Via Hudson Valley 360
HUDSON — City officials and U.S. Rep. John Faso are calling on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson to investigate living conditions at Bliss Towers.
Faso, R-19, is sending Carson a letter requesting immediate action.
Hudson Housing Authority Executive Director Tim Mattice called deficiencies at the high-rise life-threatening.
“Living conditions at the Hudson Housing Authority’s Bliss Towers project have deteriorated well beyond livable,” according to Faso’s letter. “HUD is aware of this building’s many issues, yet the situation continues to worsen on the agency’s watch.”
In his letter, dated Monday, Faso called for a face-to-face meeting with Carson to discuss Bliss Towers’ conditions.
“The living conditions at Bliss Towers are completely unacceptable,” Faso said. “What I saw during a recent visit combined with reading the recent inspection reports made it clear that Bliss Towers needs immediate intervention by HUD. By bringing this to the attention of Secretary Carson, it is my hope that immediate progress will be made and HUD’s regional office in Buffalo will step up to the plate in order to solve this problem.”
Faso visited Bliss Towers in January at the invitation of 2nd Ward Alderwoman Tiffany Garriga and Mayor Rick Rector after the Hudson Interfaith Council’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. service at the Shiloh Baptist Church on Warren Street.
“I saw some of the common areas and saw evidence of a longstanding lack of maintenance,” Faso said Monday. “The Hudson Housing Authority has limited funds from the federal government to take care of Bliss Towers.
“They should do that, but we have to make sure the residents are in the safe housing arrangements they need,” Faso said. “This is a government-owned facility and it is in deplorable condition. My hope is that this letter will start a conversation about fixing that.”
Faso referred to a study HUD conducted in August, which reviewed 23 of Hudson Housing Authority’s 135 residential units. The authority received a failing grade of 54 out of 100 marked by 35 health and safety deficiencies. Thirteen are considered life-threatening.
The study projected if the entire building was inspected, the review would have resulted in 153 health and safety deficiencies. An additional in-depth inspection contracted by the housing authority with the Inspection Group Inc. yielded a score of 14 out of 100 for the Second Street property.
Faso, along with Mattice, called for an audit of the Hudson Housing Authority’s financial records, tenant files, procurement and use of pubic housing funds over the past three years.
“I urge HUD to fulfill this audit request to help HHA [the Hudson Housing Authority] operate in full compliance of federal regulations,” according to Faso’s letter.
Rector was present when Faso toured the high rise in January, he said.
“I am very appreciative of any and all efforts being made to address the needs of Bliss Tower to ensure that the residents are provided a safe and quality place to reside,” Rector said in a statement.
Rector declined to comment on the issue further.
Faso’s office reached out to HUD’s regional office in Buffalo several times, but did not receive sufficient responses, Faso said.
“I think it’s important that the secretary and his staff understand what is happening and speed up help,” Faso said.
Many housing authorities in the state are struggling because of a lack of oversight by HUD’s Buffalo office, Mattice said.
“Bliss Towers is past the point of needing significant rehabilitation,” Mattice said. “A recent inspection graded the facility as 14 out of 100 and found numerous deficiencies that are considered life-threatening. As the new executive director, the housing authority is doing the best it can to address the substandard conditions despite HUD Buffalo’s lack of accountability with this ongoing problem.”
Mattice could not be reached for further comment Monday.
Hudson Housing Authority staff has taken steps to improve the high-rise.
Hudson issued a request for a proposal from contractors to redevelop the housing site, Faso said. The plan is to replace 117 units without displacing residents, Mattice said in December.
“It is unacceptable that Bliss Towers has been allowed to reach its current state and continues to decline each day,” according to Faso’s letter.
To reach reporter Amanda Purcell, call 518-828-1616 ext. 2500, or send an email to [email protected], or tweet to @amandajpurcell.