What a resourceful site visit yesterday! Cyriaca Decaille, the property manager of the Farragut Housing complex was generous enough to take time out of her busy schedule to show us around the complex as well as answer any questions we had.
A couple interesting questions/discoveries that sprung up included:
- Is Section 8 accepted in the apartment application process?
- What do the residents think of the gentrificationĀ happening in the surroundingĀ streets/neighborhood?
- What is Cryriaca’s view on utilizing all the empty land to build new infrastructureĀ on the current Farragut Housing property? Would it be a positive or negative turnout?
- What is the Farragut Housing property cut off?
- What are some of the special programs offered to residents?
- Who funds these programs?
- What is the turnout for these events? Are they usually a big hit?
- How is the crime on the property?
- Resident watch program – 4/10 of the buildings are participating
- Any construction companies doing work on the property is required to hire some of the residents for the job (this requirement is fantastic!)Ā
Professor Leonard brought upĀ a crucial question which we were not able to get an answer to –
“What happens to the rooms that are no longer usable because of deterioration?”
“On an average, how long does it take for maintenance to recover these rooms?”Ā
Inside the lobby of the management office, I noticedĀ plenty of flyers offering services and help for the residents, children and adults alike. Specifically for youth (since that is my focus), just this past weekend, there was a Halloween festival in Fort Greene Park which offered hay rides, face painting, games, and more. Hanging on the walls areĀ multipleĀ black and white posters showcasing the El Museo Del Barrio, New York City’s only Latino museum, located on 1230 5th avenue.These are only some of the examples of the efforts taken to create a better environment and living space for the Farragut residents. The process and changes are rather delayed, however, measures such as the resident watch program and the construction hiring requirement, it isĀ this sense of community they are trying to build in the property that can impact the quality of life positively.
