The Map of New York City Housing Authority’s Fulton Houses
Situated in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan,
New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Fulton Houses
are located on 421 W 17th St, New York, NY 10011.
Completed March 31, 1965
The development is made up of 11 buildings, about 6 floors each.
Observations
(The following observations were made on March 22, 2017)
Coffee shops, restaurants, laundromats, grocery stores, an art gallery, and a local High School all within a block of the Fulton Houses. Covering the area between 16th and 19th Streets along 9th Avenue, this NYCHA Housing Development is situated directly in the thriving Chelsea neighborhood. On one side of the Fulton Houses is the well-known Chelsea Market, and
on the other side is the High Line, both sites which tourists constantly flock to.
The surrounding sidewalks and streets were kept very clean: no garbage, no dog feces. This is probably due to the fact that there were signs posted everywhere to pick up after one another and after your dogs. This cleanliness helped the project fit right into the surrounding prosperous Chelsea area.
While other NYCHA houses may make passersby feel vulnerable and scared for their safety at night, the Fulton Houses are well lit and feel very safe at night. Despite many of our class members reporting that their observation of NYCHA houses made them feel that they were out of place, class members visiting the Fulton Houses reported that they didn’t have this feeling while walking around the Fulton Houses. This is likely because it is very well integrated into the well developed area of Chelsea, known for its artistic culture and bustling younger community. Surrounding the Fulton houses were multiple security cameras, which provide extra reassurance to passersby that they are walking through a safe area.
Despite how late it was, there were many children playing outside of the houses with their friends, parents talking with their neighbors, and children asking their parents for ice cream from the nearby ice cream truck. All of these signs likely gave anyone walking by the impression that this was any other “normal” New York City apartment complex, rather than a public housing facility.
To the left is one of the many cameras and lit lampposts seen on every corner of each Fulton Houses Building Complex. These are vital pieces to the security of any development.
Interview
(The following interview was made on April 23, 2017)
Lily is a 55 year old immigrant from Colombia. She moved to the United States when she was only 19 years old, and moved into Bronxville Projects with her partner at the time. The relationship turned to an abusive one and her and her two young children moved out and became homeless. They lived in a shelter for a short period of time before the three of them were relocated to the Fulton Houses. Victims of domestic abuse are given priority in NYCHA.
Lily emphasized how comfortable she was in this new development. The neighbors were friendly, the maintenance was fast and reliable, and she had a decent amount of space to live in. There were 2 bathrooms, a living room, kitchen and dining area, and at least 4 bedrooms. Her rent is $1,500, which is high for low-income public housing, but for the area and square footage, it’s a steal. As I was visibly shocked by the size of her apartment, she went on to explain that she had a smaller place when she first moved in, but requested an upgrade as her family grew. She now has 8 children, but only 2 still live with her. According to Lily, the rest of the 6 or so tenants were visiting family.
When I asked about specifics regarding the building and infrastructure, Lily described the rough start she had when she first arrived. Similar to many residents of public housing, she walked into her new apartment only to find cockroaches covering the floor, the cabinetry, the counters: needless to say, she was outraged. Persistent as she is, Lily made a few phone calls, and, though with some resistance, she was able to get everything cleaned and her cabinets replaced. “We may be poor but we are still human beings and we deserve to be treated as such.” She emphasized how important her individual
responsibility was to keep the place clean. She sweeps, dusts, and maintains her place daily. ANd now, she said she gets a response for repairs within 24 hours.
One major complaint that Lily had regarding the infrastructure around the development was its lack of enclosed playground and park space for children. She was concerned for the safety of young children, as the buildings were right up against the street and there was always a lot of traffic. She has spoken up at community meetings about this problem, but nothing has come of it, yet. She suggested the meetings be held more often, and and that the resident complaints be taken more seriously. Maybe then she would see progress.
Our conversation ended on a pretty positive note. Though there are some issues that need to be dealt with at Fulton Houses, Lily was very happy living there. Being in such a successful community as this one made her and her family feel hope that they would make it out of the projects. “We are not rich but we live with the rich.” The Highline has given her son a job for the summer, all of her kids have gotten scholarships to college and/or moved out to the suburbs, and Lily herself is soon going to look for another job. The stores in the area, the overall feel of the atmosphere, and the local opportunities that Chelsea offers to the family is one of the best parts about this project. People tend to respect it more, too, because of where it is, which is a lot of reason why the area stays so clean.
