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�鶹��’s Customer Contact Center(CCC) celebrated its 20th anniversary of service to the �鶹�� community with an April 25 event in Long Island City which included Chief Administrative Officer Erin Villari and Executive Vice President Kerri Jew.

The CCC, which handles both maintenance issues for �鶹�� developments and customer service for Section 8 voucher holders, is more than just a call center — it is �鶹��’s 24/7 frontline. With a staff of 163, including team members stationed at two walk-in centers in Brooklyn and the Bronx, the CCC fields thousands of service requests every week and serves as the true “ears of �鶹��,” ensuring the Authority can act on any urgent issue that may arise.

The April 25th event was hosted by CCC Director Bill Reda and Deputy Director Donesia Ellis
and attended by �鶹��’s Chief Administrative Officer Erin Villari and Executive Vice President Kerri Jew.

Residents also have the option of submitting service requests via the app or website, which enables residents to cancel or reschedule maintenance appointments, pay rent, subscribe to outage alerts, and more.

“Our maintenance team is live from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week,” said CCC Director William Reda. “And from midnight to 8 a.m., the Emergency Services Department takes over.”

Mr. Reda recently joined �鶹�� after more than 16 years with NYC’s 311 system. “Coming from 311 has been a huge help,” he said. “I arrived with a great deal of experience in how the city works and how to connect services.”

At Mr. Reda’s side is CCC Deputy Director Donesia Ellis, who has been with �鶹�� since 1988 and helped shape the CCC from its earliest days. “I came in as a Housing Assistant and worked my way up through every level,” she said. “I’ve been at the CCC for 17 years, and I’ve seen how it’s grown and evolved.”

The celebration included honors for CCC staff who have worked at the center for 18, 19 and 20 years —
including several who have served the CCC since its inception in 2005.

The CCC anniversary celebration included the recognition of 11 staffers who have been with the center for 18 to 20 years — many since it was first launched in 2005. “That kind of longevity and institutional memory is rare,” Mr. Reda said. “It’s a huge part of what makes our team so strong.”

The CCC originally began as a centralized hub where experienced workers from �鶹�� developments handled service requests. Over the years, it has evolved to include trained Customer Information Representatives.

When a resident reports an issue, the call is routed to a trained representative who enters a detailed service request into �鶹��’s system. “That request is then sent to the development’s maintenance team,” explained Mr. Reda. “They’ll inspect and address the issue, then close out the order — that’s the full circle.”

Emergencies like gas leaks trigger immediate protocols. “We tell the resident to evacuate, and we call in the FDNY,” said Ms. Ellis. “We also notify our Emergency Services team to ensure the problem is handled swiftly and safely.”

“We’re not just answering phones,” Ms. Ellis said. “We are the ears of �鶹�� — and with every call, we connect those ears to the hands that get the work done.”