In February, Manhattan became the latest borough to be included in the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Trespass Notice Program to combat drug dealing and drug related crime on NYCHA property.

NYCHA executives and Police Chief Joanne Jaffe at a Resident Advisory Board Meeting Photo credit: Kevin Devoe Graphic Design: Martin Medina

Federal law mandates every public housing authority to maintain their housing developments in safe condition. It also requires each resident of public housing to ensure that his or her guests do not engage in any criminal activity that threatens the health, safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of other residents.

In response to this federal mandate, NYCHA implemented the Trespass Notice Program in the majority of developments in Queens in January 2005. The program denies access to development grounds to persons arrested for felony drug sales on NYCHA property. Since the initial roll-out, the Trespass Notice Program has expanded to Police Service Area (PSA) #1 in Brooklyn in September 2005 and to PSA’s # 2 and # 3 in Brooklyn in March 2006.

Through the combined efforts of NYCHA, the New York City Police Department and residents, crime has dropped in NYCHA developments by 11.5 % since 2002. The Trespass Notice Program is designed to ensure the safety and security of all NYCHA residents, employees and other persons who have legitimate purpose on NYCHA property.