx; Clinton, Douglass I and II, East River, Thomas Apartments, and Washington in Manhattan; and Bland Houses in Queens. At Douglass I and II, NYCHA recently completed facade renovations across 12 buildings and removed sidewalk sheds that had been in place for five to seven years due to unsafe facade conditions, benefiting 3,904 residents.
Portfolio-wide, a Physical Needs Assessment (PNA) released by NYCHA in 2023 estimates the Authority’s total capital needs to be nearly $80 billion, representing the level of funding required to bring developments to a good state of repair and ensure their long-term viability.
Photo caption: New condensers at 830 Amsterdam Avenue.