Council Member Torres & Chair Olatoye Announce $3 Million Dollar Investment in Parkside Houses with Community Stakeholders

NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY CHAIR SHOLA OLATOYE &
COUNCIL MEMBER RITCHIE TORRES ANNOUNCE
UNPRECEDENTED INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC HOUSING

Council Member Torres & Chair Olatoye Announce $3 Million Dollar Investment in Parkside Houses with Community Stakeholders

Bronx — Today, the Chair of the New York City Housing Authority, Shola Olatoye, and Council Member Ritchie Torres announced an unprecedented investment in Parkside Houses. Council Member Torres, Chair of the Committee on Public Housing, allocated $3 million dollars toward security cameras and layered access in the Parkside development. Parkside is home to more than 1,800 residents in 14 buildings. The Council funds will go toward installing a CCTV system within the development, placing cameras on the exterior of all 14 buildings. Funds toward layered access will replace the front doors, intercoms, and fob key entrances.

Councilmember Torres made the largest capital investment in NYCHA of any member of the City Council, allocating $3.4 million dollars towards developments in his district. All totaled, the Mayor and City Council committed over $150 million dollars towards much needed repairs, community programming, security, and quality of life improvements for public housing residents.

“My investment of $3 Million dollars for security technology at Parkside takes us closer to ensuring that public housing is safe and secure. Making NYCHA safer is a priority of the City Council and the DeBlasio Administration and I look forward to working with Chair Olatoye to expand the installation of proven security enhancements like cameras and layered access citywide,” said Ritchie Torres, Chair of the Committee on Public Housing.

“Council Member Ritchie Torres, who has made this unprecedented Council contribution, is always working hard for NYCHA residents; he’s tireless,” said NYCHA Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye. “His energy and commitment in support of public housing goes beyond the major funding for security announced today at Parkside Houses. If it’s an issue that affects NYCHA residents, Torres is involved and striving to make things better.”
“Ritchie Torres is a champion for NYCHA residents. He has kept his promises to my residents to address their needs, and is truly leader of distinction. His work separates him from any other Council Member Parkside Houses has been represented by,” said Lily Lozano, President of the Parkside Houses Tenant Association and the Bronx North Council of NYCHA Presidents.

“There’s a reason we love and support Ritchie here in Community Board 11. Not only do we consider him a friend and a beloved resident, we know he cares and will do right by us,” said Jeremy Warneke, District Manager of Community Board 11, “Security cameras for Parkside Houses, and our other NYCHA properties, were long overdue. Not even a year into his position as Council Member and Ritchie makes it happen! The Community Board has been requesting these cameras as far back as 2008!”

“The problems that exist in Parkside are caused by a small group of youths who reside both inside and outside the complex. The residents need and have asked for help to discourage and/or arrest those that would, and have threatened their safety and quality of life,” said Joe Thompson, President of the 49th Precinct Council, “I applaud Councilman Richie Torres for acting so quickly in obtaining cameras for their complex. Cameras are a proven deterrent against criminal acts and for saving lives.