Declare emergency to fix NYCHA: pols
Four City Council members asked Gov. Cuomo on Thursday to declare a state of emergency so repairs can be expedited at troubled New York City Housing Authority buildings — leading to a furious new war of words between the mayor and the governor.
Councilman Robert Cornegy (D-Brooklyn), joined by three colleagues, asked the state to provide limited oversight of NYCHA, which has come under fire for repeated heating outages and other failures. “The state could declare a state of emergency to allow for expedited bidding and contracting with outside companies,” Cornegy said at a press conference outside City Hall.
He stopped short of calling for a state takeover, but said the governor should meet with city officials to discuss more funding and its oversight role.
“It is clear that NYCHA management and the city administration have handled this issue in- competently,” Cornegy said.
It didn’t take long for Alphonso David, Cuomo’s counsel, to get on board. “We agree with Councilman Cornegy’s assertion that the situation at the New York City Public Housing Authority is intolerable,” David said in a statement a few hours after the press conference. “The state stands ready to help in any way possible.”
Mayor de Blasio’s administration panned the idea of state oversight and ignited new a war with the governor by charging that it was Cuomo — in his previous jobs — who undercut NYCHA.
“The decades-long federal and state divestment from New York City public housing that put NYCHA tenants in this position was presided over by HUD Secretary Cuomo, Attorney General Cuomo and Governor Cuomo,” said City Hall spokesman Eric Phillips.
That brought a fierce response from Cuomo spokeswoman Dani Lever, who fired back that the state “made a record $300 million investment” in NYCHA and de Blasio needed to step up.
“The mayor’s instinct is always to point fingers, but he needs to start governing and taking responsibility. He should stop worrying about the politics and start worrying about the people. There is one person responsible for NYCHA, he has 100 percent control, and his name is Bill de Blasio,” she said.
Cornegy’s press conference didn’t sit well with some fellow council members, who accused him trying to grab credit for work they were already doing.
“We’re glad to see Councilman Cornegy is finally joining us to fight for NYCHA residents,” said Council Members Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx) and Alicka AmprySamuel (D-Brooklyn).
Torres later said he, AmprySamuel and Council Speaker Corey Johnson had already spoken to Cuomo about expediting boiler installations, zinging Cornegy for using a “p.r. stunt” to imply he was leading the effort.
It is clear that NYCHA management and the city administration have handled this issue incompetently. — Councilman Robert Cornegy (left)