Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 1
Committee: Committee on Public Housing
The Committee on Public Housing, joined with the Committee on Aging, held an oversight hearing on older adult centers (OACCs) located in NYCHA facilities, including repair and maintenance responsibilities between NYCHA, the Department for the Aging (DFTA), and providers, and heard testimony on Introduction 1083. The Public Housing chair, Council Member Chris Banks, and the Aging Committee chair opened the hearing, which heard from two nonprofit provider witnesses, NYCHA Chief Operating Officer Eva Trimble and DFTA Commissioner Dr. Lisa Scott McKenzie, followed by council member questions and public testimony. Officials described a framework in which NYCHA handles building systems and DFTA/providers handle interior minor repairs, with biweekly liaison meetings and quarterly leadership meetings; roughly 1,700 work orders were filed by OACCs over the past year with about 250 still open. Members pressed on unresolved leaks (e.g., LaGuardia and Dyckman), the closure of centers such as Latimer Gardens and the Throgs Neck senior center, RAD/PACT conversion effects on providers, and the absence of a dedicated NYCHA capital budget for older adult centers (estimated at roughly $900 million in need). No votes were taken during the hearing.
0:06 Call styled you
0:06 . This hearing is called t
0:12 oorder and out. Good morning
0:18 and welcome to next to the
0:20 council hearings on comedy on
0:22 public safety, joining with
0:24 agent at least somewhere
0:25 accent and we want to send all
0:27 electronic devices.
0:27 And at no point in time no
0:28 01:00 should approach it is if
0:30 you do? Which, testifying
0:31 today is here and I have a
0:33 parent's card, please still
0:34 suggestive back.
0:35 Or at the reception table
0:37 . Sure you begin
0:38 . Thank you. And then we know
0:40 we have a tradition started
0:41 this year we are going to hav
0:43 ea pictures showing some
0:46 situation in all the senior
0:49 centers.
0:49 Unfortunately today we are
0:50 not able to get a New pictures
0:52 a lot of senior center afraid
0:54 to submit to the pictures. Um
0:54 ,but if that's still ongoing
1:00 issues. Okay. Good morning.
1:01 I'm council students want
1:02 share of the New York City
1:04 consoles committee on aging. I
1:06 want to thank you all for
1:07 being here today for this
1:09 important oversight hearing on
1:12 other doubts seniors, older
1:14 doubts centers in night
1:16 facilities I want to thank my
1:19 coach here. Council Member
1:20 Banks of the community of
1:21 public housing for agreeing to
1:24 hold this hearing with me for
1:27 thousands of older in New York
1:29 City or their thou centers
1:33 always provide by those
1:35 services. We they are offer
1:38 heart meals provide a sense of
1:40 community and the promote
1:42 physical and the mental well
1:44 being.
1:44 Beyond that, the dedicated
1:46 staff and the case workers
1:49 employed at oases assist the
1:51 order doubts in assisting
1:54 services provide education on
1:57 theft and other abuse and they
1:59 adultsd that each
2:03 . They work, we all could be
2:07 knowledge they need to leave
2:08 safely and securely. However,
2:12 boys seize face a number of
2:15 unique challenges when things
2:17 break when aging in finally
2:19 begin to fail. Repairs can
2:24 often take substantial time in
2:26 that time always sees struggle
2:30 to provide services or their
2:30 ubts rely on if they are
2:33 able to remain open at all and
2:37 for oases that operating
2:39 nature property. This issue,
2:40 especially a quote.
2:44 I know nature has long
2:47 standing structure challenges
2:49 which I'm sure my coach here
2:50 will attach on this issues
2:52 often extent to the facility
2:55 provided by nature to all
2:58 providers leaking roof,
3:00 failing pipe falling h vac
3:01 system or even fire panel,
3:04 which I'm not maintained all
3:08 those caused disruption and
3:10 the extremely cases could even
3:12 present at the threats to
3:16 service recipients, safety
3:19 providers,
3:19 have have told us when those
3:22 issues. Rice the process for
3:24 addressing this issue out them
3:27 is unclear. The division of
3:29 labor between niger and the
3:30 day fda is blood glory and
3:34 that they are sometimes left
3:35 to deal with those issues,
3:36 such as damage from first t
3:40 opipe on their own through.
3:43 They have to do their own fund
3:46 raising father more always
3:48 providers can even find
3:51 themselves facing fines from
3:54 agency like white because
3:56 sailing infrastructure, which
3:57 they are often not allowed t
3:59 orepair on the home.
4:00 Has left it there, their
4:02 facility fundamentally unsafe,
4:05 and that is a big issue, I'm
4:07 sure we can all agree that I'm
4:10 always should have never been
4:12 struggle an old court on oath
4:16 courts hearing because nature
4:17 and the deft agh! Have not
4:21 dream remain did critical u
4:23 structure, faith failure
4:26 . We are here today to provide
4:30 clarification polarity for
4:33 located in nature facility on
4:35 the process for getting those
4:37 such needed repairs
4:38 , and to hear from agencies
4:42 themselves where collaboration
4:43 had felt where this is working
4:45 and what improvements can be
4:47 need to be made. The council
4:51 and the communities look
4:53 forward to here hearing how we
4:56 can
4:56 . Assist the agency and clear
5:00 whatever huddles they are
5:01 facing and I want to thank you
5:03 , commissioner dr lisa has got
5:06 mackenzie and chief operator
5:08 officer eve eva trimble for
5:11 being here today before a pass
5:13 the mic to my co chair. I also
5:15 want to highlight the bill. We
5:17 are hearing today. In short
5:20 1083, sponsored by council
5:23 member hassan could require
5:24 commissioner of a
5:25 . Commissioner of agent to
5:27 detonate at least one
5:30 financial literacy adviser to
5:32 serve you always see owe a c
5:34 for at least 20 hours of
5:36 months, these advisers would
5:39 provide other doubts. General
5:39 . General information about
5:43 financial literacy in the life
5:46 preparation tax preparation
5:47 and how to avoid and handle
5:49 legal issues and a scam, which
5:52 comolli affect older adults.
5:55 This is often overlooked the
5:56 issue and I want to thank my
5:59 colleague councilmember Hudson
6:00 for her leadership on this
6:02 issue. I also want to thank my
6:06 staff, Jennifer some moscow a
6:10 jade mash and the committee
6:16 staff. Kalakaua a josh newman,
6:19 julia, hamas hot harmony's a
6:23 margaret personally and the
6:25 colby porter for their work in
6:27 preparing for two hearing if
6:30 I'm mispronouncing anyone's
6:31 name. Ron, please forgive me.
6:34 I would also like to recognize
6:35 following Council Member who
6:36 have joined here today.
6:38 Council Member and a stron
6:42 gand nrc and and Council Member
6:48 mart and the outdoor and the
6:52 areola on the zoom.
6:55 Now I give the floor to my
6:56 co chair Council Member full
6:58 keys opening remark. Thank you
7:03 . Chill on strong and the
7:06 morning to everyone and
7:07 welcome to this joint hearing
7:09 .I am Council Member Chris
7:11 thanks share of housing
7:13 committee, and I would like t
7:14 oalso again. Thinker. Cheers.
7:16 Wrong for cold sharing this
7:17 important hearing with me? Um,
7:20 older adults. Sensors are
7:22 critically important t
7:23 oprovide her. Um, I'm sorry,
7:26 old adobes sensors are
7:27 critically important provided
7:29 for thousands of New older in
7:32 yorkers, especially those
7:32 resigning in public housing
7:35 they provide essentials social
7:37 services while also serving as
7:40 a regular touch point of
7:41 community and other otherwise
7:44 or cross to contributions to
7:47 improving all the residents
7:48 quality of life. However, the
7:52 older adults centers have been
7:53 forced to provide services and
7:56 far less than ideal conditions
7:59 and with nitro facilities, and
8:01 they they are used to being
8:03 consistently neglected or in
8:06 this repair leaking ceilings,
8:08 broken elevators, pest
8:10 problems, mold issues,
8:13 outdated kitchens and
8:14 bathrooms and more have not
8:16 only affected the old adult
8:17 centers but also the residents
8:20 receiving their services often
8:23 their conditions are so bad,
8:25 uh, that r have to b
8:28 esuspended a halted altogether,
8:32 leaving both providers and
8:33 recipients in limbo as they
8:35 wait for repairs
8:37 . Nature, unfortunately does
8:38 not have a good track record
8:39 when it comes to maintaining
8:42 its buildings and this extends
8:44 to their facilities state that
8:45 they are you that are used by
8:48 the older adults centers
8:50 importantly, while nitra has
8:51 been under federal monitoring
8:53 monitor ship sense of 20 19 t
8:57 oimprove its operations and
8:59 facilitate a baseline standard
9:00 such a monitor when it comes
9:07 to its commercial facilities
9:08 that get least a community
9:11 service providers like the os
9:14 ces and I've received and have
9:16 heard of countless complaints
9:17 around the persistent problems
9:20 that these old adult sensors
9:22 and older residents fac
9:23 ebecause of night, lack of
9:26 timely, timely, transparent
9:27 operations when it comes t
9:30 orepairs
9:30 . Further compounding this
9:31 issue is the lack of clear
9:33 communication
9:34 . On what it nitrous
9:36 responsibility versus what is
9:38 the oas seas responsibility
9:42 for facility management,
9:44 leading to additional delays,
9:47 and it has gotten to the point
9:49 where the old adult centers.
9:51 Results of paying for repairs
9:52 out of their own pocket just
9:56 to resume providing there
9:57 services to the community
9:58 instead of waiting on nature
10:01 for more months,
10:01 you know, I'm aware that
10:05 nature's endeavoring to
10:05 improve its operations, and I
10:09 appreciate that we all share
10:10 the same goal and providing a
10:13 community benefit for nature
10:17 residents. But.
10:17 A sentiment only goes so far
10:19 when actions fails to deliver
10:21 ,especially when the population
10:24 impact impacted all our older
10:28 adults, where the efforts of
10:29 delays or magnified and when
10:32 residents trust is low thanks
10:34 to issues surrounding the pack
10:36 conversion process. We must
10:38 push for more clarity and
10:40 transparency to with that so
10:41 that we can all be on the same
10:44 page two hearing is important
10:46 for several reasons, not the
10:48 least of which is a with
10:52 definitive clarity. How t
10:54 osees ensure more time repairs
10:57 from nature and the
10:59 distinction between drifters
11:01 and nature responsibility. I'm
11:04 the intern I intend to do, I
11:07 intend or I am intent on
11:10 finding out a y nitra
11:12 continues to struggle with
11:13 meeting the needs of its older
11:16 residents and with issuing
11:18 clear lines of communication
11:20 despite previous counsel
11:21 earrings on this issue and
11:23 legislation creating a liaison
11:25 . I'm also keen on the
11:27 understanding of what can be
11:28 done now to have more
11:31 immediate relief for the
11:33 issues presented for plaguing
11:36 the seas at nature and what we
11:39 can do so that moving forward
11:41 .the old adult centers do not
11:42 have to bear the undue burde
11:46 nover piers and can dedicate
11:48 their focus on this, the
11:50 original purpose, which is
11:52 serving the older adult
11:54 . Population. This hearing
11:55 will also be a chance thearo
11:58 how nature is handling the
12:01 facility repairs and related
12:03 communications when it comes
12:04 to developments undergoing and
12:05 completing packed conversions
12:09 . I look forward to hearing
12:10 from nature drifted and those
12:12 present today a to gather more
12:15 insight on this issue I want
12:19 to also or continue to work
12:21 together with the older adults
12:22 and the older nature adult
12:25 residents so that they can
12:29 live lies with dignity
12:31 community instead of with
12:31 confusion and hostility
12:35 . I would also like to thank
12:36 my staff, mike lambert. Car
12:38 graham and along with the
12:40 public housing committee. Jos
12:42 e, send me a charles spencer
12:45 James. Nowhere for all the
12:46 hard work that you've put in
12:48 and making this hearing put
12:49 into this hearing. Okay. Thank
13:01 you, my coach, yer Chris Banks
13:02 comes. Remember, Chris. Thanks
13:04 . Now we will hear from pre
13:07 panel er agh! Doubts nitra
13:11 resistant and to people not.
13:12 Ok, the first one will have
13:18 sarah. Margaret, are you there
13:19 . Thank you and good morning
13:24 , uh, thank you for the
13:25 opportunity to present
13:26 testimony today. My name is
13:28 sarah mortgage and I'm
13:29 . Speaking as a board member
13:31 of riverstone seeing your life
13:34 services, some of you already
13:34 know me as a staff member to
13:39 jackson for the 12 years he
13:40 served as a Council Member. I
13:44 currently work as the senior
13:45 manager for advancement at
13:46 literacy and community or link
13:49 where we provide early
13:51 literacy programming for
13:52 families with children from
13:53 birth through five years, so
13:55 kind of the opposite end of
13:56 life's bell curve link is the
14:01 backbone partner for cities
14:02 first readers, the council's
14:04 only early literacy initiativ
14:07 e. Full disclosure. Several
14:08 members of these committees
14:09 support link and that funding
14:11 is deeply appreciate it.
14:15 Riverstone is located in
14:17 washington heights and
14:18 provides really engaging older
14:21 adult centered programming the
14:22 art classes are fabulous, the
14:25 center vibrates with energy
14:28 .but to tell you the truth, I
14:29 think it's the pool tables
14:31 that bringing in more men than
14:33 as usual at a senior center.
14:36 There is a very effective
14:38 social services department and
14:40 a vital health homes program
14:44 uniquely riverstone also
14:45 operates the boroughs, only
14:48 bilingual adult day program
14:50 for those with dementia or
14:53 other memory impairments. We
14:54 would welcome a visit from any
14:56 of you on these committees to.
15:03 Riverstone turns 40 thi
15:05 syear and has been housed at
15:08 nitro senior development 9
15:11 9fort washington avenue the
15:14 whole time.
15:14 I joined the board in 2016,
15:16 but I was also involved with
15:18 riverstone stone through my
15:20 counsel staff responsibilities
15:21 from 2000 to 2013. So I think
15:25 I have a good background view
15:28 of the organization under
15:32 nitra management. We had a
15:35 fairly typical nonprofit
15:37 experience, including no red
15:38 since we were a mandated
15:40 service to support a senior
15:44 housing development, but under
15:45 the rad program. Things have
15:50 shifted dramatically. So our
15:50 issue is a.
15:51 Slightly different than what
15:53 has been described because our
15:57 ebe submitted later today will
16:08 provide a lot more detail, but
16:10 I want to emphasize for thing
16:14 stoday.
16:15 First we understand that rad
16:16 is intended to benefit the
16:20 residence, the nonprofit
16:22 service providers are clearly
16:25 an afterthought. I suspect
16:28 many
16:28 . Are individually, many other
16:30 older adults centers or
16:32 nonprofit service providers in
16:35 brad buildings are
16:35 individually in.
16:36 Counting similar challenges
16:37 as river storm that is.
16:40 Bit him. Item two. Our
16:44 relationship with our for
16:47 profit developer packed
16:48 renaissance corporation or has
16:51 been contentious for many
16:54 reasons. Among the issues
16:55 we've faced. They have caused
16:57 us to lose our property
16:59 liability coverage twice as a
17:03 board member operating without
17:05 insurance. It's a very
17:09 perilous situation.
17:10 The first time we lost
17:11 coverage was because
17:14 . From water damage they.
17:16 Caused should be claimed
17:17 against our policy and when
17:20 you start working and the
17:21 building that hasn't been
17:23 maintained for many years.