ALBANY — Hundreds of city Housing Authority tenants took their pleas for increased funding directly to state lawmakers Monday.
At a loud rally in the Capitol, tenants urged Gov. Cuomo and lawmakers to boost funding for the housing agency by more than $1 billion over the next decade.
“For the last 20 or 30 years, NYCHA has been forgotten about,” said Ann Valdez, 48, who lives in a NYCHA complex in Coney Island. “The need is dire.”
Gov. Cuomo’s proposed budget provides $25 million for NYCHA, but an administration spokesman said the governor is willing to discuss additional funds for the agency.
Sen. Jeff Klein (D-Bronx), leader of the Senate’s Independent Democratic Conference, said additional money for NYCHA is among his top priorities in ongoing budget negotiations.”We need to correct an injustice that’s been in existence for many, many years.”
