Lander Earns Top NYCHA Leaders’ Endorsement, Unveils Only NYCHA Plan in Race
NYCHA leaders: “With Brad, it’s promises made, promises kept.”
Watch the recorded press conference here and view photos here
NEW YORK, NY — Today, outside of NYCHA’s Smith Houses, resident leaders from New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments across New York City endorsed Brad Lander for Mayor, and stood with him as he released the first comprehensive plan to address NYCHA’s challenges, Fix NYCHA, With NYCHA, For NYCHA, in the mayoral race.
“Our NYCHA leaders know that when I’m Mayor, New York City’s half-a-million NYCHA residents will be neglected and overlooked no longer,” said Brad Lander. “NYCHA represents one of our City’s most precious public assets, providing our most deeply affordable stock of housing, and homes to many of our city’s toughest and hardest-working people. I’ve dedicated my entire career to protecting our tenants from governmental neglect – and finally granting them the voice, power, and decent living conditions they deserve.”
After decades of underfunding and neglect from all levels of government, NYCHA faces a $78 billion capital backlog, deteriorating living conditions, and systemic management challenges. Under a Trump presidency, without a Mayor who will make NYCHA a key priority, NYCHA risks being pushed back into crisis — threatening the stability of 1 in 17 New Yorkers who live in public housing.
Lander boasts a decades-long track record of leading on affordable housing, including standing up for NYCHA residents and strengthening public housing. He already released a comprehensive plan for addressing New York City’s housing crisis, which includes declaring a “state of emergency” on the housing crisis on day one, so the City can cut through the red tape, build 500,000 units over ten years, protect tenants, restore the path to homeownership for working families, and fix the City’s housing agencies – both HPD and NYCHA – so they can actually deliver on their promises.
As a City Councilmember, Lander secured $200 million for the comprehensive modernization of NYCHA’s Gowanus Houses and Wyckoff Gardens, through the Gowanus Rezoning, while preserving those developments as traditional (Section 9) public housing – one of the few places that has been done in New York City.
In the Comptroller’s Office, Lander established the first-ever NYCHA Resident Audit Committee, to involve residents in improving management and exposing wasteful spending. His audit of NYCHA vendors revealed millions wasted on broken repair systems, leading his team to design a "Yelp for NYCHA Repairs" system to hold contractors accountable, empower tenants, save taxpayer millions, and ensure that urgent repairs actually get made. Another Comptroller audit showed the higher eviction rates in PACT developments, leading Lander to commit to a majority tenant vote before any NYCHA development is transferred to a different ownership or management status.
Lander’s plan includes a path to more fully invest in NYCHA and empower their residents:
Better property management & oversight: Brad will improve day-to-day property management with a focus on quality repairs. He will:
Launch a "Yelp for NYCHA Repairs" system where residents can rate contractors. In a recent Comptroller audit, 44% of invoices from vendors lacked backup documentation to prove the work was done. Resident ratings will lead to Vendor Scorecards, which NYCHA will use in determining which vendors get future work.
Create a Vendor Watchlist for underperforming contractors, require corrective action plans, and stop hiring contractors who don’t perform.
Increase inspections, audits, and public reporting to hold NYCHA accountable.
Expedite vacancy turnover by lobbying for an additional $275M in State funds through the NYCHA INVEST Act sponsored by AM Khaleel Anderson.
Address NYCHA’s rat problem by modernizing waste management and scaling up proven rat reduction methods for the 150+ developments not currently in the Rat Mitigation Zones.
Multiple pathways for comprehensive rehabilitation, with a majority vote of residents required for any change in ownership or management: Every NYCHA development will have access to transparent, resident-led pathways—whether through RAD/PACT, the Preservation Trust, an Infill option, or staying in Section 9 as traditional public housing. Any transfer will require the vote of a majority of the residents of the development, and residents will be empowered with clear, accurate information about their options.
Triple City capital investment for housing: Lander will triple City capital funding for housing over the next decade, prioritizing billions in investment to rehabilitate NYCHA developments.
Public sector housing development: Lander will leverage the new Preservation Trust to build mixed-income, permanently affordable housing. He will invest $1 billion annually to create a revolving loan fund, allowing NYCHA to acquire underused sites and develop new permanently affordable housing.
Create new pathways to affordable homeownership for NYCHA residents and working New Yorkers. Lander will build a new generation of affordable co-ops as part of the 50,000 affordable homes on public land (including 4 of the City’s 12 municipal golf courses), with a share reserved for NYCHA residents. Through his Homes for City Workers program, Lander will specifically empower long-serving City employees, many of whom live in NYCHA, to achieve homeownership by leveraging pension funds to double their purchasing power.
Make NYCHA developments safer by modernizing CompStat and NStat for NYCHA developments, expanding the MAP program (which has already led to a 7.5% drop in felonies in the developments where it has been implemented), and investing in lighting and public space upgrades.
Expand pathways for economic mobility by strengthening enforcement of Section 3 requirements to ensure NYCHA residents are prioritized for jobs and contracts, with a focus on growing sectors like green jobs, investing in workforce development, and guaranteeing a summer job for all NYCHA youth who want one.
Read the plan, Fix NYCHA, With NYCHA, For NYCHA here.
“From the day he took office, Brad listened, respected, and even sought out the voices of NYCHA residents, which is why we’re overwhelmingly proud to endorse him as the next mayor of New York City,” said Aixa Torres, President of NYCHA’s Alfred E. Smith Houses in Manhattan. “No city leader has worked side-by-side with us like Brad. I trust his honesty and integrity as a leader entirely, and our city needs him to help curb disorder, stand up for our values, and bring us back on track.”
“Unlike anything I’ve seen from our local politicians, Brad freely offered up the resources of his Office to our community, empowering us to guide the direction of the Comptroller’s audits, which inspired the innovative 'Yelp for NYCHA' idea: a platform to allow tenants to rate the repairs in their homes and give the City real-time insights into our top priority,” said Brenda Temple, of NYCHA’s Oceanside Houses in Queens. “NYCHA needs this program. New York City needs a strong and decent leader. That’s why I’m proud to endorse Brad Lander for mayor.”
“New York’s been missing an honest and effective leader for quite some time now, and the NYCHA leaders know we will find one in Brad Lander,” said Annette Tomlin, of NYCHA’s Breukelen Houses in Brooklyn. “I’m proud to endorse Brad for mayor, after all he’s done for our community. No one has put us first like he has.”
“Brad not only shepherded through the largest housing redevelopment in modern history in Gowanus, but did so with NYCHA residents alongside him during the entire process,” said Theresa Davis, former TA President at NYCHA’s Gowanus Houses in Brooklyn.
“Brad’s made us a priority, and why we’re returning the favor by making him the priority in the race for New York City mayor. No one is more deserving or will represent the interests of NYCHA residents more,” said Monica Underwood, a resident and advocate from NYCHA’s Wyckoff Gardens in Brooklyn.
“I’m ranking Brad for New York City mayor because with him, its promises made, promises kept,” said Beverly MacFarlane, President of the NYCHA’s Taft Houses in Manhattan. “Brad used the powers of his office to shine a spotlight on the biggest issues affecting NYCHA residents through his NYCHA resident audit committee.”
Lander has the deepest and widest coalition of any candidate in the race, with support from NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, State Senator Liz Krueger, State Senator Andrew Gounardes, Assemblymember Robert Carroll, Councilmember Tiffany Cabán. He recently secured the endorsements of the Working Families Party, Congressman Greg Casar, and Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson.
Lander leads the mayoral pack in Democratic club endorsements, including Indivisible Brooklyn, 504 Dems, and Unity Dems, Three Parks Democrats, Broadway Democrats, Village Independent Democrats, Upper West Side Action Group, Hell’s Kitchen Democrats, Bay Ridge Democrats, Independent Neighborhood Democrats, New Kings Dems, and Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats.
Lander has also received endorsements from UAW Region 9A, New York Progressive Action Network, JFREJ, and NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees.
Lander’s campaign has raised over $7.2 million and will soon surpass the mayoral race’s $8.3 million spending cap.
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