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Saturday, January 11, 2014

Sen. Chuck Schumer pushes for $175 million to storm-proof NYCHA buildings





Sen. Chuck Schumer pushed for $175 million to storm-proof NYCHA buildings that were battered by Hurricane Sandy.

Sen. Chuck Schumer began pushing on Friday for $175 million to storm-proof Housing Authority buildings whacked by Hurricane Sandy, but he’s worried about how the troubled agency will spend it.

“We have to do whatever we can to ensure that we’re better prepared when the next storm hits,” Schumer said outside the Two Bridges Houses in Chinatown, a block from the East River. “Now obviously the money has to be spent well to make it work.”

The storm severely damaged 21 NYCHA developments in lower Manhattan, Red Hook and Coney Island in Brooklyn and Far Rockaway, Queens, stranding 80,000 tenants without heat, hot water and elevators for nearly a month.

John Rhea, whose tenure as NYCHA chairman was marked by financial mismanagement and repair delays, resigned last month. Mayor de Blasio has yet to name a replacement.

Schumer was optimistic that de Blasio will soon make changes to improve the agency responsible for housing 600,000 New Yorkers.

“I’m very hopeful that the new mayor will come in and appoint a new team that will do a better job than has been done in the past,” he said.

1 comment:

  1. What about the tens of thousands of people who still have not been able to go back home 15 months later??

    ReplyDelete