PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Beverly Smith, Homeowners Association President on Deed Theft and Housing Issues
2:11:04
·
3 min
Beverly Smith, a 71-year-old longtime New York City resident and Homeowners Association president, testified about her concerns regarding predatory lending, deed theft, and housing issues in her community. She emphasized the need for better outreach and protection for seniors who may not be tech-savvy enough to use online resources like ACRIS.
- Highlighted the lack of accessibility of ACRIS for seniors and its unavailability on weekends
- Expressed concerns about the misuse of homes intended for generational wealth, now being used for financial gain
- Raised issues about unauthorized apartment conversions in her neighborhood and the city's permitting of such changes
- Stressed the importance of better outreach through community boards and council members' offices to inform seniors about deed theft risks
Beverley Smith
2:11:04
My name is Beverly Smith.
2:11:06
I have been a citizen.
2:11:09
I have been a not a citizen.
2:11:11
I've lived in New York City all my life.
2:11:13
I have, been on the Selective Service Board, for 30 years.
2:11:21
I worked for New York City Police Department for 32 years and worked as a New York State Public Safety Officer for 10 concurrently with my police department.
2:11:34
In 1992, while on the community board, Assemblywoman Aurelia Green and Fernando Ferreira were, Fernando Ferreira was the borough president and Aurelia Green was the assemblywoman.
2:11:51
They got together and they sent me to school on how to write a proposal and my landlord where I lived at 1750 Sedgwick Avenue, we were put into a program of New York City partnership, under the Dinkins administration where they built 78 homes, Popham Gardens in the Bronx, 10453 in Councilwoman Perina Sanchez District.
2:12:19
And thank you very much for inviting me today.
2:12:23
Now, I am 71 years old.
2:12:26
I have one child and with this predatory lending, going on and the stealing of these, I've tried to, get information about it through, ACRIS.
2:12:38
They don't work on the weekends.
2:12:40
They they I was shocked when they sat here and said, you know, go through when you you get on.
2:12:45
You can't get on that service for the weekend.
2:12:47
It's very complicated.
2:12:49
Most seniors in the 78 homes that where I am the, Homeowners Association president, Most seniors there, they're not computer literate.
2:13:00
So, wherein as homeowners association president, the dues is very low and it's only to pay for the sewer cleaning that that was under the deed.
2:13:13
Also in the deed, it is, it is mentioned that, a family member has to live in the house for 100 years.
2:13:23
Since that, people have come in, bought the house, used it used it as bought housing in the 70 within 78 homes.
2:13:33
They use it as a financial gain, no more generational wealth, What the houses were built for, that is out the window.
2:13:42
It is it is very, very difficult, that to live in the area because the private homes that surround the 78 homes, they went in and from a 2 family house, they went in and cut down apartments and made 2 family houses, 10 family houses.
2:14:00
And New York City building department has given them permits to do that.
2:14:04
And the houses are just like a shoebox.
2:14:08
We need more outreach, about, this deed theft because I'm sure it's going on.
2:14:17
A lot of us are seniors.
2:14:18
It has to be better ways to outreach through the community boards, through the councilwoman's office.
2:14:26
I was shocked with the things that I heard today and to think that all the work that I've done here in the city and over my life, that someone can come in and steal my deed and they don't notify me about it is frightening.
