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Amid a citywide drop in crime, NYCHA developments recorded the fewest murders, shootings, and robberies during the first seven months of the year, the lowest on record, according to recent data from the NYPD.
Reports of serious crimes, like murders and shootings, are at historic lows across the city—including its communities of 335 public housing developments.
New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments recorded the safest first seven months of any year, with the fewest murders, shooting victims and incidents, and robberies in recorded history, according to recent data from the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
Crime in public housing developments has fluctuated over the last 10 years, and included a surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, in line with a nationwide spike at that time.
Historically, serious crimes have been disproportionately higher in public housing developments than citywide. A 2015 city investigation into violent crime on NYCHA campuses found that inadequate communication between the police department and the housing authority contributed to that dynamic, enabling serious offenders to remain in NYCHA for months at a time.
City Limits is looking to speak with NYCHA residents about crime and policing in their communities. To share your perspective, email reporter Sunny Nagpaul: [email protected]
Gov. Kathy Hochul commended the NYPD on the now-record lows citywide, and pointed to sizable funding the state has poured into the city’s police department recently, specifically $77 million invested last year “to enhance NYPD resources,” according to a statement. She also announced plans to build on that funding this year with an additional $77 million.
“Every dollar we invest and every partnership we build strengthens our efforts to make New York safer,” the governor said in the statement.
The city’s police department highlighted 2026 as the “safest year so far in public housing,” and stated that major crime at NYCHA dropped about 6 percent from January to July. In the same time period compared to the year before, murders are down 45 percent, shooting incidents and victims are down 33 percent and 35 percent, respectively, and robberies are down nearly 20 percent. In July alone, however, major crime reports increased by about 3.5 percent, officials said.
So far this year, the department reported 11 murders, 54 shooting incidents, 59 shooting victims, and 419 robberies that occurred in public housing.
The NYPD’s Housing Bureau is responsible for patrolling the city’s NYCHA developments. It’s made up of nine police service areas, which cover neighborhoods all over the city.
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