Information about NYCHA contracts, spending and payroll has been made publicly available on a new city website.
Comptroller Scott M. Stringer and NYCHA said Checkbook NYC provides near real-time data on the Mayoral agencies’ budget, revenue, spending, contracts and payroll enabling New Yorkers to see how the largest public housing authority in the country spends its dollars with external vendors and contractors hired to perform services.
“City government must work for the benefit of all New Yorkers — and that requires full transparency in every agency,” said Stringer.
“This announcement brings us that much closer to achieving an open government that is accountable, approachable and accessible to everyone. More transparency and disclosure will help build a new level of public trust — and NYCHA residents deserve nothing less.”
A federal monitor was appointed last year to oversee NYCHA following years of mismanagement that resulted in a federal lawsuit.
Comptroller Stringer and Chair Gregory Russ reached a joint agreement to publicly display the agency’s financial information and enable the general public, good government groups and government officials to review how and where budgeted dollars are spent within NYCHA.
The Comptroller’s Office will upload NYCHA spending and contract data from NYCHA’s ORACLE Financial system, as well as payroll data from New York City Office of Payroll Administration (OPA) on a daily basis.
NYCHA will be categorized within Checkbook NYC application as “Other Government Entities” along with the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
“NYCHA is committed to bringing a new level of transparency and accountability to our budgeting processes and we are excited to partner with the Comptroller on this important initiative,” said NYCHA Chairman & CEO Greg Russ.
“Giving more citizens, elected officials, and community stakeholders the ability to see how we are allocating our resources is essential to restoring trust in the Authority and the work that we’re doing to improve the lives of NYCHA residents.”
In 2010, the New York City Comptroller’s Office launched the beta version of Checkbook NYC, an online transparency tool that for the first time placed the City’s day-to-day spending in the public domain.
The updates announced this week are the fourth update to Checkbook NYC since he took office. Previously, the Comptroller’s Office added sub-vendor spending, data from the City’s Economic Development Corporation and included information about minority- and women-owned businesses.
NYCHA budget, revenue and M/WBE data will be made available in a future update.
Since a federal monitor was appointed to oversee NYCHA, three reports have been issued with detailed plans for lead-paint remediation and abatement, mold abatement, heating services, elevator services, waste management, pest control, and the periodic inspections of units.
In his most recent report, federal monitor Bart M. Schwartz said, “Now that NYCHA is beginning to initiate the changes set out in these actions plans, the residents should see more work taking place at their developments. But NYCHA must develop a strategy to coordinate all of these efforts.”
