http://m.nydailynews.com/new-york/e...-criminal-evictions-quicker-article-1.2427019
housing — repeat offenders who live in NYCHA apartments, selling drugs, shooting at each other, and just plain terrorizing the working people, seniors and families trying to live their lives in peace.
As crime spiked across the authority’s 328 developments and wreaked havoc in surrounding neighborhoods, the city dropped the ball on doing something about the perps next door — and the mayor is now vowing to fix the problem.
Mayor de Blasio’s spokeswoman Karen Hinton told The News Saturday the mayor has ordered a total overhaul of the entire referral process to make it faster and easier for NYCHA to evict or exclude residents who are committing crimes on authority properties.
“Mayor de Blasio is requiring NYCHA and NYPD to take new steps to ensure criminals are not allowed to trespass or live in public housing,” Hinton said.
The case for change was highlighted recently by NYCHA tenant Tyrone Howard — accused of gunning down Officer Randolph Holder last month — and his ability to live in public housing despite past run-ins with the law.
Though NYCHA has the power to evict tenants from apartments for committing criminal acts within developments, the agency has brought fewer and fewer of these cases since 2011, a Daily News investigation has found.
The number of eviction cases commenced by NYCHA against criminal tenants dropped 40% from 1,581 in 2011 to 942 last year — and it’s on pace to stay the same this year. The number of actual evictions dropped from 172 in 2009 to 45 last year. As of mid-October this year there have only been 20.
Meanwhile, crime — including shootings, murders, assaults and robbery — jumped 31% at NYCHA projects from 2009 through 2013, far outpacing a 3% rise citywide. It dropped off slightly in 2014, but climbed 11% in the last month.
NYCHA can also permanently exclude non-tenants of record who live in NYCHA apartments. Exclusions rose this year to 415 from 344 last year, but are still way down from 619 in 2010.
“The number of individuals with criminal records who have been excluded from public housing has increased in the past year, but the mayor recognizes more needs to be done,” Hinton said.
“While no one wants to evict tenants in good standing, the mayor has made clear he will not tolerate tenants harboring criminals who make living conditions unsafe for others,” Hinton said.
She added, “We will do all we can to provide services and support for any evicted families, but we will not allow known criminals to terrorize other public housing residents putting their safety and life in jeopardy.”
housing — repeat offenders who live in NYCHA apartments, selling drugs, shooting at each other, and just plain terrorizing the working people, seniors and families trying to live their lives in peace.
As crime spiked across the authority’s 328 developments and wreaked havoc in surrounding neighborhoods, the city dropped the ball on doing something about the perps next door — and the mayor is now vowing to fix the problem.
Mayor de Blasio’s spokeswoman Karen Hinton told The News Saturday the mayor has ordered a total overhaul of the entire referral process to make it faster and easier for NYCHA to evict or exclude residents who are committing crimes on authority properties.
“Mayor de Blasio is requiring NYCHA and NYPD to take new steps to ensure criminals are not allowed to trespass or live in public housing,” Hinton said.
The case for change was highlighted recently by NYCHA tenant Tyrone Howard — accused of gunning down Officer Randolph Holder last month — and his ability to live in public housing despite past run-ins with the law.
Though NYCHA has the power to evict tenants from apartments for committing criminal acts within developments, the agency has brought fewer and fewer of these cases since 2011, a Daily News investigation has found.
The number of eviction cases commenced by NYCHA against criminal tenants dropped 40% from 1,581 in 2011 to 942 last year — and it’s on pace to stay the same this year. The number of actual evictions dropped from 172 in 2009 to 45 last year. As of mid-October this year there have only been 20.
Meanwhile, crime — including shootings, murders, assaults and robbery — jumped 31% at NYCHA projects from 2009 through 2013, far outpacing a 3% rise citywide. It dropped off slightly in 2014, but climbed 11% in the last month.
NYCHA can also permanently exclude non-tenants of record who live in NYCHA apartments. Exclusions rose this year to 415 from 344 last year, but are still way down from 619 in 2010.
“The number of individuals with criminal records who have been excluded from public housing has increased in the past year, but the mayor recognizes more needs to be done,” Hinton said.
“While no one wants to evict tenants in good standing, the mayor has made clear he will not tolerate tenants harboring criminals who make living conditions unsafe for others,” Hinton said.
She added, “We will do all we can to provide services and support for any evicted families, but we will not allow known criminals to terrorize other public housing residents putting their safety and life in jeopardy.”