THE HOMELESS CRISIS SITUATION IS ‘A DISASTER’ Pol Talks Homelessness Causes At JPCA story and photo by Kelly Marie Mancuso The city’s homeless crisis took center stage during the Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA) meeting last Thursday, Dec. 11, at Our Lady of Hope School in Middle Village. JPCA President Robert Holden and fellow members welcomed Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi to speak about the escalating situation. As chairman of the Committee on Oversight, Analysis and Investigation, Hevesi had the chance to listen to homeless advocates, as well as city representatives, at a recent hearing. “The bigger picture is that the entire state is beyond crisis,” Hevesi explained, “Two years ago, it was a crisis. Now it’s just a disaster.” According to Hevesi, an estimated 58,000 people are homeless in New York City. Nearly 24,000 of the city’s homeless population are children, a fact that Hevesi called “terrible.” When asked about how to tackle the homeless crisis, he stated, “It’s all about prevention.” Hevesi cited a rise in evictions and domestic violence as two main causes of homelessness. Many of the more affordable, single room occupancy dwellings created during the 1950’s have since been phased out, leaving many low income residents without shelter. The lack of affordable rentals, coupled with cost of living increases, has resulted in a rise in evictions. “People are simply not making enough money to stay with the current housing market,” Hevesi stated. “The rents and mortgages keep going up, but people do not receive raises.” Hevesi advocated for programs such as rental arrears and access to legal services as two possible ways in which to prevent evictions and homelessness. The rental arrears program would help residents in danger of eviction pay back rents for a limited amount of time. “It will save tax payer dollars and keep families in their homes,” Hevesi explained. The assemblyman also spoke out in favor of legal services for tenants. According to Hevesi, about 95 percent of landlords pursuing evictions in housing court have lawyers on their side. This is in sharp contrast to the estimated 8 percent of tenants with legal representation. “People are getting kicked out or evicted,” he added. “It’s a terrible problem and a real crisis.” Blaming policy When asked whether or not the city was involved in secret deals with local hotel chains to populate empty rooms with the homeless, Hevesi explained that he had similar concerns. “I asked the city this very -SEE JPCA ON PG. 60- TIMES, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014 • 6 Say Elm. Shelter In Horrible Shape Pol: Bedbugs, No Heat In Rooms by Robert Pozarycki With its residents allegedly living in squalor, the temporary shelter at the former Pan American Hotel in Elmhurst is unfit as a refuge for the homeless, a Queens lawmaker and community advocates charged last Friday, Dec. 12. Standing outside the former hotel at 79-00 Queens Blvd., State Sen. Tony Avella and members of Elmhurst United called on the city to disapprove a $42 million, five-year contract allowing the nonprofit Samaritan Village to operate the shelter on the Department of Homeless Services’ (DHS) behalf. In June, the DHS began housing homeless families at the former Pan Am, which closed in January, on an emergency basis to address the ongoing homelessness crisis in New York City; reportedly, more than 57,000 people are without a home in the five boroughs. Currently, some 700 people— most of whom are families with young children—reside at the former hotel, but according to Avella, they have been living in “horrendous conditions.” The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) reportedly received numerous complaints in the last few months regarding problems around the building. -SEE PAN AM ON PG. 61- Vehicles Crash At Glendale Corner Six people suffered minor injuries after three cars collided at a Glendale intersection on Tuesday morning, Dec. 16, Fire Department sources said. Reportedly, the crash occurred at 8:30 a.m. at the corner of 75th Avenue and 60th Place. Members of Engine Co. 286, Ladder Co. 135, the 104th Precinct and EMS units rushed to the scene. Paramedics removed the victims to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries. (photo: Allen Epstein) State Sen. Tony Avella (at podium) joined Elmhurst residents outside the former Pan American Hotel last Friday, Dec. 12, to slam reportedly squalid conditions at the facility, which is now being used as an emergency homeless shelter. State Urged To Bring Rent Subsidies Back Eye Potential Solution To Crisis by Robert Pozarycki Sensible solutions are needed to resolve the unprecedented homeless crisis currently ongoing in New York City, local lawmakers and civic activists alike charged in testimony presented to an Assembly committee last week. The Assembly Committees on Social Services and Oversight, Analysis and Investigation—the latter of which is chaired by Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi— held a hearing in Albany last Tuesday, Dec. 9, but accepted written remarks prior to the session from those who could not appear in person. City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley was one lawmaker who submitted written testimony. In her remarks, she called upon state government to do something to stem New York City’s growing homeless population, now estimated at more than 58,000. “The sharp increase in New York City’s homeless population is no accident,” Crowley wrote. “It began happening precisely after the state cut funding to the rental subsidy Advantage program, prompting the city to follow suit and close the program altogether. Programs like Advantage represented exactly the right approach to tackling homelessness.” The legislator noted the program provided “up to two -SEE HEARING ON PG. 63- Dawn Scala of the Glendale Middle Village Coalition addressed the Juniper Park Civic Association during its meeting last Thursday, Dec. 11.
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