With an ongoing flood mitigation project underway on 183rd Street and Jamaica Avenue, South Jamaica residents on the block have continued to receive parking tickets for various violations, despite the fact that city agencies are taking up most of the parking spaces on the block.
In response to increased residential complaints, Councilman I. Daneek Miller penned a letter to the agencies that are in charge of the construction project and the 103rd Precinct.
“My office has been informed by community advocate Al-Hassan Kanu, who was previously my district director, of a need for greater communication between your agencies with respect to ongoing construction in Downtown Jamaica,” Miller wrote. “As work takes place on and around 183rd Street and Jamaica Avenue, residents on the block are having their quality-of-life negatively impacted and are being starved for parking in this already parking-scarce district.”
Miller’s letter was sent to the city’s Department of Design and Construction, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Transportation, Department of Sanitation and to the commanding officer at the 103rd Precinct in Jamaica.
“After years of advocacy, I am proud to share that those who can make a difference in our city came together to make things right for the residents living on 183rd Street and Jamaica Avenue. High water tables in this area have caused damage to homes, costing families living in the area even more costs on top of what they already pay in taxes, insurance and mortgages,” Kanu said. “It was only after Councilman Miller secured the funding to have new sewer pipes put in place that we knew homeowners in South Jamaica would finally see some relief. But instead, for several more years, they had to endure not just the construction on their block but additional fees the city was trying to collect from them by issuing parking tickets. I am pleased to have worked with the community, Councilman Miller, and city officials to finally realize what was taking place on this block and that the 103rd Police Precinct agreed to stop issuing the parking tickets. This is the type of work that needs to be done to build and maintain a strong quality of life in southeast Queens and I look forward to continuing this work in the City Council.”
Kanu is running to replace Miller and represent District 27 on the City Council. The construction project began last year, where new sewers are being installed to mitigate incessant flooding that has plagued the neighborhood for years, but residents on the block have not been informed of where they can park their cars while construction continues.
One ongoing issue is that while alternate side parking is on Thursday and Friday, the trucks and other construction materials continue to occupy both sides of the block. In the meantime, no matter what day of the week it is, signs that are posted on cones saying where residents can park continue to fall off, and residents still receive parking tickets even though there is no way to tell they cannot park on that spot. Despite challenging tickets, the city has mostly ruled that residents still have to pay the fines.
“It has been a nightmare here since the construction began, with the tickets being issued every day and there is very little alternate side parking available,” said Mariska Lalbeharry, a resident of 183rd Street. “We have contacted the city and elected officials but so far there has been very little response.”
Miller’s office has received a response from the 103rd Precinct, which has agreed to stop issuing parking tickets while construction on the block continues.
