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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kelly Rowland, Member of 2910 Wallace Avenue Tenant Association on Residential Displacement After Fire
1:58:59
ยท
131 sec
Kelly Rowland, a member of the 2910 Wallace Avenue Tenant Association, testifies about the challenges faced by tenants after a fire in their building. She highlights issues with security, assistance programs, and the ongoing displacement of residents.
- Praises Red Cross for initial support but criticizes HPD for lack of follow-up and assistance for working tenants
- Reports incidents of theft and vandalism in the apartments after the fire
- Discusses challenges for undocumented tenants and those with pets in accessing shelter and assistance
Kelly Rowland
1:58:59
Can you hear me?
1:59:02
Good morning, my name is Kelly Rowland.
1:59:04
I want to thank you for the opportunity to actually hear us out today.
1:59:08
Thank you for taking the time to allow us to attend this meeting.
1:59:12
I will piggyback off of everything that miss Richardson said.
1:59:15
I'm part of the Tennant Association.
1:59:16
We basically did our own roundup to get the people to do what they needed to do as far as trying to get some of their belongings.
1:59:24
The fire department I believe the first two days and the police were there.
1:59:28
Once the fire happened, the apartments were open.
1:59:31
We were robbed.
1:59:33
There was vandalism.
1:59:34
There was nobody there to protect that.
1:59:36
We believe that a lot of the inside people, Super and his tenants and helpers took part of that.
1:59:41
If it wasn't for us to make a police report, our items would not be retrieved or even found or thought of.
1:59:47
As far as the programs, I give big praises to Red Cross.
1:59:51
They were the only ones that really stepped up.
1:59:53
They got us in registered, got us in a hotel.
1:59:56
I know you have a three to five day window.
1:59:58
Some of us had three months, two months, two weeks, myself and once you were linked with HPD, the rule is if you have a pet you are not allowed to stay in their shelter.
2:00:08
There are a lot of tenants who are misplaced because they're undocumented.
2:00:11
The landlord did not receive a list or give a list of the people.
2:00:15
Some people got scared.
2:00:16
They accepted their deposits back or were told by the landlord, I'll get you a place all in conclusion to make sure that we do not sign anything for lawsuit.
2:00:27
So these people were scared they had no place to go.
2:00:29
So you won't get everybody as part of it, the whole lawsuit.
2:00:34
As far as the HPD helping, like I said, you get a link giving you HRA, home base, help us which if you're a working tenant you don't get any assistance, we don't qualify because we don't meet that income.
2:00:47
You're on your own basically to find shelter.
2:00:50
They do not follow-up with us.
2:00:52
We had to reach out consistently to speak to the workers there to see if they can help us in any type of way, but it's not being done.
2:01:00
So everybody is really still misplaced.
2:01:02
I'm staying with friends.
2:01:03
My time is almost up but we don't have the actual help that we need so we're asking that they could be a little bit more diligent in helping us.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
2:01:10
Yeah, thank you.