Velazquez Calls for Asian Language Improvements to NYCHA Customer Care System

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-07) has written the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) calling for improvements to the agency’s Customer Contact Center automated system. In her letter, Velázquez, who represents Manhattan’s Chinatown and Sunset Park, noted that the automated phone system does not sufficiently meet the needs of Asian-language speakers. The system provides audio instructions in English and in Spanish, while providing English language instructions for all other callers.

“A significant number of NYCHA tenants could encounter difficulty getting help with maintenance issues, building repair or simply securing housing due to this oversight,” Velázquez said. “This is something that can and should be quickly fixed.”

Over 7,900 families living in NYCHA developments are Asian immigrants or of Asian descent.

The full text of the letter is below.

Shola Olatoye
Chair, New York City Housing Authority
250 Broadway
New York, NY 10007

Dear Chair Olatoye:

As you know, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) serves a broad and diverse population, including non-English speaking members of the Asian community. It is critical that NYCHA’s Customer Contact Center’s automated system be fully accessible to the Asian community. I urge NYCHA to improve its language assistance services for these residents.

Recently, a resident of New York’s 7th Congressional District brought a matter to my attention. She indicated that NYCHA’s Customer Contact Center’s automated telephone system directs callers, in English, to press “1” for English; directs, in Spanish, Spanish callers to press “2” for Spanish; and then directs all other callers, again in English, to press “3” or stay on the line for assistance.

Non-English speaking NYCHA residents in the Asian community are put at a disadvantage when compared to their English and Spanish speaking counterparts, as they are often unable to understand the automated system’s final direction. Over 7,900 NYCHA families are Asian immigrants or of Asian heritage, and many of these residents are left perplexed and confused by its automated system.

The language barrier presented by NYCHA’s automated system is particularly concerning for those living at a location without a designated onsite property manager to help facilitate translation services. As a result of the barrier presented by its automated system, many residents and families in the Asian community are unable to report maintenance issues, request repairs, and resolve payment questions.

According to NYCHA’s September 2015, Language Assistance Services Implementation Plan, Mandarin and Cantonese were the third most frequently encountered language requests in 2015. Its Customer Contact Center received over 7,900 calls in Mandarin and Cantonese, approximately 5 percent of all the language calls that were serviced. While the report states that, “NYCHA has taken and continues to take reasonable steps to ensure [Limited English Proficient] persons have meaningful access to NYCHA’s programs and activities,” its Customer Contact Center’s automated system suggests otherwise.

A barrier so fundamental as the one created by NYCHA’s Customer Contact Center’s automated system must not be overlooked. I urge NYCHA to make necessary improvements to the automated system so that it is accessible for non-English speakers in the Asian community.

Sincerely,

Nydia M. Velázquez
Member of Congress

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