Task force targets NYCHA crime

Crime in the city’s public housing buildings came into the spotlight in October with the shooting of Officer Randolph Holder after it was revealed his killer, Tyrone Howard, was a NYCHA resident in the East River Houses with a lengthy criminal record. 

Bronx Council Members Vanessa Gibson and Ritchie Torres along with Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. are spearheading the Bronx Housing Authority Task Force, which aims to raise awareness of crime in the projects and find methods to prevent crime from spreading. 

“We believe this is part of a larger conversation,” Ms. Gibson said in a phone interview. “They’re [NYCHA] looking at expelling residents of NYCHA who have been convicted of crimes.” 

Although the project is in its infancy, the councilwoman explained that preliminary goals of the task force include collaborating with police departments, residents and other stakeholders to develop creative and innovative approaches to fight crime.

“We want to make sure we come up with best practices. We want to make sure we are a part of the continued dialogue. We want to work with those commanding officers, resident leaders in what we can do as a borough,” said Ms. Gibson.

Ms. Gibson noted that domestic and gun violence had been growing in her 16th district, which includes West Bronx, Morrisania, Highbridge, and Melrose.

“We have too many [domestic violence] cases and I want to make sure we drive those numbers down,” she said. 

While NYCHA buildings do not have round-the-clock police presence, many are covered by patrols. Regions with such coverage are known as police service areas or PSAs. PSA 7 and PSA 8 provide coverage to most, but not all, NYCHA buildings in the borough. Lilithe Lozano, the district chair of NYCHA’s Bronx North council, said the lack of consistent coverage offered by PSAs is a problem. 

“A lot of the politicians really don’t understand the procedures, the protocols [of NYCHA],” she said.