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Q&A
Council Member Brannan questions DFTA Commissioner on senior center rent issues and services in Southeast Queens
3:59:12
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179 sec
Council Member Justin Brannan engages in a Q&A session with DFTA Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, focusing on issues related to senior centers and services for older adults in New York City. The discussion covers the rent increase problem at the United Senior Center of Sunset Park and DFTA's efforts to address growing needs in Southeast Queens.
- DFTA is working to find alternative solutions for the United Senior Center of Sunset Park, including looking for city-owned property in the area and ensuring continuity of services for older adults.
- The commissioner highlights the need for reasonable rates for commercial spaces housing nonprofits.
- DFTA has invested an additional $3,600,000 in Southeast Queens to address growing needs for older adult services in the area.
Justin Brannan
3:59:12
Thank you, council member.
3:59:13
I just have a couple things.
3:59:16
With regard to the United Senior Center of Sunset Park the issue there where the landlord is trying to raise the rent by 70%, which is not possible, what support is DFTA able to offer there?
4:00:26
But you're in, do you have a line into the landlord there?
4:00:41
I have a couple questions.
4:00:48
Very generous.
4:01:10
have a question from majority whip, Selvina Brooks Powers, who had to leave.
4:01:17
As the population of older adults continues to grow in our city, her question is specifically around what DIPTA is doing specifically to help meet that increasing need in Southeast Queens.
4:01:31
Could you speak to that?
4:02:10
Chair Hudson.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
3:59:35
Great.
3:59:36
So we offered, we said anywhere from five to 10% which is our normal adjustments.
3:59:42
We offered that to the landlord and obviously you know that that meant with a no.
3:59:47
And what we've also done is I went to DCAST.
3:59:50
Once I visited the center about a month and a half ago, two months ago, whenever it was, I went to DCAST to start looking at city owned property in the area so that we could house, see if we can find another location for them within the Sunset Park area.
4:00:06
And we're working on that diligently.
4:00:08
But just know that for us the most important thing is to make sure that older adults continue to get the services.
4:00:14
And so what we have is a plan where we will send older adults to some of the neighboring communities, which is already being done by the way, to make sure that there's no break in service for the older adult.
4:00:31
No, we don't negotiate with the landlord.
4:00:33
We negotiate with the older adult provider and who has the direct line with the landlord.
4:00:39
Okay.
4:00:42
The landlord went from a 90% increase to a 70% increase.
4:00:49
You know, what I proposed, and I think I've spoken to you, Sher Hudson, about this, is we need to start looking at commercial spaces who house nonprofits and see if we can come up with some reasonable rates.
4:01:07
Yeah.
4:01:07
Yeah.
4:01:08
So I
4:01:32
Sure.
4:01:33
This administration has invested an additional $3,600,000 in Southeast Queens specifically to address some of the growing needs there.
4:01:46
And we continue to do that as I said to the councilwoman that you know we always look at population shifts and start trying to address those as the opportunity arises.
4:02:00
But sometimes the older adult centers are not exactly where the population shift occurs.
4:02:06
And so we need to navigate and negotiate those.
Javier Lojan
4:00:47
Yeah, yeah.
Crystal Hudson
4:01:05
We're working on that separately.