Fulton and Elliott Chelsea House Residents Rally Against NYCHA’s Demolition Plans, Cite Strong Community Support

Residents of the Fulton and Elliott Chelsea Houses voiced strong opposition during a public hearing regarding the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) plans to demolish their homes, presenting evidence that disputes the agency’s claims about the need for demolition. Local tenants asserted that the building conditions are not as dire as claimed, and they have collected significant community support against the proposed demolitions.

Selenas Miranda, representing the tenants, argued that NYCHA’s assertions—that residents favor demolition, that the buildings are crumbling, and that renovation would be more costly—are baseless. Miranda highlighted a petition signed by 949 residents opposing the demolition, which stands in stark contrast to the 550 residents purportedly in favor of new construction. She noted that many tenants, including families and vulnerable individuals, have found their homes to be habitable, contradicting NYCHA’s claim that the buildings are falling apart. “If our buildings were falling apart, they would not be habitable… My apartment is in great shape, as are many of my neighbors’,” she stated (Source: https://youtu.be/LPurb86IJQM&t=387).

Furthermore, Miranda raised concerns about the cost projections presented by NYCHA, asserting that the estimated demolition cost of $1.9 billion exceeds the costs of renovation. She emphasized that the financial arguments made by the developers and NYCHA are misleading, as they have an agenda to demolish public housing despite it being more expensive than repairing the existing structures (Source: https://youtu.be/LPurb86IJQM&t=387).

The residents also called for increased transparency from NYCHA, demanding access to crucial documents like an independent audit supporting the demolition rationale and an obsolescence report. According to HUD rules, NYCHA has yet to provide this report, leading residents to question the credibility of the agency’s claims regarding the state of the buildings (Source: https://youtu.be/LPurb86IJQM&t=557).

As the hearing unfolded, various residents expressed frustration over a lack of communication from NYCHA and its failure to address urgent repairs within their homes. Many noted that work orders were often closed without the necessary repairs having been completed. This lack of accountability further fuels tenant distrust and concerns about NYCHA’s commitment to maintaining safe and livable conditions in public housing (Source: https://youtu.be/LPurb86IJQM&t=1495).

Overall, the public testimony underscored significant discontent among the residents regarding NYCHA’s plans and its management practices. Many are demanding that their voices be heard and that decisions affecting their homes involve resident input, as they continue to fight against what they perceive as a misguided demolition agenda that threatens their community’s stability (Source: https://youtu.be/LPurb86IJQM&t=184).