Community Voices Heard

City Council Includes $18 Million for Public Housing in Budget!

On Friday June 28th, the city council made public it's plans to include $18 million in the city budget for public housing. This is this $12 million short of what the city is supposed to pay for the units of public housing that it build ($30 million), it is a step in the right direction. The city has given $0 to NYCHA since 2003. Members of our public housing campaign were happy to receive something but realize that even with this $18 million in this years budget there is still a significant deficit in NYCHA's budget ($195 million).

CVH Goes to Miami for the US Conference of Mayor's

Community Voices Heard joined up with other community organizations who are a part of Right to the City (RTTC) to go to Miami for the US Conference of Mayor's (USCM). Right to the City is a national alliance of organizations taking back our cities from the throws of gentrification. Led by community-based grassroots organizations, the alliance spans 7 cities and includes legal, media, and academic advocates from across the nation.

"Public Housing Residents Face Loss of Their Community Centers" - NY Times

Here is a New York Times article about how the budget deficit of New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is causing the closing of community centers that Senior Citizens and children use every day. CVH Board Member and Public Housing Resident, Agnes Rivera is quoted on the last page of the article.

The original article can be found on the New York Times website here

CVH Members Demand NYCHA Funding at City Council Hearing

On Thursday May 29th Community Voices Heard Members and Leaders who are also public housing residents went to the city council hearing in order to demand funding to close the budget gap in the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). Today's New York Times Metro Section featured the article below on the front page. This article highlights how dire the situation in public housing in New York is right now. They will be closing down senior centers and community-based programs.

"To save the troubled system, recruit New York public housing 'alumni'" - Daily News

Community Voices Heard participated in a large May 1st rally with the Teamsters Local 237 union, the union that represents maintenance workers in NYCHA buildings. CVH leader and public housing resident Agnes Rivera spoke at the rally sharing the stage with many elected officials, union members, and supporters of public housing. We were rallying to demand that funding be restored for public housing both to preserve jobs for the teamsters as well as preserve housing for the residents.

"Where the Other Half Lives: An Insider Works to Bolster the Projects" - New York Times

Here is an article that appeared on the front page of the New York Times Metro Section this Sunday. The article highlights Tino Hernandez, Chairman of New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), as a former NYCHA resident. The article discusses the affects of disinvestment on public housing and mentions demolitions in other cities. Community Voices Heard Leader and Public Housing resident of Lincoln Houses Keith Massey is quoted in this article.

CVH Members Testify at State Budget Hearing on Affordable Housing

On January 29, 2008 a group of CVH members and staff from all three chapters traveled to Albany for the State Legislature's budget hearing on affordable housing. Three CVH members from each of our chapter testified before a panel of State Senators and Assembly Members about how funding for public and low-income housing could impact their lives and their communities. Ann Valdez, a CVH member from Brooklyn, testified on the need for the state to fund public housing.

CVH Holds New Orleans Style Funeral March to Target Obama and Clinton

This afternoon, Community Voices Heard Members from Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Yonkers, and all 5 boroughs of New York City joined together for a New Orleans style funeral march to highlight the crisis facing low-income people that have been displaced from their homes in New Orleans and around the country. The group called on Senators Clinton and Obama, democratic candidates running for president, to discuss issues facing low-income people around the country—such as improving public housing and creating good jobs—in their debates and campaign speeches.

Low-Income New Yorkers Hold New Orleans Themed Funderal March To Mourn the Displacement of Poor People from Cities Nationwide

This Saturday, January 26th, Community Voices Heard is organizing an action in order to target Obama and Clinton to move forward timely legislation and promote a low-income agenda. January 26th is the international day of action as part of the World and US Social Forums. Organizations from around the world will be doing actions for social justice on this day and CVH is holding this action in order to be a part of this momentous day.

Spitzer Overlooks Public Housing in State of State Address

This afternoon New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer gave his State of the State Address. In his address, the governor committed to invest $400 million in a housing opportunity fund to build affordable housing for teachers, police officers, the elderly and disabled. While this represents a significant step towards addressing the affordable housing crisis in New York, some low-income New Yorkers are disappointed that Governor’s did not mention the critical need to invest in the existing affordable housing stock in New York, such as public housing.