Cold Thanksgiving Meals Ahead For Some NYCHA Residents
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Some residents in New York City Housing Authority apartments will have frozen turkeys that stay frozen due to lack of adequate stoves and cooking gas this Thanksgiving.
Multiple Bronx NYCHA tenants who have no gas for cooking expect they will have miserable Thanksgivings, reports CBS2's Dave Carlin.
"It's sad I can't even enjoy a meal with my family for Thanksgiving this year, it's crazy," said Mott Haven resident Katiria Caban
The hot plate Caban and her family have is pointless to even try crafting a turkey feast on. The heater was given to the family a month ago after the cooking gas was shut off in their NYCHA home.
"We can't even cook a full meal right off of these hot plates," she said.
A downstairs neighbor who doesn't want her name or face on TV urged CBS2 to show everyone her frozen turkey when it should be thawing for dinner.
"We have a nice little 20-pound turkey and there's absolutely nothing we can do about it," she said. "It's going stay in the freezer."
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NYCHA sent a statement saying it appreciates residents understanding as work continues to restore the cooking gas in several locations around the city.
A spokesman explains it takes so long because the City Department of Buildings and Con Edison must coordinate with NYCHA to get it done.
NYCHA is providing residents who have no cooking gas with hot meals, including turkey, but State Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz blasts that move is too little after too much neglect.
"I think the city should provide them with a hot meal every single day until the service is restored," said Dinowitz.
Leaders at NYCHA, the city and the state repeatedly say money is pouring in to fix some things, but everyone agrees it is not enough.
Making promises are politician after politician, especially during the last campaign season, using NYCHA buildings as backdrops.
"It behooves them to come and show up and (act) like they're going to do it, but they don't do anything," said Migdalia Gonzalez, a resident at Wald Houses.
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"I feel that's all just for publicity and they don't really do anything with NYCHA," said Caban.
Caban and her neighbors say they must write off this year's Thanksgiving or travel for a traditional dinner while hoping this does not stretch in to a long winter of woe.
With air temperatures expected to plunge into the 20s on Thanksgiving Day, coupled with high winds pushing wind chills to zero or below zero, NYCHA officials said additional heating response teams would be put in place across the city.
"NYCHA is working around the clock to ensure that our staff is prepared to respond to this Thanksgiving Freeze," said NYCHA General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo. "We encourage any residents who experience heat or hot water service interruptions to report these issues to NYCHA immediately so we can resolve them as quickly as possible."
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Earlier this month, residents in the Mott Haven Houses in the Bronx again endured no heat in their apartments as the first snow storm of the season hit the city.
NYCHA residents facing issues with heat are encouraged to use the MyNYCHA mobile app or call 718-707-7771 to issue a complaint.
