The WIRE put a series of questions to Aaron Silberman, President of Roosevelt Island Housing Management, about owner plans to take Eastwood out of the State's Mitchell-Lama program by paying off the State mortgage. The process, which will take a year or more, began in mid-September.

Q: As apartments are vacated, will you take rental applications from individuals with enhanced vouchers or other subsidies?

Aaron Silberman: Rental applications will be accepted from individuals with or without subsidies.

Q: Will you be able to downsize all 404 subsidized tenants to the appropriate apartment size within the next year to make them eligible for Section 8 enhanced vouchers?

AS: For quite a while, we have been transferring subsidized and unsubsidized residents to appropriate-sized apartments, based on family composition. We estimate that, within the next year, all families will have been given the opportunity to be transferred to an appropriate-sized apartment.

Q: You've estimated that, although the tenants in 404 apartments are now subsidized, some 870 are eligible for Section 8 enhanced vouchers. If some of the 466 or so turn out not to be eligible, what will their options be?

AS: All residents will be required to complete a Section 8 application. To the extent residents are deemed income-ineligible and don't receive an enhanced Section 8 voucher, they will be entitled to the Landlord Assistance Plan. [The Landlord Assistance Plan, which is not yet final, anticipates rent increases "somewhat resembling rent stabilization," according to Silberman's comments in the September 25 WIRE and at the September 29 meeting for tenants. The full transcript of the September 29 meeting is available on Website NYC10044 at nyc10044.com/wire/2503/ewd-tran.html.]

In response to other questions, Silberman told The WIRE by e-mail that non-citizens with eligible immigration status, including UN employees, are entitled to Section 8 assistance, and that he expects market-rate rentals charged to new tenants to be reasonably consistent with the market-rate set for Section 8-subsidized apartments by HUD's contracting agency (for example, DHCR). He said about 50 residents have called the hotline set up to handle their questions. That hotline number is 212-206-2475.

Asked about funds being raised for the mortgage buy-out and building improvements, Silberman said, "Sufficient financing proceeds will be available to pay off the existing mortgages and for the investment of millions of dollars toward apartment and building capital improvements."