The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) has significant gaps in its oversight of contractors performing repairs, according to a recent audit by City Comptroller Brad Lander.
The report, released on Wednesday, revealed that nearly half of sampled purchase orders lacked evidence that work was performed, raising concerns about fraud, waste and inadequate monitoring.
In 2022 and 2023, NYCHA spent $135.6 million on smaller-scale repairs, yet it failed to evaluate vendor performance or allow residents to provide feedback. A survey by the Comptroller’s Office found that 93% of residents were never asked to rate the work done in their apartments.
“NYCHA spends hundreds of millions of dollars on repair vendors every year but fails to ensure the work is actually done,” Lander said. “Let residents rate the vendors—like Yelp or countless other apps—and use that feedback to hold contractors accountable.”
The audit found that nearly 46% of the value of purchase orders reviewed lacked proof of completed work; smaller contracts, under $50,000, faced minimal scrutiny; and only 46% of surveyed residents rated repair work as “good” or better, while 30% rated it as “poor.”
The report, titled Repairs, Reviews, and Resident Voice, recommends implementing a resident feedback system modeled on apps like Yelp. The proposed tool would allow residents to rate contractors and generate public vendor scorecards. Feedback would be integrated into NYCHA’s decision-making process for awarding future contracts.
“Residents know their homes best,” said Beverly MacFarlane, a member of the NYCHA Resident Audit Committee. “A feedback system could ensure contractors deliver quality work and end the cycle of broken promises.”
The audit was informed by NYCHA’s first-ever Resident Audit Committee, established by the Comptroller in 2022. The committee surveyed more than 1,000 residents, held listening sessions and selected the topic for review.
The findings come amidst broader concerns about NYCHA’s management, including past corruption scandals involving 70 officials accepting bribes.
While NYCHA has taken steps to improve oversight, Lander emphasized that incorporating resident voices remains critical.
