In Your Community

Council Member James was present at the City Council Public Housing hearing on October 29, 2008 concerning maintenance and inspection of NYCHA developments. NYCHA representatives stated that elevator maintenance was a top priority following the elevator-related deaths of two young children. NYCHA Chairman Tito Hernandez spoke about a plan to spend $107 million to replace around 550 elevators at 35 developments in the next 5 years, as well as to spend an additional $5 million to hire additional elevator maintenance workers and others to focus on the 50 complexes with the most elevator failures.*

NYCHA maintains about 5% of the City’s elevators, and is facing major budget cuts (like all City agencies and bodies) of $117 million (fiscal year 2009) to $207 millions (fiscal year 2012). The agency has spent $200 million to replace over 2,000 elevators in the past decade.

*Information obtained from The New York Times article “Council Members Skeptical of Elevator Repair Plan for Public Housing,” by Manny Fernandez. Published October 30, 2008.
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On behalf of Council Member Letitia James, we’d like to congratulate the Democrats for Education Reform for hosting “Brooklyn’s Charter School Night” on October 30, 2008, and thank them for their contributions to public charter schools in Brooklyn.

Also, the Metropolitan Jewish Health System Foundation- Elderplan hosted their annual “Gala at the Gotham,” and acknowledged Ms. C. Williams, a 35th District resident, for her service to Elderplan members and retired seniors. Council Member Letitia James awarded Ms. Williams with a New York City Council Certificate in honor of her service.

Democrats for Education Reform: http://www.dfer.org/