Housing & Health

Dilapidated housing is known to have negative consequences for inhabitants’ physical and mental health. Public housing is no exception.

TLDR

• Study: NYCHA Living Conditions Affects Residents’ Mental & Physical Health | NY1
• The long-term health consequences of living at NYCHA | Article in Politico

Longer Reads

• Public Housing and Public Health | Journal Article by Justin R. La Mort
• The Impacts of Living in Public Housing | Report by Regional Plan Association

NYCHA’s Plans

Since 2015, NYCHA and the Mayor have announced three plans for NYCHA. These resources break down these plans in different ways to make sure you get the information you need.

TLDR

• Explanation of three plans – A brief overview of the three questions
• What is RAD pamphlet – a printable, fold-able pamphlet outlining what RAD is and what it might mean for tenants.
• What is privatization? – a video explaining what privatization means in general, and gives a broader context for what is happening with public housing today.
• The Nefarious Nature of the Private Partners Selected for RAD conversions, so far – a list of some of the private partners who are gaining control of buildings and units undergoing a RAD conversion.
• NYCommons.org – a tool that can be used to learn more about what is happening to public housing and other public land and buildings around the city.

Longer Reads

• The City’s Three NYCHA Plans That Will Privatize Public Housing | OpEd for East New York News
• NYCHA’s NextGen Threatens More Harm than Hope | OpEd for City Limits
• City’s Finance-Driven Approach to Managing NYCHA is Wrong for Tenants | OpEd for City Limits

Tenants’ Rights

Tenants in NYC have a robust and growing set of rights that have been won through past organizing. Learn more about the rights you are entitled and the history you are taking a part in.

TLDR

• Know Your Rights 1-pager – a printable one pager that outlines tenants’ rights and why they matter.
• Mold/Mildew Remediation 1-pager – a printable one pager that outlines tenants’ rights to mold and mildew remediation

Longer Resources

• Tenants’ Rights Handbook – a printable, fold-able handbook that outlines tenants’ rights in New York City.
• A history of tenants rights – a timeline created by the Right to Counsel coalition highlighting the rich history of tenant organizing in NYC.

Where’s the Money?

The short story is that NYCHA’s woes are a result of chronic under-funding, disinvestment, and mismanagement. These resources look at different aspects of where money that could repair and fund public housing goes instead.

• Where’s the Money?: Busting the Myth that “There’s no money for NYCHA” – a brief overview of where the money for NYCHA could come from (forthcoming)

City

• Where’s the Money?: Private Development in Western Queens – a printable 2-sided one pager highlighting the tension between the city’s penchant for supporting and subsidizing private developments that neighbor public housing while ignoring the deteriorating conditions public housing residents are confronting.
• Where’s the Money?: Policing the Projects – a short blog post comparing policing in the projects and policing in our budget vis-a-vis public housing expenditures. (forthcoming)

Federal

• Where the Money?: Trump’s Stance on Public Housing – an outline of Trump’s approach to public housing while in office
• Where’s the Money?: Military Spending vs Public Housing – an outline of how our military spending compares with funding for public housing

Longer Reads

• Stop Sunnyside Yards! Reparative City Building Now! | OpEd for City Limits – examines the relationship between public funding and support for private development as compared to public housing through the lend of a proposed development for Sunnyside Yards

Legislation

Read up on legislation that has been proposed that could help generate public money for public housing or better protect residents from privatization.

There is legislation that has been put forth, but not passed that offer some channels through which to keep pushing.

Reallocate Existing Money

• Public Housing Emergency Act | Legislation from Representative Nydia Velazquez
• See our “Where’s the Money?” Series for more info on where public funding can come from.

Green New Deal for Public Housing

• Green New Deal for Public Housing Legislation from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
• Green New Deal: Bernie Sanders and AOC target public housing in their first bill | Article for Vox
• Bernie and AOC’s Green New Deal for Public Housing Act Would Transform America | Article for The Nation
• Report: A Green New Deal for NYCHA Communities | Report by Data for Progress

Tax the Rich

• The Millionaires’s Tax to Fund NYCHA | Legislation
• Abolish This Luxury Property Tax Break and Save NYCHA | OpEd for City Limits
• Lawmakers: Axe Tax Break for High-End Condos and Coops to Help Fund NYCHA | Article for City Limits
• N.Y. Had a Plan for a ‘Pied-à-Terre’ Tax on Expensive Homes. The Real Estate Industry Stopped It. | Article from The New York Times
• Lawmakers Support ‘Pied-à-Terre’ Tax on Multimillion-Dollar Second Homes | Article from The New York Times

Get Involved

Education also involves action. You can not learn everything by sitting back and reading; you also need to stand up and step out with us.