Public Employee Press

NYCHA funds at stake
RALLY

“Stop being a deadbeat landlord, support public housing!” is the message DC 37, local politicians, and tenants and employees of the city Housing Authority sent to all levels of government Oct. 4 from a rally at City Hall.

“We are fighting for jobs and affordable housing,” said Maf Misbah Uddin, DC 37 treasurer and Local 1407 president. “We will fight until politicians start being practical and fund the New York City Housing Authority and the jobs and services we provide.”

For months DC 37 and Teamsters Local 237, the advocacy group Community Voices Heard and hundreds of residents have called for more city, state and federal aid to save 500 Housing Authority jobs and fill its $225 million budget gap.

Demonstrators called for the city to devote $30 million of its $1 billion surplus to help NYCHA and to include the agency, which provides 9 percent of the city’s total housing, as a baseline budget item. Since the authority is not in the annual budget, the City Council must revisit the issue every year, said Council member Rosie Mendez.

“Before we can talk about building new housing, the city has to take care of what’s already here!” said Damaris Reyes, a public housing advocate from Baruch Houses. “We pay our rent. We pay our taxes. We work and contribute to society and this city. We want the city to pay its fair share to publichousing!”

The state and federal governments stopped contributing to NYCHA a decade ago, and today tens of thousands of tenants live with broken elevators, peeling paint, leaky plumbing and faulty electricity. They pay rent but get no services or repairs.

“Our tax dollars give Spitzer and Bloomberg mansions,” said City Council member Charles Barron. “Where’s our decent housing?” Also standing with the protesters were City Council members Bill DeBlasio and Robert Jackson, state Sen. Tom Duane and others.

In August Gov. Spitzer agreed to provide $47 million for NYCHA for 2008 — “a baby step to build on,” said Duane. “The city, state and federal governments need to accept responsibility for public housing and provide full funding!”

— Diane S. Williams