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Elected Officials Tour Sea Rise Development

Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), State Senator Diane SavinoAssemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny, and City Councilman Domenic Recchia today joined Tenant President Alfie Davis and other residents for an impromptu tour of the Sea Rise Development on Coney Island.


Sea Rise I and Sea Rise II, owned by the Starrett Corporation and managed by Grenadier Management, houses a total of 666 units. The 24-story building complex is a Mitchell Lama development, built in 1974 with the goal of providing of affordable housing for low and middle-income residents. However, problems with broken elevators, lax security, rodents, roach infestations, leaks, and poor maintenance have some residents complaining that their apartments are virtually uninhabitable.

Senator Savino said, “My office, and my colleagues in the federal, state and local level, have all received numerous complaints from the tenants of Sea Rise. We are here today, in unison, because the time has come for someone to be held accountable for the neglect that these buildings have suffered.

"I am pleased to be joined today by State Senator Diane Savino, State Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny and City Councilman Domenic Recchia to meet with the residents of Sea Rise and view the buildings," Rep. Nadler said.  "As we will see today, we need to take steps to preserve and improve upon available affordable housing in Coney Island and throughout the city.  Sea Rise residents deserve to live in quality, safe, well-maintained and affordable housing just like everyone else."

“It is deplorable that the residents of our community are being forced to live in truly horrific conditions,” said Councilman Domenic Recchia. “All of the elected officials have gathered today to say that we will not allow our constituents to suffer at the hands of negligent management any longer.”

"We are looking to ensure that residents of these developments are getting everything they deserve by closely holding management accountable and by demanding answers,” added Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny.

Tenant President, Alfie Davis, highlighted the issue of crime, saying the lack of functioning security cameras and gated entries, combined with the high-crime rate of the area, has allowed criminal activity to flourish, including drug dealing, robberies, and assaults. One of the building’s main entrances, facing Neptune Avenue, used to be a secured gated entry. However, the management company has since removed the security station, allowing for easy access to the complex.

“As you can see, with the lack of security guards and cameras, anyone can come off the street and assault one of us. It’s just not safe,” said Ms. Davis.

Ms. Davis added that the Tenant Vice President, Larisa Nossanova, has been assaulted three times, once robbed and beaten in front of her own apartment.

In addition, to safety issues, residents complain of broken elevators, sometimes out of service for an entire day before they are repaired. According to the New York City Department of Building’s website, there have been a 114 total complaints regarding the elevators, since 2006.

One of the violations on record, dated May, 2007 stated, “the only two elevators in the building have not worked since 1:00 am and there is no sign posted about any problem—this problem happens often—the building has 24 floors.”

During the tour, residents showed evidence of negligence inside their apartments as well.

Ernestine McCall pointed to cracks in the wall in her hallway and complained of mice and roaches. She has no window screens, a complaint echoed by other tenants, even though she has complained numerous times that during the hot summer months mosquitoes come in through the open windows and “eat her up alive.”

Mabel James, who is afflicted with asthma, pointed to leaks in her bedroom and the resulting mold, which has considerably worsened her condition. Ms. James stated that every time she complains about the leaks and mold, the management company simply sends someone out to paint over the area.

Currently Starrett is considering the option of refinancing, in addition to adding enhanced Section 8, or “sticky” vouchers, leading some to speculate they are trying to pull out of the Mitchell-Lama program and further complicating Coney Island’s mounting housing crisis.

"The Mitchell-Lama program had a noble purpose: to provide affordable housing to low and middle-income families," said Rep. Nadler.  "However, as we see here at the Sea Rise development, some of those Mitchell-Lama properties are now suffering from neglect and both safety and accessibility problems.  The owner's plan to refinance the development and add enhanced Section 8 vouchers is not a guarantee to solve the building's issues or to provide long-term affordability for residents."

Senator Savino added, “With all the talk of change coming to Coney Island, it is our belief that the residents who have been here all along, including those living in Sea Rise or other Mitchell-Lama and NYCHA buildings, should be the first to see these improvements.”

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