Maureen Davis on COPA and Safer Homes for Bronx community preservation
Davis describes COPA as protecting buildings from large investors and Safer Homes as holding landlords accountable for dangerous conditions. She envisions a Bronx where families stay in their communities, seniors remain in their homes, and tenants have a real voice in housing.
Good afternoon, Ms.
Sanchez and Community Council.
My name is Maureen Davis, and I'm here to speak about COPA.
COPA and safer homes are important to me.
COPA can help protect buildings from being purchased by large investors.
Who may neglect them or displace lifetime tenants.
Given trusted community organization, community land trust, community land trust, and community-based developers, and an opportunity to purchase these
buildings can help keep housing affordable and properly maintained.
Safer homes would give the city stronger tools to hold landlords accountable when they repeatedly fail to maintain their buildings or allow dangerous conditions to continue.
For me, for me,
This is about more than just fixing buildings.
It's about protecting our homes and our community.
I want to be able to stay in the Bronx and feel proud of where I live.
I want my neighbors to know that their homes will be safe, affordable, and
properly maintain, not only, not places where you have to worry about mold, pests, broken elevators, bad repairs, unsafe floors, or appliances that does not work.
When I think about the Bronx 10 years or 20 years from now, I want to see
a Bronx where family can stay in their community, seniors can remain in their homes, buildings are properly
maintained, and tenants have a real voice in what happens in their housing.
Thank you.