Everyone knows New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) tenants are
treated like something at the bottom of the barrel. Just because they
don't pay the thousands and thousands of dollars in rent and utility
bills like those who rent in private homes, these tenants have to endure
some of the most disgusting and unhealthy conditions in the city. Some,
you'd think are in third world countries. News12 was miraculously
allowed inside of one woman's Ralph Avenue Houses apartment, where her
bathroom wall was falling apart (I'm going to assume it's still falling
apart as of this week). What's so complicated about sending a contractor
to seal a damned wall?
I've been to NYCHA apartments where the walls were crumbling, mold
was growing and paint was bubbling thanks to a leak in the ceiling and
roof. If you've seen Hurricane Sandy damaged apartments, you'll be
shocked to find that some of the conditions in NYCHA look like those
homes ALL THE TIME. Leaks? Flooding? Overgrown mold? Warped floors?
Pipe, boiler and hot water heater damage?
Oh,
yes! NYCHA apartments have all of these unsightly hazards – but without
the catastrophic winds, rain and evacuation warnings. Most of the
buildings with these constant problems aren't even located near the
water!
With the city lacking the funds and respect to allow low-income
residents to live comfortably, it's hard for me to believe that $108
million will go to the Coney Island Houses with the intention of
protecting the buildings from future storms. The federally funded
repairs will include camera installation and things like new generators.
Electrical and flood barrier systems are in the works for the Coney
Island Houses – and this will supposedly be a model for how they plan to
protect other NYCHA buildings in flood zones.
Let's get real! They can't even fix a broken toilet on time...They
can't replace a stove part...They can't protect their residents from
strangers coming into their buildings and committing heinous crimes!
Sure, the funds to protect the Coney Island Houses are unique – they're
aimed at very Sandy-specific repairs which haven't been tended to in
almost two years. Isn't that sad? Why did it take so long to get all of
this money allocated to our low-income residents? It's sick to think
that they've been living with old electrical systems and that they're
still vulnerable in the event of another storm.
Normal homeowners and renters in our city had enough problems
rebuilding their lives over the past couple of years – but NYCHA tenants
have ALWAYS lived like hurricane survivors! They waited weeks and
months for an “adjuster” to come and each day they leave their property
in ruins puts them at risk for the situation getting worse.
Good for Mayor de Blasio and Senator Chuck Schumer for securing these
needed funds – but they're forgetting about housing developments in our
small communities which are decaying, and they might as well be victims
of something happening as a result of wicked weather. As it is, tenants
currently living on the top floors of most NYCHA buildings aren't
protected from torrential rains. Eventually, rain seeps through the
roof, into the walls and then into a tenant's apartment. Why not invest
money in newer – BETTER roofs citywide? We're not just talking about a
leak that one tenant will have to contend with – we're talking about
building-wide damage that leads to health and safety problems.
I used to think that the tenants living in Coney Island Houses – and even those in the Rockaways
– had a luxury that other NYCHA residents didn't get to enjoy. How
about that – you're near the beach and you're not paying 'shorefront
property' taxes! Now, it seems those residents have it even worse. On
top of the disgraceful conditions they already had to put up with, now
they have to hope that the repairs ordered for their building gets
approved, contracted, and started before the next catastrophe. The city
and state needs to step up to the plate and save the real victims – of
Hurricane NYCHA...
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