Eviction Rates Surge at NYCHA Apartments in the Rockaways Under PACT Program

Audit Raises Concerns about Tenant Protections

Eviction rates at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) properties have surged under the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program, according to a new audit by NYC Comptroller Brad Lander. The PACT program was designed to address decades of underfunding and disrepair in public housing by transferring some management responsibilities to private and non-profit partners to secure funding for critical renovations.

PACT Program Overview

NYCHA operates hundreds of residential buildings in Queens, including 22 residential buildings in Astoria, 68 in Jamaica, 51 in the Rockaways, six in College Point, 125 in Flushing, 141 in Long Island City, and 55 in Woodside. The authority currently has 177,569 apartments in 2,411 buildings across the city in 335 conventional public housing and PACT developments.

Audit Findings

According to the City’s Fiscal Year 2024 Mayor’s Management Report, NYCHA has converted 87 developments across the city to PACT, including 23,312 units housing 41,475 residents. NYCHA’s stated goal is to convert 62,000 units to PACT by 2028. The Ocean Bay Apartments development in the Rockaways, consisting of 28 residential buildings, is the only Queens-based development to convert to PACT.

Eviction Rates

Evictions in PACT properties rose from 29 in 2023 to 91 in 2024 – a staggering increase of over 300%. This brought the eviction rate at PACT properties to 0.57%, up from 0.18% last year, nearly matching the 0.60% rate in private rental units. In contrast, eviction rates at standard NYCHA properties increased from 0.01% to 0.12% during the same period, rising from 15 to 180 evictions.

Audit Criticisms

The Comptroller’s office criticized NYCHA for failing to ensure that PACT property managers adhered to pre-eviction outreach protocols and tenant protections. Auditors found that managers did not consistently make multiple attempts to contact tenants at risk of eviction, inform them of potential financial assistance, or use on-site social service providers to engage with residents. Additionally, managers often failed to establish repayment agreements or report all eviction-related activities, hindering NYCHA’s ability to oversee compliance.

Conclusion

The audit underscores the need for stricter oversight to protect tenants from the rising risk of eviction under the PACT program. While NYCHA has made some positive steps, such as increasing resident involvement in the PACT process, more must be done to ensure that PACT operators follow standard procedures and provide adequate support to tenants.

FAQs

Q: What is the PACT program?
A: The Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program is a program designed to address decades of underfunding and disrepair in public housing by transferring some management responsibilities to private and non-profit partners to secure funding for critical renovations.

Q: What are the concerns raised by the audit?
A: The audit raised concerns about tenant protections, including the failure of PACT property managers to adhere to pre-eviction outreach protocols and tenant protections.

Q: What are the goals of the PACT program?
A: NYCHA’s stated goal is to convert 62,000 units to PACT by 2028.

Q: What is the current status of the PACT program?
A: As of 2024, 23,312 units housing 41,475 residents have been converted to PACT, with 11,000 homes repaired.