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Council Member Susan Zhuang urges support for legislation on tracking squatter data
0:53:13
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Council Member Susan Zhuang advocates for Intro 907, which would require city agencies to track and publish data on homes with squatters. She emphasizes the urgency of this legislation by describing a recent fire in her district caused by squatters, which resulted in one death and left 16 neighbors homeless.
- Zhuang highlights that this is the sixth fire in three years related to squatters in her district.
- She stresses that illegal squatting is a citywide crisis that puts entire communities at risk.
- The council member argues that better data is crucial for understanding and addressing the issue of illegal squatting.
Susan Zhuang
0:53:13
Thank you, madam majority leader.
0:53:15
I stand before you today to once again urge everyone to support intro nine zero seven legislation that could require NYPD, HPD three eleven, and other relative city agency to track and publish data on homes with spottors.
0:53:33
This is critical information we need to prevent future deviations.
0:53:39
As our speaker just mentioned today, I had a fire in my district.
0:53:46
This is a house with squatter there.
0:53:48
This is sixth sixth fire in just three years.
0:53:52
A squatter died in the fire.
0:53:55
When spread and then the fire spread to neighbor's house.
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This left the four 16 innocent neighbors homeless.
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Hardworking immigrant families with small children.
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Some of them live in their cars now.
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These families did everything right, yet they lost everything because the dangers and the illegal squatting.
0:54:19
Sadly.
0:54:20
It's not the isolated instance.
0:54:23
Illegal squatting is a citywide crisis, and it can happen in any one of our districts.
0:54:30
Squatters often restore unsafe method of heating or electric, putting entire community at risk.
0:54:39
How many more fires?
0:54:41
How many more families left homeless?
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How many more lives lost before we act?
0:54:48
The solutions start with better data.
0:54:50
We need to equip the city agency with the tools to understand and address this issue.
0:54:57
Without access tracking, we are leaving homeowners, tenants, and the entire neighborhood vulnerable.
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Last week, the tragedy was able to prevent it.
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It's preventable.
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And if we fail to act, we will see more tragedies.
0:55:14
And I ask my dear colleagues, please sign on intro nine zero seven.
0:55:19
Thank you.