Anthony Byrd describes Borden conditions and lease termination

How are you doing, sir?

Just bring that mic close to you so we don't miss a word.

How are you doing today?

Very well.

Excuse me.

My name is Anthony Bird.

I'm a former veteran.

I'm a former resident of Borden Avenue.

Okay, I apologize for my attire.

I didn't know it was going to be formal today.

You look great.

I like the sweatshirt.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Yeah, you can't, you got to beat common sense into people.

But I've been to Born to Napping twice, unfortunately.

Fortunately, I met some great people through there.

Yeah, conditions in Board Avenue need improvement, without a doubt.

I would say, personally, get them a new building.

Simple as that.

Get them a new building.

I had these people behind me right here help me find housing.

Okay?

Ms.

Smalls, Ms.

Ward over here, Sam and Maya, they helped me find housing.

You know what I mean?

And unfortunately, the landlord doesn't want to renew my lease, so I might have to go back to Borden.

There's no telling just yet.

But Borden needs improvement.

Like they say in the shower area, in the cafeteria area, in the food area.

I just left there last December.

I've been in my apartment in Long Island City not even a year, and they've sent me a 90-day notice of termination not to renew my lease.

So, yeah, Board and Avenue needs help with them showers, with the food.

In my opinion, if you don't like a job, you shouldn't have it.

If you like your job, you'll excel at it.

Me personally, when I got into the Army, unfortunately, I had KP quite a few times.

For who don't know what KP is, it's a punishment.

And they used to send me to the kitchen all the time.

That started my cooking career.

I've been cooking ever since.

I don't like nothing else but being in the kitchen.

You want to do construction?

Call him.

You want to do auto repair?

Call him.

I don't know.

I'm just saying.

I'm just saying as an example.

I like kitchens.

But no, you can't cook at Borden Avenue.

And as of last year, I don't know how the policies have changed.

But last year, no, you couldn't bring food into Borden Avenue.

They had a little room to the side that you had to eat it in, or you could bring potato chips and cookies in because they had the vending machines.

They sold it anyway.

So yeah, you could bring snacks in there, but you couldn't bring cooked food really.

You had to sit in the side room and eat it.

As far as Mr.

Wong was talking about with the culinary arts program, last year you couldn't get in because I asked.

Like I said, I'm a cook.

I asked.

And no, you couldn't get in.

Policies may have changed between then and now.

We'll see.

But as far as that's concerned, you have good issues, you have bad issues.

There's some that can be addressed, and there's some that can't.

You know what I mean?

Like this gentleman said, we all need to get together and put our heads to it and see if we can't work it out together.

That's all I have to say.