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So Nycha came in on Friday, saying that a pipe is leaking, and they wanted to (here it comes!) break open the wall to see if its the right pipe. This pipe is the central pipe from the 13th floor all the way to the basement. Apparently, any time someone uses a faucet on this side of the building, the water flows onto the floor of the basement, due to this hole.
Let me reiterate that: They wanted to destroy my cabinets on a Friday, and leave a hole with asbestos flying out. Without an appointment. With a manager threatening to call the police.
What turns out to be the case is that they make a small hole behind my stove, and leave my cabinets + sink intact. They find asbestos, and they seal off the hole with a plastic bag and cardboard. On Tuesday (yesterday) they came and destroyed my cabinets, leaving my living room a mess with all of the condiments, and other things people keep in their kitchen. Today, the abatement team came to remove the asbestos, but apparently the pipe has not been replaced yet. The team covered up the hole in the wall with a plastic sheet, with the asbestos removed (hopefully). This was done at 12:30pm today. No further work was done. After hours of chasing the management office, they finally came at 5pm to install a temporary sink and reconnect the pipe. This worker stated that it will be "months" before they have cabinets back on, which is simply inhospitable.
So here is what they have to do:
1. Receive results from the asbestos air test (which, they apparently have never failed).
2. Call in a plumber to replace the pipe.
3. Have a plasterer replace the wall.
4. Then have a painter paint the wall.
5. Finally, reinstall the cabinets.
If this process will take months, this is completely unacceptable. I cannot have all the stuff laying around in the living room for such a long time.
What I have done in the meantime is call 311 to file a housing complaint. They will respond within 14 days. I also contemplated going to housing court, but because I am still a minor, and my parents don't speak good English, I don't know how that will turn out.
Personally, I hate public housing. It is filled with criminals, drug dealers, lazy people. I hate being associated with such people. However, because I am still in school, I am forced to live with my parents. I am very ashamed. I tell my parents that I can't bring friends over, because the living quarters are so embarrassing and dirty. I mean, how can I tell people that I live in public housing? School kids are always like "Wow, this kid has such a big house!" Well, the simple fact is, this kid did NOTHING to gain that house. It is the work of their parents. In likewise manner, it is not my choice to live in Public Housing. In fact, I would love to move. Why should I be judged for what my parents did? Unfortunately, very few people are able to accept me as I am.
My mother tries to assuage me by saying "We will move when you and your brother finish college." My brother still has two years to go, and I enter college next year. This means we will have to stay in public housing for at least another 2-3yrs. I tell her, its so embarrassing to be stealing people's tax money, and to have to live in such a terrible environment as well. But she says she is unable to feel guilt. However, she feels guilty for taking food stamps, which she refuses to take. She says "I don't understand why other people take food stamps. They can afford their food, and they just spend it on soda." I use her stance on food stamps to explain how she should feel about public housing, but she doesn't understand. She tells me "how can we afford a $2000 apartment outside?"Then she tells me, that she spent 15yrs staying at home with me, 24hrs a day, instead of going to work, and that most other children do not have a parent at their side that often. I suppose she makes a good point, but I still don't understand why we have to live in public housing.
With conditions this bad, I am scared when leaving and entering the building. People always throw trash out the window. I just can't take it anymore. I ask her why she didn't apply to Masaryk across the street, but she was disappointed with me.
Sorry for this long post, but I have been keeping my frustration inside for such a long time.
So Nycha came in on Friday, saying that a pipe is leaking, and they wanted to (here it comes!) break open the wall to see if its the right pipe. This pipe is the central pipe from the 13th floor all the way to the basement. Apparently, any time someone uses a faucet on this side of the building, the water flows onto the floor of the basement, due to this hole.
Let me reiterate that: They wanted to destroy my cabinets on a Friday, and leave a hole with asbestos flying out. Without an appointment. With a manager threatening to call the police.
What turns out to be the case is that they make a small hole behind my stove, and leave my cabinets + sink intact. They find asbestos, and they seal off the hole with a plastic bag and cardboard. On Tuesday (yesterday) they came and destroyed my cabinets, leaving my living room a mess with all of the condiments, and other things people keep in their kitchen. Today, the abatement team came to remove the asbestos, but apparently the pipe has not been replaced yet. The team covered up the hole in the wall with a plastic sheet, with the asbestos removed (hopefully). This was done at 12:30pm today. No further work was done. After hours of chasing the management office, they finally came at 5pm to install a temporary sink and reconnect the pipe. This worker stated that it will be "months" before they have cabinets back on, which is simply inhospitable.
So here is what they have to do:
1. Receive results from the asbestos air test (which, they apparently have never failed).
2. Call in a plumber to replace the pipe.
3. Have a plasterer replace the wall.
4. Then have a painter paint the wall.
5. Finally, reinstall the cabinets.
If this process will take months, this is completely unacceptable. I cannot have all the stuff laying around in the living room for such a long time.
What I have done in the meantime is call 311 to file a housing complaint. They will respond within 14 days. I also contemplated going to housing court, but because I am still a minor, and my parents don't speak good English, I don't know how that will turn out.
Personally, I hate public housing. It is filled with criminals, drug dealers, lazy people. I hate being associated with such people. However, because I am still in school, I am forced to live with my parents. I am very ashamed. I tell my parents that I can't bring friends over, because the living quarters are so embarrassing and dirty. I mean, how can I tell people that I live in public housing? School kids are always like "Wow, this kid has such a big house!" Well, the simple fact is, this kid did NOTHING to gain that house. It is the work of their parents. In likewise manner, it is not my choice to live in Public Housing. In fact, I would love to move. Why should I be judged for what my parents did? Unfortunately, very few people are able to accept me as I am.
My mother tries to assuage me by saying "We will move when you and your brother finish college." My brother still has two years to go, and I enter college next year. This means we will have to stay in public housing for at least another 2-3yrs. I tell her, its so embarrassing to be stealing people's tax money, and to have to live in such a terrible environment as well. But she says she is unable to feel guilt. However, she feels guilty for taking food stamps, which she refuses to take. She says "I don't understand why other people take food stamps. They can afford their food, and they just spend it on soda." I use her stance on food stamps to explain how she should feel about public housing, but she doesn't understand. She tells me "how can we afford a $2000 apartment outside?"Then she tells me, that she spent 15yrs staying at home with me, 24hrs a day, instead of going to work, and that most other children do not have a parent at their side that often. I suppose she makes a good point, but I still don't understand why we have to live in public housing.
With conditions this bad, I am scared when leaving and entering the building. People always throw trash out the window. I just can't take it anymore. I ask her why she didn't apply to Masaryk across the street, but she was disappointed with me.
Sorry for this long post, but I have been keeping my frustration inside for such a long time.
So why not get a job and start contributing to the household in order to help the family move. Your poor (no pun intended) parents are trying to keep a roof over your head. At least you're not out in the street sleeping on a park bench. And if you really want something fixed in NYCHA you have to alert the media, because NYCHA is backlogged in years for repair work. That is not an exaggeration.
__________________
"The man who sleeps on the floor, can never fall out of bed." -Martin Lawrence
So why not get a job and start contributing to the household in order to help the family move. Your poor (no pun intended) parents are trying to keep a roof over your head. At least you're not out in the street sleeping on a park bench. And if you really want something fixed in NYCHA you have to alert the media, because NYCHA is backlogged in years for repair work. That is not an exaggeration.
Thanks SeventhFloor. My parents have continually told me that they don't want me to find a job, because they feel the little money that I make will not be helpful, and that it might change my focus away from my studies. As a result, they would rather that I conduct research at a local university, instead of finding a job. I respect their decision, although maybe I feel guilty about it.
As for contacting the media, I have just emailed NY1foryou thanks to your suggestion. Should I contact anywhere else?
Then she tells me, that she spent 15yrs staying at home with me, 24hrs a day, instead of going to work, and that most other children do not have a parent at their side that often.
Well, obviously I attended school. Its against the law not to. And if I didn't, my post would not be legible.
While that was an exaggeration, what I mean to say was that she refused to work, and instead chose to be at home with me and my brother, and cook meals for us, etc.
Well, obviously I attended school. Its against the law not to. And if I didn't, my post would not be legible.
While that was an exaggeration, what I mean to say was that she refused to work, and instead chose to be at home with me and my brother, and cook meals for us, etc.
I dont understand why should couldnt work while you attended school. What did she do all day? Cook meals for herself?
I dont understand why should couldnt work while you attended school. What did she do all day? Cook meals for herself?
While that is another issue, I will respond.
She went to school to learn her English (ESL), and went on a track to finish her GED.
Additionally, I don't understand why this is suddenly a problem with my mother. Why does it matter what she did? My dad has never stopped working. She started working everyday 4 years ago. And even if she was "lazy" when I was a child, what can I do about it? Do I need to go back in time when I was 7 and ask her "mom, why aren't you working?" Why am I getting blamed for her decision (right or wrong?).
It's tough being poor; it's tough and demeaning living in public housing. However, it is better than homelessness.
Sorry to hear about the destruction of your kitchen.
Is it possible to get NYCHA to house you somewhere else while they "rebuild" the place you're in?
Do I guess right in assuming the asbestos was insulation covering the leaking pipe? And that the pipe was leaking at your level and running down to the basement? Have they fixed the LEAK?
Can I assume that as long as you have to wait for kitchen reconstruction you are entitled to some sort of rent break?
When you deal with NYCHA, you get what you paid for. If you want better, then you have to pay for better.
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