Jean Hall, Rochdale Village board president, testifies on 31% carrying charge increase
Hall describes Rochdale Village's 25,000 residents facing a 31.2% carrying charge increase, aging infrastructure, and escalating costs. She recommends expanding city capital programs to state-supervised Mitchell-Lamas and creating a dedicated Mitchell-Lama capital fund.
Good afternoon.
Trying to turn my camera on.
Good afternoon.
Thank you for taking the time.
Chair Lee and Chair Sanchez, members of the Finance and Housing Building Committee, thank you for this opportunity.
My name is Jean Hall, and I am the board president of the Rochdale Village, Inc., a state-supervised mental health cooperative, which is located in Southeast Queens.
Rochdale Village is home to over 25,000 New Yorkers, including seniors, working families, and individuals living on a fixed or modest income.
As one of the largest Mitchell-Lama cooperatives in the city, our long-term affordability is not only essential to our residents, it is essential to New York City's broader affordable housing landscape.
And although we are a state-supervised housing company, the city requirements shape our financial reality every day, including Local Law 11, Local Law 97,
DOV elevator and modernization requirements, city water and sewer rate structures,
city property taxes, city capital and infrastructure programs, the city administered affordability tools such as J51, and the city council discretionary support for senior services and out-of-school.
Like many aging Mitchell Lama cooperatives, Rochdale Village is confronting aging infrastructure, escalating operation costs, rising insurance premiums,
elevator modernization needs, facade and roof repairs, utility and water costs that outpace our revenue and growth.
Without modern financial tools, cooperatives like ours are forced to depend on maintenance increases that strain the very residents Mitchell-Lama was created to protect.
Our 31.2 carrying charge in people affected November 2025.
Has pushed our community to the brink.
Respectfully, I'd like to recommend and support two things.
Expand city capital programs to improve...
Your time has expired.
...Mitchell-Lamas and to create a dedicated Mitchell-Lama capital fund where we could get city capital funds
to help us address elevators, roofs, facade repairs, energy efficient upgrades, safety, and compliance.
Thank you so much.
We look forward to working with New York City, Rochdale Village stands ready to work with the council, HPD, HCR, and all partners to secure the future of our community.
And we will submit a substantial written report revised and is submitted now.
Thank you so much.