Organizing for Safety and Security in Public Housing Communities

On February 13, I addressed a forum on Public Safety in Public Housing organized by the resident associations (RAs) of six lower Manhattan NYCHA developments: Campos Plaza, Baruch Houses, Smith Houses, Rutgers Houses, Vladeck Houses and Fulton Houses. The event brought together NYCHA residents, elected officials, community-based organizations and representatives of the New York Police Department to collaborate on identifying solutions to end the rise in crime within NYCHA developments.  I spoke of the need for stronger relationships between residents of public housing developments and their broader communities and the imperative for NYCHAs and their neighbors to share resources. I strongly believe that our communities are better served and safer when residents from all walks of life are mutually invested. The forum, with its large and diverse crowd, was a step in the right direction, and I will continue to work with all stakeholders on the full range of strategies needed to stop the violence plaguing public housing.