REMARKS
Council Member Chris Banks addresses concerns about older adult centers in NYCHA facilities
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ยท
3 min
Council Member Chris Banks, chair of the public housing committee, addresses the critical issues facing older adult centers in NYCHA facilities. He highlights the importance of these centers for NYCHA residents and expresses concern about their neglected state, including problems with pests, mold, and various infrastructure issues. Banks calls for accountability and transparency from NYCHA and the Department for the Aging regarding these challenges.
- Banks mentions recent incidents of heat and hot water outages affecting thousands of NYCHA residents during freezing temperatures.
- He questions why NYCHA continues to struggle in meeting the needs of older residents and what can be done to improve conditions.
- The council member emphasizes the need for real solutions to address the critical issues facing older adults in NYCHA facilities.
Chris Banks
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Thank you, chair Hudson.
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I'm councilman Chris Banks, chair of the public housing committee.
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I would like to thank chair Hudson for co chairing this important hearing and helping to bring attention to the concerns and the needs of older public housing residents.
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Older adult centers are the lifeline for many NYCHA residents, providing essential social services, meals, community support.
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But too often, we hear troubling reports that these spaces are neglected.
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Plagued by pests, mold, heating outages, broken elevators, plumbing and electrical issues, and kitchens and bathrooms in dire need of renovations.
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I've heard these complaints firsthand from residents at the 5 centers in my own district, but I know these issues present persist, throughout the older adult centers, throughout NYCHA campuses across the city.
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There is, unfortunately, a long standing history at NYCHA of failing to adequately maintain their facilities, ultimately leading to, the creation of the federal monitorship in January of 2019.
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There have been some improvements in the recent years, under the monitorship, but NYCHA has certainly shown some admirable resilience, in the face of the years of the dwindling support of the federal funding, but a significant amount of work remains to be done.
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And we must continue establishing accountability.
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Just last week, it was reported that more than 3,000 nitro residents lost heat and hot water while outside temperatures dip below freezing levels.
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And this isn't an out isolated incident.
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These outages occur, every winter, and older residents are especially vulnerable.
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So I'm curious to, know why we keep seeing NYCHA struggle, to meet the needs of its older residents, and what can we do moving forward to ensure that older adult centers are properly maintained and funded so they can eventually fulfill their promise?
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I hope that today's, hearing can provide answers to these questions and more.
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We are, do not undeniably partners in our collective mission to best serve New Yorkers.
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We need full transparency, from both NYCHA and the New York City Department For the Aging, about the challenges facing these centers, the budgetary and operational decisions that impact them, and the steps being taken, or not being taken to improve conditions from older residents for older residents.
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We are also here, to hold NYCHA accountable and explore how they can do better to provide older residents with the dignity and support and safe spaces that they deserve.
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I also look forward to hearing from those present today, and I hope we can work together to find real solutions, real solutions to some of these critical issues facing our older adults.
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I look
Ukah Busgith
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I would like to also thank my staff, Michael Lambert, along with
Chris Banks
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the public housing committee, staff, the former staff member, Connor Miele, Jose, Charles Kim, Dan, and Reese, and, miss Townsend, and for all the work, they've put into this hearing.
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And with that, I'll now turn it back over to, chair Hudson.