NYCHA Press Release 1/16/2013

							FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 16, 2013

If you are a member of the press, please contact the following
Communications Officers for additional information for your publication or
news outlet:

NYCHA: Sheila Stainback or
Zodet Negrón
media@nycha.nyc.gov (212) 306-3322
Merideth Weber, SBS
media@nycha.nyc.gov (212) 513-6318


    NYCHA Hires Hundreds of Workers for Post-Sandy Recovery Jobs with
    $7.1 Million Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor

    Hundreds whose jobs were lost because of Sandy return to work to help
    others in need

    The New York City Housing
    Authority (NYCHA) has begun hiring
    hundreds of workers to begin post-
    Hurricane Sandy recovery work at
    NYCHA developments impacted by
    the storm. Their hiring was made
    possible by a $7.1 million National
    Emergency Grant from the United
    States Department of Labor. The
    workers, whose total will reach about 400, have a range of duties from
    Cleaner to Community Outreach Worker, including knocking on doors of the
    19,000 residents directly impacted by Sandy to connect them to any services
    they may need. Many of the newly-hired workers themselves either lost
    employment as a result of Sandy, or were directly impacted by the storm; half
    of them hired so far are NYCHA residents. The New York City Department
    of Small Business Services (SBS) assisted NYCHA in the hiring of
    prospective workers through its Workforce1 program. The temporary job
    program provides funding assistance for up to six months in response to
    significant dislocation events like Hurricane Sandy.

    “NYCHA welcomes these new employees who will provide great assistance
    to our residents in returning their communities and lives to a safe living
    environment,” said John B. Rhea, NYCHA Chairman. “We appreciate our
    work with our partner-agency, SBS; and the National Emergency Grant has
    helped immensely in providing jobs for unemployed New Yorkers who can
    now assist their neighbors.”
 “The temporary workers hired through this National Emergency Grant will
perform repair, restoration, and outreach work at developments impacted by
Hurricane Sandy, helping families and seniors regain full control of their
lives,” said Cecil House, NYCHA’s General Manager. “We hope to ensure
that every resident impacted by Hurricane Sandy has the services they need
for their families’ recovery from the storm’s impact.”

“Using its expertise in recruitment and hiring, Workforce1 teamed up with
NYCHA to put New Yorkers back to work and help the City continue to
recover from Hurricane Sandy,” said Rob Walsh, Commissioner of the NYC
Department of Small Business Services. “Thanks to NYCHA and the NYS
Department of Labor’s National Emergency Grant, hundreds of New Yorkers
will be reporting back to work this month.”

Dozens of workers began their jobs as Cleaners as early as Dec. 17, 2012, to
assist in the cleaning and sanitizing of various developments impacted by
Sandy. NYCHA and SBS estimate at least 378 people will be hired for the
disaster recovery work. As part of the recruitment process, NYCHA’s Office
of Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability (REES), in
partnership with the NYS Department of Labor and SBS, hosted pre-
screening events for residents in Red Hook, Coney Island, the Rockaways
and the Lower East Side to interview and process applicants to expedite
hiring.

The New York City Workforce1 Career Center system provides the City’s
adult workforce and businesses with a full array of employment and
recruitment services including one-on-one meetings with jobseekers to
review their resume, screen for jobs, and match them to available jobs.