The following is an editorial appearing in today’s NY Daily News:
It is beyond inexcusable that a 5-year-old boy has died in a 10-story plunge down an elevator shaft in a New York City Housing Authority building.
Jacob Neuman fell to his death because he and his 8-year-old brother, Israel, were in an elevator that had stopped between floors – with the door open.
Jacob attempted to jump down to the hallway floor. Then he was gone.
All the elevators that hundreds of families use in Brooklyn’s Taylor Wythe Houses are rattletraps. Five times in the last six months, they were out of service. From 2004 to 2007, they were found to be in unsatisfactory condition in 17 of 21 inspections. They haven’t been modernized since 1986. A $3.4 million overhaul scheduled for 2004 was deferred not once, but twice.
And Jacob Neuman died.
The Housing Authority says that, despite a severe financial crisis, it has kept up with inspections and maintenance. It says fewer elevators broke down in the first half of this year than in the first half of 2007.
And, still, Jacob Neuman died.
There must be accountability. The Department of Investigation must find out who was responsible for maintaining the car that broke down, leading to Jacob Neuman’s death. And it must follow the chain of responsibility all the way into the authority’s executive offices.
Was there negligence? Was there malfeasance? Did the authority’s lack of money create life-threatening conditions? And how prevalent are these ills in the Housing Authority projects that are home to more than 400,000 New Yorkers, mostly low-income?
The evidence plainly indicates the nation’s largest and most successful public housing operation is deteriorating because of chronic budget deficits.
From 2001 to 2008, the federal government cut $611 million in operating funds, plus $450 million for renovations and repairs. This year, the operating budget has a $170 million deficit.
The city doesn’t have extra money to kick in. And there’s scant hope Washington will deliver enough to rescue the Housing Authority, even if Democrats take over the White House and maintain control of Congress.
The projects have been invaluable New York assets for more than half a century. They cannot be allowed to waste before our eyes. For once lost, they will never be recovered.
What’s needed are fresh ideas for raising the huge sums necessary to maintain a complex of residences that are home to nearly as many people as live in Atlanta.
On the opposite page, urban affairs writer Julia Vitullo-Martin proposes one possible solution: the sale of development rights for the construction of buildings on vacant authority land.
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer estimates that the scheme could produce 30 residential towers that would generate millions in revenue for the authority. It’s the kind of idea that needs to get on the table now – before the projects become more decrepit and dangerous.
(Source: NY Daily News)
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9 Responses
Yes true for years the elevators in the projects have been dangerous as lots of times it would get stuck between floors I could remember since it was built!! What will be now??????????
There must be that someone is responsible for this and should be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law. if the city gets away with this one, that will be a proof that jewish blood is (“hefker”) cheap and has no value exactly like it was at the time of the wwII
Liability must be established to prevent this from ever happening again. Beyond upsetting.
There is nothing that will bring back Yaakov but Hashem will mete out justice sooner or later.This hurts all of klal Yisroel and we must all feel the pain and improve ourselves in his memory.May his pure neshomo find peace in Gan Eden.Every time someone rides any elevator,he should think of Hashem.
may his parents have a nechama
Well written
this isnt just a freak accident its for us yiddin to realise that hashem is telling us to do tishuva. this isnt just for this poor boys emediate family to feel but for his whole extended family meaning all of klal yisroel.
please everyone pitch in, this is no one’s fault but all of ours “kol yisroel araivim zeh l’zeh”
lets please respond to hashems calls before more tragedy’s befall our precious nation
and to the family all i can say is “hamakom yinachaim eschem”
There would of been huge protests in the entire Wiiliamsburg but most of them are now upstate in the mountians!!!!!!!!!!!!What a pity the city gets away so easy!!!!!
to meyerfreund and bike
why are you making this into a jewish issue.
No one set out to kill this child because he was jewish. This was an accident that was a result of negligence on the part of the city. The daily news is not a jewish newspaper and they are calling for action. I am certain that there are many organizations and lawyers out there, jewish and other, that will be offering to take the case should the family be willing. Even if the family is not interested i am sure there will be a huge investigation. For our part lets leave hotheadness out of the situation, help if we can and daven that the family should have the nechama they need.