Congress has released the New York City Housing Authority from its commitment to demolish 100 units of much-needed public housing in Far Rockaway.

House and Senate members have reportedly agreed to exempt NYCHA from the demolition requirements of HOPE VI, a program which ties public housing grants to the destruction of some inner-city rental units. In January City Limits reported that the federal government was forcing NYCHA to destroy 100 safe and well-maintained apartments just to keep from losing its $20 million grant for repairs. The new law could permit the authority to keep the money without losing any units.