Public housing tenants call for cleaner, safer conditions

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Public housing residents in Arbor Hill recently organized a tenants' union because they said they want safer and cleaner living conditions. On Friday, more than two dozen of those residents showed up to the Albany Housing Authority to deliver a letter.

Tammera Holland has lived at Ida Yarbrough for 12 years. She said it was ‘okay’ when she first moved in but now, “I’m tired. I’m done. I’m done with this building. It’s not safe anymore,” said Holland.

The housing complex has 224 units. Many of the residents that rallied at the Housing Authority on Friday said homeless people sleep in the lobby and the stairwell. They said a lot of people who are not residents engage in unsavory activities when the sun goes down.

“I don’t even be here hardly. I barely come home, cause I don’t wanna be in the midst of .. if I come in the building, somebody might be in there getting ready to shoot somebody or whatever, or stab somebody. I don’t wanna be involved with that. I really don’t. So I try my best to stay away,” said Holland.

“I just want to speak about some of the other conditions as well, as far as the courtyard and the seniors that we have here that are in wheelchairs, and the blind people that are tripping over the bricks that are laying out here,” said Providence.

They showed us emergency exit doors that do not open. They said pests are also a major concern. “It’s like they don’t care about us down here. Nobody don’t seem to care about us down here and it’s sad,” said Holland.

In the letter they demanded the Housing Authority unlock the emergency exit doors and they want a safety officer on the premises to address the “rampant issues of violence, drug use / drug trafficking”.

“I be wanting my grandkids to come, but I can’t. I can’t let them come here like that, with this building like it is. I just can’t and it hurts. It hurts me,” said Holland.

That’s why 86 residents signed a letter demanding cleaner and safer living conditions. Holland hand delivered it to the Housing Authority. The tenants were joined by their elected representative, Albany County Legislator Sam Fein (6th district).

“I wanted to be there with them because I wanted the tenants to know that I am there with them and I’m willing to do whatever I can to get the housing authority to take action. And I want the Housing Authority as well to know that I’m there, so that they know that there are elected officials, as well, behind them,” said Fein.

In a statement the Albany Housing Authority said, "The Albany Housing Authority always puts the safety and well-being of its residents first. We are constantly working to address resident concerns, noting that a building of this size and age needs consistent maintenance. Many of the concerns raised by the tenants have already been resolved, and the others are already being addressed. We always welcome a constructive dialogue with residents, and the correspondence received today was the first time many of these issues had been formally brought to our attention by the union.”

“I just hope things start changing for us. I want to live in a safe environment. I want to be able to do cookouts. I want to be able to have little things going on with my friends and family. I got a granddaughter that’s a singer. I wanna do a little thing out here for her,” said Holland.

Tenants of Idra Yarbrough held a tenant meeting, to bring all residents up to speed, in the community room on Friday at 6:00 P.M.