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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Angella Cummings, Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn CDC
5:20:20
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122 sec
Angella Cummings, Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn CDC, testified about their home repair program that helps vulnerable residents, particularly seniors, maintain safe and affordable housing. She highlighted the increasing need due to Brooklyn's aging housing stock and requested $3,000,000 in funding from the city council.
- NHS Brooklyn is a HUD-certified nonprofit housing counseling agency with over 40 years of experience.
- Nearly two-thirds of Brooklyn's 300,000+ one to four family buildings are over 50 years old, leading to maintenance and efficiency issues.
- The organization recently assisted a visually disabled senior with a $20,000 grant for home insulation and bedroom renovation.
Angella Cummings
5:20:20
Thank you members of the committee and Ms.
5:20:24
Sanchez.
5:20:26
My name is Angela Cummins and I am the executive director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn CDC.
5:20:32
NHS Brooklyn is a HUD certified nonprofit housing counseling agency.
5:20:37
For over forty years, we have helped residents obtain and maintain affordable housing and assisted in building healthy, safe, sustainable communities across Brooklyn.
5:20:47
The service we'd like to focus on today is our home repair program which helps keep our most vulnerable residents safe and in their homes.
5:20:58
For many years, NHS Brooklyn has worked on behalf of homeowners on fixed incomes struggling to live in and maintain their homes.
5:21:07
As time has passed, however, the need has increased because Brooklyn's housing stock is aging.
5:21:13
Of the borrowers 300,000 plus one to four family buildings, almost two thirds were built more than fifty years ago.
5:21:21
These older homes are deteriorating due to low maintenance and are inefficient by twenty first century standards.
5:21:28
At this time, many are owned by older residents who must age in place because they cannot relocate and they cannot afford the renovations necessary to allow frail adults to remain in the home.
5:21:41
We have tried to address this need of this vulnerable population through our home repair program which has received government funding.
5:21:50
This funding has been critical in helping our seniors homeowners each year to make emergency home repairs.
5:21:56
I should say for seniors.
5:21:57
Recently, for example, we were able to assist a visually disabled senior who needed to insulate his home and renovate his bedroom, but who had been unable to do so due to his low income.
5:22:10
We provided a $20,000 grant for the repairs, and now he lives in a comfortable, healthy home.
5:22:16
I therefore respectfully request funding for the city council in the amount of $3,000,000.
Kenny Margarito Alvarez
5:22:22
Thank you.