Welcome to CLPHA's Press Room
CLPHA experts welcome interview requests from print, radio, television, and online reporters and are happy to provide their insights on issues of public housing and related legislation and policy.
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David Greer
Director of Communications
(202) 550-1381 or [email protected].
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(Washington, D.C.) November 25, 2024 – The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement upon the nomination of Scott Turner to be Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development: “The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), whose members serve over 2.2 million people, including over 480,000 children, across the country, congratulates Scott Turner on his nomination as Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Our nation is experiencing an unprecedented housing crisis, and PHAs offer critical affordable housing opportunities to the most vulnerable families in their communities. Safe, stable, and affordable housing is central to breaking the cycle of poverty and expanding economic, education, and health opportunities. We look forward to working with Mr. Turner on our shared goal of improving the lives of low-income Americans who, for a variety of reasons, have been left behind economically, and lifting up the communities where they live through safe and affordable housing.” |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative
Media Contact: (202) 550-1381 |
Congratulations to Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman on New Role as Acting Secretary
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(Washington, D.C.) March 12, 2024 — “On behalf of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, we congratulate HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge on a dedicated career in public service from serving as Mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, to U.S. Congresswoman from Ohio’s 11th district, and culminating as the 18th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,” said Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities. “When Secretary Fudge took the reins of HUD in the middle of a global COVID-19 pandemic, she provided steadfast leadership that expanded rental assistance and served more than 1.2 people experiencing homelessness. She has been an ardent housing champion giving voice to millions of people in need. “Secretary Fudge worked with CLPHA throughout her tenure to provide greater flexibility to address housing needs and redress systemic racism that has been embedded in housing policy for decades. “We commend her on an exemplary career in public service and wish her well in the next chapter of her life. We look forward to working with Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman, former CLPHA Vice President, in her new role as Acting Secretary.” |
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### Media Contact: David Greer, CLPHA
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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Policies Would Bring Housing Stability to Nearly 1 Million Low-Income Americans |
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(Washington, D.C.) March 7, 2024 — The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) applauds President Joe Biden for his call to expand the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) and Low-income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) programs. As part of the proposed HCV program expansion, the President is calling for a voucher guarantee for low-income veterans and youth aging out of foster care. Notably, President Biden is the first U.S. President to call for a portion of federally assisted housing to be classified as a guarantee. “President Biden’s call for voucher and LIHTC expansion would immediately bring housing stability to nearly one million low-income Americans who are one lost paycheck or unforeseen health event away from homelessness,” said Sunia Zaterman, CLPHA executive director. “Moreover, the President’s extraordinary call to guarantee vouchers for low-income veterans and youth aging out of foster care is a transformative measure that would bring much-needed certainty to a portion of federal housing funding. This demonstrates a commitment to safeguarding housing stability for our nation's most vulnerable populations.” This year’s State of the Union address is considered by many to be the kickoff of President Biden’s 2024 election campaign. “It is clear after tonight that President Biden intends to make housing a top election priority,” said Zaterman. “We encourage President Biden to become the housing president by creating a comprehensive long-term plan for a sustainable future for public housing that would include the recapitalization of the public housing portfolio, permanent expansion of the Housing Choice Voucher program, and a cross-sector approach that includes housing, health, and education. We look forward to working with the President on such a plan.” |
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### Media Contact: David Greer, CLPHA
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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(Washington, D.C.) February 20, 2025 – The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities’ (CLPHA) Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement regarding the latest threats to public housing authorities (PHAs) posed by cuts to HUD programs and staff and a potential government shutdown: “PHAs are facing a triple threat from an expiring continuing funding resolution, slashing of some HUD programs, and cuts to HUD staff critical to program implementation. It has been reported that 50 percent of staff positions may be eliminated through early retirement and reductions in the workforce. These draconian actions are compounded by the looming federal government shutdown unless Congress passes an FY25 government funding bill by March 14. CLPHA urges Congress to protect HUD programs and staff and prevent a government shutdown. “The federal government is currently funded under an extension called a continuing resolution (CR) that expires on March 14. The government has yet to agree on and finalize the 2025 budget and without another CR to extend funding, the government will shut down. “A government shutdown disrupts PHA operations and continuity of service to residents, voucher holders, private owners, investors, and partners. Appropriators have still not agreed to the total amount of the budget, which is the first step in the budget process. After that it takes weeks to finalize and pass full year appropriations bills. Securing HUD funding is critical to protecting PHAs, residents, and staff. Congress must pass a full year FY25 appropriations bill that provides adequate funding for HUD programs.” |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
Media Contact: (202) 550-1381 |
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(Washington, D.C.) November 25, 2024 – The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement upon the nomination of Scott Turner to be Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development: “The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), whose members serve over 2.2 million people, including over 480,000 children, across the country, congratulates Scott Turner on his nomination as Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Our nation is experiencing an unprecedented housing crisis, and PHAs offer critical affordable housing opportunities to the most vulnerable families in their communities. Safe, stable, and affordable housing is central to breaking the cycle of poverty and expanding economic, education, and health opportunities. We look forward to working with Mr. Turner on our shared goal of improving the lives of low-income Americans who, for a variety of reasons, have been left behind economically, and lifting up the communities where they live through safe and affordable housing.” |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative
Media Contact: (202) 550-1381 |
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(Washington, D.C.) August 19, 2024 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement upon the release of Vice President Kamala Harris' and Governor Tim Walz's housing plan at a rallty in North Carolina on Friday: "The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds the Harris-Walz campaign for its historic call for more affordable housing measures in its economic plan released on Friday in North Carolina. By every measure, low-income Americans are experiencing crisis levels of housing instability and homelessness. CLPHA strongly supports the Harris Walz campaign’s call for an expansion of tax incentives for affordable rental housing, an innovation fund for low-income housing, and expansion of the child tax credit, which would contribute to decreasing housing instability and homelessness among American’s most vulnerable families. 'We are hopeful that the tax incentives for affordable rental housing are at a scale that would generate as much affordable housing production or more as the low-income housing tax credit provisions in the bipartisan tax bill. The child tax credit improves a low-income parent’s ability to afford housing, which increases housing stability and improves children’s health outcomes. 'CLPHA will continue to advocate for policies that prioritize the affordability and sustainability of public and affordable housing throughout this campaign which includes fully funding the public housing capital and operating funds, expanding the Housing Choice Voucher program, and prioritizing cross-sector approaches for housing, health and education." |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities |
Pew Charitable Trust's state policy news outlet Stateline quoted CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman and CLPHA member executive directors in an article about the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on public housing authorities.
Zaterman told Stateline that PHAs need $5 billion in emergency supplemental funding due to several challenges PHAs are facing during this crisis, including a "significant reduction" in rental income, a dramatically reduced workforce, massive cleaning-related expenses, and communications challenges with residents while PHAs' physical offices are closed. PHAs also need a further $3.5 billion in emergency supplemental funds for the for the Housing Choice Voucher program.
“I’m worried,” Emilio Salas, acting executive director of the Los Angeles County Development Authority, told Stateline. “Tremendously.”
Douglas Guthrie, president and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, told Stateline that his PHA is working hard to address his city's homelesssness crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We can't wait for waivers from HUD to do what needs to be done today,” Guthrie said. “Shelter is the most important thing right now.”
Andrew Lofton, executive director of the Seattle Housing Authority, told Stateline that PHAs are also preparing for the inevitable surge of residents who test positive for COVID-19: "It’s just a matter of time."
Read Stateline's article "Public Housing Authorities Hit Hard by the Pandemic."
As of January 1, 2020, California has a state-wide law prohibiting landlords from rejecting potential tenants solely on their use of a housing voucher. The law, known as Source of Income (SOI) protection, replaces SOI ordinances that were previously in place in several California cities, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Santa Clara County to cover voucher holders across the state.
A recent HUD-commissioned study on landlord acceptance of voucher holders in five cities found that those cities with an existing SOI law protecting voucher holders had higher rates of landlord acceptance compared to those cities without SOI protection. While cities with SOI laws devote varying amounts of resources to enforcement, HUD’s study suggests awareness of local SOI protections meaningfully deter discrimination by landlords. The Poverty & Race Research Action Council maintains an updated list of all SOI laws in place across the country.
In an effort to call attention to the affordable housing crisis during the 2020 election cycle and to spur presidential debate moderators to ask candidates about their affordable housing plans, the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s Our Homes, Our Votes: 2020 campaign placed a full-page ad in the Los Angeles Times on December 16 & 17. The ad featured OHOV: 2020’s letter urging PBS NewsHour, Politico, and debate moderators to ask presidential candidates how they would address the nation’s affordable housing crisis during the next debate, which will be held on December 19 at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. CLPHA joined more than 1,000 organizations as co-signers to OHOV: 2020’s letter.
Following the devastating November fire at the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority’s (MPHA) Cedar High apartments, Minneapolis’s Star Tribune reported on the chronic federal underfunding of public housing that contributes to the massive, nationwide capital needs backlog at public housing communities and requires PHAs to make tough choices about building maintenance and repairs.
“Our priority is to make sure that life and safety are always taken care of,” said MPHA Interim Executive Director/CEO Tracey Scott in an October interview with the paper. “Quite simply that’s the hard choice you have to make because you would like to replace a kitchen cabinet but that has to come second to life and safety. We have to make choices.” MPHA estimates that its properties need an estimated $152 million in maintenance and renovations.
New York City Housing Authority Chair & CEO and CLPHA Board Member Greg Russ, MPHA’s former Executive Director/CEO, underscored the difficult choices housing authorities have to make when it comes to prioritizing maintenance and renovation projects: “We don’t have enough funding to keep basic systems in place nationally and have to pick and choose when we do get the capital money.” Russ added that inadequate federal funding is why MPHA and other agencies employ the RAD program to diversify and their funding sources so that they can afford the important and expensive rehabilitation of their properties.
CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman said that more “organized political will and bipartisan support” is needed in Congress in order to increase funding and fully address PHAs’ capital needs. “We are at the turning point in part because the affordable housing crisis is so heightened in our communities,” Zaterman said. “This is such an essential resource, the understanding that we have to invest is more pervasive and people are beginning to understand that ... but we haven’t had the reflection in our funding yet.”
Scott further stressed the effects that insufficient federal funding has on her agency’s ability to house and serve their low-income residents. “We’re a public agency and the mission is that we provide quality, well maintained homes for families to thrive and these are members of our community that need support and that helping hand,” she said, “We are providing a roof today, but if we don’t maintain it there would not be a roof tomorrow.”
CLPHA Members Elm City Communities, Miami-Dade Public Housing & Community Development Also Featured
Affordable Housing News magazine featured Executive Director Sunia Zaterman in its Fall 2019 issue, where Zaterman discussed CLPHA’s priorities, goals, and strategies for preserving and improving public and affordable housing. “We are very focused on appropriations and polices that support public housing authorities and the people they serve,” said Zaterman, adding that “[f]rom the beginning, we’ve been very focused on supporting the most innovative housing authorities in the country.” She cited programs like the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) and Moving to Work (MTW) as flexible, locally-oriented policies that innovative housing authorities are using to improve their housing stock and resident outcomes. Zaterman also emphasized the public housing portfolio’s capital needs backlog of more than $50 billion and the chronic underfunding of public housing programs, issues that are at the center of CLPHA’s advocacy efforts.
The article also highlights CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative, which seeks to broaden and deepen efforts to align housing, education, and health organizations to produce positive long-term outcomes for low-income individuals and families. Zaterman discussed some of the Housing Is Initiative’s work, including the Housing Is Summit, an annual convening dedicated to collaboration among the housing, education, and health sectors, and the creation of a data sharing agreement template for housing authorities and school systems so that they can identify shared issues and interests and develop evidence-based interventions. “We understand that housing is absolutely essential and foundational, but often, for families and special needs populations, is not sufficient in and of itself,” Zaterman said. “Our goal with the Housing Is Initiative is to improve and enhance our partnerships in healthcare, education, and workforce development to improve life outcomes for families, seniors, and persons with disabilities who reside in assisted housing.”
Read Affordable Housing News' article (on pages 20 and 21).
CLPHA members Miami-Dade Public Housing & Community Development (Miami-Dade PCHD) and Elm City Communities (ECC) were also featured in Affordable Housing News’ Fall 2019 issue. Read about Miami-Dade PCHD’s RAD-assisted Liberty Square redevelopment on pages 34-36 and about ECC’s employment of MTW flexibilities to create innovative resident programming and redevelop its public housing portfolio on pages 64-65.
From Oklahoma City's press release:
Veterans experiencing homelessness will soon have a new permanent housing option thanks to Oklahoma City Housing Authority (OCHA) and MAPS 4.
Dorset Place, located at the intersection of 122nd St., N.W. and Dorset Dr., will provide 70 new units of supportive housing for veterans in Oklahoma City. The former assisted living facility was purchased by OCHA’s nonprofit arm, the Community Enhancement Corporation, with the express goal of providing permanent supportive housing for veterans and their immediate family members.
"MAPS 4 includes more than $55 million to invest in truly affordable housing,” MAPS Program Manager David Todd said. “This investment, accompanied by wrap-around services from existing providers, aligns with the City's efforts to implement a 'housing first' strategy. We look forward to completing this project, which will meet a critical need for our community."
Phase 1 of the project will provide 37 units and is expected to open in fall 2025. Phase 2, with an additional 33 units, is expected to open at a later date.
“We’re proud to soon be opening the doors on the first of many MAPS 4 Homelessness projects,” Mark Gillett, President and CEO of the Community Enhancement Corporation, said. “In our community, we have people who served our country and need an affordable place to live. This is Oklahoma City’s opportunity to give back.”
Veterans at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness will be offered Dorset Place as one of their options to move into permanent housing. Vouchers issued by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by OCHA, are partnering with Oklahoma City’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) office to ensure that the veteran household pays no more than 30% of their income for rent.
“Key to Home is excited that additional support housing is being added to our community,” Homeless Strategy Implementation Manager Jamie Caves said.
The investment in Dorset Place includes $1.5 million in MAPS 4 Homelessness funds.
From the Chicago Housing Authority's press release:
The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is deepening its commitment to ensuring that residents have a safe place to call home. CHA recently announced the creation of the Healthy Homes Division, a new team dedicated to proactively addressing environmental health issues by eliminating hazards and promoting healthier living conditions for the 32,000 people living in CHA public housing. From removing environmental hazards such as lead-based paint, mold, and pests to promoting energy-efficiency and indoor air quality, the Healthy Homes Division is focused on ensuring homes are safe, preserved, and sustainable for future generations.
Elizabeth Poole, a nationally recognized expert in children’s environmental health and former coordinator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), leads the Healthy Homes Division. She’s joined by her former Chicago-based EPA colleagues Shannon Wolf and Megan Dwyer Baumann, Environmental Health & Safety Managers.
“We’re excited to welcome an exceptionally qualified, talented, and passionate team with a depth of experience in environmental health,” said Angela Hurlock, Chicago Housing Authority Interim Chief Executive Officer. “Their ability to go a mile deep into creating healthy home solutions for our residents will ensure we’re not only providing safe homes for our residents now but preserving them well into the future.”
The division takes a comprehensive approach to addressing lead-based paint hazards identified during inspections and supports families throughout the abatement process, including arranging for temporary relocation or other necessary services. In addition, the Healthy Homes team will connect residents with free or low-cost resources that promote holistic health and well-being, such as nutritional counseling and environmental education.
“This effort is about equipping families with the tools they need to make healthy decisions,” said Elizabeth Poole, Healthy Homes Division Director. “We have an ongoing commitment to provide resources for families to keep their homes safe and their families healthy. I live by this concept that if it’s not good enough for my child, it’s not good enough for any child.”
The creation of the Healthy Homes division is part of CHA’s “Year of Renewal,” a dedicated effort to rebuild trust, transparency, and accountability in 2025 and beyond. CHA is taking steps to reduce barriers, enhance responsiveness, undergo long-term strategic planning, and ensure the needs of the 135,000 people it serves across all 77 Chicago community areas are effectively and equitably met.
For more information on the Healthy Homes Division and CHA’s Year of Renewal, visit CHA’s new Data and Impact Hub at https://www.thecha.org/transparency-action-cha-data-impact-hub.
From the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh's press release:
The HACP was honored to open the Cheryl Gainey Wellness Center at Allegheny Dwellings Thursday morning, June 5.
Ms. Gainey, who served as Allegheny Dwellings Tenant Council president and a term as HACP commissioner, was a champion for the health and wellbeing of her community at Allegheny Dwellings. Her sons, Bruce and Nate, along with other family members, traveled from New York to commemorate the occasion.
“When my mother got sick, my brother and I fought to get her back to Buffalo. She fought us tooth and nail. It was a like championship fight! Now I see why she fought so hard. Thank you for putting her name on something so beautiful and for the love that everyone here has shown! I appreciate you all from the bottom of my heart.”
HACP Chief Community Affairs Officer Michelle Sandidge said Ms. Gainey was the ultimate Tenant Council president who showed empathy and sympathy.
“She was about family, about people, and about the community,” she said, adding the center held a soft opening right before the pandemic hit, and the HACP executive team promised to name the center after Ms. Gainey.
HACP Executive Director Caster D. Binion said Ms. Gainey was always there, and always looking out for the residents and the community.
“Her leadership was outstanding,” he said. “She had the personality to work with everyone. She was a leader that made a difference.”
The center will be led by longtime Coach and Program Director Leroy Dillard, Manager Thomas Chatman, and Coaches Kaleeq Anderson and Ariya Jetter.
The Cheryl Gainey Wellness Center will be open to all Allegheny Dwellings residents two days a week and one day on weekends to start. It will feature a full complement of programs and services designed to meet residents’ needs.
Programs will include mentoring, instructional boxing, Fitness 4 Life, women’s self-defense classes, soul line dancing, hip-hop aerobics, nutrition education, leadership development, support for single mothers, and behavioral health and crisis counseling workshops.
HACP staff will also use the space to promote its in-house resident services, such as the Family Self-Sufficiency and Resident Employment programs and Digital Literacy Initiatives.
The HACP would like to thank Highmark Wholecare, the Buhl Foundation, and the Three Rivers Adoption Council for their generous support with this project. The Cheryl Gainey Wellness Center is also supported by HACP’s nonprofit, Clean Slate E3.
During Thursday’s ceremony, George Ifill, Senior Community Engagement & Growth Specialist with Highmark Wholecare, said Highmark Wholecare is a community-based mission-driven healthcare organization that believes in helping all patients physically, mentally, and emotionally.
“That’s why we are proud to support the reopening of the Cheryl Gainey Wellness Center,” he added. “Highmark Wholecare enjoys working with the Housing Authority. We have supported Virtual Parenting Classes, Senior Movie Nights, and wellness events, and we appreciate the HACP’s work to address all key aspects of a person’s health. Thank you for your work to reopen this important community site.”
Coach Dillard said he is excited to start a whole new physical fitness program for families at Allegheny Dwellings, and he and his team are striving to not just make the program about physical fitness, but also incorporate education.
He expressed his wish to take the youth on trips, such as to Washington, D.C., to which Mr. Binion promised the HACP would fund.
“Mr. B and his staff here are first class,” he said, expressing gratitude for the tireless efforts of the HACP executive, Resident Self-Sufficiency, Facility Services, and Community Affairs teams.
He and Chatman presented several plaques to HACP staff to recognize their contributions to the wellness center.
“We appreciate the vision and leadership of the Housing Authority,” Chatman said.
From the New York City Housing Authority's website:
In March, the inaugural cohort of NYCHA’s YouthBuild program in Brownsville, Brooklyn, began their six-month journey into an alternative education pathway aimed at providing them with the skills and support they need to succeed.
YouthBuild is an international program that supports young people ages 16 to 24 who left high school early and may have faced challenges in their personal lives, including being justice-involved, aging out of foster care, experiencing housing instability, and other risk factors. The program offers a community-based model where young people can gain valuable life skills and work experience through a blend of education, construction training, leadership development, and job placement support. NYCHA received a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for its YouthBuild program, which will serve young people ages 17 to 24.
This cohort is the first of two six-month cohorts that will be conducted through NYCHA’s YouthBuild, managed by NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES). “We are extremely excited to bring YouthBuild back to Brownsville,” said Lenese McPhie, Deputy Director of REES. “At the core of this program, we aspire to empower and build up our NYCHA youth into confident community leaders as they pursue their educational and career goals. Every young person in the program is unique, and we hope to create an environment where their voices are heard and dreams realized.”
In addition to a stipend and support services, the cohort is receiving classroom instruction on construction skills and safety training, including OSHA site safety training and National Center for Construction Education and Research construction technology credentials; hands-on construction training as they work to renovate affordable housing units in Brownsville and Ocean Hill, Brooklyn; and high school equivalency (HSE) instruction to help them pass the HSE exam (participants who already have their HSE will work towards another educational goal). They will also build their leadership skills and organize and participate in community service opportunities. Following their successful completion of the program, YouthBuild members receive 12 months of job placement and post-program support to help them obtain apprenticeships and entry-level construction positions.
NYCHA’s YouthBuild partners are Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation, Brooklyn Public Library, and Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation.
As part of a weeklong orientation held at the Langston Houses Community Center, Carver Houses Resident Association President Nina Saxon, an alumnus of YouthBuild, spoke to the cohort members about how her YouthBuild experience changed her life.
Ms. Saxon’s journey began as a teenager in her Spanish Harlem neighborhood in the late 1990s. She had dropped out of high school and was hanging with friends who were involved in risky behavior. Her father asked her, “What are you going to do with yourself?” and she didn’t yet know. However, a pivotal moment came when her close friends were arrested, which prompted Ms. Saxon to make a change. She walked into the location of the first YouthBuild program in East Harlem (Youth Action YouthBuild) and never looked back.
She shared how she “learned how to do blueprints, carpentry, math skills, and I also had an internship at a hospital. There’s a building on 117th and 2nd Avenue that I helped build brick by brick.” Ms. Saxon spoke of the personal challenges she faced during that experience, including losing both of her parents, but she was determined to earn her GED and build a better future for herself.
After receiving her GED thanks to support from YouthBuild, she pursued an undergraduate degree at Morgan State University, along with several other YouthBuild graduates. After graduating from college, she moved back home because she wanted to work and be a force for good in her community – she credits YouthBuild with helping instill love and care for her community. Ms. Saxon became an advocate for YouthBuild’s mission, working as Vice President of the YouthBuild National Alumni Council and traveling the country to talk about the benefits and results of the program. In addition to being the Resident Association President of Carver Houses, she also currently works for City Comptroller Brad Lander.
“This is a movement, and the work we do is never over,” Ms. Saxon said. “The reason I came here today is to tell you my story to give you some inspiration to see that you can do this. I started at YouthBuild when I was 17 and I’ve been on the board of directors for 30 years. You all will make history as the inaugural NYCHA group, and the next cohorts will look to what you did. Once a YouthBuild, always a YouthBuild.”
Ms. Saxon’s experience and advice resonated deeply with the participants, many of whom expressed aspirations to earn their GED, gain meaningful employment, and ultimately build better futures for themselves. YouthBuild member Aniyah said, “One goal I’m hoping to achieve from this program is to gain valuable skills that I would be able to use in my day-to-day life.” Fellow cohort member Kaliyah said she likes the program because of the support: “I like the feeling of warmth when I get here. It’s a struggle sometimes getting here, but I’m always glad when I make it. I would encourage others because it’s helping me.”