$50M in NYCHA funds for repairs, security upgrades tied up

The New York City Housing Authority held up millions of dollars in taxpayer money allotted to repair its old developments and to install new security cameras, the New York Daily News reported.

As a result, the agency is now running behind on doling out millions handed over by the City Council over the past six years. The money was intended to repair apartments, spruce up playgrounds, install fire alarms and bring amenities for handicapped residents up to federal standards.

A sum of $9.6 million has been waiting around for distribution since 2008, according to a new report sent to City Council this week and cited by the Daily News. That’s in addition to $42 million allocated for cameras and other crime-deterring projects.

NYCHA told the Daily News that 33 of the camera projects are “in construction,” 33 await city budget office approval and eight are about to be closed out as complete. The rest, reportedly, continue to wait.

Two ex-NYCHA board members, meanwhile, continued to receive salaries after being terminated from their jobs, as previously reported.

Sheila Stainback, a NYCHA spokeswoman, told the Daily News that some Council money “was inadequate when it was first allocated, but additional funds have since been assigned, and the projects are either underway or near completion.” In other cases, she said, “Projects have been completed, but there are funds remaining that cannot be spent until the Council member repurposes a use for the money.” [NYDN] — Julie Strickland