By: Murray Greenberg
The NYCHA continues to be embattled in controversy and scandal.
NYCHA Chairman Greg Russ was exposed for spending $40K in travel expenses in 2 years at his previous at his last job, general manager Vito Mustaciuolo has been slammed by protesters over his attitude and alleged sexism towards women and NYC’s Projects are spiraling out of control with violence.
The new head of the New York City Housing Authority averaged nearly one business trip a month over more than two years at his last job — and racked up more than $40,000 in travel expenses doing it, The N.Y Post reported.
Records obtained under Minnesota’s Data Practices Act show that Russ took 27 trips between February 2017 and July 2019, before he left to take his lucrative new job in the Big Apple.
Russ’ receipts show he regularly exceeded the rules that govern how much New York City employees are allowed to spend on lodging during work-related trips, according to the Post.
Meanwhile, The NY Daily News reported: Demonstrators demanded the resignation of New York City Housing Authority’s general manager Vito Mustaciuolo recently over allegations he mistreated women subordinates and made racially charged statements on the job.
About 20 protesters picketed NYCHA’s offices at 250 Broadway with signs that said “STOP THE MISOGYNY,” “MUSTACIUOLO MUST GO” and “MAKE THE REPAIRS.”
Since Mustaciuolo became the authority’s general manager in Feb. 2018, some 18 high-level staffers have quit or been forced out — including 14 women A previous Daily News report discovered that he belittles females.
“Enough is enough,” said Reginald Bowman, president of the Seth Low Houses Tenant Association. “He’s got to go. We need new management and we need to bring people in who are going to actually be able to do the job”, the Daily News quoted.
While the city enjoys a 4% decrease in serious crime so far this year, NYC Housing Authority complexes saw a 5% increase in the seven index crimes, according to NYPD data through Sept. 1, the N.Y Post exposed.
Murders surged 17% compared to the same period last year, and shootings were up 13%. Citywide, murders were down 4%, and shootings up 8%.
The 22-building Wagner Houses in East Harlem has become a battleground for gangbangers, with a 15% overall crime increase. It was the only NYCHA complex in the Top 5 in each of the four violent-crime categories — murder, rape, robbery and assault — according to a Post analysis of the Compstat data.
