As required by federal regulations, households continue to pay 30% of their adjusted gross income towards rent. In fact, residents do not have to pay any additional fees, charges, or utility expenses that are greater than what they currently pay. The one exception is for households who currently pay flat rent; these households are currently paying less than 30% of their income towards rent. After the transition to Project-Based Section 8, households will pay 30% regardless of their income level.

Exceptions may apply to households who pay flat rent; are current tenant-based Section 8 participants; are a mixed family as defined by HUD; or who signed a non-public housing over income lease.

In 2012, the Obama administration created the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program to allow public housing authorities to transition their properties to a better funded and more stable program called Project-Based Section 8. The RAD program requires public housing authorities to preserve all resident rights and also grants some new rights.

NYCHA’s implementation of the RAD program is called the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program, and PACT offers additional rights and protections above and beyond what the federal government requires. Following the transition to Project-Based Section 8, lease agreements automatically renew, residents cannot be evicted without cause, and households continue to pay 30% of their adjusted gross income towards rent. These and other key rights and protections are codified in the new tenant lease, the RAD Statute and Implementing Notices, and other federal regulations.

The PACT program, in accordance with federal rules and regulations, provides strong anti-displacement protections for residents. At the time of conversion to Project-Based Section 8, all authorized residents will be offered a new lease – regardless of whether they owe back rent. NYCHA requires its PACT partners to work with on-site social service coordinators to conduct proactive outreach to help connect families with resources, such as accessing public benefits or setting up payment installment plans. PACT partners must make every effort to avoid bringing a lease issue to the Housing Court, and NYCHA closely monitors these outreach efforts.

Federal regulations also provide relocation protections and a right to return. Only the approximately 120 households currently residing at 401 West 19th Street & 419 West 19th Street and 436 West 27th Drive will be required to temporarily relocate during construction. All other households will move directly into their brand-new apartments after they are completed. Any household that must be temporarily moved during the construction process will sign a Right to Return Agreement that guarantees their right to return to their new home once it is complete. The Agreement will also provide additional benefits, including free packing and moving support.

Yes. Under the Project-Based Section 8 program, NYCHA receives significantly more funding that can be used for maintenance, repairs, and the construction of new buildings. This funding source is also more stable because it comes with a 20-year contract guaranteeing a set amount of funding each year, and Federal regulations require that the contract be renewed. Project-Based Section 8 ensures NYCHA properties are on sustainable financial footing for future generations.

Yes. Authorized household members will continue to have succession rights as they do under the Section 9 program. This means that family members who are eligible can continue to live in the apartment after the original leaseholder leaves, under the same terms of affordability and tenant protections.

Following the construction of the new buildings, NYCHA and the PACT Partner team will use the public housing occupancy standards to ensure that all households are provided an appropriately sized apartment based on their household composition. This is a federal requirement that applies to both the public housing and Project-Based Section 8 programs.

Households will be able to request a Housing Choice Voucher (pending available funding and that they are eligible for subsidy) approximately 10 months after converting to the Project-Based Section 8 program and moving into their new apartments. The Housing Choice Voucher program allows residents to move anywhere in the United States where Section 8 vouchers are accepted. 

NYCHA and the PACT Partner are prioritizing making sure that the limited number of households that need temporary relocation have a suitable on-site location to reside in until their replacement building is complete. All households will be provided a right-sized apartment in their respective replacement building. NYCHA will reevaluate the option of resuming right-sizing moves within the existing campuses once all households requiring a temporary move have been accommodated. All new and existing transfer requests will be processed under the standard Tenant Selection and Assignment Plan (“TSAP”). For more information, please see refer to TSAP.

After all existing households at Fulton, Elliott, Chelsea, and Chelsea Addition have been provided a new home, any vacant apartments must be leased to qualifying Section 8 households from a site-based waiting list, which is managed by NYCHA.

The new property manager is not permitted to set rents or disqualify households from the Project-Based Section 8 program. NYCHA will continue to perform residents’ annual income certifications and determine each household’s rent.

After the transition to Project-Based Section 8, households will pay 30% regardless of their income level.

Exceptions may apply to households who are current tenant-based Section 8 participants; are a mixed family as defined by HUD; or who signed a non-public housing over-income lease.

Yes. Prior to moving into your new home, all households will be required to sign a PACT Resident Lease, which is similar to the Public Housing Lease. The Lease includes many important tenant protections, including the rent calculation, as well as House Rules, which cannot be stricter than those set by NYCHA. The PACT Resident Lease has been reviewed by Legal Aid Society, an independent legal services organization, and cannot be changed by the PACT Partner without NYCHA’s approval.

A sample of the PACT Resident Lease and accompanying riders and notices are included in the following link: https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/pact/resident-resources.page

As required by New York State Human Rights Law, housing providers are required to make reasonable accommodations or modifications to a building or living space for residents with disabilities. A reasonable accommodation in housing is a change, modification, or alteration in policy, procedure, practice, or program that provides a qualified individual an equal opportunity to participate in, or benefit from, a program or activity.

If you have a special need and require an accommodation in your current home, please contact NYCHA Property Management. If you have a special need that you would like accommodated in your new apartment, you will have the opportunity to share your need/accommodation when the PACT Partner conducts outreach regarding your new lease. This process will take place approximately six months in advance of your scheduled move-in. 

If you require a reasonable accommodation due to a medical need or other qualifying reasonable accommodation circumstance, your specific needs and location preference will be taken into account.

As part of the proposed project, we will provide new, modern community facilities for Hudson Guild in the first replacement buildings at both Fulton and Chelsea Addition. In addition, NYCHA requires that the PACT Partner create a comprehensive Social Services Plan that is informed by residents’ needs. As part of this process, we will conduct resident surveys to understand what social service needs, programs, and resources can be provided or enhanced across the two campuses. We will also form a Resident Resources & Community Engagement Resident Committee to help us shape this plan. To join, please email us.

NYCHA Property Management will continue to manage the current buildings, but with additional support and resources provided by the PACT Partner under the “Bridge Plan.” The PACT Partner will manage each newly constructed replacement building.

As part of the Bridge Plan, the PACT Partner team is assisting NYCHA to address deferred maintenance issues and the backlog of build system and in-unit repairs to create a safer and more comfortable living environment for all residents while they await the construction of their new homes. Residents should expect to see existing issues fixed faster and more efficiently.

The PACT Partner will address approximately 70% of all open work orders in apartments and common areas by focusing on all open paint and plaster repairs, replacing missing cabinets, and replacing missing or damaged sinks and tub enclosures.

Essential systems like boilers, steam traps, and elevators will undergo repairs to ensure smooth operation.  As needed, broken entry doors will be repaired, and intercom systems will be repaired or replaced to improve building security.

Lastly, the PACT Partner is already providing and will continue to expand efforts to enhance security and manage pests.

Residents should continue to submit work orders by calling NYCHA’s Customer Contact Center at (718) 707-7771 or through the MyNYCHA app. Depending on the nature of the request, work orders will be routed to the appropriate vendors, including the PACT Partner team.

The PACT Partners have hired third-party security personnel to enhance the safety of the existing buildings and campus, and they have been active on site since February 2024. These security personnel are on-site to address and report any issues, and they work closely with residents to ensure that any concerns are communicated effectively and addressed promptly.

The PACT Partners have hired a third-party vendor to continue the comprehensive pest control measures that are already in place. Currently, pest treatments are conducted twice a month in all common areas, basements, utility rooms, and for exterior rodent burrows. Starting later this fall, in-unit treatments also occur twice a month, focusing on eliminating roaches and mice.

While NYCHA will continue to manage the buildings, the PACT Partner will be providing additional resources to improve residents experience with heating.

The PACT Partner will procure elevator parts on behalf of NYCHA Property Management with onsite storage solutions. Low elevator parts inventory has been the leading cause of delayed elevator repairs on the campuses. NYCHA’s onsite elevator service technicians will be able to address elevator repairs much faster with ready access to parts.

NYCHA Property Management is responsible for all abatement. If you currently have an issue with mold, lead, or asbestos, please put in a work order ticket immediately. Residents who have already contacted the NYCHA Customer Contact Center (718-707-7771) but still have concerns or complaints regarding mold/leaks and any associated repairs can contact the NYCHA Compliance Department at on.nyc.gov/submit-concern or the independent court-appointed Ombudsperson Call Center (OCC) at 1-888-341-7152 or at ombnyc.com.

Currently, we expect 94% of residents will remain in their current homes until they move into the new Replacement Buildings. NYCHA and the PACT Partner are prioritizing the ability to temporary relocate the approximate 120 households in Chelsea Addition (436 West 27th Dr) and Fulton 11 (401 W 19th St & 419 W 19th St) into freshened apartments on campus, or in certain circumstances to apartments in the neighborhood until their new homes are ready. 

Federal regulations provide relocation protections and a right to return. Households that are temporarily moved will sign a Right to Return Agreement that guarantees the right to return to their campus. The temporary relocation agreement also provides additional benefits, including free packing and moving support.

It is anticipated that the residents in Chelsea Addition (436 West 27th Dr) and Fulton 11 (401 W 19th St & 419 W 19th St) need to move to their temporary homes in the spring of 2025 and back into their new homes starting at the end of 2028. All other households will move directly from their current apartment into their new replacement buildings based on the phase of their existing building.  All moves will be facilitated with moving services at no cost to the residents.

The Hudson Guild Elliott Center will be temporarily relocated for approximately three years to a nearby location while the first new building is built. Residents will be notified on the specifics of the site once confirmed. Upon completion of the first Elliott-Chelsea building, Hudson Guild will permanently relocate to their new facility. The Hudson Guild Children’s Center, Hudson Guild Fulton Community Center and Tech-Up Learning Lab will remain operational at their current sites and move into the first new Fulton replacement building upon its completion.

It is anticipated that all of the current Hudson Guild programs will continue, although some may be in different locations in the neighborhood. Following the finalization of the Hudson Guild relocation plan, resources will be distributed including details of the plan, available resources, and temporary accommodations for Hudson Guild.

Residents will continue to receive notices, meeting updates, and see community outreach tabling events and building flyering informing the community of any project updates. Additional information will also be available on the project website, an updated FAQ, informational lobby TV screens and at resident meetings.

Residents will continue to be able to visit the Fulton HOU onsite office located at 420 West 19th Street, Apt 1E and receive the most updated information on the project. The Elliott-Chelsea HOU office is currently under construction and more information will be distributed to residents when it opens. The HOU team can answer questions in person between 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and are also available outside those hours by appointment request. The HOU team can be reached by phone at 718-775-3712 or by email at FEC@housingopportunities.com.

In the proposed plan, there will be 6 Replacement NYCHA Buildings. Three in Elliott-Chelsea and three in Fulton.

Subject to completion of the Environmental Impact Statement process in early 2025, Demolition of Chelsea Addition and Fulton 11 is currently scheduled for summer of 2025.  The anticipated start for the first move-ins is the end of 2028.

Phase 2 shall commence once Phase 1 completes. These dates may change but we will continue to communicate any changes to the timeline as we learn them. For more detail on the proposed construction plan, please refer to the timeline animation on the homepage.

There will be several resident engagement meetings throughout the year to get input from the residents. Topics such as preferred kitchen and bathroom fixtures and finishes, amenity programs exclusively for residents as well as input on programs for the outdoor spaces. To join the Design & Construction Resident Committee, email us.

Apartment layouts will aim to have similar furnishable square footage or greater to current apartments (local code and agency requirements may alter exact sizes).

Each new unit will have its own new washer and dryer system as well as controllable heating and cooling.

The new buildings will be accessible subject to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (using the 2010 ADA Standards) in addition to HUD’s deeming notice.

Related Management Company or an affiliate will be the property management team at the new buildings.

The new buildings are anticipated to have attended lobbies, as well as cameras, roof alarms, and other security measures programmed in collaboration with the Resident Property Management & Security Committee.

That will be up to the residents! During the design phase we will get input from the residents to weigh in on what indoor and outdoor amenities they would like to have.

The new buildings will move from gas and steam heating systems towards electric and renewable powered heating and cooling systems. Healthy building materials, design of the ventilation system, and programmed outdoor spaces will provide residents with access to fresh and healthy air.

Currently there are plans for a healthy grocer and healthcare facility at each campus. Additional space has been allocated towards community facilities which will be an opportunity for residents to opine on what they want to see in their community.

Yes, the new plan will include both ground-level outdoor space and building terraces that will be programmed based on resident input and guidance by the Design and Construction Resident Committee.