Former Harlem Athletic Trainer Tiffany Wright Helps Public Housing Residents In NYC

By HWM

Former athletic trainer and an avid aficionado of ESPN Sports Center, Tiffany Wright strived for a career in sports medicine.

Growing up and throughout her neighborhood, sports have always been the cornerstone in her family. In fact, her uncle was a sports photographer for the NY Yankees, NY Knicks and NY Giants so her love of sports runs deep.

Upon college graduation, she had to find a job and found one working with a property management company and never looked back.

Today, for over 20 years, Tiffany is proud of her career helping over 50K public housing residents through her work as a property and community engagement director for the most vulnerable, low-income communities and residents.

Through the NYCHA PACT program, minority-owned developer Dantes Partners is changing lives for nearly 900 residents in Washington Heights, Harlem and Sugar Hill. About 40% renovations are now completed across Audubon Houses, Bethune Gardens and Marshall Plaza – a project estimated at $166 million.  Residents will receive not only fully renovated apartments but also modernization of elevators, kitchen appliances, new energy-efficient windows and much more.

Here’s our interview with Harlem’s Tiffany Wright:

Harlem World Magazine: Can you share with us your early influences in sports and how they shaped your aspirations towards a career in sports medicine? What motivated your transition from aspiring sports medicine professional to working in property management? Was there a particular moment or experience that solidified your decision?

Tiffany Wright: As a teenager, I met a producer by the name of Ted Lewis who worked at CBS Sports.  He showed me that there were people behind the scenes making the on-field performance happen and a reality for many. Enjoying biology lent itself to bridging the gap into something that I loved, athletic training.  I was able to really learn the ropes of this field from XX and enjoyed it for XX years.

My transition came by accident as I didn’t know that Property Management was a career field. I started out as a temp during winter break.  During that time, I met and moved in my first family. The family consisted of a newly single mother and her 3-year-old child. To hear their story about starting over after leaving the West Coast and being able to help them start a new life in New Jersey was a game changer. 

HWM: What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career in property and community engagement over the past 20 years? Can you describe some of the unique challenges you’ve faced working with public housing residents and how you’ve overcome them?

TW: The most rewarding aspect of my career thus far has been the teams I have been able to lead. I’ve been fortunate enough to not only learn from people that have demonstrated kindness to each resident but allowed creativity in pushing community engagement.

The most challenging aspect I’ve faced and continue to see is reteaching behavior and creating engagement. Public housing residents have been accustomed to decades of a rigid form of operations. Showing residents that change can be a simple conversation and that their feedback is not just valued but acted upon quickly has been the biggest game-changer.

HWM: How do you approach building trust and fostering a sense of community among the residents you serve? Can you share a specific success story from your work that had a significant impact on a resident or a community?

TW: The first thing I do in fostering trust is to learn the landscape, culture and nuances of each neighborhood.  This includes learning the resources available, reoccurring activities and the culture and demographics. Creating a connection to the foundation of the resident experience allows me to problem-solve their issues and concerns with a foundation of knowledge.  From there, I begin to break down the “walls” of the property and bring the community in. I’ve found that many residents don’t know the gems of the city. They walk by great locations daily not realizing the commonality.

My favorite success story is that of Famous Fish located on 145 and St. Nicholas in Harlem.  As a member of the community for many years, Mr. Stirickland was up for lease renewal and was contemplating closure. With my team, we were able to renew a long-term agreement as well as remodel his store to almost double the size. This has allowed for not only continued business but success in the longevity of this community staple.  

HWM: How did your involvement with the NYCHA PACT program come about, and what has your role been in this initiative? With 40% of renovations completed, what are some of the most notable improvements residents have experienced so far?

TW: I’ve been aware of the NYCHA PACT program from its inception but directly involved for the last 2 years.  Currently my role has been creating and leading a new property management team known as Faria Management under the sole developer of Dantes Partners.

We are a mission-driven team leading the renovations and repairs to help nearly 900 New Yorkers across Harlem, Washington Heights and Sugar Hill through the NYCHA PACT program to improve overall quality of life for these residents that call the developments home.

This project is estimated at $166M which includes 557 units, across 3 high-rise buildings at Audubon Houses, Bethune Gardens and Marshall Plaza.

After 18 months into this project, we have started with in-unit renovations.  Currently, most residents have new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, lighting and windows.

With this project, residents will receive fully renovated apartments with new interior doors, windows, flooring, kitchen appliances, and baths; building interior and exterior grounds improvements; new energy-efficient windows; new trash compactors; and new security cameras to increase tenant safety.

The three developments will also receive significant infrastructure upgrades, including the modernization of elevator systems, new trash compactors, new laundry rooms, updated community rooms, new lighting and electrical panels, and additional building interior improvements such as the addition of more natural light throughout the space and renovation of the mailbox area.

HWM: What are your hopes for the future of the NYCHA PACT program and its impact on Washington Heights, Harlem, and Sugar Hill communities Looking ahead, are there any personal or professional goals you are particularly excited about pursuing?

TW: My hopes for NYCHA PACT and the impact on the communities we serve is that this isn’t just a tagline but as common as any property management company in the city.  Allowing the residents to experience a more tailored style of management that responds directly to their needs and that of the immediate community.

Professionally, I am continuing my education with certifications in the Property Management field.  This includes being a CPM-Candidate.  Personally, I look forward to traveling more and possibly expanding my family. 

HWM: Reflecting on your journey, what advice would you give to young professionals, particularly women of color, aspiring to make a difference in their communities? How has your background and family history influenced your approach to your work and your dedication to helping vulnerable communities?

TW: My advice would be that the sky is the limit and there is space for you.  I’ve learned that being your true authentic self can be hard but that is where change comes from.

I’ve continued to have family members impacted by the NYCHA and Section 8 programs in New York. Knowing firsthand the living conditions and continued concerns has allowed me to push and advocate for positive change for an overall improvement of quality life for thousands. I also know that I don’t have all the answers.  Allowing myself to learn from staff that live onsite and residents alike, I meet residents where they are and then challenge them to raise the standard.

HWM: Do you still keep up with sports, and how do you integrate your love of sports into your busy professional life? In what ways do you think the discipline and teamwork of sports have translated into your role in property management and community engagement?

TW: I do keep up with sports! You can find me at a few sporting events every year. I split my love of football between the NY Giants and the KC Chiefs and throw a huge Super Bowl party every year. 

Sports for me have always been about passion and love of the game.  Same for the communities that I serve.  I use the skills of game planning, organization, team buy-in and marketing to motivate my staff and residents. Yes, there are rules but making it memorable and a place that you want to come back to, just like a legacy team or stadium tailgate, is how I approach each property.

HWM: Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about your work or the communities you serve? How can the local community support the ongoing efforts of the NYCHA PACT program and similar initiatives?

TW: I would love for the readers to know that our work is their work.  How the community feels and aspires to grow, elevates a partnership that we will continue to work and build together.

We ask that the local community continues to uplift and engage in the NYCHA PACT program. Our goal and mission is not to be separate but be a part of the community and ask that you continue to reach out to teams with ideas, support and resources.

HWM: Thank you.

Photo credit: Tiffany Wright.

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