FIRST WARD SENIORS SUFFER FOR DAYS WITHOUT HEAT
Did you know that Columbian Towers (76 Bloomfield), a low income building for seniors, had no heat for six days?
Neither did I-- until yesterday when this message was forwarded to me; a cry for help from seniors who wouldn't be named for fear of retaliation:
"76 Bloomfield has no heat for 6 days. I said call your Councilman. Their answer is he won't do anything. Some say they called and no answer. The landlords are saying the boiler is on the way, by tomorrow there might be heat. Meanwhile they are asking who wants a space heater, they will supply them until the boiler is in. There are approx 160 apartments."
When I checked back later, a source told me: "Ravi actually was already aware. He worked with building management and the boiler was delivered today so heat will be back on tonight or tomorrow. He directed building management to provide space heaters in the meantime. Space heaters were made available Tuesday, I believe. "
"Did Councilman DeFusco have a role in resolving the problem?" I asked.
The source replied, "To my knowledge, he played no part and never contacted anyone at the city."
That was what the freezing seniors had said in their message: "He [Councilman DeFusco] won't do anything."
In fairness, that's not true.... Councilman DeFusco has done a few things for them. I am told that he "bought them a Bingo machine." And at their Christmas party, "he put pictures of himself on each table and a advertised himself on placemats at each seat."
So yeah, that's what he's done for the seniors of Columbian Towers.
Now, for rich developer-donors DeFusco will sprint to Jersey City's zoning board to shill for a 13-story high-rise... but the seniors of 76 Bloomfield? They can freeze their asses off. That's it.
Actions speak louder than b-s and bingo. In a crisis, like the loss of building heat, Mike DeFusco was AWOL. Thank G-d, 76 Bloomfield has a Mayor who cares. No, Bhalla didn't get them a Bingo machine. Or put his face on a placemat. He made sure they got heat.
REMEMBERING COLUMBIAN TOWERS DIRECTOR, MO DEGENNARO
A commenter mentioned Colombian Towers Director/resident and colorful Hoboken gadfly, Mo DeGennaro, who passed away in 2012...
GA has fond memories of Mo. He showed up at nearly every City Council meeting to harangue... everyone. He was a character. Fun to watch and to listen to. In Mo's memory, this Hoboken Now anecdote from 2008:
Now, for rich developer-donors DeFusco will sprint to Jersey City's zoning board to shill for a 13-story high-rise... but the seniors of 76 Bloomfield? They can freeze their asses off. That's it.
Actions speak louder than b-s and bingo. In a crisis, like the loss of building heat, Mike DeFusco was AWOL. Thank G-d, 76 Bloomfield has a Mayor who cares. No, Bhalla didn't get them a Bingo machine. Or put his face on a placemat. He made sure they got heat.
REMEMBERING COLUMBIAN TOWERS DIRECTOR, MO DEGENNARO
A commenter mentioned Colombian Towers Director/resident and colorful Hoboken gadfly, Mo DeGennaro, who passed away in 2012...
GA has fond memories of Mo. He showed up at nearly every City Council meeting to harangue... everyone. He was a character. Fun to watch and to listen to. In Mo's memory, this Hoboken Now anecdote from 2008:
He could just show up in the lobby and start talking. He is full of hot air. Probably could heat the place up real quick just by flapping his gums. If Jen, Tiff and that old nag of a horse showed up to join in on the conversation, the four of them could heat the whole building w/ all their collective hot air.
ReplyDeleteIf Moe DeGennaro were around, it would have been taken care of faster than even DeFuckup could try to take credit for it.
ReplyDeleteYet while hundreds of seniors in his Ward shivered in their homes, MDF was able to find time to have a birthday party for his dog. Priorities.
ReplyDeleteNo way! Way?
DeleteWay ! He has pics etc on his Facebook page.
DeleteI dislike DeFusco as much as the rest of you - but, do you think he could have expedited the delivery of a boiler?
ReplyDeleteI lived at 12th and Willow. My first winter there the building lost heat completely for several days. I was a renter in a condo building, so on the first morning I wandered around until I found the boiler room & there were people in it. I asked them what was going on and why we didn't have heat. We needed a new boiler. The ETA was 3-5 business days.
Boilers that big aren't just laying around for people to pick up and install at a moment's notice, especially during the middle of winter.
I'm sorry the seniors were without heat. But, I wouldn't advocate everyone using a space heater in a building that size and of that age, it strains the electrical system and could cause fires.
So, at the end of the day, what could DeFusco (or anyone else) do?
Ummm, for some reason I'm signed out and can't get signed back in. So that "unknown" March 4, 11:10am is me. Snoopy.
Deleteyou are correct, snoopy. MDF is not responsible for boilers in every building on his ward. but I believe the point is he could have shown some concern, maybe stopped by the building and reassure residents that he would stay on the building maintenance people to check up on progress. according to the post, this is what mayor bhalla did.
Deleteyes, of course mike couldn't make the repair happen any faster. but he could have shown some compassion and empathy for fellow human beings (and to be cynical about it, particularly when they are voters in his ward).
but, ya know, it was his dog's birthday, so...
Similar thoughts to Snoop Dog. Don’t like Defusco and it’s a bad look not to reach out to constituents simply because there’s not much you can do. But as they say 90% of life is showing up.
DeleteI fixed the issue - I'm baaaack.
DeleteI'll agree to disagree. When we were without heat, seeing my councilperson or mayor would have had zero impact on my life. Seeing a boiler show up instantaneously, now THAT would have been super.
Here I am to disagree with the Snoopster.
DeleteAre you telling me that with DeFusco's construction and building Union and BIG developer connections and even his friendship with Joey Muniz and Nick Sacco- he couldn't have gotten that HVAC fix done a LOT faster, perhaps by magic? That is the MOST he could have done.
The LEAST he could have done is BEEN there. Called City Hall to help expedite, and or mobilize resources. He didn't even KNOW about it. Ask why. The reasons: (1) Columbian Towers residents had NO confidence that their own councilman would help them. Such lack of confidence is earned. (2) a few claim they had but he did not respond.
A councilperson does not need a wrench or a boiler to do the minimum expected of them, to least earn the $25K (or more) salary they collect from taxpayers.
Fair enough, I agree to disagree with you too. :)
DeleteFair enough, snoopster. Just remember who we are talking about- elderly people in low income housing. It's fair to say that is not your (or my) circumstance. A Councilman's concern might not move the needle for you, I get it.
DeleteI gotta agree with Snoopster on this one - other than handholding and making a phone call to the property owner to find out what was going on there really isn't anything DeFusco or Mayor Bhalla could actually do to expedite the process. In fact, when GA's source writes the Mayor "directed" the property owner to provide space heaters, I think a better word would have been "advocated" since the Mayor doesn't have the authority to issue directives like that.
DeleteBe that as it may, handholding and advocacy are an important part of an elected official's job. It certainly would have been a good political move for a councilman facing re-election to show up, hold hands and at least pretend to help - that would have enabled him to claim credit for the issue being resolved despite having nothing to do with it. Given his political skills, I'm surprised he didn't do that so he's either not focused on the election yet or overconfident.
numbers-
DeleteYes, the mayor has no direct authority over a privately owned building, but suffice it to say a call from the Mayor or a City Councilman to the property owner is highly likely to get action-- more than a call from a freezing senior resident. The office is a bully pulpit. The property owner of Columbian Towers responded pretty quickly to then-candidate Stick Romano's allegation that the building was infested with bedbugs:
Owner of Hoboken senior housing building blasts 'lies' about bed bugs .
He even held a press conference, had his rep refute those claims. Do you think the same owner would like headlines about freezing senior residents? Or a letter from the mayor/councilperson that may find its way to the media? I don't think so.
To say the "advocacy" of a Mayor or Councilperson would not expedite a fix for freezing seniors is opinion, mine is that it already has.
True the Councilperson cannot deliver and install the boiler, but attention and compassion is what's needed. Knock on doors make sure all are ok, taking meds ,yes you have to hear the complaints that's what you sign on for. These people want to be listened to and heard, not that difficult, takes your time and patience. The job is not just grandstanding, feeding ego's, self enriching as he sees it. Too bad.
ReplyDelete