Residents feel safe in Astoria
Edith Scherer has lived in Astoria for 20 years, and she feels very safe in the area. While eating lunch at a café, Scherer shared that aside from a few small incidents that she’s known of, “I can’t really complain.”
The overall feeling of safety was echoed by many residents, business owners and even politicians in Astoria.
The rapidly growing community is best known for its cheap rent and proximity to the city, but Astoria definitely has a life of its own. We asked residents what their security and community concerns were, and we got plenty of feedback.
One resident, Stephanie Lemos, said that although most stores have security systems installed, just in case, nothing has ever happened. “I felt really safe,” she said. “That’s why I love living here.”
Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., who represents Astoria and is the Chair of the Council’s Public Safety Committee has been notified of include utility worker scams, where break-ins have been conducted by individuals posing as utility workers.
Other concerns include police forces, which has suffered major cutbacks due to budgeting, and the proliferation of power plants in the area.
Nonetheless, Vallone Jr. said Astoria remains a very safe area.
Maria, who works at the Irish Rover bar just off Steinway, said that she has definitely noticed a bigger influx of people moving in from the city but she said she feels pretty safe. Despite the carefree attitudes, she said “people think it’s very safe, but it’s still New York City.”
Etching acid graffiti still a problem
Despite the high level of safety in the area, shop owner Shams Alam said with a glum face, “there’s no business.” He said he experienced some five-fingering on several occasions with T-shirts he has hanging outside, but other than that, there have been very little problems.
However, Bruce Last, who owns a store right on the busy street, said that he has had some trouble with graffiti. The latest weapon in a graffitist’s arsenal is etching acid, typically used by artists to create engravings. However, using the acid for more sinister purposes like tagging shop windows and bus shelters has become a problem, not only in Astoria, but all over the city.
Last has experienced several incidents of etching graffiti on his shop window. The effects are highly destructive and require the entire piece of glass to be replaced. Even still, Last said that while no place is perfectly safe, police in the area have done a very good job in ensuring security in the area.
Vallone Jr. has taken efforts to curb the graffiti by proposing and helping to pass new legislation that requires etching acid purchasers to show identification, which stores will keep on file.
Vallone Jr. said he has spent practically every day of his life in Astoria and said “it’s a very safe community, and this is one of the reasons why it’s so hard to find somewhere to live here.”
Ticket blitzes hit Astoria
There are long lines at the Muni-Meters, as Astoria residents purchase their parking tickets on a rainy afternoon in Ditmars. The ticket blitz stemming from traffic agents in Astoria affect residents, managers and business owners.
The Astoria-locals have been complaining about the traffic agents issuing tickets without a grace period allowing time to purchase a ticket and place it in their cars.
The locals have raised issues with Astoria Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., who has also noticed the excessive ticketing.
“It’s absolutely a problem; I’ve received quite large number of harassment complaints about ticketing.” The council member said he is looking into passing legislations to relieve the burden.
One resident was leaning outside of the door, and she confirmed she did not receive any parking tickets that day, while watching the traffic agents circling the block several of times. However, another day, she and her husband were not so lucky.
“My husband dropped me off at the bus stop, where the meter maids blocked the car, pulled off and blocked him, then they pulled out their scanning machine and handed him with the ticket, they are very aggressive” she said.
Some of the restaurants within the area have been financially disturbed due to the excessive ticket distribution.
A manager mentioned that he spends approximately $1,500 a month due to the amount of tickets given to his customers, where he pays for their tickets, to keep their business, and satisfaction.
Others who have been affected to the heavy ticketing have paid about $35 to $150 for a parking or standing ticket.
At a fast- paced restaurant, one of the managers noticed, “The meter maids are like a flock of birds, they come in three or four in packs, with the meter maids, there is no chance of survival.”
Meanwhile, a corrections officer in a local pizza shop said, “People take chances predominately in this area, [ticket giving] it is unfair to community and the business, It is unfair, these people are only doing what they are told to do.”
Later that day, a traffic agent said that people shouldn’t blame them for the tickets. “We can’t control the traffic; people block the road, while others complain about the traffic.”
