Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani: Good afternoon, everyone. It is a pleasure to be here at Edenwald Houses in the Bronx alongside so many friends, partners and residents as we mark the beginning of a new, brighter chapter for all who call this development home. Truly, it is so exciting to be here.

And I want to take a moment to acknowledge all of the leaders that we have here, together with us today, both inside and outside of our administration. I’ll start on the inside. We have our deputy mayor for Housing and Planning, Leila Bozorg, who is here with us. We have the CEO of NYCHA, Lisa Bova-Hiatt, who’s here with us. We have the executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, Cea Weaver, who is here with us.

And I want to go to leaders outside of our administration who have helped to make today possible. I want to start with a dear friend who is the speaker of the New York State Assembly, Carl Heastie, who is here. We have our state senator, Jamaal Bailey, with a friend, Congressman George Latimer. The Bronx [borough] president, Vanessa Gibson. We have Rick Gropper from Camber Property Group. And a special moment here for Walter McNeill, TA president. The only reason I’m standing before you as the mayor is because Walter did not run for mayor. So, thank you, Walter, for letting me have a shot.

Now, 70 years ago, when Edenwald Houses was first built, a young family, the Gonzalezes, moved from Manhattan into an apartment on the campus where we stand today. Here, Julia and Geraldo Gonzalez found a quality home, one provided by their government and one that they could actually afford. A home where their two sons, Jerry and Andy, had the space and freedom to learn how to play the trumpet, bass and conga. A home where those same two sons were provided the foundation they needed to grow into two of the greatest Latin jazz artists of all time.

But as the residents of Edenwald know all too well, in the decades since, the quality and opportunity that defined those early years became a thing of the past. After decades of disinvestment, the very rooms where families once played music became kitchens plagued with leaks, bathrooms covered in black mold, living rooms with broken floorboards and bedrooms without heat even in the dead of winter. Suffering replaced stability. For too many Edenwald tenants, misery was now the status quo.

Today, that long legacy of failure and neglect begins to come to an end. I’m so proud to announce that, thanks to the tireless organizing of Edenwald’s residents, the $783 million PACT conversion of this development is nearly complete.

I also want to recognize the work of our PACT team and our partners at Camber, Henge, and SAA | EVI, whose work made today possible. This is a momentous occasion. Today, more than 5,000 Edenwald residents are living in the decent, dignified homes that they deserve. Homes that have undergone comprehensive mold remediation and lead paint removal. Homes with upgraded bathrooms and kitchens, new flooring and paint jobs, and homes with reliable heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer.

This campus has been transformed with facade repairs, new roofs, enhanced security measures, and upgrades to lobbies and common spaces. And we are not stopping there.

Today also marks the official reopening of the Edenwald Community Center, the Susan Wagner Day Care and the Edenwald Senior Center — three vital hubs for community gathering and social services. Not only have these spaces been completely rejuvenated with upgraded windows, flooring and mechanical systems, but the senior center, which has been shuttered for the past 25 years, will also house Regional Aid for Interim Needs, a Bronx-based social services nonprofit that will provide essential programs and transportation for Edenwald seniors.

I am deeply, deeply grateful to everyone who has worked to bring this project to life. And I want to take a moment to recognize the Edenwald Tenant Association President Walter McNeill. If you know Edenwald, then you know Walter, because Walter spearheaded this initiative and ensured that residents’ voices were heard at every step of the conversion process.

And I want to acknowledge all of the TA leaders here today who are stewarding their communities through the PACT and Preservation Trust process.

I also want to commend my friend, Speaker Carl Heastie, for his unwavering support of this project, even when I was an assembly member, before I even ran for mayor. I feel like one of the words that you would hear Carl say, no matter where he was, was «Edenwald.» Didn’t matter what sentence, what conversation — it is a focus. And we know that without his deep dedication to the people of the Bronx, we would not be celebrating today. So truly, Carl, truly.

While the conclusion of this conversion marks a great step forward for our public housing system, we know that there is still more work to be done. That is why, in our historic housing plan, Block by Block, we vowed to transform NYCHA with a $5.6 billion investment, the largest capital commitment to NYCHA in decades and one that will support the revitalization of tens of thousands more homes.

Yet these investments are not and cannot simply be financial. They also must be, and will be, investments to empowering residents along the way. That’s why we are going to be holding forums after the conversion to ensure that we’re hearing residents from feedback. And it’s why we’re going to have other platforms to ensure that residents’ voices continue to be heard in this conversation.

Because what makes a home a home is not solely a new countertop and a better stove. It’s also the power to determine how your space is used, whether your space is maintained. It is the knowledge that where you live will remain a refuge for years to come. And it is the stability that comes from being able to raise a family, learn how to play music, gather with those you love under your own roof.

That is what every New Yorker deserves. It is the ideal upon which NYCHA was founded, and it is what we are delivering for all who call our public housing system home. Thank you all so much. Now, with that being said, I’m going to pass it over to our emcee for the day, CEO of NYCHA, Lisa Bova-Hiatt.

Lisa Bova-Hiatt, CEO, NYCHA: Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome again to Edenwald Houses, which happens to be NYCHA’s largest development in the Bronx. Today, we are indeed celebrating something large: the big impact that we make when we work together in service to the NYCHA community and to our city.

Through our collaboration, we are putting these vital hubs of the community — the community centers and senior centers at Edenwald — back into service so they can offer a wide range of programs and opportunities that uplift and empower, from resources that keep us healthy to those that keep us connected.

So, a huge thank you to all the parties involved: Mayor Mamdani,

… Council Member Riley, service providers R.A.I.N., Mosholu Montefiore and DYCD; my NYCHA colleagues Heather Beck and her team from Real Estate Development; and, of course, the residents of Edenwald Houses, including Tenant Association President Walter McNeill.

Together, we have brought $8.1 million in renovations to the Edenwald Community and Senior Centers, which means everything from new floors, walls and windows to upgraded building systems and accessibility and sustainability features that better serve participants to a beautiful new commercial kitchen, which is stunning, an event space and a computer lab.

And, of course, the icing on the cake is that the senior center has been renamed for Walter J. McNeill, who has served the community as Edenwald’s tenant association president for over 30 years and has lived at Edenwald for over 52 years.

Mr. McNeill, your service is emblematic of what we strive to do every day at NYCHA: serve as champions of the community by providing opportunities which elevate residents’ quality of life.

And this renovation work is emblematic of the progress that we’re making throughout the PACT program, which is radically transforming, improving and strengthening all of our developments across the city through billions of dollars of investment on behalf of thousands of residents, all while ensuring permanently affordable rent in perpetuity and connecting residents to valuable social services.

And just as it was enshrined in the Edenwald Community Plan, which is informing our larger $783 million PACT renovation here at Edenwald, our PACT work is driven by our fundamental and essential partnership with residents, by their input, needs and vision.

Thank you again, everyone, for enabling us to celebrate this achievement and all the life-changing, transformative opportunities that this represents. Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie: Alight, good afternoon, Edenwald. It’s always good to be with you. You know, I spent my entire life in this Assembly district. I played basketball here in Edenwald. I have family here in Edenwald. And so, it’s just a combination. And I know oftentimes government may not work as fast as we would like, but this has been a commitment, I’d say, from the city, the development partners, and when they came to me and said they needed additional funds, we were able to — I’m trying to get the staff to piece it all together — but it’s around $3 million in the construction for the food program and also for us to support the senior center.

It just shows the commitment. It’s the state money, on behalf of me and Senator Bailey, to just show Edenwald how much you mean to us, how important you are, how much we love you and how important it is.

And I don’t know if enough credit can be given to Walter for everything that he has done. I mean, through the good times, through the bad times, through the tough times, Walter has been a constant for Edenwald. And so, it’s good that he’s getting his flowers for all that he has done. And it’s just my pleasure to do what I can to help out and support the people here in Edenwald.

Bova-Hiatt: Thank you, Speaker Heastie. And now I’d like to introduce Camber’s founding principal, Rick Gropper.

Rick Gropper, Founding Principal, Camber Property Group: Thank you. Good afternoon, Edenwald. This is a really exciting day for us. Someone once told me it takes 20 years to become an overnight success. In our case here at Edenwald, in the residents’ case, it’s been 70 years. And we’re not there yet, but we are getting very close.

It really looks amazing here, and it doesn’t happen overnight. It requires partnership with the mayor, with the administration and the mayor’s amazing team, Deputy Mayor Bozorg, with the amazing team at NYCHA. We could not have better public-sector partners than we do now.

And it takes a whole lot of hard work, thousands of hours of people working through the day and the night to get the property that you see today. And I have to thank so many people who have really helped us bring this all together: our own team at Camber — Josh, Ben, Derek and a whole lot of other people who are here every single day — our construction team at L+M Builders. There are a whole lot of people who are here who have actually been putting in the blood, sweat and tears every single day, through every single season. So, thank you so much.

Of course, to our friends, a lot of friends back here, and elected officials — Speaker Heastie, Jamaal Bailey, George Latimer, BP Gibson, Kevin Riley, who is actually working for the people now at a stated meeting, so couldn’t make it. But just so many people involved who pulled this together to bring about the success that we have today.

So, we really owe a huge number of people a debt of gratitude to get to where we are. We still have a ways to go, and we’re working every day to maintain the conditions and maintain the property for the 2,000-plus people who live here.

Of course, my friend Walter McNeil. When I met Walter in 2020, he had two demands. Number one, «I want my senior center open.» And number two, «Are you sure you want to get involved in this?» And I said, «Yes, no problem» on one, and I said, «I don’t know, we’ll see what happens» on two.

And there have been some surprises along the way, but the best surprise is the friendship that I have developed with Walter. He is amazing and so deserving of all of the praise that he’s gotten. He is caring and passionate and dedicated. There’s nobody who is a bigger champion for Edenwald Houses than Walter, and we’re all so grateful for his involvement.

And we are thrilled to name the senior center in his honor later today. So, I cannot say enough. I love this guy so much. And can I — should I introduce him?

[Crosstalk.]

Assembly Speaker Heastie: Sorry to take the mic back, but I forgot to mention something. I see Shay and Meghan in the back. We’re also sponsoring the membership drive for the YMCA for the residents of Edenwald Houses. So, if you want to be a member of Edenwald, just make sure you talk to Walter, Shay and Megan, because we’re sponsoring the memberships at the Y for Edenwald.

Bova-Hiatt: Thank you, Rick. And thank you, Speaker Heastie. I feel like the next speaker needs absolutely no introduction. Who do you think it’s going to be?

[Crosstalk.]

Walter J. McNeil, TA president of Edenwald Houses.

Walter J. McNeil, President, Edenwald Houses Tenant Association: Thank you, everyone. Thank you. I’m so excited, I don’t know what to do. I was trying to hold my tears back, you know. I really appreciate everybody that came out.

I just want to say, my Tenant Association Board, please stand up. Are you here? Please stand up. Without them, we couldn’t have made it. They’re all of my backbone.

We have a lot of mothers that was resident watch, tenant patrol, that would sit in the hallways when we had our drug epidemic. Are you here, ladies? And there was a lot of people that was part of what is being made now.

Twenty-five years ago, they shut down the senior center. When COVID virus hit, the seniors were locked in their apartments. You know, a lot of them passed away. We had to go — it was sad. I hate to get so graphic, but sometimes we’d knock on their doors and they were gone.

And it just enhanced us more to get this new senior center open so they could have a safe haven and a safe place to come to, because they didn’t have any place to go. I tried to talk them out of their apartments. They were scared to death. And it was sad.

We tried for 25 years to get this senior center open. As soon as PACT came, they said, «Yes, we’ll help you get that senior center.» And that’s what they did. And we’re so grateful for that. And Mr. Rick was definitely part of it, and he said, «This is what we’re going to do.» And Camber, we’re so happy that they got involved. L&M, you know, it’s been a great team. It’s been a great family.

People would come to me — the residents would come to me — and say, «Why did you pick those people?» Because they felt uncomfortable with a change. «Why did you — you messed up our development.» And I say to them simply, «If somebody comes to you with almost a billion dollars and says, ‘I want to fix up your home,’ what would you tell them?»

And all the people that criticized when PACT and Camber and L&M came, they’re quiet now. So, I wanted to ask them, «How do you like the apartment?» «Oh, it’s nice, you know.»

I said, «But you guys, you were nailing me to the wall a couple of years ago, trying to run me out of here.»

So, we are very blessed to meet everybody that’s involved in redoing this whole development. It’s beautiful. It is sheer beauty. If we go around the developments and look at the smaller buildings and larger buildings, it’s beyond belief, you know. And I’m grateful to be part of that.

And I am grateful and very humbled to have that senior center named after me. But I didn’t do it alone; I had people with me. And there’s a long fight, but it was worth it.

And we’re so glad that everyone is here, especially the elected officials. Carl Heastie, Speaker Carl Heastie, was the main person that came and dealt with me every day. And what he would say to me is, «How you doing? What do you need?»

I was, you know — he’s sponsoring the senior center. He just gave us — with 5,000 people here, he just gave us a new pantry. And we love him to death.

Sometimes I’d go around to the back, I’d see him out there playing, and I’d say, «You don’t have a bodyguard or something?» You know, he just walks around like a regular resident. And I said, «Oh, my goodness.»

But it’s [great] to have him. And same thing with Council Member Riley. He’d walk around — Riley used to hang out here with the girls around here, you know? I used to say to Riley, «How are you going to run for something and you never smile?» Now I see his face all over it, a nice grin on it. I said, «Oh, my goodness.»

I’ve been knowing everybody here for 30, 40 years, you know, and I’m really overwhelmed. Sometimes I’m lost for words. I’m not a speaker, but I always say what I feel.

But we’re blessed to have everyone — Camber and the PACT program. And we thank the Housing Authority, too, because they introduced us to that.

And with the largest development in the Bronx and 5,000 people here — can you imagine 5,000 people here? The largest development in the Bronx. And we have all this beautiful space and beautiful apartments, beautiful doorways, lobbies, beautiful parks. We have a beautiful track and field where we can walk the seniors around. It’s amazing.

And I just want to say thank you again. I’m overwhelmed with thank you.

Mayor Mamdani: Now, it is truly my honor.

[Crosstalk.]

It is truly my honor to present you — if we can have your sons over here, please come on up. Your daughter as well, please.

You know, I think you’ve heard from everyone what Walter means to this community. I also want to make it very clear, Walter, what you mean to the city as a whole. You are an example of someone who leads. You led through tough times, and you brought us to this point where we had something to celebrate.

And, you know, I heard from his kids earlier, we were listing all of his accomplishments. They said, «Don’t forget he’s a great father, too.» So, for a man who has been a leader at home and a leader in the world, it is my privilege and honor to announce the renaming of the senior center to be the Walter J. McNeil Senior Center.

Let’s have a real round of applause for Walter J. McNeil! We are blessed. We are blessed to have you.

Question: Can you share how many units have been repaired so far and how much of the $783 million is going toward building repairs?

Mayor Mamdani: Yes, so I’ll start off, and I’m going to pass it over to the team to add some additional details. But just to give an overview, the full modernization project is $783 million. That includes a modernization of individual units. It also includes modernization of community, senior [and] childcare centers. The community, senior and childcare centers come out to about $8.1 million. I’ll have the team just add an additional detail.

Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning: Most units are done. The project overall is about 94 to 95 percent done. I think what remains is some landscaping work. I don’t know, Rick, if there’s more you want to say, but the vast majority of the project is done, and there’s just some — and the units are complete.

[Crosstalk.]

Question: Thank you. My question is regarding — we’ve spoken to residents who are part of the NYCHA PACT conversion, and they’ve said that they were unhappy after because of the materials used were seen as cheap or not good in their apartments. How can you ensure that that doesn’t happen here at Edenwald Houses, and how can we maintain accountability with management and the PACT program?

Mayor Mamdani: I really appreciate this question, because what we appreciate about our partners at Camber and others who are here as well is what their vision is for this development, the promises they have made here at this development to NYCHA residents. And what we also make clear is that with every promise comes accountability. And we will all work together to ensure that’s exactly what we’re delivering.

You know, Walter said it earlier, but the best response to doubt and critique are the results you can deliver. The very people who were doubting whether this was the right way to go are now the ones who are benefiting from those kinds of apartments. So, we will always continue to ensure that we’re delivering exactly that.

And when it comes to a PACT transformation, I want to just make very clear that that still means it’s a fundamentally public operation, right? We’re talking about NYCHA retaining ownership of the land, the buildings, a key oversight role and residents maintaining their same fundamental rights.

The key difference [is that] it allows the city to utilize a greater amount of funding to transform these same properties. And when we are facing a $78 billion capital backlog, the city has a responsibility to use every tool so that it can deliver that dignity back to these residents, because the one word that I think NYCHA residents are the most tired of hearing is to “wait.»

[Crosstalk.]

Mayor Mamdani: And before we go to off topic, if we could have another round of applause for all the electeds here, for Walter, truly, Speaker Heastie, Borough President Gibson, State Senator Jamaal Bailey, Congressman Latimer. Truly.

Question: Can you shed light on why your former advance head, Valentine Sanders, got fired earlier this month?

Mayor Mamdani: So, like many other mayoral administrations before us, we are continually evaluating how best to structure our teams and ensure that we have the right people in the right positions to deliver on our priorities for New Yorkers. Beyond that, I won’t be adding any comment on personnel decisions.

[Crosstalk.]

Question: Can you please explain why you’ve only signed one bill so far and simply let the others go into effect? And also, do you believe it’s important for the mayor to sign legislation?

Mayor Mamdani: [Sorry], is there more to the question?

Question: Also, why sign only the outdoor dining bill?

Mayor Mamdani: Thank you for the question. I think the most important thing is that New Yorkers can see pieces of legislation becoming law. And whether we sign that legislation or it lapses into law, the impact is the same to New Yorkers across the city.

And we’re excited to keep working with the Council, whether it is on signing more bills or seeing the passage of additional bills. But most important is to deliver new results to New Yorkers. Thank you so much.