Citing mind-blowing statistics, the NY Post published an article yesterday demonstrating the abysmal state of the bureaucratic agency in charge of public housing in the Big Apple. Facts are stubborn things and what the Post article details is hard to counter. The Agency blamed COVID for the incredible backlog, but that’s not enough to explain these staggering numbers.
According to the Post’s investigation, NYCHA’s citywide maintenance backlog has ballooned to nearly 584,000 repair and maintenance requests in October — up from 461,000 in October 2020. At the Castle Hill Houses in The Bronx, the number topped 11,000 in recent months.
The city’s housing agency continues to reel from the lead poisoning scandal and appears absolutely oblivious and unable to rectify the current housing problems plaguing the city. This is a scandal of epic proportions that requires immediate investigation and real solutions. It is absolutely inexcusable for city residents to live in housing that remains broken.
The crisis is dire and practical solutions need to be implemented now. In June of this year, the NY Times published an article that said in part, ” Experts and housing advocates say that a failure by the next mayor to address the crisis in a meaningful way could jeopardize New York’s cultural fabric and stunt its economic comeback by making the city even more unaffordable for low-wage workers and residents of color.”
That’s not hyperbole. The city and its leadership face a crisis that could have a devastating ripple effect on the quality of life for all New Yorkers for decades to come.
The new Mayor-elect must seize this opportunity to regain the trust and confidence of the city’s residents by tackling this problem. He didn’t create the problem but when he was elected mayor he assumed responsibility to fix it. This can’t continue. We can’t and shouldn’t abide by it.
Thomas P. Giuffra, Partner
Thomas specializes in the litigation and trial of significant civil sexual assault, medical malpractice, personal injury, mass tort, and product liability actions. His innovative approach has led to 20 verdicts and numerous settlements in excess of one million dollars on behalf of his clients, including a recent landmark verdict for $58 Million. He has been recognized as "outstanding in the field of advocacy" nationally and internationally.
