From: ray.normandeau@factory.com (Ray Normandeau) 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african.american
Subject: USD HUD & HOUSING PROJECT
Date: 27 Aug 92 01:31:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Invention Factory's BBS - New York City, NY - 212-274-1243v.32bis
Reply-To: ray.normandeau@factory.com (Ray Normandeau) 



                                 CONTACT: Ray Normandeau 718 392-1267
                      Press Secretary for Queensbridge Tenant Council
 News updates and prior releases by modem, 212-274-8110, Newsgroup #5


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

        Another Homicide at the Notorious Queensbridge Houses
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Wednesday August 26, 1992 another murder victim was found at
Queensbridge Houses. The victim was a well dressed man with shirt and
tie shot in the head three times on the fifth floor at 41-11 10th
Street, in Long Island City.

Elevators go to the fifth floor of the 6 floor Queensbridge Houses
buildings. The elevator at 41-10 10th Street has been in the process
of renovations since early July and it is alleged that some tenants
take the elevator of 41-11 10th Street to the fifth floor and then
cross the roof to 41-10 10th Street. Some tenants allege that this is
being done at the suggestion of Queensbridge Houses Manager Scott
Krikawa. Krikawa denies having ever suggested this.

US Department of Housing and Urban Development funded Queensbridge
Houses averages two reported felonies per day and one homicide every
three months.

Guns are nothing new at Queensbridge Houses; Queensbridge children
were recently chased away from a Police Athletic League playground by
gun totting drug dealers. Police have not responded to that incident
yet!

Going back to the August 26, 1992 homicide, the lobby door of 41-11
10 Street is kept unlocked. In a letter to tenants, HUD mentions a
New York City Housing Authority "... policy which states that lobby
doors should not be locked unless there is an active tenant patrol to
open the door for visitors. We suggest that you deal with the NYCHA
directly to try to alleviate your problem."

The "Active tenant patrol" are tenants expected to sit unpaid,
unarmed, untrained, without a phone and with minimal life insurance
to guard their building lobby. Due to the high amount of felonies and
drug dealing at Queensbridge Houses, the "Visitors" are quite
possibly drug dealers, buyers or armed robbers. What would happen if
the "Active tenant patrol" refuses to open the door for "Visitors?"
The bullet ridden entrance of 40-11 12th Street gives an idea of what
happens to doors that are not opened quickly enough.

Who really profits from this "Active tenant patrol" idea? The New
York City Housing Authority employees who are paid to supervise the
unpaid "Active tenant patrol." Considering that tenants are told that
their lobby door will not be locked unless they give free labor which
can then be supervised by the paid MYCHA employees, this is in
reality a protection racket. This is sanctioned by HUD. If there was
no "Active tenant patrol", the employees would not have a job.

Perhaps in an attempt to distance itself from this protection racket,
HUD in the letter mentioned above (which was to tenants of 41-04
Vernon) stated "It appears that the majority of the tenants prefer an
unlocked door because of its convenience." A HUD employee stated that
she had surveyed the tenants of the building and that the majority of
the tenants wanted the door unlocked. Tenants of 41-04 Vernon all
signed a petition asking for an investigation of HUD employees
concerned. The tenants state that they were never surveyed and want
the door locked. This has been brought to the attention of Doctor
Anthony Villane, the HUD Administrator/Regional Housing Commissioner.
Villane has been ignoring all copies of the petition sent to him. An
aide of his was last heard saying that the then already disgraced
Laura Blackburne would be consulted.

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