Dear Prospective Partner:

As the largest public housing authority in the United States, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is committed to fostering strong, vibrant neighborhoods and supporting public housing residents in achieving economic stability and success. As we have outlined in Plan NYCHA: A Roadmap for Preservation, we know we can’t do it alone – which is why I am pleased to announce the second launch of our new approach to empowering residents with economic resources, and open the application process for Upper Manhattan and East Harlem.

Through our office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES), we are looking for partners who will help us to connect NYCHA residents and communities to critical services, and ensure that residents have the tools and resources needed to achieve their career and financial goals. Rather than duplicate services already being provided in public housing communities, we seek collaboration with “Zone Partners” – high-quality economic opportunity service providers that offer adult education, asset-building, business development, job-placement, and vocational training services. 

In our new model, NYCHA will provide Zone Partners with resources to ensure you have the tools and feedback you need to achieve your outcomes and best serve our joint customers. We will work with partners to enhance service offerings by applying our resources, which include access to jobs at NYCHA and with our vendors, communication channels to NYCHA residents, data to inform program design and effectiveness and a network of residents, Resident Leaders, NYCHA frontline employees and other neighborhood stakeholders who all play a critical role in connecting residents to local services and opportunities, and ensuring the success of our collective initiatives.  

In addition to increasing resident’s access to existing services, NYCHA is also committed to increasing local capacity. NYCHA will work with partners to identify gaps in service offerings and develop strategies to attract high-quality and relevant resources and proven economic opportunity models into public housing neighborhoods. Through Zone partnership, your organization may have the opportunity to work with NYCHA’s Office of Public Private Partnerships to jointly seek and secure funding from government agencies, foundations, corporations and other philanthropic institutions for priority Zone initiatives.

As you consider applying to become a NYCHA Zone Partner, please take a moment to review our materials, including the Application for Partnership, Partnership Opportunities, Frequently Asked Questions, and a copy of Plan NYCHA. Should you have any questions about this exciting opportunity, please contact Catherine Kim, Assistant Director of Zone Coordination, at (718) 218-1164 or email REESpartner@nycha.nyc.gov.

Thank you for your interest and your commitment to public housing.

Sincerely,

John B. Rhea, NYCHA Chairman