Sex Offenders in Public Housing

City Councilman Eric Gioia will be demanding that the NYC Housing Authority explain why over 200 registered sex offenders are living in public housing. NYCHA policy - and federal law - prohibits sex offenders from residing in Post puts it, "they are filled with children and other vulnerable targets and in the past were havens for criminals." And the Daily News notes that this past week, a registered offender attacked a woman at the Ravenswood Houses in Long Island City.

Apparently the Division of Criminal Justice Services, the Housing Authority, and NYPD say they are doing everything they can (the State Division of Criminal Justice Services passes offenders' addresses to NYPD, the NYPD says they check on offenders every six months, and the Housing Authority says it can't check on offenders living with friends or family), but City Councilman Gioia isn't satisfied. He says, "We must do everything we can to protect all New Yorkers living in public housing from sex offenders especially women and children." He wants the NYCHA to reform and make sure offenders cannot live in public housing, where 33% of the population is under 18.

The Post has a graphic showing where sex offenders in public housing are by borough.