Part of Agency Reduction
21 HA Managers Lose Their Posts

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

The Housing Authority last week eliminated 73 management positions, citing a multi-million dollar deficit and anemic funding from the Federal government.

GREGORY FLOYD: Questions Federal priorities.

Some of the positions are vacant or will be cut using other strategies, while 21 sitting managers will be laid off. The reduction will take place throughout the agency and will not reduce the HA's stated goal of an overall 500-job reduction this year. The move will decrease HA's managerial ranks by 10 percent and will save the agency an estimated $7.7 million per year.

Looking to Streamline

"The decision was based on a review of agency operations and the guiding principles of consolidating administrative functions and streamlining operations in NYCHA's central offices while preserving core services to residents at the development level," HA officials said in a statement.

The managers will receive an unspecified amount of severance pay. They were informed on Oct. 26, which was their last day of work.

Managerial Employees Association President Stephen M. Ferrer called the layoffs "unfortunate."

In May, the agency announced a $51.6-million budget gap, even with the projected headcount reduction. The original savings for the layoffs was estimated at $8 million, and even though this move will save close to that amount, officials said further reductions were still anticipated.

'Hard Work Punished'

Teamsters Local 237 President Greg Floyd, who represents about 8,000 HA employees, said that although his current members would not be directly affected, that was not the case for some former members. "There are a number of people who worked hard for promotions who will be coming back into our union because they have civil service titles," he said. "Their hard work is being punished not because of their job performance, but because NYCHA had to make hard choices."

The planned headcount decrease could be accomplished through layoffs, attrition, eliminating vacant positions, or combining existing non-union job titles.

Since 2002, HA has lost almost $557 million in Federal funding, as subsidies failed to keep pace with inflation. During that time, fuel, pension, labor and other non-discretionary costs have risen by 56 percent, according to HA officials. More than 1,600 positions have been eliminated since 2003.

Got $47M From State

In August, Governor Spitzer announced a state increase of $47 million per year for the HA, but there are still 21,000 unfunded state and city-built units that do not receive any subsidies.

Officials from Local 237 were in Washington, D.C. last week to lobby Congress for increased funding for the HA. Mr. Floyd said that some Congressional members were sympathetic, but told him that the Bush Administration would likely veto any increase in funding for public housing.

"If they're debating children's health care, where does that leave public housing?" he said. "It's a sad day when we care more about invading other countries than we care about taking care of our own people."