CWA 1180 - News

Toya Richardson
Human Resources Administration:

The housing crisis will get worse before it gets better, so Local 1180 should consider following DC 37 in advocating for its members to be able to live outside of the five boroughs. This may not solve the crisis, but we cannot stay here if we cannot afford to. I live in a Mitchell Lama coop in Manhattan. If my building opts out of Mitchell Lama, I would have to consider moving out of the city. My income does not allow me to pay market rent.

Even if contract negotiations are successful and we get the raise Local 1180 demands, I still would not be able to live here without Mitchell Lama. I know this union feels that we should combat things based on principle (which is why we are still waiting for our 1 percent productivity raise), but we have to face reality.

The plan to change the face of New York City has been in the works for a long time, and our voices should have been loud way before the housing crisis came to this point. Now, our members are caught in between a rock and a hard place. We need options and fast. Unless 1180 can come up with a way to help the members now, we need to put reality before principle.

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Sonia Martinez
Administration for Children's Services:

Lifting the residency requirement for City workers would not be a positive move. This would definitely open the door for residents outside of New York to take jobs from people who are living and raising their families here.

This proposal is also an insult to our intelligence: The City would rather give us this “grand opportunity” than increase our income so that we can afford to live in the city that we serve. Lifting the residency requirement will not increase our quality of life. In fact, allowing City workers to move outside of the city would pass on additional commuting costs. I hope the union chooses not to pursue this possibility and instead focuses on getting us some compensation so that we can continue to live and work here.

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Mohamed Arif
Health and Hospitals Corporation

Local 1180 should support lifting the city residency requirement because the rents here are very high and property values in the city are exorbitant. If the residency requirement is lifted members will at least have alternatives.

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Zhoura Rivera
Department of Health

I strongly believe that the residency requirement should be lifted. Rents in New York City have increased enormously. I have lived in New York City my entire life and have worked for the City for 19 years. During that time, I have relocated from borough to borough seeking affordable rent. I now live in Far Rockaway, traveling to and from lower Manhattan to work, one and a half hours each way. If the residency requirement were lifted, I could live in New Jersey, save $200 a month on rent, and decrease my travel time to 45 minutes each way!

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Purush Panicker
Dept. of Environmental Protection

I think the City should eliminate the residency rule. We should support DC 37 in this and it should be a proposal in the next round of negotiations.

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Piercestein Ford
Human Resources Administration

No, we shouldn't lift the residency requirement. I have the same concern as the City Council members. City jobs would be taken by people living outside of the city, limiting job opportunities for city residents. Isn't it in the best interest of our city that monies earned by City employees for the most part stay in our city? Is there a reason why the housing crunch can not be resolved by revitalization within our five boroughs?

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Israel Cerrato
Health and Hospitals Corporation

I believe that the City should strongly consider lifting the residency requirement. The cost of living is continually rising for city residents and home ownership is nearly impossible.

The average cost of a one-bedroom apartment is $950 and a two-bedroom $1,200 a month. The income City workers make is nowhere near what's needed to cover these rising rents.

Let's be real: The backbone of the city is the average City worker, who consistently gets the shaft. We are the voters, the taxpayers. If politicians are worried about City workers losing jobs to people living outside the city, let's give incentives to people who live here, such as 15 points on civil service exams, tax breaks, or discounts on public transportation.

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Teresa L. Williams
Human Resources Administration

New York City is a great place to live if you can afford it. But most working class people who are not already established here can't. Real cost-of-living increases should be a union issue. If we can't win that, we must fight against the residency requirement.

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Lowell Goldberg
Health and Hospitals Corporation

While I believe people should be allowed to live anywhere they like, I also understand the concerns on the opposite side over limiting job opportunities for city residents. A simple compromise might be in order.

Perhaps requiring city residence for the first two, three, or five years of City employment would preserve employment opportunities for city residents, yet still permit employees the chance for a suburban lifestyle once their commitment is completed.

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Waleska Narvaez
Department of Health

The cost of living in New York City is high and it's not getting any better. City wages are not competitive. Lifting the ban on living outside the city would give City workers a better opportunity to pursue the American dream of owning a home.

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Anne-Marie C. Mills
Department of Education

I see new houses being built in every neighborhood, but they are not affordable to low-income families. The union should meet with City officials to formulate a plan where low-income earners would be able to purchase houses at affordable rates. Most of these new houses have still not been purchased. Why? Because the prices are above what low-income earners can afford. Have workshops to teach the least fortunate ways to save and how to purchase a home. Unions should help their members in every way possible.

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Ian Brandsdorfer
Department of Transportation

I think City residency should be required for the first five years of service. This would ensure that New York City residents will be the ones to get city jobs.

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Satvinder Singh
School Construction Authority

Yes, lifting the residency requirement it is the right remedy for the housing crunch. City employees who have lived in rented apartments for many years will be able to buy a house. They will be able to live with a sense of security. Their children will have more room to play, get a chance to be closer to nature and farther away from pollution.

The fear of members of the City Council that City jobs would be taken by people living outside of the city is right. On the other hand, this might be good for the City as more and more competent people will join the City workforce.

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Tamiko McLaurin
Health and Hospitals Corporation

Yes, the residency policy should be lifted. Living in New York City is becoming too expensive. We shouldn't be penalized if we decide to move to a state or county that is cheaper. Our paychecks just aren't keeping up with the cost of living.

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Aida Sanchez
Human Resources Administration

I believe that the residency rule should be lifted, or else we should receive larger wage increase along with a cost-of-living adjustment. New York City is no longer affordable for the middle class. We in the middle are being squeezed into poverty.

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Thundiyath Babukutty
Department of Environmental Protection

I support DC 37's decision about the residency requirement. Our union should negotiate for the same in the next contract.

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Arthuree Gadsden
School Construction Authority

No, the residency requirement shouldn't be lifted for City workers, because City jobs would be taken by people living outside of the city, limiting employment and housing opportunities for city residents.

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Cecilia Korbonits
Department of Small Business Services

Please negotiate so that the City residency requirement is canceled.

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Ailsa Hernandez
School Construction Authority

As with many of our members, I am concerned about people from other states coming to fill positions with the City. It is extremely difficult to live in the city already; this would make things like transportation and parking horrendous. And lifting the residency requirement won't solve the housing crunch: Many people will decide to stay in the city, and many more people will move into the city from other areas because of commuting difficulties. Living in the city and working for the City used to be considered a privilege. What happened?

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Antoinette Drago
Health and Hospitals Corporation

Where's the evidence that the City can fill its jobs with qualified residents who live in its five boroughs? Can the City guarantee access to affordable, violation-free housing in safe communities for its employees, many of whom receive modest incomes? I suspect the answer is no.

City workers should have the opportunity to improve their living conditions and move to better school districts when the City itself has come up short in providing a quality of life and educational standards acceptable to its employees and their families. The residency requirement should be eliminated.

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