Frustrated Red Hook Tenants Meet With NYCHA

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Red-Hook-Projects-Sandy-Outage-Mold-Tenants-Meeting-180072481.html

Residents in the Red Hook public housing projects say they continue to feel neglected by the city three weeks after Sandy flooded their neighborhood, destroyed buildings and knocked out power. 

Tenants met Monday night to discuss conditions at the Red Hook projects, though the New York City Housing Authority did not allow NBC 4 New York cameras inside the meeting.

But neighbors were not shy outside the meeting doors.

"We walked in feces. We walked in urine. It was brutally cold," said Merelin Mieles. 

Mieles described two weeks of terrifying journeys through dark stairways and filthy hallways. 

One mother of two, who did not want to give her name for fear of retaliation from the city, said she was worried about mold.

"It gets to a point where my kids can't breathe," said the woman.

Inside the meeting, representatives from NYCHA said practically all basic services have been restored across the city following an unprecedented restoration effort. They took names and numbers of people who were still experiencing problems.

NYCHA said mold remains a chief concern, and anyone seeing it should call and report it. Neighbors said they have already done so and are still waiting for help.

Tenant Ulyses Bermudez described the mold conditions as "very disgusting."

"I never thought a New York City housing facility would get down this low," he said.