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| left: tenant activist alleges the threat: "I'm going to hurt you" right: police report of incident |
On Thursday, August 15, 2013 State Senator Brian Stack's running mate, Assembly candidate Carmelo Garcia dropped an ethnic-cleansing bomb on Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer, her husband and an HHA Commissioner.
In a lawsuit filed by Louis Zayas in Hudson Superior Court, Stack's running mate charged Zimmer with executing a long-term methodical "quest" to "transform Hoboken politically and ethnically consistent with their own political, cultural, and ethnic derivation," sweeping out minorities to turn Hoboken all-white and affluent. One way Stack's running mate claimed Zimmer planned to transform Hoboken through "construction projects"which included her OWN Vision 20/20 plan, he described as an "ethnic cleansing initiative".
Amidst this "ethnic cleansing" brouhaha continues the ugly saga of HHA tenant Jessica Coco.
Because on Thursday, August 15, 2013 something else happened which nobody noticed.
Coco was allegedly warned: "I'm going to hurt you" by a close associate of Stack's running mate. Coco filed a police complaint.
Jessica Coco is the public face of Save the Projects, a group of HHA tenants who BELIEVE that Vision 20/20 is in fact Garcia's 'ethnic cleansing initiative' to demolish projects and displace the current tenant population out of Hoboken for lucrative deals with private developers, such one rumored with a West New York developer for a portion of HHA property. GA has no confirmation such a deal was struck, perhaps the credentialed media can find out.
How about it, credentialed media?
Since Coco has spoken to WBAI FM, The Hoboken Reporter, Grafix Avenger and Mile Square View and continues to do so, she has been served with an eviction 'statement', Charles Daglian's 'Cease and Desist' Order (with a FAKE flyer attached), her apartment burglarized her car vandalized. Fake flyers, designed to look like they are the product of Coco's group, are being circulated around the HHA to gin up charges against the group. About the use of flyers to "get" Coco, she spoke to someone close to Stack's running mate:
**** insisted there is in fact a police investigation going on against me and I better take it seriously. She insisted the flyers don't matter, he wants to get you on anything he can and he will and he'll pay others to get you for him, so watch out.Now she alleges she is being watched, followed, and her apartment entered while out (belongings are moved and/or small items missing) all of this a designed to let her know there is no corner of her life-- not even her own home, where she can feel safe.
I had gone to Brian Stack’s secret public meeting, the maintenance man called management in front of me to tell them I had just stepped outside and was now walking towards the meeting. When I came home, I noticed my apt had once again been entered into, because a newspaper article I printed about Applied with phone numbers I wrote about the organizations that supported the tenants was missing. These people are continuously coming in and out my door.Ms. Coco, who is afflicted with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), is physically frail and frequently too ill to work, but neither she nor Save the Projects is backing down. They are fighting to protect their home.
Near the end of May I was able to recover from chronic bronchitis and asthma torturing me since last year with little relief- I was in and out of the hospital emergency room more times than I can count, certain neighbors impressed upon me that I needed to do something about Vision 2020 now. I was the only person they knew who had any skills in organizing and had connections to any activist organizations. Because of this, I attended the July 28th meeting and after listening to Mr. Garcia speak and reviewing the online brochure, I joined the group.
Coco has spoken for those who are too afraid to, she is an example of what happens to those who do speak out. So while you're at it credentialed media, ask WHY residents like Jessica Coco who speak out against Stack's running mate and his Vision 20/20 are being harassed?
Better yet, why not ask State Senator Brian Stack?
The Senator brought his "Mobile Senate Office" to the HHA on August 20, 2013:
Here is Stack's exchange with Jessica Coco at that meeting:
Does he sound like he was concerned and ready to help?
As State Senator for poor, minority HHA resident-constituents, it si incumbent upon him to PROTECT them from harassment by their tenant management.
GA IMPLORES Senator Stack to use your authority to DO SOMEHING to protect Jessica Coco and all the residents of the HHA who speak out against Vision 20/20.
HOW do you plan to help, Senator Stack?
The term ethnic cleansing is in very bad taste, to say the least. Garcia appears to have lost it! What happened in Europe, and is now happening in the Middle East is really murder. Now with the unethical taping, Stack is in a catch twenty-two - what will he do?
ReplyDeleteI doubt that Stack will do anything to stop the harassment.
ReplyDeleteHe has too much invested in Garcia.
Stack can't pretend he doesn't know anything and that he's not responsible. He is the State Senator. Because of Stack we are stuck with Carmelo in the Assembly. Stack can tell Carmelo to cut the shit and lay off Miss Coco and the other tenants anytime. ANYTIME.
ReplyDeleteWhy is he protecting Carmelo and allowing the abuse of this young lady? Why is he turning a blind eye to tenants being threatened?
Stack must speak loudly and clearly in defense of his poor black and Hispanic constituents in the Hoboken Housing Authority and tell his running mate to STOP.
Stack should also repudiate the ethnic cleansing attacks on Dawn Zimmer. Does Stack agree that the Hoboken mayor is ethnic cleaning? His Assembly pick is making those charges. Stack can't stay silent forever.
Does he agree that Zimmer is ethnic cleansing?
So far his silence is deafening.
"Stack can't stay silent forever."
DeleteYes he can. Watch him.
Stack played his own race card by picking Garcia and he will not admit that he made a bad choice at this late date.
Hoboken Residents,,, Don't vote for these jerks because all of you will be left without a home!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThere is no guarantee while construction starts where will the people stay.
Who are the builders and what are their names and resumes???
What happens if the state runs out of money and the project stops????
This is Ms. Coco and I want Mr. Stack to know that my apt was broken into sometime after I left to go to his meeting, the chain to my door was dismantled. Was that done to show I have no security? As a woman, I don't know how to reinstall a chain, but I used wood screws to boggy rig it back to the door frame to have some security. I want Mr. Stack to answer me, Do you approve of this? My other vehicle's door was also damaged, the gas tank was tampered with, the back window scratched, and when I just turned it on, it hesitated and its never done that before. Now I'm scared to drive it because who knows what they put in it. This is absolutely shameful behavior!
ReplyDeleteThe more you complain the more silence you will get from Brian Stack. He has one goal and that's the Vision Money/Money dancing in his eyes with so many others.
DeleteYou can call and leave Stack a message. He'll probably get back to you but you know the drill and are acting on it, correct? Photos, documentation and then filed to the higher authorities who are most assuredly not certain members of the HPD.
Copies of everything to your lawyer for follow-up action.
If not then welcome to more of "Carmelo's Way."
It's beyond shameful but now everyone is well aware of what Carmelo Garcia truly is.
Homeboy Garcia better start doing some work and stop taken days off and nice vacations. His staff have no care and like they say ( when the cats away the mice will play ) Word in the projects is that they are getting tired of thing not being repaired and living like animals.
ReplyDeleteGarcia got a bundle of grant money from FEMA after Hurricane Irene to raise the generators- what happened to that money?
ReplyDeleteHe took FEMA's money but the work was never done.
In fact, a fire inspection last February found that 6 HHA buildings had NO working generators- thus NO fire suppression capability, and one of them was 501 Marshall Drive, the building with the METH lab. As you may know, meth labs have a habit of exploding.
Here's the story:
On Friday, February 1, 2013 HFD Chief Blohm received a call from the Acting Director of the NJ Division of Fire Safety, William Kramer. Kramer told him that inspectors had been at the HHA the previous day, and:
"Mr. Kramer went on to say that there were several buildings that had no backup generator power, that fire pumps had been removed from various buildings and that fire alarm panels had their "guts" removed and he was not sure that permits had been taken out to do so.
He specifically said to me that if it were not for the volume of residents that would be displaced he would deem all of those buildings as imminent hazards."
Kramer told Blohm to apprise the mayor immediately, which he did. Then Blohm dispatched Fire Marshall Captain Dave Buoncuore to the HHA.
That Sunday, February 3, 2013 Blohm reported to the administration that "the HHA was up and running" and fire watches were ended.
On February 5, 2013 HHA ED Carmelo Garcia was slapped with a Notice of Violation citing that he had "failed obtain the proper Building Permits for all the City of Hoboken housing buildings that were damaged by the Super Storm Sandy: electrical wiring, panels, switch gear, motors, motor controls, fire system and fire panels, fire pumps and any building structures"
Then on February 14, 2013 Chief Blohm appeared at the HHA to deliver his findings to the HHA Commissioners. There the public learned the stunning news: 6 HHA buildings were without properly functioning generators.
http://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2013/04/meth-lab-bldg-lacked-fire-suppression.html
and others:
http://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2013/02/hha-bombshell-6-buildings-without-fire.html
http://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2013/02/curious-hha-meeting-minutes.html
Why were state inspectors there? The authority having jurisdiction was the Fire Official of the City of Hoboken, NJ since the Hoboken Bureau of Fire Prevention and Investigation is the Local Enforcement Agency under the State Law. It seems that the State was notified and called in Blohm to have the job done. By the way, Blohm is the Fire Official's boss.
ReplyDeleteThat's right.
DeleteSomeone who knew about the violations at the HHA and lack of attention by Carmelo Garcia as he ran around collecting perks like out-of-state trips, skipping out on boe committee meetings and public meetings, could have called in state authorities.
If the state didn't come in, order in the HFD and the meth lab exploded or any fire had occurred in one of those 6 buildings people could have died.
I see, the state received the complaint and not the local authority in the fire department, since it is customary for the fire department to be directly notified first since they can investigate immediately. In this case, the state was the middle man. Thankfully, the situation was corrected.
DeleteWhere did the FEMA $$$ go? Has it been accounted for? If not, why isn't anyone in jail? Because if it were you or I and we stole a loaf of bread to feed our starving kids, we'd be in jail by now.
ReplyDeleteGood question, Where is the the money and have you seen the grounds around that area it looks like a war zone.
DeleteWell, it not like the kids can go play in the ball field. Carmello won't allow it. He says the HHA has no money to pay for someone to supervise the field. Volunteers are not acceptable for him. He earns $155,000, you'd think he could spare a few bucks. Maybe instead of $40 and a T-shirt for Vision Eviction/Eviction, he could use it to pay for someone to supervise the park. Maybe he's afraid socialization might lead to organization. He wouldn't want that. First Amendment rights aren't allowed in the HHA either, because King Carmello says so.
ReplyDeleteby George I think you go it:
DeleteVision 20/20 will henceforth be called Eviction 20/20