Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
First I want to thank all of the leaders of this administration who are here in response
to this crisis. Our Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, our Housing Commissioner Vicki Been, our Homeless
Services Commissioner Gilbert Taylor, acting Buildings Commissioner Tom Fariello, Fire
Commissioner Sal Cassano, OEM Commissioner Joe Bruno. All of the members of the administration
who have been putting such focused efforts into helping these families that have gone
through so much in the last few days. Among the elected leaders here, of course the speaker
of the city council, Melissa Mark-Viverito has really been exemplary, at the front line
the entire time of this crisis serving her constituents. As many of you know, she lives
within blocks of the site, her district office literally around the corner from the site
of this tragedy. And she has provided shelter and support for so many of her constituents
and advocated so intensely for them. We want to thank you for that leadership. I want to
thank Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. If there’s any other elected officials I’ve
missed, people will let me know. I know I saw Senator Bill Perkins in here earlier.
I want to thank our colleagues from the Salvation Army, who’ve done a fantastic job helping
people in need with this shelter. I want to thank our friends from the American Red Cross
that we depend on so intensely in these situations, including Josh Lockwood, the CEO for the Greater
New York region for the American Red Cross, and Kelly McKinney, the chief disaster officer
for the red cross of Greater New York.
We have a number of our colleagues from the real estate industry. I’m going to indicate
them when we get to that section with our announcements. We want to thank all our friends
from REBNY and NYSAFAH for their extraordinary efforts and support in this crisis. We’ll
say more about that in a few moments.
I just have to say, walking through this shelter with Speaker Mark-Viverito, with my wife,
we talked to so many people who are just grappling with the absolute dislocation of their lives.
Chirlane was talking to some of the mothers, who said from their point of view the most
important thing was their children were safe. But they didn’t have a home anymore, they
didn’t have possessions anymore. They still were counting their blessings that their children
were safe. And there’s an extraordinary spirit and will you can see when you talk
to the victims of this tragedy. We made clear to them that we will stand by them every step
of the way – that we will not let them fall. They’ve been through the unspeakable. And
obviously we met people who have lost family members and neighbors, all in an instant with
no warning. It’s our obligation as the City of New York – and I know all New Yorkers
feel this way – to stand by them. To make sure that they’re helped not just now, but
they’re helped to get back to their apartments wherever possible, to get back on their feet.
And also to have long-term options if they’re in fact – if their apartments are now gone.
So you’re going to hear more about that in a few minutes. But I have to tell you how
moving it was to hear the fortitude of these folks. And they have many questions, and they
have a right to have a lot of questions after all they’ve been through. And our job is
to answer it. And I want to say, Speaker Mark-Viverito has been insistent in a right way that we
have to get clearer and better information constantly to people.
For the folks working it here, from the Salvation Army, from the Red Cross, from all the city
agencies up on the second floor, they’re doing amazing work. And they’re creating
on the spot solutions for people. They’re making sure that people know that they’re
going to stick with them. I talked to a lot of the individuals who have been dislocated.
You can imagine their frustration, and yet they were quick to say how appreciative they
were for the city agencies that were here and the other agencies that were helping them
and how much they felt that the folks working on the second floor were on their side. And
that is truly a blessing. So we want to make clear that we’re with these folks until
everyone is accommodated for the long haul, can get fully back on their feet. Let me now
offer a chance to Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito to offer her reflections on our visit, in
both English and Spanish.
Thank you Mayor de Blasio. I want to thank again the Red Cross and the Salvation Army
for making this facility available. And my office has been communicating extensively
with all the different city agencies involved. The mayor himself has demonstrated incredible
leadership by being very hands on, being on the site, being here to provide consolation
to the families and to the community, to demonstrate that this is a real priority and a commitment.
And all the agencies have been extremely responsive. So I really want to thank him personally for
that, because it does mean a lot, to me personally, but it also means a lot to the residents of
this community to know that they are not being forgotten, to know that this is being taken
seriously, and to know that their concerns are being addressed to the fullest extent
possible. And so, being able to come here today and talk to the families that are here–
I'm hoping to speak to more as they come back from work and school later tonight – to
be able to provide them the most accurate information that the mayor will describe shortly
about the accommodations, short term and long term, is important. And we want to make sure
that we cut through any of the confusion, of the misinformation, and make sure that
we continue to provide emotional support through very trying times. And so, people here availing
themselves to emergency services – many crying, many distraught, you know, because
of course, it's very devastating what has happened. But again, I want to thank the mayor
for that.
Estamos aquí hoy, de una visita que hicimos adentro, hablando con diferentes familias.
Y le queremos darle las gracias a la Cruz Roja y al Salvation Army por todo lo que están
haciendo para darle alojo temporero a nuestra comunidad. Ha sido, obviamente, unos tiempos
difíciles. Pero esta administración y este alcalde y las diferentes agencias han hecho
esto una prioridad. Esta comunidad no ha sido olvidada, estamos recibiendo el apoyo, y vamos
a seguir adelante para asegurar que todas las familias desalojadas consigan el apoyo
necesario y el apoyo que se merecen. Así que el alcalde ahora va a hablar un poquito
sobre las diferentes acomodaciones de hospedaje, y tendremos algunas preguntas más tarde.
I want to just give you one other vignette, and then I'm going to ask Fire Commissioner
Cassano to come up, and give you an update on the rescue and recovery effort. We were
standing with a family, and it was a young man and his baby daughter. And we were talking
to them about all they had lost, all they were trying to understand about next steps,
and we said, it's, you know, are there other family members here? And he said, no they're
at work today. So think about what people are going through. They've lost their home.
And they've gone through such an upheaval, and yet they're going about their work life,
because they don't have a choice. They have to stick with it. And they do that with such
fortitude. So I hope we appreciate, I hope all our fellow New Yorkers appreciate that
these folks have been through a terrifying experience, and yet they're sticking together,
and they're continuing with their lives with that kind of strength, and I really admire
that deeply. Let's bring forward Commissioner Cassano to update you all.
Thank you Mr. Mayor. Well, right now, we are in the process of removing the final amount
of debris. We have 60 to 70 percent of the debris removed. We had a report of eight people
missing. We've recovered eight victims, but we're still going to treat the site like there
may have been somebody in there, that was visiting, that wasn't reported missing. So
we will take the debris from the area, put it on the sidewalk, examine it, before we
take it to Randall's Island where the debris will be saved to do a forensics study, as
part of the investigation. We will use our sonar equipment to check areas that maybe
have voids in it, and there was a rear wall that was hampering some of the debris removal,
which has just been taken down. So that will allow us to get the debris quicker. We're
hoping that sometime tomorrow we'll have it all cleared so we can get to the basement
to start our investigation – the Bureau of Fire Investigation and the Police Department's
Arson and Explosion Squad will get down there, and then NTSB will do some of their investigation.
But it's moving quicker now because that rear wall has been removed, and we hope to get
there through midday tomorrow.
Thank you very much. All right, let me move on now to make an announcement that's so important
to those who have been displaced, either temporarily or long term. Again, once we finish this announcement,
then we will welcome your questions – on this topic, obviously, only. On the topic
of this tragedy, we'll welcome your questions on any of the elements of our announcements
today, and the updates today.
We know it is our obligation to help people, and that includes some people who only need
to be housed for a few days before they can get back in their building. And then they’re
still going to need a lot of help to make sure that the other parts of their life are
working as they continue to rebuild. We have other people who are going to need several
months of housing, until they are in a position to go back. We have yet other people who need
a permanent new solution, because bluntly – their building is gone, and they need
new housing. We’re addressing that whole range of options. It’s crucial to remember
that we are being led in the decisions by the work of the fire department, the buildings
department, and HPD – the housing department – to make sure that each building is structurally
stable, that each unit is ready to be re-inhabited. So there’s a constant effort being made
to determine when people can go back into their buildings, if their building is still
there. And that’s being carefully monitored. But we know we’re going to need all of these
kinds of solutions for people in the meantime. And it is our obligation to provide them.
So, in terms of that whole range, for people who are in shelter right now, at this facility,
we will be moving in the next 24 hours. Some potentially as early as today, certainly starting
on a bigger scale tomorrow – to move individuals into apartments available either through our
city department of homeless services, which has over 50 apartments available in private
buildings – in private buildings, units available, where non-profit agencies are involved
in the management. Those units will be available starting as early as today. We’re also partnering
with the YMCA to house single individuals. So those two sources will allow us to get
people, by and large, quickly out of a shelter setting into an individual apartment-type
setting, at least temporarily. So they’ll be in a more stable situation.
Obviously first priority is families with young children. Then we know we are going
to need solutions, as I said, for a series of months. Some families will need a few months
transitionally before they are able to get back to their buildings. I’m very pleased
to announce today that the Real Estate Board of New York has stepped forward with generosity
and great energy. They have arranged for apartments on the East Side to be provided to displaced
residents for up to three months. At this point we believe that that number of units
will be at least 25 units and that’s going to provide that option up to three months
nearby for families that need that assistance. I want to thank – I have to say, the Real
Estate Board of New York, REBNY. REBNY stepped forward immediately, generously, energetically.
They went above and beyond the call, and I want to thank them. I want to thank Rob Spire,
the Chair, Steve Spinola the President of REBNY and other key players in REBNY who I've
worked close with, including Harold Fetner and Neil Rubler. I'd like to thank the Stahl
Organization, the Olnick Family, and the Muss Development Company. All of them stepped,
up ready to serve people in need and I think that that's something New Yorkers should feel
appreciative of. And then, there are folks who need a permanent option, who need a new
place to go and live because their building is gone. And once again, we saw an energetic,
proactive effort by the New York State Association for Affordable Housing. The New York State
Association for Affordable Housing, otherwise known as NYSAFAH. They have gotten together
with their member firms and nonprofits. They have a number of units in and around East
Harlem. They're joining with us to provide permanent options and, if needed, temporary
options to families who have been displaced. I want to thank the President Don Capoccia,
the Vice President Lisa Gomez, who are with us and are stepping up.
So this means, whatever a family needs as a result of this crisis, we have an option
for them. And we're going to put those options into play right away. This is the kind of
situation which New Yorkers step up and help each other. REBNY's done that, NYSAFAH has
done that. They're coming forward in people's hour of need. They're bringing real solution
with us. We don't want a situation where parents, especially with young children, are wondering
where they're going to be staying. We want to answer those questions immediately and
because of the generosity of these organizations, we will be able to. There's one thing that
we need people to do, and I'd like the speaker to say this before we take questions. The
speaker will say this also in Spanish. Any family displaced who has not yet registered
for help – we need them to do so. We know a number of families have registered for help,
but we also know that there may be dozens that are not. We can’t get them all the
help they deserve unless they register. So we please need the help of all of our friends
in the media to get out that message. Any family displaced by this crisis needs to register
for help. They can do that here at this center, so we can get them the help right away. Let
me let the speaker repeat that in Spanish, and then we’ll take questions.
Es importante por favor que los medios nos ayuden. Hay familias en los edificios impactados.
Los edificios donde hubo la destrucción de esos dos edificios, pero también en aquellos
edificios que han sido evacuados. Hay familias que no se han inscrito con la ciudad. Tenemos
muchas familias, más de – decenas de familias que no se han inscrito con la ciudad para
recibir el apoyo necesario. Así que, cuando estamos hablando ahora de diferentes opciones
disponibles para alojamiento, o sea permanente o sea temporero, es importante que nosotros
tengamos la información de las personas que han vivido o viven en esos edificios, para
que podamos darle la asistencia necesaria. Así que cualquier persona que este escuchando,
que haya vivido en los edificios que fueron evacuados, que hayan vivido en los edificios
que han sido destruidos, es importante que por favor se comuniquen con la ciudad y se
inscriban para que reciban el alojamiento necesario, pero también, los servicios necesarios
hacia adelante. Así que gracias.
Clarify that they need to sign up in person here today and starting tomorrow en La Marqueta.
Así que, las personas que necesitas inscribirse tienen que venir personalmente aquí, a este
local. Vamos a estar aquí hasta mañana. Empezando mañana, el local va a cambiar,
el local se va a encontrar en La Marqueta. La dirección es el 1580 de Park Avenue, entre
la 114 y la 116. Que por favor la gente venga aquí, o vaya – empezando mañana – a
La Marqueta en el 1580 de Park Avenue.
Thank you, I just want to say this now, just to clarify. Anyone, any family that has been
displaced that has not yet registered – today, for the remainder of today, the ideal is to
register today so that we can start getting them help immediately. So any family who has
not registered should come today here to the Salvation Army Center, 115 East 125th. Starting
tomorrow, and continuing thereafter, the site for registering will be at La Marqueta, which
is an East Harlem landmark. La Marqueta, 1580 Park Avenue at 115th Street. With that, we
welcome your questions. Yes, sir?
[Reporter] I have a question in English and in Spanish if you can give us the answer.
Consulate officials in the Mexican consulate say that there’s about 30 Mexican nationals
that were directly involved or affected in this. Is the city working with the Mexican
officials to try to get them to register? En español.
Alright, you start.
Bueno, de parte de mi oficina – la alcaldía puede hablar de su parte – pero yo y mi
oficina hemos recibido alguna información y también estamos comunicándonos con el
consulado. En estos tiempos, como entendemos, ha habido unas familias también fallecidas.
Y estamos tratando de ayudarlos a conseguir asistencia para el funeral. Pero también
aquí ayer, habían representantes del cónsul, y estábamos hablando un poquito sobre la
importancia de culminar esfuerzos, de proveer asistencia mental, psicológica, para las
personas impactadas. Eso ha sido el extenso de mi conversación con ellos. Al nivel de
la ciudad, no sé. El alcalde creo que va a contestar esa pregunta.
Yeah, so just to clarify that answer. So I want to emphasize point one that we talked
about yesterday: anyone, regardless of nationality or citizenship, regardless of documentation
status, will be helped equally. And anyone who happens to be undocumented can feel safe
and secure coming in and getting support. I know Melissa’s office is working – reaching
out to the consulate. We will make sure that our Office of Emergency Management reaches
out as well.
[Reporter] Are we under the impression now that all eight victims whose bodies [inaudible]
or looked for that we haven’t found [inaudible]?
Let me ask Sal.
We’ve identified the reported people that are missing. But as I said, until we clear
all of the debris out, we’re going to treat it as if there may be somebody that has not
been reported missing.
[Reporter] But as of now, you feel you have [inaudible]?
Yes, yes.
[Reporter] And the eighth person has been identified?
Yes.
[Reporter] [inaudible]
[Reporter] Commissioner, could you describe to us what the challenges right now are in
clearing all that debris in the street?
Yeah, well the biggest challenge for us was getting rid of that rear wall. That’s been
taken down in the last hour or so. Now we can get that grappler closer to the middle
of the building line, take the rest of the debris out, and then clean it out. And that
was the biggest challenge was that rear wall. That was the biggest obstacle. We should be
moving much more quickly now.
[Reporter] [inaudible]
Well we – all the gas is shut off. There is no gas, there’s no trace of gas, but
we still need to get to the basement to try to find the cause and origin. Yes, Rich?
[Reporter] [inaudible] the rubble will be taken to a certain place and examined and
Well it’ll be part of the investigation. We may need to get [inaudible], that’s why
it’s not being taken any place but Randall’s Island. It’s being stored in a parking lot
there until we feel we don’t need to use it anymore.
[Reporter] As of early this morning, [inaudible]?
We’ve identified them, yes.
[Reporter] Mr. Mayor –
Hold on. Kate.
[Reporter] Is there any evidence that there was an illegal gas [inaudible] in the kitchen,
We haven’t gotten into the basement yet, that’s why as soon as we get all the debris
out, we’re going to send our marshals down. And we’ll examine any possible reason why
A, there was a gas leak if there was, and why it ignited.
[Reporter] So what do you look for [inaudible]
Well we’ll look at a meter, for sure. Con Ed will come, we’ll look at the meters.
The meters will be pulled. We’ll look for breaks in piping. We’ll look for sources
of ignition, whether it was light switches down there, different things like that.
[Reporter] [inaudible]
Yeah, yeah. Our marshals are good.
Let me say this, again, emphasize that it’s an ongoing investigation. It’s going to
be done very meticulously. So I expect people will be asking for specifics and what we’re
going to be doing to make sure that we have very precise information before we report
on the state of that investigation.
[Reporter] In terms of the relocation, how many people do you know of that need housing
assistance? How many people are displaced? What’s the number?
Let me turn to – let me see if we know on the housing assistance. Vicki, come on up.
The number we know of – this is our housing commissioner, HPD Commissioner Vicki Been.
The number that we know of who need housing assistance right now.
So about 55 families have registered. We don’t know how many of those will need the different
kinds of help. But about 55 have registered, indicating that they need help.
[Reporter] Do you know how many individuals total that is?
I think it’s around 100 adults and children, but I don’t know the exact numbers.
I'm sorry there are 55 families that have registered probably over 100 people.
So 55 families with over 100 people, we’ll try and get you a more precise answer. But
again, remember, as I said, some only need very temporary help, some who need permanent
housing so a real bandwidth there.
[Reporter] To clarify, these are people who live in the adjacent buildings that can’t
get back in?
You have everything from folks who were displaced from the two buildings destroyed, to people
in adjacent buildings who can't get back in yet. Some may get back in in a matter of days.
Some it may be a longer period of time. That is why we’re going need all of those options
to serve them. Yes? Media question? For the media?
[Reporter] [inaudible]
Okay, hold on brother one second. Yes, in the back.
[Reporter] Yes, Mayor, you mentioned earlier that when you were doing the tour that the
victims had some questions. Did any of them ask you about the status of the investigation
and where things are moving forward on that end?
No the concerns, the concerns the families have are for their family members, their children
to get the help they need right now. I -
[Reporter] Did the question of how this happened ever come up?
Not in the conversation today. Not with anyone I have spoke to since this tragedy begun.
They're focused on the here and now getting the help they need and the help for their
families.
[Reporter] [inaudible] Commissioner, you’ve indicated that they have removed about 65
percent to 75 percent of the debris. Approximately how many days do you figure before you can
actually get into the foundation of the building and underneath it to examine those pipes?
We hope to get there midday tomorrow.
[Reporter] [inaudible] Are you hearing anything about ambulance-chasers?
I have not heard that. No, we're not hearing any report like that. Let me ask Rob Spire
and Don Cappocia to come up for a second. I just want to bring them forward before we
take the final questions. I just want to thank again on behalf, come forward one second Don.
Sure.
Don Capoccia, New York State Association for Affordable Housing and Ron Spire, the Chair
of the Real Estate Board of New York. Just want to thank them again profoundly for putting
forward so many units that people need. Now, I want to say again, one of our greatest concerns
in this situation is that we needed units near the neighborhood. Something Speaker Mark-Viverito
has talked about repeatedly reminding everyone. People need the support of their family, their
friends nearby, their houses of worship. They need their children to stay in the same school.
So it's so crucially important to have locations nearby for those who have been – have lost
their permanent housing. So important to be able to stay in their neighborhood. Because
of these two gentlemen and their organization, that's going to be possible. So I want to
say thank you again on behalf of the people of the city for stepping forward and making
that possible for these families who are going through so much. Yes?
[Reporter] Two questions. Is it 15 or 25 apartments? You said its 25. Its 15 in here. Has it been
increased?
We are checking our deputy mayor behind us says we think that number has gone up from
15 to 25 is that accurate?
Yes.
Yes, we’re up to 25 now.
[Reporter] Okay, and where in the neighborhood is it? Here in East Harlem or is it farther
south or farther north?
Here please -
We now have 34 –
The number has gone up again! That's a good thing.
Among our membership and we'll do what we need to do to be helpful
I'll repeat it.
[Reporter] Have you ever done anything like this before where you have donated –
You know we were asked yesterday by the mayor and his administration and I think the 13,000
members of REBNY want to do whatever we can to be helpful.
[Reporter] But have you ever done anything like this before?
You know we're a very philanthropic industry. We try to help where we can: 9/11, Sandy,
other tragedies like that. But we're really thinking about the victims from this week's
tragedy and their families and the displaced families. And we’re going to do whatever
we can to be helpful.
So let me just report Don. Hang on. Just to clarify over here too. So the number of units
from REBNY now is 34 units. That's an upgrade. 34 units are making available in and around
this area. Now to Don.
Yeah, sure. Yeah our members are getting us reports to managers every hour where we've
gotten another unit in the last couple of minutes. Our units are on 1st Avenue and 100th
Street, some just off of 134th Street, East 130th Street, and NYSAFAH worked with the
city closely after Sandy to put together a similar kind of protocol to identify available
units.
So again, the NYSAFAH units in the – very much the immediate area, including the permanent
long-term units. We have time for a couple more if we have – yes?
[Reporter] This community is already hurting for affordable housing. Have you been talking
about – I know that some folks will be getting apartments in the next couple of days, but
are you already looking into a [inaudible] for people who are displaced? Like in Hurricane
Sandy [inaudible], people had to move out of hotels, they had to move out of apartments.
Are you looking into any long-term plans for a few months down the line when they’d have
to move out of those apartments?
Well I want to – I understand the different pieces of the question, but I have to separate
them a little bit. The – what we’re talking about here will accommodate everyone who has
been displaced temporarily and everyone who has been displaced in terms of their permanent
housing. The numbers we’re talking about here, between the city efforts and the private
sector efforts, will accommodate all of them. So we can say that safely now. This has been
an extraordinary effort. I want to thank our Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen for having led the
way – our Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development in bringing together all of these
players to make sure we could do this. The second part of your question refers to our
affordable housing situation overall. I don’t want to get into a lot of details, we obviously
have a very aggressive plan to create 200,000 units of affordable housing. This is one of
the neighborhoods that desperately needs it, so it will be one of the focal points. Jim?
[Reporter] Mr. Mayor, you’ve expressed that justifiable admiration for the people who
went to work despite the fact that their housing has fallen down. What would you say to those
bosses? Would you say give them a break? How about giving them a day off or…
Look, I think it is – I would say it’s a little more complicated. I think for some
people, going to their workplace might be therapeutic too. For some kids, certainly
going to a school might be therapeutic. So I think it depends on the individual. Obviously,
any individual that is going through a lot right now and needs a few days off, I would
expect their employers would be sensitive to that. But what I was so struck by is just
the resolve that people have to keep going, no matter what’s thrown at them. And I just
want to say again, I think a lot of you have seen the site and seen how our first responders
have handled this. Just exemplary. Extremely difficult, complicated situation, and our
first responders did an extraordinary, professional job. And they were able to do a lot to help
people even in this adverse situation. Last call, yes?
[Reporter] Are you concerned about the pace of gas main replacements in the city now?
Do you have any new concerns about that?
Look, we talked yesterday about our aging infrastructure. It’s something we have to
stay ahead of in every way we can. I think the important points here are that we are
going to – whenever we know of a specific problem – make sure that there’s a fast
response. Again, emphasizing, it is crucially important for the people of this city to always
inform us through 311 if there’s a gas leak. If you get it to 311, that is the fastest
way to get action. But that’s true, by the way, of a lot of other problems that we can
act on if we have the information. So I think it’s fair to say we have an extraordinarily
professional apparatus for dealing with a problem once we know it’s there. We also
have a huge infrastructure challenge. And within the resources we have, we’re going
to address it. I said yesterday, we shouldn’t kid ourselves about the difference between
New York City on its own versus if the federal government was truly our partner. But within
all the resources we have, we’re going to constantly address our infrastructure challenges.
Thank you everyone.