At the Call Center opening were (l. to r.): Vilma Huertas of NYCHA, Hernandez, Maloney, NYCHA Board Member JoAnna Aniello, NYCHA Vice Chairman Earl Andrews and Podmore.

On August 23, Congressmember Carolyn Maloney (D-Queens/Manhattan), along with leaders of the New York City Housing Authority, celebrated the opening of the new NYCHA call center at the Ravenswood Houses in Long Island City. The call center will allow Queens public housing residents to schedule routine maintenance and repair of their apartments at times convenient to them, eliminating the need for residents to wait for repair workers to arrive. Residents can make or change appointments seven days a week, 24 hours a day by calling 718-707-7771.

NYCHA leaders attending the event included Tino Hernandez, NYCHA chairman, NYCHA General Manager Douglas Apple and NYCHA Deputy General Manager for Operations Robert Podmore, who spearheaded the project.

“This call center means that Queens residents can get service on their time, not on NYCHA’s time,” Maloney said. “Chairman Hernandez and his team ought to be congratulated for taking the initiative to make tenants’ lives a little easier. I think we've all had the frustrating experience of waiting hours for the plumber—or worse, the cable guy—to arrive. I’m thrilled that residents can now get repair visits that fit into their busy lives.”