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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Valentina and Victor Mejia on Challenges with Affordable Housing Applications
2:49:05
·
11 min
Valentina and Victor Mejia, an elderly couple, shared their frustrating experiences with applying for affordable housing in New York City since 2012. They described a long, complicated process involving multiple applications, rejections, and appeals, despite having vouchers and meeting income requirements.
- The couple has been on waiting lists for years and has had to work multiple jobs to meet income qualifications.
- They are currently living in poor conditions with pests, despite being able to pay rent.
- Their testimony highlights the challenges faced by seniors in navigating the affordable housing system and the impact on their quality of life.
UNKNOWN
2:49:05
Good afternoon.
2:49:06
Thank you for the opportunity.
2:49:07
My name is Valentina Mejia, and his name is Victor Mejia.
2:49:10
Okay.
2:49:36
So I have a question.
2:49:40
I have one question for you.
2:49:42
So since 2012, I've been submitting applications.
2:49:47
So I submitted an application for $175.
2:50:37
Okay.
2:50:38
Okay.
2:50:38
Okay.
2:50:51
So I got an application, and there are two buildings.
2:50:54
They are the San Felinetti apartments.
2:50:57
And I actually had to pay the train to get there.
2:51:00
So I remember that I used to go to miss Sanchez miss Sanchez's office, and then they were following up with my applications.
2:51:09
And then I remember that that commission then transferred me to miss office.
2:51:15
And then I remember that I just started to apply over and over and over again.
2:51:22
And I did get a callback for a couple of applications, maybe three of them.
2:51:26
Mhmm.
2:51:29
Okay.
2:51:54
So I had the voucher, and I was through the process.
2:51:58
But the thing is that since we're a couple, they were only approving me for one bedroom.
2:52:04
And then I was ask I was asking his doctors to get two bedrooms instead of one, but I wasn't able to.
2:52:13
Okay.
2:52:33
And then since I had to pay train, I had to pay the train or the subway to go to miss Sanchez's office, then I actually only stayed at miss Yumeja's office because they were following up on my case.
2:52:46
So I got I applied for an apartment that's at 33001 Grand Concourse.
2:52:58
That's next to where I actually live.
2:53:03
It's nearby to where I live.
2:53:27
So I submitted the documents twice, and then they told me that I had to appeal.
2:53:34
And I actually submitted the documents to her office twice, and then they told me that I had to appeal after it was rejected.
2:54:24
So I actually had to start working as a home health aide even when I had another job.
2:54:31
So I had to change my schedule.
2:54:33
I had even to work with three different agencies, and I had another job.
2:54:37
But I had to be able to work even up to fifty hours with three different agencies just to be able to apply or meet the qualifications.
2:54:50
So even though when he has he has two vouchers and he's receiving and he's receiving Social Security.
2:54:59
I've been on the waiting list for two years.
2:55:32
And that's a very tedious process.
2:55:34
You have to work a lot, and you have to be submitting documents, you have to apply, and it's even half day just to apply for it and submitting the documents.
2:55:44
And I want to ask you why?
2:55:47
Why do I have to be on a waiting list for two years and I have to be processing this for over six months?
2:56:39
Since 2012, I've been applying and paying my own money, for example.
2:56:47
And I have a job.
2:56:48
Like, I've had I've had had a job all this time at Borrow B.
2:56:56
I used to work at a school.
2:56:58
I work at a school and even having the vouchers, having his vouchers, and I just couldn't achieve anything on the applications.
2:57:09
And I want to say that both of us, we are living between cockroaches and mice, between cockroaches and mice, even when we are able to pay and we're paying the money.
2:58:12
So we live between cockroaches and mice, and I don't have any shame to say this.
2:58:18
And I just you know what?
2:58:20
I just can't keep doing this because even having the money, I can't just submit it and put the money into the application because the thing is that he almost does not go out, and I can't kill him.
2:58:34
Right?
2:58:35
So That's what So I just let I know.
2:58:41
But Mhmm.
2:58:41
So I just let the cockroaches and the mice just walk in between us.
2:58:46
And I do have money.
2:58:48
So, actually, I went to work yesterday, and I went out of my job at 7AM.
2:58:55
So even working twelve hours, I can't keep going on like this.
2:58:59
So I just let the the plates roam around freely.
2:59:05
Okay.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
2:49:21
Thank you.
2:49:22
Thank you.
2:49:55
Mhmm.
2:51:27
Okay.
2:59:06
Thank you.
2:59:20
But is there anything you wanna you wanna come up?
2:59:24
So you for the record, you have to speak into the mic.
2:59:27
Yeah.
2:59:27
Okay.
Ahmed Tigani
2:49:56
Okay.
Sonia Simpson
2:50:23
Okay.
Eric Urquiza
2:54:13
Okay.
Jumelia Abrahamson
2:59:22
Yeah.
2:59:23
I'll just add that.
2:59:53
So I just wanna say that she's highlighted her story.
2:59:56
She's worked a twelve hour shift.
2:59:58
She's a senior.
2:59:58
They're both elderly.
3:00:00
They don't wanna be working so much, but they have to because they feel that that's the only way to afford the rent that they have right now.
3:00:07
And they are constantly denied after being invited to multiple interviews.
3:00:12
So they're confused with why this process is not working for them after applying to so many applications, after getting help from so many different agencies and still not winning that golden ticket that I spoke about earlier.
3:00:26
Yeah.
3:00:26
So thank you.