Not yet!
But, again this time,
we're sure hopeful.
At a Press Conference held on December 28, 1998, Mayor Giuliani was asked about the changes going on at NYCHA. The Mayor said he would comment on NYCHA after all the changes are finished.
We believe that to be the prudent course, and the Public Housing Spotlight will also continue to remain silent as long as it appears that the powers-that-be* are attempting to insure that proper scrutiny is given to the current state of affairs at 250 Broadway. As we've often said, getting rid of Franco/Finkel was never our goal. The goal was to have the Authority be given the scrutiny it deserved. After that, we felt that the changes that are needed to improve the workplace would automatically follow.
You, the employees at the New York City Housing Authority, have been confirming that changes are taking place. And you're telling us that you believe the changes may be more than just cosmetic ones. It is your reports to us that have caused our recent silence. It certainly was not any fear of recrimination from any of the Housing Authority's powers.
We hope you've also noted that in the Mayor's statements, and the various news reports, it is pointed out that the terrible fire at Vandalia Houses had no effect on the current plans to make changes at the Authority. As a reporter at one NY City newspaper wrote of the current Housing Authority woes:
"That probe began after an
underground newsletter reported women
who came forward with harassment
complaints later faced retaliation."
(That "underground newsletter" is publicly available to anyone at http://www.nycha-spotlight.com/. Why that NY newspaper couldn't uncover the Spotlight's name is beyond me!)
So, when all is said and done, we hope that the Public Housing Spotlight was a one year wonder. If we find no need to publish an issue in 1999, we'll consider the time allocated to this enterprise to have been well spent.
and, just maybe, goodbye!
© 1998 Public Housing Spotlight and John Ballinger. All rights reserved.
Issue links are at page bottom
or click here for a Directory page with Issue overviews.
Click on the mailbox to send us your thoughts!
Or Message/Fax us with info at 718/745-0170