Help Save Section 9 Get Our Report Into the Official Record by August 1st

Aloha Neighbors,

Shout out to everyone that attended the hearing on July 29th. Unfortunately, the hearing itself demonstrated one of the report's central findings.

More than 60 residents registered to testify in person, but only 26 residents were called before the hearing ended. The majority of registered speakers—including me—were denied the opportunity to testify simply because the hearing was adjourned at 8:00 p.m. 

That makes your written comments even more important.

The public comment period remains open until August 1. Every resident and ally should submit written comments supporting the report.


Do Something

  1. Download the attached report. Attach it to your email.

  2. Send the report and your comments to:

    • NYCHA annualplancomments@nycha.nyc.gov

    • HUD PublicHousingPolicyQuestions@hud.gov

Include one or two personal examples. Personal stories matter. For example:

  • How PACT privatization affects your development.

  • Repair issues that speak to ongoing delays and how NYCHA prioritizes investing in PACT properties.

  • Why Section 9 matters to you.

  • What Section 9 has made possible for you and your family.

  • Why public housing should remain public.

Copy your elected officials, tenant association, resident leaders, neighbors, and anyone who supports preserving public housing. Tell them why this matters to you.

Sample Email


Subject: Public Comment on NYCHA's FY 2027 Draft Annual Plan


Dear NYCHA Board Members and HUD Review Staff,

I am a resident of __________________ Houses in NYCHA's public housing portfolio.

OR

I am an ally of NYCHA residents and submit these comments in support of preserving Section 9 public housing.

I am submitting comments on NYCHA's FY 2027 Draft Public Housing Agency Annual Plan and have attached Beyond Compliance, the comprehensive resident review prepared by Save Section 9.

After reviewing the Draft Annual Plan, I agree with Save Section 9's principal finding:

The Draft Annual Plan demonstrates compliance with many HUD reporting requirements, but it does not consistently demonstrate accountability or articulate a clear vision for the future of public housing.

The attached report demonstrates that NYCHA repeatedly describes programs and policies without adequately explaining why major decisions were made, what alternatives were evaluated, how resident recommendations influenced policy, or how success will ultimately be measured.

I am particularly concerned that the Draft Annual Plan continues to advance privatization-based strategies without demonstrating that publicly accountable alternatives—including Comprehensive Modernization of Section 9 public housing—were meaningfully evaluated before irreversible decisions were advanced.

I respectfully urge NYCHA and HUD to:

  • Reject the FY 2027 Draft Annual Plan unless substantial revisions are made.

  • Institute a nationwide moratorium on new RAD conversions, PACT transactions, and Section 18 demolitions until an independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) evaluation is completed.

  • Adopt Comprehensive Modernization as NYCHA's preservation-first strategy for Section 9 public housing.

  • Strengthen transparency, accountability, and meaningful resident participation throughout the Annual Plan process.

  • Publish the complete public comment matrix before submitting the Final Annual Plan to HUD so residents can understand how public comments influenced the final document.

  • Hold NYCHA leadership accountable for recurring governance failures and appoint leadership committed to preservation, transparency, accountability, and meaningful resident participation.

I am also deeply concerned that the July 29 public hearing concluded before the majority of registered speakers were given the opportunity to testify. Residents who followed NYCHA's procedures should not be denied the opportunity to speak because an arbitrary end time has been reached.

Public housing is a public asset that serves more than 500,000 New Yorkers. Decisions regarding its future should be transparent, evidence-based, and shaped by meaningful resident participation before irreversible actions are taken.

I respectfully request that these comments and the attached Save Section 9 report be included in the official record and fully considered before the FY 2027 Annual Plan is approved.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully,

Name: ______________________

Development: ______________________

Email: ______________________

Help Us Spread the Word


Please forward your email to:

  • Your neighbors

  • Tenant Association leaders

  • Resident associations

  • NYCHA developments across the city

  • Community organizations

  • Faith leaders

  • Labor unions

  • Advocacy organizations

  • Elected officials at city council (your council member and Julie Menin), your state assembly person and state senator, and congress person.

The more comments NYCHA and HUD receive, the harder it becomes to ignore the concerns raised by public housing residents.

One Final Thought


Save Section 9 believes that public housing decisions should be transparent, evidence-based, and shaped by meaningful resident participation before irreversible actions are taken.

Thank you for standing with us last night and for helping ensure that residents—not just agencies—help shape the future of public housing.

Wednesday August 5th at 7pm we will be on ZOOM holding our leadership session. We are going to be shifting our focus back to our solutions for section 9 and away from NYCHA. Our current priority is getting a national moratorium on RAD/PACT and demolitions. Simultaneously, we have to develop strategies for each of our revenue streams. 

This work can not be done by a handful of Section 9 tenants. Saving our homes is our collective responsibility. See you on August 5th!

In solidarity,

Ramona Ferreyra

Tenant, Mitchel Houses
Founder, Save Section 9

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