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New York, NY – Riding the elevators in some city Housing Authority projects is like jumping on a scary ride at Coney Island. Say the House of Horrors. Or the Cyclone.
The 10 worst housing projects in the city – in terms of elevator problems – all feature repeat outages and delays in repairs, a Daily News investigation found.
The News examined elevator outages and repair delays for the 103 major Housing Authority projects with more than 10 elevators. All are used by thousands of residents each day. They found the George Washington Houses in East Harlem, topped the list of 10 Worst projects, most of which are in upper Manhattan and the Bronx; one was in Brooklyn, while Queens and Staten Island had none.
The investigation comes a month after 5-year-old Jacob Neuman died trying to jump from a stuck elevator in the Taylor Wyeth Houses in Brooklyn. Prosecutors are still investigating his Aug. 19 death. Citing the DA’s probe, the agency declined to release details about the age of elevators and delays in replacing older machines, stating, “It is premature and not appropriate to supply to news sources piecemeal information relating to the incident including any systemwide information that may prejudice the inquiry.”
The Housing Authority says it’s doing the best it can, given a burgeoning deficit and loss of federal funds that hurt its ability to replace aging elevators. Systemwide, spokesman Howard Marder noted, the number of elevator outages has dropped 7% to 43,762 in fiscal 2008.
Answer:
Privatization.
Government can never run a business properly because there is no sense of responsibility or ownership.
Plus these buildings are too big and filled with people who have no sense of responsibility either, they don’t feel any connection to the owners either economically or socially so there is no fear of damage or eviction
To all people please take the Stairs…
At some of my childhood years I lived in the 70 Clymer Project, I remember the elevators to be broken constantly! It was very normal to hear the bell ringing almost daily to alarm that someone is stuck within, at several times I witnessed how the fire department or others opened to door to release the stuck people.
In 2 incidents I was personally a victim to broken elevators, I also remember my friend’s broken arm because the door suddenly closed so quick that he had no time to remove his hand.
City Management fails time and time again, and there isn’t any real solution or accountability that may bring this to a stop, maybe law suits will resolve this.
The Housing Authority says it’s doing the best it can, given a burgeoning deficit and loss of federal funds
Sorry this is not an excuse then let the people hold there rent money not give it to the managment but use it to get there own elevator repair people to fix it.
Nothing was done yet???? I can’t believe it!!!
just for the record i grew up in a privately owned building in bp and the elevator there was atrocious too. it was stuck twice a week at least, i was stuck in it once too, and once the doors opened between two floors and this 300lb guy had to jump down several feet (BOOM!). anywhow, this has nothing to do with anything but just had to stick in my 2 cents.