DISTRICT ATTORNEY VANCE, MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCE $101 MILLION INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROGRAMMING TO ENHANCE SAFETY IN NYCHA DEVELOPMENTS
Last week, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. and Mayor de
Blasio announced significant new investments to enhance security at targeted
New York City Housing Authority developments, as part of the Administration’s
initiative to build stronger families and safer neighborhoods for people
living in public housing developments.
The District Attorney’s Office – using a portion of funds
forfeited by French bank BNP Paribas for violating U.S. sanctions –
is committing approximately $101 million to fund key infrastructure upgrades,
such as additional exterior and interior security cameras, exterior permanent
lighting, new doors and layered (keyfob) access, as well as additional
public safety evaluation and programming.
“Public safety is key to quality of life, especially for those New
Yorkers most disproportionately affected by crime,” said District
Attorney Vance. “Just 5 percent of New York City residents live
in public housing, yet NYCHA accounts for 20 percent of all violent crime
citywide. By strategically investing in these communities, we will not
only establish the security infrastructure to enhance residential safety,
but also build upon our commitment to fairness in the criminal justice
system, and the belief that a crime prevented is better than a crime prosecuted.”
“This administration has made building stronger neighborhoods and
improving safety in and around housing developments a priority. We started
by giving NYCHA more than $120 million in budgetary relief, investing
$210 million to improve safety and improve the quality of life for residents,
and with today’s investment, we are further enhancing the security
of the physical environment,” said Mayor de Blasio. “I’m
proud to announce these important investments, which will go a long way
toward bringing down crime in the developments that need it most by improving
the physical environment.”
Today’s announcement builds on the Mayor’s Action Plan for
Neighborhood Safety, the $210.5 million plan announced by Mayor de Blasio
in July 2014 to strengthen neighborhoods and reduce violent crime at the
15 NYCHA developments that account for nearly 20 percent of all violent
crime in public housing through more targeted law enforcement efforts,
immediate physical improvements, aggressive community engagement and outreach
efforts, and the expansion of work and education programs. This initiative
includes $25 million from the City Council and the City Council Speaker’s
Office to fund infrastructure improvements.
The $101 million dollar investment from the Manhattan District Attorney
will complement the long-term plan to reduce violent crime in NYCHA developments
through ensuring that housing developments are well lit, well monitored,
and secure. Approximately $89 million of District Attorney’s investment
will be allocated to infrastructure improvements, including an increase
in exterior security cameras, camera connection to NYPD networks, lobby
and elevator cameras, new doors, layered (keyfob) access, and improved
exterior lighting.
An additional $12 million will be allocated for the development of public
safety analysis and programming. This includes community surveys and partnerships
for developing violence reduction strategies, analysis of the impact of
community centers in improving public safety, tools to assess the risks
and prevent future incidents of domestic violence, and an evaluation of
the developments’ physical design to identify improvements that
would assist in the reduction of crime. These investments represent the
latest in a series of public safety and criminal justice initiatives being
funded by the District Attorney’s Office using assets forfeited
by BNP Paribas for violating U.S. sanctions.
“The physical environment can encourage or inhibit crime, as well
as motivate the positive use of public space,” said Elizabeth Glazer,
Director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. “The infrastructure
investments announced today help to lay an important foundation for stronger
and safer NYCHA neighborhoods.”
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes and there are many
ways to reach that essential goal. Investing in physical spaces is one,
and investing in people is another, especially young people,” said
NYCHA Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye. “We’re able to do this
thanks to unprecedented support from the Mayor and continued collaboration
with so many facets of government, including the District Attorney’s
Office that is offering NYCHA residents this tremendous opportunity.”
“These improvements will significantly enhance the overall physical
security in NYCHA developments and greatly assist the NYPD in our efforts
to police these areas in more efficient ways,” said NYPD Commissioner
William Bratton. “This investment by the by the City along with
the contributions from the Manhattan District Attorney will make a real
difference.”