Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Monday, April 19, 1999

Release #133-99

Contact: Sunny Mindel/Matthew Higgins (212) 788-2958


MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF JOHN G. MARTINEZ AS CHAIRMAN OF THE NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced the appointment of John G. Martinez as Chairman of the New York City Housing Authority. Mr. Martinez is currently a First Vice President at PaineWebber, Inc., and will bring to NYCHA almost two decades of public and private sector experience in housing-related issues. His appointment is effective Monday, April 26, 1999.

"Throughout his career, John has built an impressive record of achievement and has proven himself an expert in the complex issues surrounding the management of public housing," Mayor Giuliani said. "Today, the New York City Housing Authority ranks among the best public housing systems in the nation. As a former Deputy General Manager of NYCHA, and as someone who has served in high level management positions in other public housing agencies, John has the leadership skills to build upon NYCHA's successful reforms over the last five years."

"I am very pleased to join this Administration and look forward to pursuing the Mayor's agenda of enhancing the quality of life for the residents of NYCHA," Mr. Martinez said. "Under Mayor Giuliani's leadership, NYCHA has reinvented itself as a first-rate public housing program that provides quality housing for more than half a million New Yorkers. As Chairman, I will work to ensure that NYCHA continues to fulfill its mandate while remaining accountable to the taxpayers who fund it."

Prior to joining PaineWeber, Inc. in 1998, Mr. Martinez served as Deputy General Manger of NYCHA, where he was responsible for management of the Energy, Asset Management, Leased Housing, and Economic Initiatives and the Research and Policy Development Departments. As President and Chief Executive Officer of New York State Housing, Mr. Martinez oversaw the state's $18 billion multi-family, single-family and healthcare finance agencies and implemented the reorganization and merger of these agencies into a single organization. Mr. Martinez has also served as Executive Director of the Kentucky Housing Corporation and Director of the City of Boulder Housing Department/Housing Authority. He holds a BA in Political Science from Colorado State University, a Masters Degree in Public Administration from California State University, and a law degree from the University of Colorado.

NYCHA's mission is to provide decent, safe and affordable housing for low-income City residents. NYCHA currently manages and maintains 339 public housing developments with 181,000 apartments, housing nearly 560,000 residents. In addition, through the Federally funded Section 8 Existing Housing Program, the Authority uses certificates and vouchers to assist 71,749 families in private apartments. Wide-ranging reforms have been implemented at NYCHA since Mayor Giuliani took office in 1994. As a result, crime is down dramatically throughout NYCHA, the number of working families who have obtained public housing has increased, reading and mentoring programs have been introduced within public housing developments, and vandalism is no longer rampant throughout the system. Today, NYCHA is recognized as among the best public housing programs in the United States.

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