Residents at Coney Island NYCHA complex without gas receive help from Brooklyn Borough president

Residents living at New York City Housing Authority complex Coney Island haven't had gas for three weeks. Now Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso has gotten involved to help them get hot meals.

News 12 Staff

Mar 10, 2022, 3:55 AM

Updated 1,009 days ago

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Residents living at New York City Housing Authority complex Coney Island haven't had gas for three weeks. Now Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso has gotten involved to help them get hot meals.
Try turning on the stove at 2951 West 33rd St. inside the O'Dwyer Gardens NYCHA complex and one won't get very far.
Sheila Smalls is the chair of the Tenant Association here and says this has been the case for three weeks.
"It's a hassle, especially when you want to make some toast in the oven or if you want to bake," Smalls said.
A single electric burner to cook with has been her temporary solution, but it doesn't help much.
"You use one burner for one thing. It is 30 minutes for this, another 30 minutes for that, so you plan early," Smalls said.
But like Smalls, other residents too spoke up and Reynoso answered.
"I try my best three times a week -- Monday, Wednesday, Friday every week for five to six weeks. These residents will have hot meals," Reynoso said.
Reynoso and the Pakastani American Youth Society teamed up to bring hot meals and cooking appliances into the hands of residents who need it.
"Air fryers, and the grills, they gave us crock pots, there are hot meals coming in from the Brooklyn Borough president's office," Smalls said.
"There is no end in sight. NYCHA is just fallen to disrepair, and I am concerned what these residents will have to deal with for the next three months, minimum, in their homes," Reynoso said.
Reynoso also wants to send a message to Mayor Eric Adams' administration.
"I want the mayor of New York City to give $2 billion to NYCHA this year and every single year that he is mayor to get them out of the hole. If we don't, then, we are clear: Our morals are that the people in NYCHA don't matter to us," Reynoso said.
Reynoso told News 12 he plans on having a conversation with Adams about making a significant investment in NYCHA so hopefully the impacted residents can soon see a difference.