NYCHA steps up evictions: report

NEW YORK (PIX11) — NYCHA is struggling with thousands of tenants not paying their rent , and now the agency is stepping up efforts to evict delinquent tenants.

According to the publication The CITY , NYCHA evicted 62 households in the first quarter of this year, compared to 58 evictions in all of 2023.

Most of those tenants relied on the COVID-19 rent moratorium, which ended in January 2022, according to The City.

A spokesperson for NYCHA said the agency is only looking to evict tenants with serious rent delays.

In a statement to PIX11 News, NYCHA said:

Throughout and after the COVID-19 pandemic, NYCHA advocated tirelessly for residents who were struggling to pay rent to be prioritized for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. We were fully transparent about the decline in rent collection and stated publicly that arrears significantly impacted the Authority’s operating budget. As a result of our efforts, NYCHA residents became eligible for this critical rental assistance. We have stated in testimony and in the media that we would pursue eviction only as a last resort in the most egregious cases of arrears and misconduct. Our work in recent years has demonstrated our commitment to ensuring residents receive the support they need, as our goal is to keep people housed. We must, however, collect rent continuously in order to do so.

Jonathan Rizk is a digital journalist who has covered local news in New York City and Washington, D.C. He has been with PIX11 since August 2022. See more of his work here, and follow him on X and Facebook @OfficialRizk . Get in touch at jonathan.rizk@pix11.com .

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