AGENCY TESTIMONY
Challenges with kitchen facilities and funding for OAC repairs
0:18:30
ยท
108 sec
Ryan Murray discusses specific challenges faced by Older Adult Centers (OACs) in NYCHA facilities, focusing on issues with kitchen facilities and funding for repairs and upgrades. He highlights the efforts to address these challenges and the support received from the City Council.
- Seven OACs in NYCHA sites have kitchen issues that need to be legalized and brought up to code
- Kitchen challenges include certificate of occupancy issues, code compliance for range hoods, and gas-related problems
- Some NYCHA-located OACs face gas line issues preventing on-site cooking
- The City Council allocated $4 million for OAC facility repairs and upgrades, primarily for HVAC repairs
- Murray emphasizes the need for continued capital investment in NYCHA facilities to improve OACs
Ryan Murray
0:18:30
Recently, NYC Agent has been working to address, issues with NYCHA located kitchens, which prevent a sender from cooking on-site because of the range of, compliance issues and safety issues.
0:18:42
Currently, 7 OACs in NYCHA sites, with which have kitchen issues, which need to be legalized and brought up to code.
0:18:51
This includes whether the kitchen is on the certificate of occupancy for the space itself, if a range hood, is code compliant for the FDNY, or if there are gas related issues in the space or the building at large, which needs which we would have to address with the Department of Buildings.
0:19:09
This would prevent us from legalizing that kitchen or allowing the space to operate.
0:19:14
Additionally, there are some NYCHA located OACs where gas line issues prevent the center from cooking on-site.
0:19:21
However, these can be larger concerns at the NYCHA facility itself.
0:19:27
We are also thankful for the Council's leadership when the 2nd tranche of NYCHA Centers was transferred to NYC Aging, and we and you allocated $4,000,000 to the OACs for facility repair and upgrades to be used principally for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or as we refer to it, HVAC repairs.
0:19:50
As I know Council is aware, overarching throughout the discussion today is the need for capital investment in NYCHA facilities.
0:19:58
We believe that council can continue to be a strong partner, as you have been in the last fiscal years, to improve these facilities which serve older adults.
0:20:07
New York City older adult population continues to grow and as I've said before and in today's testimony, roughly 1 third of our overall OAC portfolio is located in the NYCHA facility.