In a joint committee meeting between the Public Housing and Housing & Buildings committees of the City Council yesterday, Chairs Ritchie Torres, from the Bronx, and Jumanne Williams, from Brooklyn, spoke with advocates on cuts to the city public housing budget and how it has affected the thousands of families no longer eligible for their present housing. Video is available here.
“We saw widespread fear and panic amongst many of our clients in NYCHA,” said 
Lucy Newman(l.), an attorney with the Legal Aid Society, with extensive housing court litigation experience in the Bronx. She spoke of “aggressive letters” sent out to seniors, instilling fear, rather than having a more compassionate approach. Also advocated were uniform practices between developments and proper training for staff engaged in evictions.
Attorney Christopher Lamb, (r.) Legal Services NYC-Bronx, spoke of needing to make residents aware of their rights when injustices arise, such as in occupancy disputes, as well as the ability to appeal decisions.
Council Member Torres, the Publc Housing Comittee chair and former NYCHA resident, discussed with Newman the double edged sword of being unable to qualify for a voucher and being stuck with no viable housing option.
“Changing payment standards would devestate probably a larger group of people than downsizing, but I think both options are terrible,” Newman said.
“There will come a point at which a Draconian payment cut and determination is a distinction without a difference ,” said Torres. “If you cut the payment too deeply, and the tenant can no longer afford the rent, you are going to lose the voucher. You are effectively terminating the voucher. I think that is a profound point.”
(Below: Residents from Manhattan’s Kips Bay development speaking at the hearing)
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