FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 20, 2025
CONTACT: media@nycha.nyc.gov | (212) 306-3322

NYCHA, CUNY, and the Public Housing Community Fund Host the 2025 NYCHA-CUNY Scholarship Award Ceremony

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the program, with a record-breaking 100 scholarships awarded

NEW YORK – (October 20, 2025) — On Friday, October 17, 2025, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the City University of New York (CUNY), and the Public Housing Community Fund (PHCF) hosted the 2025 NYCHA-CUNY Scholarship Award Ceremony at NYCHA offices in Lower Manhattan. The celebration marked the 20th anniversary of the program and celebrated a record-breaking 100 scholars in this year’s cohort. The program offers one-time $1,000 scholarships to eligible public housing residents and Section 8 recipients currently pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees at CUNY schools with 24 or more credits and a minimum 3.0 grade point average. Since its inception, a total of 615 recipients have been awarded $615,000 through the program.

The NYCHA-CUNY Scholarship program began in 2005 as a partnership between NYCHA and CUNY, recognizing the two public institutions as anchors in New York City that provide affordable housing and an affordable education respectively to New Yorkers across the five boroughs. Shortly after its inception, the scholarship program began receiving funding from the New York City Council. In 2016, PHCF began assisting NYCHA to grow the program through additional funds raised, with fundraising increasing every year since.

"We are so proud to mark 20 years of the tremendous NYCHA-CUNY Scholarship program," said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. "This year, an unprecedented 100 scholars, comprised of public housing residents and Section 8 recipients who are pursuing their college degrees at CUNY schools, join what is now a two-decade-long legacy. These students are receiving a valuable boost to help contribute to educational costs and will surely go on to make their communities proud as they continue to chase their dreams. We extend our deepest appreciation to CUNY, the Public Housing Community Fund, and all of our partners for their support of this impactful program." 

"We are incredibly proud of our 20-year partnership with CUNY, which promotes higher education goals, potentially unlocking doors across all industries for NYCHA residents," said NYCHA Chief Operating Officer Eva Trimble. "This critical program, which reached 100 students this year, would not be possible without the generous funding provided by the New York City Council and the Public Housing Community Fund, whose investment enabled the program's expansion." 

“The NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship Program represents just one of the many ways that CUNY and NYCHA partner to support the academic achievements of public housing residents who attend CUNY.  This partnership has spanned over 20 years, celebrating a scholarship program that has helped hundreds of students and residents achieve college success and long term upward mobility.  Both institutions mark this momentous milestone as a demonstration of the power of collaboration in creating equitable pathways to higher education and economic opportunity,” said CUNY Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Dr. Ian James.

“For the past 20 years, the scholarship program has been a gamechanger for NYCHA residents, opening educational opportunities and helping them pursue their dreams,” said Alex Zablocki, Executive Director of the Public Housing Community Fund. “This program is more than just providing financial support; it’s about empowering residents to build fulfilling and  thriving lives. We’re proud to support a record number of recipients this year and are committed to growing the program and deepening our investment in public housing communities across the five boroughs.”

The NYCHA-CUNY Scholarship originally funded by NYCHA and the New York City Council, has been awarded annually since 2005, and has since expanded to include five additional categories: 

• The Regina A. Figueroa Memorial Scholarship: Established in 2011 by NYCHA in honor of a former resident, employee, and CUNY student, this scholarship is awarded to NYCHA residents enrolled in a CUNY school and living with a disability. 

• The Levine Family Scholarship: Established in 2016 by Jeffrey Levine, Chairman of Levine Builders, Douglaston Development, and Clinton Management, and former NYCHA resident and City College of New York alum, this scholarship is awarded to NYCHA residents enrolled at the City College of New York. 

• The Kofi Hormeku Scholarship: Established in 2017 by Nehemiah Economic Development, Inc., this scholarship is awarded to residents living in Brownsville, East New York, or Ocean Hill, Brooklyn, who are pursuing their undergraduate degree at a CUNY college. 

• The Kisha Jackson Memorial Scholarship: Established in 2021 in honor of an esteemed NYCHA colleague, this scholarship is awarded to a CUNY student living in a Downtown Brooklyn NYCHA development. 

• The Amazon NYCHA-CUNY Scholarship: Established in 2022 by Amazon, this scholarship expands on the NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship Program substantially for two years and is awarded to full-time undergraduate students at CUNY colleges.

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About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)       

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1934 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to 1 in 17 New Yorkers, providing affordable housing to 520,808 authorized residents through public housing and Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) programs as well as Section 8 housing. NYCHA has 177,569 apartments in 2,411 buildings across 335 conventional public housing and PACT developments. In addition, NYCHA connects residents to critical programs and services from external and internal partners, with a focus on economic opportunity, youth, seniors, and social services. With a housing stock that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.  

About the Public Housing Community Fund 

The Public Housing Community Fund is an independent not-for-profit organization that creates and leverages resources and relationships to enhance the opportunities and quality of life for New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents and their communities while uplifting the importance of public housing in New York City. www.communityfund.nyc