Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by April Summers, Treasurer of Tenant Association at LaGuardia Houses
4:48:41
ยท
3 min
April Summers, treasurer of the LaGuardia Houses tenant association, testifies about urgent crises affecting residents, including poor living conditions and misuse of federal funds. She demands action from NYCHA and city officials to address sanitation issues and financial mismanagement.
- Highlights ongoing neglect of common areas, including filthy floors and neglected elevators
- Describes a severe trash problem that poses public health risks
- Alleges misuse of federal Tenant Participation Activity (TPA) funds by the tenant association president
- Calls for an independent audit of TPA funds and stricter enforcement of financial rules
April Summers
4:48:41
Hi.
4:48:42
Hello.
4:48:43
Thank you.
4:48:44
Good afternoon, Chris and members of the committee.
4:48:49
My name is April Summers.
4:48:50
I'm the treasurer of the tenant association association and resident.
4:48:57
I'm here today to demand action on two urgent crisis affecting the residents of LaGuardia houses.
4:49:03
The ongoing neglect of our living conditions, and the blatant misuse of federal tenant participation activity funds.
4:49:11
For years, our common areas have been left in filth.
4:49:15
Floors are covered in layers of grime, instructional stickers from the seventies are faded and peeling, and our elevators and walls are stained and neglected.
4:49:25
Despite repeat repeated complaints, management continues to ignore this problem.
4:49:30
I personally reached out to Tony Herbert, NYC NYCHA liaison for the mayor's office for help.
4:49:37
His response?
4:49:39
That I should speak with the president of my tenant association.
4:49:42
That's unacceptable.
4:49:43
The mayor's office, NYCHA, and this city must take responsibility for ensuring safe, clean, and dignified living for the living conditions for NYCHA residents.
4:49:55
Meanwhile, the trash situation at LaGuardia Houses is appalling.
4:49:59
Garbage piles up on sidewalks and between buildings instead of being properly disposed of.
4:50:05
Loose garbage blows through our development daily, making it look more like a landfill than a home.
4:50:11
This is not just a quality of life issue.
4:50:14
It is a public health crisis.
4:50:16
This is an ongoing failure of NYCHA and this city, and it must be addressed immediately.
4:50:23
Financial mismanagement, where's the oversight?
4:50:26
Beyond sanitation issues, there's another crisis, the misuse of our federal TPA funds.
4:50:32
Our tenant association president, Dannette Chavez, has been allowed to misuse these funds
UNKNOWN
4:50:36
Your time has expired.
Jeannie Lopez
4:50:37
Thank you.
April Summers
4:50:38
What is stopping her?
4:50:40
Despite clear HUD regulations
Chris Banks
4:50:42
Your time has expired.
4:50:43
Agreement
April Summers
4:50:44
pardon me?
Chris Banks
4:50:45
Your time your time is up, ma'am.
4:50:48
Would you like an additional thirty seconds to wrap it up?
April Summers
4:50:51
Yes.
4:50:52
I would, please.
Chris Banks
4:50:53
Okay.
4:50:53
You may.
April Summers
4:50:54
Despite clear regulations, knowing is is checking this behavior.
4:50:59
He and officials include Yukha Baswith, Curtis Williams, and Daniel Sherrod.
4:51:10
It's time to hold NYCHA accountable for their failure to maintain sanitary living conditions, conduct an independent audit into the financial mismanagement of LaGuardia Houses' TPA funds, demand HUD, NYCHA, and responsible officials enforce their own financial rules, no exceptions, no excuses.
4:51:26
Tenants are not second class citizens.
4:51:28
We work here.
4:51:29
We live here.
4:51:30
We raise our families here.
4:51:32
We're not asking for special treatment.
4:51:34
We're demanding the dignity and respect every New Yorker deserves.
4:51:37
This council has the power to act, I urge you to use it now.
4:51:41
Special shout out to Rodney, detective Rodney Rosado of the fifth.
4:51:45
Thank you for your continued support.
4:51:46
Thank you very much.
4:51:47
I appreciate the time.
Chris Banks
4:51:48
Thank you for your testimony, Summers.