Western Queens NYCHA community leaders are hailing the inclusion of hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for much-needed repairs in the state budget.
State Senator Michael Gianaris announced the proposal that contains a $750 million commitment would include capital expenses to repair aging facilities, representing a first step toward increasing New York’s financial commitment to public housing residents.
“For too long, deferred investment in public housing have had dire consequences. The state Senate will not leave NYCHA tenants behind and will fight for necessary resources,” Gianaris said. “While we still need to convince our governing partners to support this financial commitment, our $750 million proposal is a major step towards the state taking the needs of NYCHA residents seriously. This is a down payment on the future of public housing and I am committed to working with residents and community leaders to ensure our public housing receives the investments it needs to be some of the best housing available in New York.”
The executive budget, proposed by the governor in January, included $250 million in state aid for residents of NYCHA houses. The Senate’s budget proposal raised that by $500 million, to $750 million. The Senate, Assembly and governor must come to an agreement on the final budget by April 1.
“Serving NYCHA residents throughout the western Queens community, I know firsthand the high needs our families and neighbors have. $750 million would be a serious downpayment on a better future for the residents of public housing,” Urban Upbound Co-Founder Bishop Mitchell Taylor said. “I thank Senator Gianaris and the Senate majority for including this funding in their budget proposal and am hopeful the Assembly and executive will follow suit.”
Gianaris represents three major NYCHA developments in western Queens, including Queensbridge Houses, the largest public housing development in North America, and the Ravenswood and Astoria Houses.
“Senator Gianaris has always been an ally of our neighbors in Astoria Houses and I am pleased to learn he’s been fighting for more funding for our neighbors,” Astoria Houses Tenants Association President Claudia Coger said. “I hope everyone in Albany is listening to the Senate right now and include s that $750 million for our community members.”
The budget proposal was well received at the Ravenswood Houses.
“Ravenswood residents live in homes that are in need of serious repairs,” Ravenswood Residents Association President Carol Wilkins said. “This $750 million is critical funding we can use to put towards making our homes more liveable for another generation. This funding could be used towards bringing back the Centralized Call Center hotline for repairs, a resource our seniors especially depend on. I am hopeful other leaders in government will join Senator Gianaris in fighting for this money so we can ensure more resources are made available to our residents.”
Chris Hanway, the executive director of the Jacob Riis Neighborhood Settlement House in Queensbridge, agreed.
“We are always in need of more resources to provide for engaging programs our community members have come to expect from Jacob Riis Neighborhood Settlement House,” Hanway said. “I’m very pleased Senator Gianaris is once again championing funding for NYCHA residents in the Legislature and urge the rest of the budget negotiators to follow the Senate majority’s lead.”
