A native New Yorker from Coney Island, Karen moved into New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Red Hook Houses after becoming a young mom. Four decades later, Karen continues to call the same Houses home. She has become active in Red Hook’s community over the years. Inspired by the community and its potential, Karen started to learn skills that helped her better understand the neighborhood and the buildings she saw slowly fall apart. She picked up skills in trades, environmental consulting, and local organizing, all of which she channels to develop and vocalize resident-friendly solutions. Now, as the president of Red Hook West and an appointee to the Public Housing Preservation Trust Board, Karen is proposing innovative approaches to enhance New York’s public housing for all residents.

NYCHA is at a critical inflection point. It faces a $40B funding gap needed to repair buildings to turn them into safe and just homes for the New Yorkers that call them home. Deferred and neglected maintenance and repairs continue to exacerbate the situation for residents, causing health and safety worries for Karen and her neighbors across NYCHA. To determine how to fund repairs, NYCHA is engaging its residents in a development-by-development vote. This presents a unique opportunity: residents have a seat at the table.

Karen wants to take advantage of this unique opportunity by engaging residents deeply and honestly through a new initiative called the Public Housing Civic Association (PHCA). PCHA aims to advance resident decision-making, provide accountability, and ensure access to resources and education about key issues within NYCHA and how they can be resolved. With 340,000 New Yorkers living in NYCHA, ensuring every household has accurate information is a challenge. Karen wants to debunk myths about NYCHA buildings and break down the reality of options on which residents will vote.

Karen has a superpower to bring together different stakeholders that impact NYCHA communities. She tours and educates groups ranging from academics, community leaders, policymakers, architects, and engineers to center residents’ voices and needs. Through PHCA, Karen will leverage her organizing to provide resources, education, and accountability for NYCHA’s improvements.