PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Aixa Torres, President of Alfred E. Smith Houses
2:19:09
·
128 sec
Aixa Torres, President of Alfred E. Smith Houses, expressed concerns about lead abatement and RAD/PACT conversion processes in NYCHA developments. She highlighted issues with resident opt-outs from lead abatement and an incident where a resident was arrested at a RAD meeting.
- Residents are opting out of lead abatement despite its importance, which Torres sees as problematic.
- Torres reported an incident where a resident was arrested for trespassing at a RAD meeting, raising concerns about freedom of speech and resident advocacy.
- She emphasized the need for better support and communication during the RAD/PACT conversion process.
Aixa Torres
2:19:09
Okay.
2:19:10
Good afternoon.
2:19:13
I bring to the council since this is supposed to be a route, rod, rod, and pack, also, you know, the the federal monitor.
2:19:21
Then one of the things and I live I'm the my name is Zeik Sartorius, and I'm the president of Valfordie Smith Houses.
2:19:28
Is that the abatement is being done.
2:19:31
However, some of the residents have been pushing back, and what's happening is they said, oh, you can opt out.
2:19:39
At the advice of the attorney that we have on retainer, Alfred E Smith, He said, I said, what was the point of going to court and getting winning this case if the residents are not gonna abate the lead in their apartments.
2:19:50
Right?
2:19:51
And so I so I have spoken to the federal monitor about this.
2:19:55
And I owe him the names of the residents who have opt out because they feel it's too much to move out of their homes, to do whatever it does.
2:20:04
On Rad and Pat, and I am one angry person today, when they talk about we're open and not not, there was a resident who was arrested in a meeting, in a rat meeting that was supposed to be in a public school for illegally trespassing at and she was invited by the residents of that development that are going through this process so that they can have, right, a different view or part of what really happens when you go from section 9 to Radam Pat.
2:20:37
Let's let's I think you need to ask about that.
2:20:42
There has to be, like, real.
2:20:44
So now residents can't speak up because they're gonna be handcuffed and taken out of out of when they've been invited to a to a meeting to defend to defend Okay.
2:21:03
To defend or to advise or advocate for residents who are requesting support and health because they feel they're not getting it from night shift.
2:21:12
And and I just wanted to and since it happened in my district, right,
