Hope for NYCHA

Friday marks the one-year anniversary of the consent decree between the city and the feds aimed at fixing the New York City Housing Authority. That makes it early days still — but US Housing Secretary Ben Carson is cautiously optimistic.

Carson told the The Post editorial board this week that the majority of NYCHA tenants should see “big changes” by the end of this year — meaning, among other things, faster and higher-quality repairs, especially for urgent issues — thanks to major management reforms finally in place.

The year brought the installation of Bart Schwartz as federal monitor over NYCHA and the appointment of a new agency CEO, public-housing veteran Gregory Russ. They in turn (building in part on the work done by interim NYCHA head Stanley Brezenoff) have instituted fundamental changes such as staffers assigned to a 24/7 line to handle emergency needs, a compliance department and a quality-assurance unit.

New action plans promise clear management improvements — especially on heat and hot-water issues — as managers strive to get a handle on such chronic issues as lead paint, toxic mold, elevator repairs and rat infestation.

Plus, the city has committed $2.2 billion in funding over the next 10 years, while Gov. Cuomo released $450 million in capital funds to fix elevators and replace boilers.

Yes, that’s a drop in the bucket when NYCHA faces an estimated $40 billion repair bill. Then again, Carson believes that reforms can reduce that bill — pointing out that NYCHA has been spending $1,900 a unit simply to install energy-efficient lighting.

“We must address the disease, not simply treat the symptoms,” warns Dr. Carson.

That includes aggressive use of the federal Rental Assistance Demonstration program, an Obama-era initiative that shifts buildings to private management while doing major repairs. It’s a step away from the traditional public-housing model that many resist as “privatization” — but residents of the Ocean Bay Apartments in Far Rockaway, one of the first major local projects to enter RAD, are pretty happy. And new NYCHA chief Russ is a big RAD enthusiast.

Neither the feds nor the state will be rescuing NYCHA with bailouts anytime soon, so it has to keep on innovating — and working with its unions to embrace those changes.

Bottom line: 2020 will tell if NYCHA’s truly on the path to major improvements — or whether still more radical change is needed.