Objecting to the NYCHA/HUD Deal

New York City Council Member Ritchie Torres (15th District — Bedford Park, Fordham, Belmont, Mount Hope, Bathgate, East Tremont, West Farms, Van Nest, Allerton, Olinville), chair of the Council’s Committee on Oversight and Investigations, argues the HUD/NYC agreement on NYCHA is not sufficient to solve the problems there.

"The episode at the detention center… I commend the Mayor for sending an emergency response team with blankets, with hand warmers, with generators. I thought this moment demonstrated the best in city government and city grassroots activism," says @RitchieTorres.

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 4, 2019

"I’m a skeptic about the deal. NYCHA is in a state of emergency and yet the agreement contains no new emergency funding from the government… there’s not clear mechanism for enforcement but the worst feature is that there’s no court supervision," says @RitchieTorres.

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 4, 2019

"One thing I find particularly offensive is that the [@NYCHA/@HUDNY_NJ] agreement allows NYCHA 20 years to abate all lead in public housing. By the time NYCHA is done with lead abatement, I will have an AARP card. That’s ridiculous," says @RitchieTorres.

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 4, 2019