Today, President Carol Kellermann issued this statement on behalf of the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC):

"The New York City Housing Authority's (NYCHA's) NYCHA 2.0 plan can help stabilize the system and deserves support. It provides a solid blueprint for NYCHA's turnaround, but its success still depends on additional actions from the federal, State, and City governments and labor unions.

It includes important proposals to generate new resources for capital improvement and to speed repairs of several hazards, including mold, lead, and heating and elevator failures. Implementing these initiatives will slow the deterioration of NYCHA's housing stock and improve quality of life for many residents. Adding 62,000 units to NYCHA's Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) initiative will allow NYCHA to leverage private funding, speed up the pace of renovations, and take advantage of efficient private sector management practices--all without sacrificing affordability or long-term ownership. Similarly, shifting to mixed-income "infill" development and selling air rights will allow NYCHA to maximize the value of its land assets and raise billions of dollars for capital repairs.

Maximizing NYCHA 2.0's impact and chance of success depends, however, on elected officials and labor leaders taking additional action to give NYCHA resources and managerial flexibility. For example, City, State, and federal governments need to provide additional funding, statutory authority, and regulatory relief to ensure the feasibility of the PACT conversion plan. Similarly, labor leaders must work with NYCHA to ease work rules and salary structures to ensure basic repairs and maintenance are performed in a more timely and cost-effective manner.

Additional information on how elected officials and NYCHA's management and workforce can contribute to this effort can be found in our report, Stabilizing the Foundation."