Public Housing Chair Ritchie Torres Endorses Espaillat

  Four NYCHA Tenant Association Presidents Endorse Espaillat

   Council Member Ritchie Torres, Chairman of the Committee on Public Housing, four NYCHA tenant association presidents and scores of NYCHA residents gathered on the steps of City Hall today to endorse Adriano Espaillat for Congress. 

Espaillat, who has continually called for Congress to "get off the side lines" when it comes to public housing, announced he would call for the creation of a federal matching funds system for city and state investments in NYCHA, in addition to targeted federal review of developments where there is a high incidence of maintenance complaints and potential health hazards.

Senator Espaillat said "We need to bring funding and accountability to NYCHA. Our residents deserve to live in dignity and they have suffered long enough under crumbling infrastructure and the perils of an absentee landlord.  The federal government needs to provide the dollars to fix NYCHA and the oversight to get the job done quickly and efficiently."

Councilman Torres partnered with Espaillat last year to help secure an historic $100 million state investment in the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). 

"I partnered with Senator Espaillat to help secure state funding for NYCHA and I have seen his deep commitment to public housing first hand," said Councilman Ritchie Torres.  "We need Adriano's energy and passion in Congress to get the federal government to reinvest in public housing."

Senator Espaillat was also endorsed at this event by tenant association presidents:Paulette Shomo, of Marble Hill Houses; Nathaniel Greene, of Dyckman Houses;Carmen Quiñones, of Douglass Houses; and Carlton Davis, of Grant houses.

"We need someone in Congress who is going to roll-up their sleeves and fight for NYCHA. Adriano has done that in Albany, and I know he will do it in Washington. I am proud to support him for Congress," said Dyckman Houses' TA President Nathaniel Greene.  

"From roofing to boilers, our buildings need to be renovated for the 21st century, and it will take a major investment from Congress. We need Adriano in Congress because he understands the problems we face and will deliver results for our tenants," said Douglass Houses' TA President Carmen Quinones. 

"I have known Adriano for years, he walks through our buildings regularly and comes to our meetings. I know he cares, and I know he will do everything he can in Congress to make living conditions better for NYCHA's tenants," said Marble Hill Houses' TA President Paulette Shomo. 

The 13th congressional district stretches from Harlem to Inwood in upper Manhattan and covers parts of the Bronx.

Editor's Note: This is not an endorsement of State Senator Espaillat by this blog, but just reporting the news. The same has been done for other candidates in this race.