More than 8,000 public housing units sit empty across NYC
City lawmakers are pressing the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) over the unexpectedly high number of vacant public housing units, which far exceeds previous estimates. While there are about 240,000 families on the waitlist for NYCHA apartments, the authority’s dashboard shows roughly 6,000 units are empty. However, when including units held for resident relocations, those needing major repairs, and units repurposed for community use, the total vacant count rises to over 8,600. A major issue highlighted is the lengthy turnaround time to fill these vacancies, which averages nearly a year due to extensive necessary repairs and upgrades.
The slow unit turnover exacerbates the housing crisis, leaving many shelter residents and vulnerable households waiting for relocation. Only 500 shelter residents moved into NYCHA apartments last year, with expectations to double that this year—still below the 1,500 who relocated in 2021. Additionally, about 2,000 households seeking transfers due to domestic violence remain on waitlists, causing serious concern among city officials. Despite the vacancy rate being around 4.5%, slightly below the national average of 5.3%, council members criticize NYCHA for its inefficiency in addressing urgent housing needs amid a deep affordability crisis.
Original Article
https://therealdeal.com/new-york/2025/06/17/nycha-vacant-unit-count-worse-than-realized/
