Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Senator Calls NYCHA 'Slumlord' of City for Attempting to Evict Senior

By Camille Bautista | February 6, 2015 6:47pm
 Residents of Howard Houses joined Sen. Jesse Hamilton and tenant Carmen Matias (right) to call for improvements to NYCHA buildings and practices after the agency's attempt to evict Matias from her Brooklyn home. 
Residents of Howard Houses joined Sen. Jesse Hamilton and tenant Carmen Matias (right) to call for improvements to NYCHA buildings and practices after the agency's attempt to evict Matias from her Brooklyn home. 
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Camille Bautista

BROWNSVILLE — An elected official criticized the city’s housing authority on Friday, calling it the “slumlord of New York City” after its attempt to evict a mentally ill woman from her Brooklyn apartment.

Sen. Jesse Hamilton, who represents areas including Brownsville, Crown Heights, and Sunset Park, demanded fair treatment for NYCHA residents and advocated on behalf of 61-year-old Carmen Matias, who is in a current legal battle with the agency.

Matias was more than $1,000 behind on her rent for her home at Howard Houses, where she has lived for more than 30 years, according to court papers.

After working out a deal to pay back a portion of the money in 2013, she missed two court hearings, prompting the agency to take action in removing her from the apartment. She owed a remaining $581 in rental arrears at the time.

A judge last week ruled NYCHA was “unnecessarily harsh" in its eviction action and ordered a new hearing for Matias with a guardian to help with her case, according to court documents. The senior was “confused and did not even understand that a hearing was scheduled,” the judge added.

Matias had been receiving mental health counseling at the time of the incident, according to court papers.

Speaking from Matias’ Brownsville building on Friday, Hamilton, Assemblywoman Latrice Walker and housing advocates offered Matias free legal aid for the next hearing to reinstate her lease.

“Shame on you NYCHA...No one should be living in fear in a place that they’ve been living in for 30 years,” Hamilton said. “We want to make sure NYCHA adheres to our seniors and that they live a comfortable lifestyle.”

Matias began having difficulty paying her rent on time in 2012 and actively sought help from community organizations for financial help, the judge said. In spring 2013, she fell behind again on rent after traveling to Florida to care for her sick mother.

“Sometimes you have problems,” Matias said. “This put me through a lot. There were days after where I would wake up in the middle of the night and be scared people were trying to knock my door down and kick me out.”

Hamilton called NYCHA’s bid for eviction “egregious” and cited the action of booting out long-term tenants as a “common theme throughout Brownsville” and New York City.

In an effort to address the quality of life for NYCHA tenants, the senator also announced new legislation to give disabled residents the first offer on vacant apartments in lower floors. 

"Only through open lines of communication can NYCHA and tenants work together to build cooperative relationships," he said.

Hamilton's office will continue to work with Matias on her case. 

Matias’ current arrears exceed $7,000, having not paid since March 2013, according to NYCHA. She raised different reasons and issues during the case than those in her initial paperwork to the agency, representatives said, and the goal of the missed hearings was to address her circumstances.

“Pursuant to federal law, it is the New York City Housing Authority’s responsibility to enforce rules and follow procedures regarding rent payments,” the agency said in a statement. “NYCHA plans to settle the case given circumstances that came to light during litigation.”