Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 1, 2017
CONTACT: media@nycha.nyc.gov

NYCHA ACHIEVES KEY NEXTGEN GOAL, COMPLETES ROLL OUT OF ONLINE ANNUAL RECERTIFICATIONS FOR ALL RESIDENTS

Every NYCHA household is required by HUD to perform an annual income recertification in order for NYCHA to retain its funding, the new online option will vastly improve efficiency and customer service.

NYCHA is launching “NextGen Recert Month” for September to raise awareness and engage residents about the importance of the annual recertifications and the ease of the online process.

GM Michael Kelly helps an elderly female resident with her online recertification inside one of NYCHA's Digital Vans

NEW YORK––Today, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) announced it accomplished a key NextGeneration NYCHA (NextGen) goal to fully implement online annual recertifications for every NYCHA resident. By taking a cumbersome required process and making it digital, the Authority is not only modernizing the process but improving the experience for both residents and employees.

“Our residents deserve a modern, efficient landlord and technology overhauls, including online recertifications, are critical to better serving residents,” said NYCHA General Manager Michael Kelly. “We were committed to rolling-out the online recertification process for all residents by September 1st because it’s an important step towards achieving our NextGen NYCHA goal to become a better landlord.”

Annual income recertifications are required for all households by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The recertification process is connected to NYCHA’s receipt of HUD operating funds. Traditionally, the annual income recertification process was a burdensome ordeal that required residents to fill out an exhaustive paper packet, reentering their same information each year. With the online process, residents’ information is stored in their secure online profile. Moving forward, residents will only have to reconfirm their income and provide any updates to their family composition. This process will take dramatically less time and is more secure.

Residents who can't access the recertification online or have trouble with the online process have the option of requesting a traditional paper packet through their property management office.

NextGen NYCHA, the Authority’s ten-year strategic plan, set out to implement more modern and efficient policies to improve residents’ quality of life. As the largest residential landlord in the country, NYCHA faces huge hurdles to implement many new practices for all of its tenants due to its size and scale, but this program was rolled-out on time, meeting each milestone along the way.

New digital kiosks are in every management office to provide resources to residents who may not have access to the internet in their homes. Additionally, NYCHA’s three Digital Vans, mobile computer labs, travel across the City five days a week providing a multitude of computer support services, while also assisting with online recertification questions. Development staff can request a Digital Van to visit for a ‘Recertification Event’ as well.

NYCHA implemented an extensive staff training program that includes bringing staff to a computer lab as well as having experienced online recertification staff go to developments to support frontline staff as they assist residents through the online process.

“NextGen isn’t just a goal on paper, it’s a real plan to change the way we do business and improve customer service,” said NYCHA Senior Vice President for Property Management Brian Clarke. “Implementing the online recertification process was an important step which allows our residents to save time while also creating a secure digital record.”

To ensure all residents know about online recertification, NYCHA is launching “NextGen Recert Month” for the duration of September. This will include a series of different outreach and awareness events for residents, including Senior Training Events, a Facebook Live Question and Answer session, flyers, robocalls, and a social media and a digital engagement campaign.


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About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
NYCHA’s mission is to increase opportunities for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers by providing safe, affordable housing and facilitating access to social and community services. More than 400,000 New Yorkers reside in NYCHA’s 326 public housing developments around the five boroughs, and another 235,000 receive subsidized rental assistance in private homes through the NYCHA-administered Section 8 Leased Housing Program. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/nycha and for regular updates on NYCHA news and services, connect with us via www.facebook.com/NYCHA and www.twitter.com/NYCHA.