An Aggressive Pitch to Bail out New York City's Public Housing

"Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to announce on Tuesday an aggressive plan to shore up New York City’s deteriorating public housing, calling for significant new financial help from the city and for squeezing more revenue out of the housing projects and their residents," reports Mireya Navarro.

"The plan includes several measures that could prove contentious, starting with a modified version of a stalled proposal to lease unused land in housing projects for private residential development. The city would also transfer hundreds of New York City Housing Authority employees to other city agencies, charge residents more for parking and try to increase the rate of rent collection."

AT stake are 178,000 apartments that house more than 400,000 New Yorkers. The Housing Authority is beset by chronic budget shortfalls, including $98 million currently (the budget deficit was reported at $77 million in August 2014), and strong criticism. The article includes more details about the plan and its importance to the goals of the de Blasio Administration.