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NYCHA community center vandalized in Soundview; advocates call for action

Rev. Carmen Hernandez says a 65-inch TV that was for the kids to watch was smashed in a community room at 1471-73 Watson Ave., where she is a tenant advocate.

News 12 Staff

Oct 18, 2020, 9:59 PM

Updated 1,514 days ago

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A NYCHA community center was vandalized in Soundview, and a tenant leader says she feels targeted.
Rev. Carmen Hernandez says a 65-inch TV that was for the kids to watch was smashed in a community room at 1471-73 Watson Ave., where she is a tenant advocate.
She claims locks had been removed from the community center and the place was trashed.
On Sunday, community advocate Tony Herbert brought Hernandez a brand-new TV.
Now, he and Hernandez are calling for action - including an investigation by the NYPD, PSA NYPD, and the Department of Investigation.
Hernandez says around this same time last year, a different TV was stolen from the same community center, along with 250 book bags and groceries. Hernandez is still unsure about who committed that crime.
Her resident council teaches tenants their rights and puts the pressure on NYCHA to make repairs.
She has her own suspicions about who is doing this damage.
When asked to respond to the accusations, a NYCHA spokesperson stated: "This is a police matter. Please reach out to NYPD."
Police said there were no complaint reports on file.
News 12 reached out to the Department of Investigation for a comment on this story. It said it was working on getting a comment.v