President Gregory Floyd was one of the leading activists to appear on behalf of Local 237 members and all working families at several recent events where he called for solutions to the housing crisis that is threatening our local, state and national economy.

Besides the New York City Housing Authority’s budget shortfall, which is crippling public housing, a record number of private homeowners are facing foreclosures as they fail to meet payments on sub-prime mortgage loans they used to fund a crumbling American dream.


Solutions to Housing Crisis Explored at New School Forum

A roundtable discussion entitled “A Roof Over Our Heads: How Can New York Save Its Public Housing?” was held in the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School on Oct. 23. The forum focused on reasons behind NYCHA’s deficit, possible remedies, and other potential solutions.

Among the participants in the roundtable discussion at the New School were Councilwoman Rosie Mendez and NYCHA general manager Doug Apple.

In addition to President Gregory Floyd, the forum included Douglas Apple, NYCHA’s general manager; Errol T. Louis, New York Daily News editor; Rosie Mendez, New York City Councilwoman; HUD’s New York/New Jersey Regional Office, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez’s legislative assistant, and several academics and activists.

A critical issue was raised by HUD’s Sean Moss, who proposed that NYCHA cash in on the value of its buildings and land in expensive neighborhoods such as Amsterdam Houses next to Lincoln Center in order to build public housing in lower-priced areas. Moss admitted the controversial plan would displace some people, and was challenged vehemently by Floyd and other participants who opposed the idea. Unmasking the hidden Bush agenda, Floyd said, “It is just another camouflaged way to get rid of public housing.”

Floyd also noted that New York’s projects have traditionally been a source of solid middle-class housing for the city’s working families. “We have something that’s working,” he said. “We would like this to be improved.”

The majority of participants agreed that the key problem is that no more money is coming from HUD. To that end, Floyd and NYCHA resident Agnes Rivera of Community Voices Heard, promised to build a citywide coalition to mobilize NYCHA residents and workers more than 400,000 strong to get out their votes and make their voices heard.

Councilwoman Mendez called for the city to consider putting millions of dollars into the struggling agency, “or at least stop billing the agency for police services, water, trash pickup and senior programs.”