A recent investigation has uncovered serious shortcomings in the security measures meant to protect New York City’s most vulnerable residents: senior citizens living in public housing.
The Department of Investigation (DOI) issued a concerning report indicating that many security and fire guards hired with taxpayer dollars have either not reported for duty or have been derelict in their responsibilities while on the job.
According to the findings, guards were reportedly absent during critical shifts, including one incident in February 2023 when an e-battery sparked a fire at a NYCHA senior complex in Brooklyn, sending two individuals to the hospital. During this emergency, the assigned fire guard was missing for at least two hours, leaving the vulnerable residents unprotected while flames engulfed the building and seniors were evacuated.
The investigation revealed that this wasn’t a singular incident; in fact, fire guards were found to be missing during three separate fires impacting senior buildings over a three-month period.
Manuel Martinez, of the South Jamaica Houses Resident Association, expressed the gravity of the situation, stating, “It’s very dangerous. People actually got hurt, to see that there were three fires that impacted communities shows there’s a need for that.”
The DOI’s report covered inspections of numerous senior buildings managed by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) in 2023, revealing alarming statistics:
– Fire guards were present at their assigned posts only 38% of the time.
– A staggering 68% of security guards were absent for all or part of their shift.
– Some guards reportedly falsified their handwritten timesheets.
– 32% of front doors of the buildings were unsecured.
– The majority of surveillance cameras were either non-operational or could not be viewed remotely.
Public Housing Chair Chris Banks voiced his concerns during a recent City Council hearing, stating, “This is unacceptable NYCHA.”
In light of these troubling revelations, the City Council has urged NYCHA to implement several improvements, including the electronic tracking of workers and their timesheets to ensure accountability.
In response to the report, Lauren Gray of NYCHA asserted, “The first thing we did was implement better oversight, hire additional staff and change the culture of how we manage the contract.”
Allied Universal, the company contracted to provide security services, responded to the findings by denying any claims of false billing. They stated, “Any suggestion that Allied Universal falsely billed NYCHA is not true. The DOI did not inform us of their investigation or afford us an opportunity to respond to the concerns they identified prior to issuing their report. Allied Universal is committed to business integrity and does not tolerate false billing.”
During an April hearing, NYCHA revealed that they have aggressively pursued the security company for damages and have begun implementing necessary changes as suggested by the DOI.
NYCHA also stated their commitment to improving safety and accountability within their facilities. They noted, “In 2022, NYCHA began phasing out and ultimately ended fire guard and security services with Allied Universal. NYCHA has already made significant progress on several of DOI’s recommendations and is accepting substantially all of the recommendations, in support of our mission to provide safe housing for residents.”
The agency emphasized its ongoing focus on compliance with the requirements of the 2019 HUD Agreement, aiming for transformative progress in accountability, governance, and compliance, alongside visible improvements in the homes and buildings of NYCHA residents.
As the city grapples with these serious security lapses, the urgent need for reliable protection for its senior citizens has never been clearer.
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