Congress in the Street
~ Marcia Kresge, ATD Fourth World New York
On Saturday, July 6, my local Congressman, Hakeem Jeffries and his team had set up a table in front of the local post office to meet people from his district in Brooklyn, NY.
In order to prepare for the brief conversation with Jeffries, with 27 of us signed up to speak with him, I reflected on what topics from ATD Fourth World members in NYC are most relevant to legislation and funding streams that are managed at the federal level.
First I expressed that I come from ATD Fourth World Movement, an organization that reaches out to the most vulnerable people, people experiencing poverty, and builds capacity for dialogue with our elected officials. With the word ‘poverty,’ the Congressman’s eyes brightened.
My first topic was echoing ATD Fourth World members’ concern that NYCHA public housing not becoming privatized and that the repairs promised and much needed take place with federal funding that was promised. To this Jeffries replied that despite the resistance of the President, we are working on a proposal to push $70 billion for infrastructure repairs to the crumbling public housing across the US. He added, “we (the Democrats in Congress) draw a line in the sand against privatization of public housing. It’s not going to happen.”
Secondly I took issue with the mass development of new residences being built. They not only do not have affordable housing for the working people in the communities where they are built; the new residences have displaced families who have lived there for generations. Landlords find loopholes to not renew their leases, and not do necessary repairs, while evicting people and raising the rents. People are afraid of that.
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, connecting with constituents.
Image from his website, Congress on your corner.
Jeffries’ noted his priority: All new development in the city for “affordable housing” will be based on the income of the working people who currently live in the neighborhood and not on the median income of the whole city. He went on to say that he believes that in the neighborhoods where seniors, immigrants, artists and young families have lived, they have the right to find decent housing. I asked whether any new housing would be 100% affordable to preserve the character of the neighborhood. He asked his assistant to schedule a town hall meeting in August or September focused on the displacement of families.
About family separation at the US border with Mexico, the Congressman replied that he will be visiting the border soon to see for himself the conditions.
Time was running out, so I quickly presented a personal request to please vote to sustain women’s reproductive rights that we so fought for in the ‘70’s.
Of the people waiting to speak to Congressman Jeffries, one lady asked why couldn’t we be inside with the air conditioning. I replied that this is refreshing! It wasn’t about comfort, or campaigning; it was about meeting on the street where we live, ride the bus, on the way to the post office, grocery store, and cleaners. With our Congressman being personally available, it truly felt like what we in ATD Fourth World hope for, a dialogue about what is happening, transparency and mutual aim to understand and change the dynamic of poverty and strengthen democracy. I hope to bring ATD Fourth World members to speak in future events like this.