10
QUEENS WEEKLY, JUNE 2, 2019
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
The We Love
Whitestone Civic
Association is taking a
new approach to better
connect with its elderly
neighbors notifying them
of upcoming events in
the community.
The association is
composing a list of
volunteers to print and
distribute its meeting
notices and event f liers
to its neighbors, friends
and others. They’re
also encouraging local
businesses to print and
post civic meeting notices
in their storefronts,
according to Alfredo
Centola, president of We
Love Whitestone.
The need to get the
community involved
stemmed from a
discussion one day at a
local supermarket with
several women who have
lived in the community
for over 50 to 60 years,
said Centola.
“They mentioned how
they used to be involved
but the opportunity is no
longer present for them,”
said Centola. “I said, ‘No,
that’s not so, we are always
looking for volunteers,’”
said Centola.
While issuing the
women business cards,
Centola said he realized
that they might not have
a Facebook account
and rarely check
their emails.
“So I asked, three
out of four weren’t on
Facebook and two out of
four had their grandkids
check their emails with
them — granted this
isn’t every senior in our
community, but there is
a large enough segment
… that’s when it hit me!”
said Centola. “How do we
reach them? How do we
help them? How do we get
them involved?”
The organization is
welcoming suggestions
on what else can be
done to get the rest
of the community
involved. All Whitestone
residents are encouraged
to send a note to the
organization via email
at welovewhitestone@
gmail.com.
Residents can also
mail a note to the
following address: We
Love Whitestone Civic
Association PO BOX 29,
Whitestone, NY, 11357, or
contact the organization on
WELOVEWHITESTONE.
COM.
The We Love
Whitestone Association
has been operating in
the community for five
years with thousands of
members engaged in events
and meetings, according
to Centola. So far, the
group has organized
the holiday lights in the
village, Halloween Trunk
or Treat, movie night
in the park, a popular
Family Fun Day event in
conjunction with the 109th
Precinct in Francis Lewis
Park, and several other
community events.
Read more at QNS.
com
Reach reporter
Carlotta Mohamed by
email at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4526.
‘LIFT THE COSTLY YOKE’
NE Queens pols press utility companies to pay for damage
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Several lawmakers are
pushing for legislation
that would protect
northeast Queens
homeowners from utility
company negligence.
On May 23, state Senator
John Liu and Assemblyman
David Weprin rallied
with civic leaders and
community members
demanding that the State
Legislature passes the
Utility Responsibility Bill.
Under the bill,
utility companies, not
homeowners, would
shoulder the bill for
damages the company
has caused. If a utility
company has caused
damage to a homeowner’s
lateral sewer and water
pipes, the company will be
responsible for the repair
and replacement costs.
“It’s simply unfair for
homeowners to shoulder
the heavy financial burden
of water and sewer repairs,
sometimes repeatedly,
because utility companies
fail to properly maintain
their infrastructure,”
said Liu. “This legislation
will lift the costly yoke
off homeowners, and as
importantly, incentivize
utility companies to
maintain proper repair in
the first place.”
According to the
lawmakers, northeast
Queens residents have been
fighting for a fair outcome
to the damages due to
utility company negligence.
Since 2017, dozens of water
service lines have failed in
areas like Fresh Meadows
and Jamaica Estates
resulting in homeowners
having to pay for repairs
out of pocket.
The current law says
that homeowners must pay
for sewer and pipe issues on
their property by default.
Homeowners who do not
take care of the repairs will
have their water shut off. A
homeowner has the option
of fighting these issues in
court, but they are often
unsuccessful against a
corporation’s vast financial
resources and legal team.
“Across Queens,
From left: Councilman Barry Grodenchik, Senator John Liu, Assemblyman David Weprin rally
with civic leaders and northeast Queens residents Photos courtesy of Senator Liu’s office
negligent utility companies
have caused tens of
thousands of dollars in
damages to residential
water services lines.
No homeowner should
be liable for third party
damage which is why I
introduced the Utility
Responsibility Bill in the
Assembly to hold these
companies accountable for
their actions,” said Weprin,
who is sponsoring the bill
in the Assembly. “I applaud
Senator John C. Liu for
introducing this bill in the
Senate on behalf of Queens
homeowners and I urge the
full Assembly and Senate to
take up this bill before the
end of session.”
In January, QNS
reported on the pernicious
water leaks on 188th
Street in Fresh Meadows.
Although the Department
of Environmental
Protection (DEP) identified
Verizon as the responsible
party, homeowners in the
area were made to pay tens
of thousands of dollars
in damages.
“Fresh Meadows
residents affected by the
188th Street water leaks have
suffered damages, financial
loss, and unacceptable
conditions for years. They
deserve a response,” said
Assemblywoman Nily
Rozic. “I strongly support
the passage of the Utility
Responsibility Bill to
compel the overdue and
necessary action needed
to finally resolve this
nightmare scenario facing
local homeowners.”
According to members
of the local West
Cunningham Park Civic
Association, the law would
protect homeowners from
companies who may not
act in good faith in these
situations. Linda Gordon,
a civic association board
member said that Verizon
made a “horrible offer” to
New Yorkers affected by
the water leaks.
“They are offering
reimbursement of their
repair expenses in
exchange for not fixing
the underlying problem
– finding and removing
the wires that are
causing stray current
that is destroying the
underground pipes all
over New York. To add
insult to injury, they are
requiring homeowners to
sign away their rights to
future claims. This offer
not only ties the hands of
homeowners, it puts future
New York homeowners at
risk since Verizon is not
planning on correcting the
problem they caused. We
need a law that prioritizes
the homeowner,”
Gordon said.
“The West Cunningham
Park Association looks
forward to the passage
of this bill so that all
affected homeowners
will be made financially
whole again,” added Elaine
Young, President of West
Cunningham Civic. “We
want to see Verizon fix
this problem permanently
so that it doesn’t happen
again. DEP must also
have the responsibility
of safeguarding
their infrastructure.”
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by email at jbagcal@
qns.com or by phone at (718)
224-5863 ext. 214.
Whitestone civic looks to
expand senior outreach
Photo via Getty Images
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