Dear Editor,
City Council Public Housing Committee Chairman Ritchie Torres is right in his demand for a larger upfront capital commitment from the city for NYCHA developments.
With regards to Mayor de Blasio’s pledge to allocate $ 1 billion over 10 years to replace roofs at NYCHA, I wish to point out that NYCHA residents cannot wait another 10 years for roofs to be fixed.
Leaky roofs lead to mold, exacerbate chronic illnesses such as asthma, and cause damage to building structures.
The city needs to invest $1 billion upfront now, so that NYCHA can make the necessary repairs that it has been forced to defer for years. It is time for the city to protect the health and safety of its residents,–more than 600,000 New Yorkers.
In our new reality, New York City cannot wait for federal dollars to make these major improvements, we must preserve this essential affordable housing now.
— Lucy Newman
and then 