Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams chatting to Annie Cotton Morris (seated), president of the Woodside Houses Tenants Association, Tuesday morning (Photo: Twitter/@NYCMayor)
Aug. 2, 2022 By Czarinna Andres
Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams were at the Woodside Houses NYCHA complex this morning to announce plans to improve the heating and cooling systems for residents in NYCHA housing developments across the city.
The plan calls for the installation of what’s called an “electric heat pump” in 30,000 units, which would provide tenants in each apartment with the ability to control the heat—or keep their units cool— throughout the year.
The pumps would help decarbonize NYCHA buildings, which currently rely on boiler systems in winter that require fossil fuels. The new devices, powered by electricity, will also reduce the need for pipes that are susceptible to freeze in winter.
The state is spending $70 million on the program but plans to expand the initiative in the future. There are approximately 162,000 NYCHA units in 277 developments across the city.
“We are creating a healthy environment for NYCHA residents…and are transitioning to fossil-free sources of heating while addressing heating and cooling initiatives in our buildings,” Hochul said.
Hochul said that the technology will help combat climate change, something that residents of Woodside and neighboring communities saw first-hand with Hurricane Ida last year.
“We have seen the ravages of climate change right here in Woodside, East Elmhurst and neighborhood communities,” Hochul said. “I saw communities battered and houses flooded.”
The technology behind the electric heat pump stemmed from a competition—called The Clean Heat for All Challenge—that was launched in December. The competition called on industry to come up with an environmentally friendly, low-cost heating/cooling system.
Mayor Eric Adams assured NYCHA residents in Woodside this morning that their quality-of-life matters and noted that NYCHA residents would be the first to receive this technology.
“We promised that NYCHA would not be left behind,” Adams said.
Mayor Eric Adams at Woodside Houses Tuesday morning to announce a $70 million investment in clean air technology at NYCHA housing developments (Photo: twitter/@NYCMayor)
Councilmember Julie Won who represents the district was also in attendance, and tweeted “Since August 2021, our neighbors in NYCHA Woodside Houses have been living without heat and hot water. Access to sustainable, environmentally friendly heat sources are a necessity.”
“Installing 150,000 electric heat pumps in NYCHA complexes across our city is an important step towards a greener New York.” Won said.
Since August 2021, our neighbors in NYCHA Woodside Houses have been living without heat and hot water. Hurricane Ida flooded the outdated heating plants, and they were never fixed. Access to sustainable, environmentally friendly heat sources are a necessity. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/M21tzTufZA
— Council Member Julie Won (@CMJulieWon) August 2, 2022
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11 Comments
They should really wear a high quality mask especially around the elderly and when indoors and outdoors with large groups. You know like follow their own advice!!!
While this all sounds like a necessary plan, curious to know if electricity is included in the rent NYCHA residents pay. If not, then how will they afford to pay their electric bills which will no doubt skyrocket after these pumps are installed.
NYCHA, rather than the residents, pays for electricity – this arrangement is called “master-metering.” Residents in master-metered NYCHA developments use 4 times as much, on average, as residents who pay their own electricity bills.
This is a VERY common way of wiring buildings the world over, it’s not unique to NYCHA at all. In fact a fourth othem aren’t master-metered. Imagine being this gullible ?
Your data is from 2016, Hochul proposed lowering energy costs in public housing. Thanks for supporting the initiative!
Obviously most people will use more of something when someone else is paying for it. Just like water usage. Heat, electric and water is included in my rent. So my a/c is on all day in the summer, electric heater all day in winter and i do daily loads of laundry with my portable washer/dryer that i bought with my stimulus money. You want to save the planet be my guest. I dont have the privilege of going green, becoming vegan and buying organic!!
The bill creeps up. But they don’t pay anything so what do they care?
Electrictity is folded into their rent. My cousin pays $58 a month for EVERYTHING.
Good solution. Where was the QB President Donovan Richards? He never misses a photo op.
https://queenspost.com/man-shot-in-face-by-bike-riding-suspect-at-queensbridge-houses-nycha-complex.
Frank Roosevelt is spinning in his grave from what his party has done to his new deal.
Great idea!
Fantastic idea.
Technology is here.
Why is any private house burning oil for hot water and heat?
Now, let’s make certain we don’t buy equipment from China!
Not a bad idea, but if we greatly decrease the reliance on clean LNG, and wind power and solar(right now at 6% of usage) will not be available/affordale, are we prejudice if we tell people to sleep in their coats in the winter?