The Hoboken Reporter Generates Cover Up?

GA surveying a whole lotta generators

Folks, I was as surprised as you were to see The Hoboken Reporter had followed up on GA's exclusives:  "Snowy Generators at the HHA" and "HHA Generator Mystery" with their own 'investigation' into 14 generators languishing in an HHA parking lot:"HUD: Installation of generators in public housing slated for Spring."

And you know, after reading Dean DeChiaro's excellent cover story on VBMs, GA had high hopes for this one.  Like a big, juicy low hanging fruit, this story was ripe for plucking off the blogs for the mainstream press to sink it's teeth into.   

Then I read it.

If our Fourth Estate ever had teeth, it's got no balls.

All GA can say is, shame.  The residents of public housing deserve much, much better.  

Did you read the article?  Here it is in a nutshell: the nut was delivered in fall and left in its shell outside in a parking lot at the HHA, because the nut-farmer wanted to prove that its new species of nut- more crunchy and delicious than previous iterations, could withstand the elements, and guess what?  This nut was Sandy-proof!   What better way to prove how weather-resistant this new breed of nut was than to order it in September, leave it out all winter, then eat it in Spring!

Isn't that clever?

If you bought that bullshit, then you believed The Hudson Reporter's version, as told by a nameless "HUD spokesman" to reporter Dean DeChiaro.  (GA emailed Dean DeChiaro to get the name of this "HUD spokesman"-- I'm waiting for a reply).

I think the identity of the "HUD spokesman" is even more mysterious than the provenance of those 14 generators!    (Maybe the HR got a couple of paragraphs on HUD letter head?)  Well, here are a few questions raised by whomever the sources were:

The article says "... the agency [HHA]was able to order 14 new ones this past fall."  

Followed by "The generators were delivered last September and October and are stacked in a lot at Fourth and Harrison streets." 

Really? 

How were these "new model generators" ordered and delivered in Fall?  There's no lead time to fabricate a generator?  GA imagines it's weeks, if not months between an order, fabrication and delivery of a large mechanical piece of equipment.   Generators are not typically an off-the-shelf item.  The HHA generators were all different sizes and shapes. For a September delivery, GA is guessing the order was placed in July or August, at the latest.  By whom?  The article says the HHA is looking for a contractor to install.  Who sized and specified the generators? 

Are you ready to swallow some more?

 "The risk that the current cold weather poses to residents is not worth taking right now, said Garcia, who added that for the time being, there is no rush to install the new generators." 

Followed by: "In fact, HUD said, the generators were delivered in fall on purpose. At the time, HUD, Garcia and the vendor were aware that inclement weather might be looming, but the manufacturer wanted to prove that its new model generator, more powerful than previous iterations, could withstand the elements."

Don't pee on my leg (or my door) and tell me it's raining.

Which is it: (A) the installation was delayed because of inclement weather, or (B) delayed for inclement weather?

I would fire the idiot that came up with (B).  (You know, I left my boots outside all year to prove they were waterproof.)

 Now, did you catch this:

Garcia said that some will be reinstalled at some of the HHA’s smaller buildings, which have never been outfitted with emergency generators before.

"The HHA's smaller buildings... have never been outfitted with emergency generators before."  

Which means they don't have them now.  And that's not a problem?  

So, why isn't the installation of generators where none exist a priority?  Why wouldn't that have been done before cold weather hit?

GA was told by an HHA resident that this generator is "dead"

It's one thing to cover a politician's ass when it's simply politics.  It's entirely another when public housing tenants' safety is at stake.   

So when The Hoboken Reporter publishes an unnamed HUD-spokesperson's B.S. about an HVAC manufacturer wanting its product to sit uninstalled in winter "on purpose" to "prove" it could withstand the elements... 

I think it's time to hang a "FOR SALE" sign outside of 1400 Washington Street.