Councilman: Taxpayers footing bill for bad DHS housing

Lawmakers and activists are condemning the city for placing thousands of former homeless Bronx and city families in substandard housing. Councilman Bill de Blasio, flanked by housing advocates on the

News 12 Staff

May 31, 2007, 11:53 PM

Updated 6,341 days ago

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Lawmakers and activists are condemning the city for placing thousands of former homeless Bronx and city families in substandard housing.
Councilman Bill de Blasio, flanked by housing advocates on the steps of City Hall, demanded Thursday that the Department of Homeless Services re-inspect thousands of units in its defunct Housing Stability Plus program. Activists said families remain in the apartments.
"Go back and do it right. We're not going to allow a situation where taxpayers will be paying for substandard housing," de Blasio said.
Advocates use 1055 University Ave. as an example of how Housing Stability Plus failed. "[The] shelter was better than this apartment. I'd rather be in the shelter than be here," Latosha Fluella said.
DHS plans to move its tenants out of the building, but said they will have to wait until new apartments are ready.
DHS ended the Housing Stability Plus program in March after housing units were found to have lead paint and other violations.