Council Member Dinowitz questions HPD on SCRI compliance and Tracy Towers

Okay, so we're going to move into questions of our council members and colleagues.

And so I want to start with Chair Dynowitz, followed by Councilmember Hudson.

Oh, right.

You're de facto chair.

Thank you, actual Chair Lee.

And I want to thank Chair Sanchez and Speaker Menon for their support in this, not just for the residents of Tracy Towers, some of whom are here, but for residents of Michelama throughout the city.

And thank you for signing the letter.

This is really critical.

And I want to thank you, HPD, for coming to Tracy Towers.

And I think you know Michelamas were designed for working class and middle class families.

And you saw and you know the promise of Michelama.

And you saw firsthand what happens when we disinvest from our Michelama housing stock, that the residents of Tracy and residents throughout the city are not only being hit with a 31% rent increase, but living with rats, living with mold,

living with leaky roofs, living with unrepaired elevators, even though the money was put in for all that.

I think the amount of time we're spending on SCRI is a little ridiculous.

It is a band-aid to the structural problems.

Nevertheless, it is a solution to some of them.

So I do want to ask quickly, are you in compliance with Local Law 44 of 24, my bill, to provide pre-filled SCRI applications?

To residents of city-run Michelama housing?

Yes, we're fully in compliance.

I have had numerous people come to my office eligible for SCRI, and we have had to assist them in filling out these SCRI applications.

It is my belief that you are not fully in compliance, given that we've had to fill out so many applications.

Can you tell me how many applications, pre-filled applications, have you sent out to residents of Michilamas?

So Julie just mentioned a good point.

The increase hasn't gone into effect yet.

So the applications aren't pre-filled until the increase actually happens.

So no increases have happened at Tracy Towers yet.

They're planned.

There were still people at Tracy, and I think last year, the previous commissioner testified he was fully in compliance.

Nevertheless, still this year, we are filling out SCRI applications.

So it should have been the case even last year that they would have filled out those applications because you would have received their income affidavit at that point.