STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The already active fight for quality public housing on Staten Island has a new boost from Citizen Action of New York and residents from across the North Shore who have banned together to fight for better funding for public housing in the borough.
Citizen Action of New York’s recently established Staten Island branch hosted its first rally on Wednesday as part of a National Day of Action advocating for fully funding public housing and other community needs in President Biden’s Build Back Better plan.
More than 40 people from public housing developments in Stapleton, Mariners Harbor, Clifton, West Brighton and other North Shore neighborhoods gathered at the Stapleton Houses for the rally on Wednesday night. Local branches of the NAACP and National Council of Negro Women were present as well.
Jasi Robinson, a Democratic female district leader, who is also the Staten Island delegate for Citizen Action of NY, told the Advance/SILive.com that the rally served to call attention to the living conditions Staten Islanders in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) subsidized housing have been enduring.
“We had this rally not only to demand for better housing, but for quality housing,” said Robinson. “It has been far too long that the plight and the pleas of NYHAA and Park Hill residents have been ignored and just blatantly disregarded and dismissed.”
The rally came about when residents in NYCHA housing -- such as the Stapleton Houses and residents from the Park Hill Apartments, which are managed by the HUD -- spoke at a Citizen Action of NY meeting quickly realizing that they are enduring similar poor living conditions, such as mold outbreaks in their apartments, broken elevators and rodent infestations.
‘BUILDING POWER AMONG PEOPLE’
Jason Salmon, the NYC regional director of Citizen Action of NY, told the Advance/SILive.com that this rally was the first of many to come.
“We are a burgeoning branch of Citizen Action in Staten Island,” said Salmon.
Salmon explained that the movement is larger than just rallying, it’s also about empowering the community.
“The big point about what we’re doing right now at the Staten Island branch is we’re building power among people. We’re doing teach-ins. We’re not only going over electoral issues, but also talking about housing issues, such as good cause eviction,” he said.
Robinson also described the rally as being the beginning of a movement.
“We’re not going to stop until there are real sustainable changes made within the NYCHA and Park Hill community,” she said.
“COVID has exasperated a lot of the problems that already existed. So we are here, Citizen’s Action, to stand in solidarity and to raise these voices,” Robinson added.
NYCHA AND HUD RESPOND
The Advance/SILive.com contacted NYCHA and HUD for comments regarding the conditions of their housing developments and residents’ concerns.
NYCHA said that it has a plan that they expect to implement in November.
“NYCHA is engaged directly with residents and local community leaders on solutions for its Staten Island developments, including operations improvements and strategies to bring much needed capital investment to properties and apartments. Residents themselves have informed the NYCHA Transformation Plan, which includes upcoming significant changes to the work order system, expected to be implemented in Staten Island developments in November,” they said.
However, Jasi Robinson said that she did her homework and has not heard about or come across this plan that NYCHA referred to.
A spokesperson from HUD said that they will be sending a representative as soon as next week to visit the Fox Hills Aparments (Park Hill) and Richmond Gardens in New Brighton.
“Fox Hills and Richmond Gardens are privately-owned properties owned by separate companies. Both properties receive HUD subsidies for rental assistance. HUD takes resident safety and health seriously. The Department is continuing to investigate the concerns raised by residents at Fox Hills Apartments and Richmond Gardens. A HUD representative will visit both properties next week to assess the conditions,” said the spokesperson.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Both Robinson and Salmon encourage Staten Islanders to join the cause.
“This is a people-powered movement. A movement is not just one person, it’s many people moving. So as many people as we can get to move with us, nothing can stop us,” Robinson said.
The branch hosts monthly meetings that are open to the public. For information about how to get involved, upcoming meetings, and more, email jsalmon@citizenactionny.org