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Q&A
Council Member Chris Banks questions Commissioner on senior services and NYCHA facilities
3:51:51
·
4 min
Council Member Chris Banks engages in a Q&A session with Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, discussing various aspects of senior services in New York City. The conversation covers topics such as home care assistance, leasing agreements for senior centers in NYCHA developments, food access for seniors, and funding for senior centers in specific districts.
- The discussion touches on assistance for seniors who have been victims of EBT or SNAP fraud.
- There is a focus on the challenges faced by senior centers in RAD-converted NYCHA developments, particularly regarding leasing agreements and capital investments.
- The conversation highlights the need for reliable services and funding for senior centers, especially in districts with large senior populations.
Chris Banks
3:51:51
Thank you chairs and to commissioner, good to see you.
3:51:55
Great.
3:51:56
How is this budget supporting particularly home care assistance for seniors with limited mobility who prefer to remain in their homes?
3:52:08
And, I think we've had a conversation about the leasing agreements with those NYCHA developments that have converted over.
3:52:18
I know at Millennium Development there's a particular issue with their leasing agreement or having lack thereof of a lease agreement since the relocation from the main center.
3:52:31
So, I just want know what are the resources put in place to help those particular centers that have been relocated and in this situation where it's now have found a home now.
3:52:43
And and because of not having a lease, it's hampering them getting any type of capital investment needed in that particular space.
3:52:51
So, I want you to chime in on that as well, and I also want to know what is being done to improve food access for seniors living in food deserts, especially in neighborhoods with without food grocery options.
3:53:07
And additionally, for seniors who have been victims of EBT or SNAP fraud, what steps is the city taking to supplement or replace their food benefits quickly rather than forcing them to wait weeks for reimbursement?
3:53:20
Just want to know what is is the real what are y'all doing to assist those seniors?
3:53:53
the end.
3:53:53
Excellent.
3:53:53
That's good to hear.
3:54:00
Well, at this point, anything helps.
3:55:17
Excellent.
3:55:18
Okay.
3:55:19
And if I may have one more question.
3:55:22
The 40 second Council District has one of the largest senior populations in the city, yet some of the centers in the district lack DIFTA contracts, particularly boulevard houses which had lost their contract about five years ago when it was on the Wayside Senior Services.
3:55:41
Now, Fork Green Senior Services has the well, it's amd the contract there but they're being funded through a discretionary funding.
3:55:48
We wanted to know how does this budget address those disparities and ensure reliable services go forward with those particular seniors.
3:55:58
Is there any assistance to help
3:56:03
Fort Greene City.
3:56:04
Boulevard Houses.
3:56:07
They're actually a RAD converted development.
3:56:14
You.
3:56:16
Thank you, madam chair.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
3:53:25
So what I can tell you is from the scam perspective we work very closely with DSS on those kind of issues.
3:53:35
I don't know exactly what their timeframe is.
3:53:38
I don't want to speak on behalf of DSS in terms of reimbursing that.
3:53:42
But what I do know is that our elderly crime victim program works very closely in those kind of situations.
3:53:49
And where where necessary, we can give some cash assistance in
3:53:54
But it's but it's small and it's, you know, it's it's not always always the case.
3:54:02
Right.
3:54:02
Yeah.
3:54:03
And and I agree with you.
3:54:04
And in terms of the we're in constant conversation with NYCHA about the, you know, that the we have an agreement that the rats have to follow the same protocols and procedures that NYCHA has had with those facilities that we have.
3:54:24
We have 108 of our older adult clubs in NYCHA facilities.
3:54:28
So that's very important to us.
3:54:30
But it's a constant, you know, conversation with NYCHA.
3:54:33
I believe that we're getting closer and closer to a workable agreement and that the RADS are adhering to the same principles that NYCHA has had with community based organizations.
3:54:50
And that, you know, rent is not an option.
3:54:53
Right.
3:54:53
Because OMB has basic we we could not afford to pay rent for all of those youth programs and and older adult centers housed in NYCHA facilities.
3:55:11
That has still been in discussion.
3:55:13
There's been the decision has been that there's no rent as of this moment.
3:56:00
those Give me the name of the program again?
3:56:04
No, Fort Greene, I know.
3:56:06
Boulevard.
3:56:10
Right.
3:56:11
I'll get back to you on that once I get information.
3:56:14
Okay.