NYCHA might break itself up to save itself.
The city’s beleaguered housing authority is considering splitting up into five agencies—one per borough—to try making its challenges more manageable, according to the New York Daily News. It is one of multiple options being discussed as city officials and federal prosecutors try coming up with a deal that will please a federal judge who has rejected their plans for reform so far.
Judge William Pauley had already rejected a previous consent decree from NYCHA, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman in November, saying it was not strong enough to fix the agency. The agreement would have appointed a monitor to ensure that NYCHA complied with all applicable laws concerning habitable apartments.
Pauley has hinted that establishing a receiver for NYCHA who could hire, fire and renegotiate labor deals would be a better way to reform the agency. The mayor has rejected the prospect of putting NYCHA in federal receivership before.
The judge has given prosecutors and the city a deadline of Dec. 14 to submit a new plan, and he did approve a plan in late November that only targeted toxic mold. Mayor Bill de Blasio met with U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson in Washington on Thursday and discussed how to fix the consent decree and satisfy the judge. [NYDN] – Eddie Small