Public housing doesn't suffer the derision that it used to, but housing agencies remain strapped. Critics and residents contend that the New York City Housing Authority, the largest landlord of them all, continues to let down the city's neediest.
Public housing is not expected to be luxurious, but it is supposed to be functional. Tell that to countless tenants of the New York City Housing Authority. Housing 400,000 residents, NYCHA is coping with aging buildings that present an overwhelming number of maintenance problems. Its backlog of repair requests once topped 300,000.
In recent years, the agency has been on a campaign to become more efficient and effective. Agency officials say that responses times are down and that it has made a significant dent in its backlog. And yet, anecdotes persist about busted pipes, rotting walls, leaky sinks, mold, and much more. Residents talk about repair tickets that the agency issued but never followed up on.
"Residents, housing attorneys, and community advocates say that across New York City’s public housing developments, they’ve continued to fight for months, even years, to get the agency to fix falling paint, moldy walls, and water leaks."
FULL STORY: The Many Failures of the New York City Housing Authority
Housing Advocates Gain More Allies on Capitol Hill, by Way of New York City
A growing number of congressional representatives serving the city of New York support aggressive public investment in housing programs.
HUD Official Moves From Trump Plaza to New York Public Housing
The Trump administration's critiques of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) took a strange turn this week.
Editorial: Drastic Changes Needed to Solve New York's Public Housing Crisis
Even if the money for repairing New York City's public housing were to materialize, it would be money poorly spent, according to this editorial.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path
Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.
Congestion Pricing Drops Holland Tunnel Delays by 65 Percent
New York City’s contentious tolling program has yielded improved traffic and roughly $100 million in revenue for the MTA.
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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