The coronavirus preys on vulnerabilities. That's made New York City's public housing system and its tenants unfortunate targets.
NEW YORK — The coronavirus preys on vulnerabilities, and that has made New York City's public housing system and its tenants unfortunate targets.As the virus sweeps through the roughly 174,000 apartments overseen by the New York City Housing Authority, it is threatening the economic picture of an agency just starting to find its fiscal footing and exacerbating inequalities that have long plagued low-income communities. Many NYCHA tenants have pre-existing medical conditions.
"Residents are experiencing challenges, suffering, hardship, fortitude and survival, along with the entire community," NYCHA spokesperson Barbara Brancaccio said in a statement. "We are heartbroken to hear that we have lost members of our NYCHA family." The medical issues are being compounded by economic woes now rippling through every level of the public housing organization.. But as unemployment claims reach staggering levels, officials expect public housing tenants to be hit hard. Not only will that strain household finances, but it will further imperil the economic standing of an agency already hollowed out by decades of underinvestment.
NYCHA has received $137 million in operating money from the latest federal appropriations bill, enough to cover short-term costs, Russ said. But as the broader economic picture continues to sour, the odds grow that more cash will be needed — especially because several revenue-raising strategies the de Blasio administration was banking on have also been scrambled by Covid-19.
“If they are going to go that route, we have a program of scale and size that would be ideal," Russ said. "And we would make our voice heard." But with the onset of the coronavirus, workers have stopped doing annual inspections of properties required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the authority is limiting lead inspections to the universe of properties already known to have both lead paint and children under six years of age. As many tenant interactions as possible are being conducted remotely.
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