Public Employee Press

Part 3 of a series
Mismanagement at the New York City Housing Authority
Fighting to save public housing

BY GREGORY N. HEIRES

The union is reaching out to its 15,000 members and retirees who reside in public housing to urge them to get involved politically to fight for improvements at the New York City Housing Authority.

In August, the union dispatched activists and staffers to public housing projects in each of the city's five boroughs. At the early-evening town hall meetings, the union encouraged residents to support New York City Comptroller John C. Liu in the Sept. 10 Democratic mayoral primary.

Union leaders and staff sought observations of residents about problems at NYCHA, which faces 250 projected layoffs, long-term defunding, privatization and poor services. The looming layoffs include 125 positions represented by Local 789 that NYCHA announced were at risk in August, in addition to some 100 Local 371 jobs at senior and community centers identified earlier this year.

Accompanied by Liu, DC 37 Executive Lillian Roberts presided over the first of the five town hall meetings, which was attended by about 100 people Aug. 5 in the community center at Ocean Bay Housing Development in Far Rockaway, Queens.

The DC 37 team at the meeting included Associate Director Henry Garrido, Political Action Director Wanda Williams, Political Action Committee Chair Dennis Ifill, who is also the president of Local 1359, and investigative journalist and consultant Robert Hennelly. Other local presidents who participated included Anthony Wells (Local 371), Peter Stein (508), Fitz Reid (768), Walthene Primus (957) and Robert Ajaye (2627).

"Public housing is where the jewels are," Roberts said. "They want you to get out so they can take over."

Roberts' remarks reflected the concern of many housing advocates who believe NYCHA's plan to lease properties to private developers and the cuts in services and personnel could mark the beginning of a long-term phase-out of the city's public housing.

Liu pledged that he would be a strong advocate of public housing if elected mayor and denounced the Bloomberg administration's public housing policy. During the Bloomberg years, NYCHA has allowed public housing to deteriorate while failing to spend nearly $1 billion in its account, he noted.

Garrido said the union has uncovered vast waste at the Housing Authority, such as its allocation of $11 million a year for scaffolding at construction sites where repairs in some instances were completed years ago.

Outraged residents

Residents gave the union team an earful.

"Who's accountable at the end of the day?" said Regina Abdullah, a Clerical Associate Level 3. "It's NYCHA!" She added that she felt Mayor Michael Bloomberg's attitude was one of "out of sight, out of mind."

School Lunch Helper Paula Rutledge complained about three years of outstanding building repairs.

"What about this money we have to pay for Police and Sanitation?" said Bonnie Daniels, a Local 1549 retiree, referring to a special tax on those services, which other residences in the city don't have to pay. "Why? Why? Why?" she asked.

Residents had similar observations and complaints at another town hall meeting of about 50 people Aug. 12 in the Gun Hill housing complex in the Bronx.

Resident Linda Bailey complained that NYCHA has failed to install security cameras, even though it has money in the budget for that purpose. Layoffs have led to deteriorating services, she said.

Diana Gonzalez, a tenant for more than 30 years, reported that her closet doors are falling off and the tiles in her apartment are loose and broken.

Patricia Person, a Local 420 member, expressed her concern about widespread drug dealing and crime. "You don't want to see people put bars on their windows," she said.

"Collectively, we all have to get together," said Tenants Association President Robert Hall. "Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you that it's up to us."