Alarmed by a spike in crime at public housing projects first exposed by the Daily News, a city councilman Monday will push to install security locks and cameras in every NYCHA development.
Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx), chairman of the Public Housing Committee, says he wants cameras and so-called “layered access” intercom systems in all 334 developments.
Currently, only about 85 developments have fully loaded security systems, funded haphazardly by Council members over the last eight years but installed only last year after NYCHA sat on the funds for years.
Torres says NYCHA officials told him the plan would cost the city $520 million, but he feels it’s worth the price to protect tenants who’ve endured a disproportionate share of crime.
“Why not have a citywide approach to funding public safety measures in public housing?” Torres told The News. “For me it’s a no-brainer. The simplest way to reduce crime is to improve CCTV (cameras) and layered access in every single development.”
Torres will unveil his plan at a joint hearing with the juvenile justice and public safety committees Monday examining crime in the projects, including the NYPD’s Operation Crew Cut, a campaign to go after small gangs or crews that are afflicting multiple developments.
The News has reported that crime in NYCHA developments has jumped 31% since 2009, far more than the 4% rise citywide. Torres also wants to know why — as the crime rate rose — internal NYCHA statistics obtained by The News show the number of eviction cases opened against tenants for criminal behavior has dropped from 1,457 in 2009 to 1,075 last year, with the number of actual evictions dropping from 172 to a five-year low of 61.
The number of pending tenant termination cases is stacking up, rising from 625 in 2009 to 1,431 last year.
Though crime is on the rise in NYCHA developments, NYCHA officials claimed the NYPD has been referring far fewer cases to them to pursue tenant eviction.
In a statement, NYCHA officials said the agency “can only pursue termination of tenancy action against residents based on the arrest reports received. NYCHA has received fewer arrest reports since 2009.”
The NYPD did not respond to questions about the reduced referrals. NYPD, NYCHA and Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance are expected to testify, and Torres said, “We’re going to question them on that. One would assume there would be a direct relationship between the crime rate and the number of terminations.”
