By Carla Zanoni
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — After years of complaints from Hudson Heights residents about poorly lit, desolate and sometimes-dangerous sections of their neighborhood, city agencies and elected officials say they are getting new lighting to make the area safer.
Residents say that lack of lighting has contributing to the number of muggings, car break-ins and vandalism along the dimly lit stretches of Cabrini Avenue, as well as the entrance to the A train at 190th Street and Fort Washington.
Although several city agencies voiced confusion over which agency was in charge of lighting outside the 190th Street subway station during a recent town hall meeting held in Hudson Heights, State Senator Adriano Espaillat said his office would work with the agencies to see that new lighting was installed.
"Seems to be a problem like 'Who’s on first?,' but we will organize the MTA, Parks and police to make sure you are safe," he said.
And although the timing of the new light installation along Cabrini Boulevard remains unclear, Councilman Robert Jackson’s office reported procuring funding for lighting there.
Nearby resident Kayla Fromberg, 34, said she was heartened to hear the agencies would be working to make the area more secure, but voiced skepticism about when the changes would be made.
"We’ve all heard these promises before," she said. "But the fact remains that I still feel unsafe when walking home after dark."
In the meantime, police from the 34th Precinct were working with transit police to patrol "problem areas" along Overlook Terrace, Cabrini and Fort Washington avenues, between 181st and 185th streets, according to 34th Precinct Captain Jose Navarro.
Crime in the 34th Precinct has seen an uptick this year with increases in robberies, felony assault, auto theft, petit larceny and misdemeanor assault, according to a CompStat report from Feb. 7 to Feb. 13 as compared to the same month period last year.
During that week, robberies went from 20 to 21; felony assault from 14 to 22; auto theft from 7 to 11; petit larceny from 43 to 47; and misdemeanor assault from 32 to 40.
Despite these reported increases, the 34th Precinct recently lost 46 of the extra 60 cops assigned to the precinct during a previous surge in crime in October 2010.
Those officers have been moved to other precincts.
