EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE

NYCHA Continues to Expand its Social Media Presence

With websites like Facebook and Twitter enjoying more than 800 million and 100 million active users respectively, social media is a crucial part of how people interact with friends, family and their community. As part of the larger goal of keeping residents and all New Yorkers connected, NYCHA fully has incorporated social media into its day-to-day activities.

NYCHA's Facebook "wall" is where postings occur and people can ask questions and make comments.

NYCHA has been an active participant in the recent push by New York City government to engage more than 25 million people a year through social media, which can help large organizations form deeper relationship with the people they serve, gain valuable feedback and share information about services. Unlike a web page, services like Facebook or Twitter allow users to pose questions and comments to NYCHA – with a good chance to receive a prompt, accurate response.

Twitter enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters – known as “tweets” – and was NYCHA’s first foray into social media. Since joining in March 2010, NYCHA’s Twitter account “@NYCHA_Housing” has amassed more than 3,400 followers while sending out more than 2,500 tweets. Followers get information about issues such as repairs and maintenance, safety and security and career training opportunities.

NYCHA’s Facebook page receives between 15,000 and 20,000 views per month and offers users more details about key initiatives. Users have inquired about the status of repairs and housing applications on NYCHA’s “wall” as well as sharing inspiring stories about their NYCHA experiences.

Another key example of user participation in social media is the location-based service, foursquare, which allows users to “check-in” at various venues using their phone while collecting points and virtual badges. Before NYCHA’s participation, many users created and checked-in to development and Community Center locations citywide. Striving to reward that active participation, NYCHA now manages over 200 locations around the city.

The image-hosting website Flickr has helped NYCHA share more than 2,700 photos from events such as development anniversaries and Community Center ribbon-cuttings to nearly a quarter million views since May 2010.

The video platform YouTube has helped the Authority repost content from various events and even contributed to the NYCHA Sports Unit gaining a significant sponsorship from a sports apparel company for its current and future basketball seasons.

LAFAYETTE GARDENS

FACEBOOK: The Resident Association of Lafayette Gardens

TWITTER: @lghereandnow

BLOG: thelafayettegardens.blogspot.com

EMAIL: lgresassoc@gmail.com