MORE THAN 100 South Bronx residents attended a public meeting held by Mothers on the Move (MOM), a community organization that has mobilized around local issues such as funding and safety for public housing, students rights and, most recently, environmental justice.
Among the grievances expressed by residents was the continued deteriorating condition of New York City public housing due to the lack of funding for crucially needed maintenance projects. There was testimony, especially from the elderly and disabled, on how building elevators are constantly out of service. Some said there were times they had to walk up 20 flights of stairs to get to their apartments.
There have been several demonstrations at City Hall to address these issues, but the city continues to cut funding for public housing. At the same time, the city charges the New York City Housing Authority $73 billion for the “special services” provided by the New York Police Department. Those “services” basically mean occupying subsidized housing facilities and harassing residents for suspected crimes. The city also wants to spend $550 million for jails in the South Bronx.
The environment has become a huge concern as well. The asthma rate is the highest in the South Bronx especially among young children, and the cancer rate is 25 percent higher in the Bronx then the rest of the city. Read more..
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