Jorge Jimenez testifies on homelessness, lost voucher, and need for reform

Hi, my name is Jorge Jimenez.

I wanted to point out something.

There was a confusion, and I think there's some people that are in the public housing hearing that...

Don't know that.

This is where we are.

So maybe the interns are taking notes that are incorrect notes, just to let you know.

Okay.

Hello, Chair.

My name is Jorge Jimenez.

I had a written statement that I wanted to share with you, but pretty much...

When you mentioned the issue about timelines and months, I was thinking about four words that came to my mind, synchronicity, time,

Waiting and human factor.

Ten years ago, I was a city council worker.

I'm currently homeless.

Then years ago, I worked at that building.

I was actually a volunteer for that councilwoman.

She left.

She did not recognize me because that was here ago and some pounds ago.

I've been going through those birds, like birds like weight.

So I have waited.

I had a concussion as a result of an attempted robbery.

My Puerto Rican-ness did not allow me to actually accept it, so I wanted to fight back, but I couldn't find the guys.

They went away in a scooter.

I blame Yamaha for that.

What happened after that was waiting, waiting two weeks to actually find out that the concussion became a post-concussion syndrome, waiting six months to find out that my savings were gone,

then becoming homeless, strip homeless, tent homeless, sleep on the beach homeless.

Fight with the guy next to you, homeless.

Fight a devouring mission with some gangs and having to call your cousin, Papo, who is actually in jail.

So he will call another guy from the Asociación Nieta.

So you will be able to stay in one of the corners of the shelter.

Waiting.

So I waited, and then I depended.

You can continue.

On the specifics, there was an issue that I had.

I was like, how do I actually sort this out?

I navigated underground networks.

The Chinese of Flushing helped me.

The Mexicans of Jackson Heights helped me.

The people that actually have mastered the...

The art of homelessness and progressing through it helped me.

Brighton Beach helped me.

My crisis turned me into a new New Yorker.

I received a voucher.

I lost it.

I went back to the streets.

I needed to do vestibular therapy.

I have a concussion.

It has been three years.

At the beginning of this year, I went to a drop-in center after actually increasing the amount of performance for a post-concussion person.

I went from 62 to 82.

That's actually good.

I went to a drop-in center that is supposed to actually help me in 30 minutes.

It took five days.

Come tomorrow, not today, tomorrow, to the morning.

After that, it has been nine months.

I lost a total of eight apartment units.

Four with Housing Connect.

Four with a private broker.

I'm here in support of Intro 101, as someone that used to help people to navigate the system.

But I actually am also here to talk to you about what happens before Indro 101.

What happens after the voucher opportunity, it's actually mentioned, and when you enter the shelter.

We must keep that in mind.

I have survived homeless.

I actually became well-skilled, stuff like that.

But this process has been a burden.

At this point, I'm trying to actually renew the voucher.

And they have an answer.

I mean the specific people that were helping through the dropping center.

I lost another unit last week.

If it happens like this to a former council worker,

what do you think is going to happen to people that don't have the experience of dealing with inquiries and the development of how policy affects daily lives?

Thank you.

Thank you so much for your testimony.

Thank you for being here.