Rebuilding Together, a large national non-profit organization founded in 1999, came to Red Hook after Hurricane Sandy and set up shop at 285 Van Brunt Street, taking over the office abandoned by Max Pollack Insurance. They have stayed, making it their NYC headquarters. Their mission, as stated on their 990 tax form, is to “bring volunteers and communities together to […]
NYCHA
In Red Hook we take care of our own, by Carlos Menchaca
Dear Neighbor, It has been almost 30 months since the senior center on Wolcott Street was destroyed by the waters of Super-Storm Sandy. However, the good news is the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is aggressively moving forward with plans to renovate the building next to the Joseph Miccio Community Center to serve as a fully functional senior center […]
Stronger Together brings local non-profits money for job training, by George Fiala
A new program called Stronger Together is helping a few non-profits to continue offering free employment services to residents of public housing. RHI and other organizations premiered the program recently in Gowanus at the offices of the Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC), an organization that developed affordable housing in Park Slope and neighboring communities starting in the late 1970’s. Stronger Together, […]
Menchaca, NYCHA Promise Asbestos Safety in Public Housing Construction, by Harrison Neuhaus
Amid construction on Red Hook’s public housing developments, questions about asbestos have been circulating throughout the neighborhood. Resulting from an influx of calls, residents succeeded in grabbing the attention of their elected officials, as New York City Councilman Carlos Menchaca called a meeting to update locals on this process. This evening, Monday July 28, several officials from NYCHA and their […]
Oversight meeting uncovers mold and money shortages, by George Fiala
NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer brought his traveling Sandy Oversight show to the auditorium of PS 15 Tuesday evening. Flanked by three of his deputies, by Councilman Carlos Menchaca and by the Mayor’s director of Housing Recovery, Amy Peterson, Stringer announced that he was in Red Hook to listen. This was not to be a normal feel-good town meeting Two lines were […]
Lillie Marshall fields housing complaints at monthly tenant meeting, by George Fiala
If you live in the Red Hook West Houses, you are eligible to become a voting member of the Red Hook West Tenant Association, and have President Lillie Marshall help you with NYCHA issues. Another major benefit is being part of a community which meets every second Tuesday at 428 Columbia Street, apartment 1 C. The dues are only $2 per […]
New boilers to be installed at Red Hook Houses, by George Fiala
Although advertised as one, there were actually two separate meetings at PS 15 on March 6th. The auditorium held an informational meeting where affected homeowners could meet representatives from Build It Back, a city program that is supposed to distribute federal funds to distressed homeowners who have had to rebuild their homes. After some opening statements, councilman Carlos Menchaca led […]
Miccio Center to remain open
Good news re Miccio Center! The city budget was completed last night and we just got this from local Councilmember Sara Gonzalez: “Ten days ago, as we were readying our final budget, NYCHA dropped the bombshell announcement that due to sequestration, they faced a $203 million shortfall in their budget. Their stated position at that time was that they would […]
NYCHA a no show at their own meeting, by Nic Cavell
On January 3o, about 50 residents of the Red Hook Houses gathered in the PAL Miccio Center for the next of the New York City Housing Association’s (NYCHA) biweekly meetings to discuss progress with post-hurricane repairs. A few copies of the organization’s newsletter—now more than one month out-of-date—peppered tables in the lobby. In the auditorium, Miccio Center Director Tyrone Lewis […]
Strength in numbers confront NYCHA, by Nic Cavell
Strength in numbers confront NYCHA, by Nic Cavell On January 16, representatives from the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) conducted the next in a series of bimonthly meetings initiated to discuss Hurricane Sandy relief with tenants of the Red Hook Houses. In contrast to the January 2 meeting, this meeting was well-attended. And in this meeting, tenants did not […]