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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Dana Elden, President of Resident Council at St. Mary's Park Houses, on NYCHA Issues
3:24:03
ยท
166 sec
Dana Elden, President of the Resident Council at St. Mary's Park Houses, testified about various issues with NYCHA, including questionable spending practices, lack of transparency, and concerns about Section 8 vs. Section 9 tenant placements. She emphasized the need for greater accountability from NYCHA and expressed frustration with the limited time given to residents for testimony compared to NYCHA officials.
- Criticized NYCHA's spending practices and lack of transparency in vendor selection and expenditures
- Highlighted discrepancies in tenant placement, noting more Section 8 move-ins compared to Section 9 despite high vacancy rates
- Called for increased accountability and oversight of NYCHA operations
Dana Elden
3:24:03
Good afternoon, chairman of banks.
3:24:05
This is Dana Eldon from Saint Mary's, also from RPTH, and I'm here again to comment on some of the many issues that residents suffer from at the hands of NYCHA.
3:24:17
Today, many spoke about the financial atrocities that follow NYCHA and their endeavors.
3:24:23
And as a resident council president and community activist, I have observed some of the spending practices within my own NYCHA development, the spending of thousands of dollars, which could have been spent on purchasing what was needed to fix items within the development.
3:24:43
It is deplorable that they spend money as they do, and we have no idea what it what vendors they are using or the money exactly take the figures that they are spending.
3:24:58
This must stop.
3:25:00
And then they keep saying, well, the the resident leaders can and they are knowledgeable.
3:25:06
That's a lie.
3:25:08
If I want anything, I I have to beg for it.
3:25:11
Just recently, there was an issue in regard to me asking for the vacancies in my development, the difference between section eight and section nine.
3:25:22
I observed three new residents moving in under section eight.
3:25:27
However, out of the 87 vacancies that we have, I haven't seen one.
3:25:36
Not one not one section nine tenant move in.
3:25:42
What are they doing?
3:25:44
What are they doing?
3:25:45
Why is no one jumping at them?
3:25:48
And why is it that we only get two minutes?
3:25:51
They sit the nightly comes in here, and they sit, and they give you crap.
3:25:55
They lie to you.
3:25:57
And then they can say as much as they wanna say, if we get two minutes, that's not fair.
3:26:03
That's not fair at all.
3:26:04
And it shouldn't change.
Chris Banks
3:26:06
Do you want an extra minute?
3:26:08
I'm gonna give you extra minute.
Dana Elden
3:26:09
Yes.
3:26:09
I do.
Chris Banks
3:26:09
Yes.
Dana Elden
3:26:10
Thank you, sir.
Chris Banks
3:26:11
Appreciate it.
Dana Elden
3:26:11
There's just too much that is not being spoken of, and Nitra tends to get away with it.
3:26:18
I said, I'm not trying to to run after them.
3:26:21
I just want the truth, and I want it to be known.
3:26:26
It it there's no way that we could do this without you and those who support these efforts to find out what NYCHA is doing and make them accountable.
3:26:37
They need to be accountable.
3:26:39
Look how great I've gotten since I've been dealing with NYCHA.
3:26:42
I didn't have this great before, but thank you chairman for this opportunity.
3:26:48
God bless you always.