YONKERS, NY: News from Majority Leader Patricia McDow, Yonkers City Council

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

McDow calls potential reduction in MHA security

outrageous lapse of judgment

Hon. Patricia McDow, First District Council Member of Yonkers and City Council Majority Leader expressed disbelief and dismay at hearing about new Yonkers Housing Authority Executive Director Joseph Shuldiner’s plans to reduce patrols and security in MHA’s Housing Complexes.  She indicated that that kind of action will only result in promoting violence for the City as a whole.

“After touring Schroeder Street with our County Legislator and a representative from Congresswoman Lowey’s Office and expressing our concerns, this is his response?  Rather than making things better, his actions will make things considerably worse in housing complexes”, said the Majority Leader.

McDow referred to a March 6 tour that she made with County Legislator Ken Jenkins and Sara Rudow from Congresswoman Nita Lowey’s District Office of Schroeder Street housing.  That tour concentrated on the conditions at that complex, but also security concerns, which are never far from the legislators’ minds, especially with the warm weather coming.  As a result, Congresswoman Lowey forwarded a letter to Mr. Shuldiner pursuant to a request from Majority Leader McDow.  McDow feels that Mr. Shuldiner’s decisions regarding security should be made in light of how this will affect the entire City, not just MHA complexes.

“If things get out of control on MHA sites, the problems do not just stay with MHA.  Also, there is the concern for people who live in MHA complexes and how they will be affected by a lack of adequate security.  Less security will encourage the proliferation of drugs and violence.  Mr. Shuldiner can’t just turn his back on the residents”, she said.

The Majority Leader is calling on Mayor Amicone and Police Commissioner Hartnett to work with Mr. Shuldiner to come up with a better solution that will not entail the wholesale reduction of security in MHA.

“If there are fewer security forces and housing police within MHA complexes, that means that Police Precincts will have to be called upon more often to address crime at those sites.  That will reduce available forces for other areas”, said Majority Leader McDow.

“As I said before, I understand that Mr. Shuldiner only recently took up a post that oversees property that has been in dire straits for a long time, but it is important that he doesn’t focus his attention solely on Mulford Gardens Hope VI site, to the detriment of the other complexes.  That would be disastrous”, concluded McDow.