Call to Save Senior Centers

Borough President Markowitz stood with elected officials, seniors and New York residents to protest the closure of many senior and community centers.
Call to Save Senior Centers
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz blasts the anticipated closure of senior and community centers on the steps of City Hall. (Helena Zhu The Epoch Times)
8/26/2008
Updated:
10/1/2015

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/martycolor.jpg" alt="Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz blasts the anticipated closure of senior and community centers on the steps of City Hall.  (Helena Zhu The Epoch Times)" title="Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz blasts the anticipated closure of senior and community centers on the steps of City Hall.  (Helena Zhu The Epoch Times)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1833950"/></a>
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz blasts the anticipated closure of senior and community centers on the steps of City Hall.  (Helena Zhu The Epoch Times)

 NEW YORK—On the steps of City Hall, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz stood with elected officials, seniors and New York residents on Aug. 25th to protest against the closure of many senior and community centers.

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) operates 136 community centers and 135 senior centers to assist youths and seniors in New York. However, dozens of these buildings will be forced to shut down, as NYCHA is short on funds of up to $170 million dollars. Markowitz urges each member of the City’s Congressional and City Council delegation and all the officials associated with federal budget to work for funding for the centers.

“The senior centers are a family, … this is the only way you can socialize, be [involved] in activities, go on trips and enjoy a good meal,” said Markowitz. “New York is America’s national city; it’s a national economical resource. It should be shown the respect that we all do. So we serve notice that we will not be silent, when it comes to the needs of our community.”

The elders often take the senior centers in their neighborhood as homes away from their own. Seniors age 60 or older have free access to dance, computers, arts, English as a Second Language classes and opportunities to play games like Bingo.

The seniors like to spend their days there with other friends to enjoy their time together. The abolishment of such privileges may affect them both physically and emotionally.

“For many of [the seniors], their family is either no longer here or lives outside North America, and is really not able to see them. So they become family automatically to each other and that’s what keeps them, in my opinion, internally young,” said Markowitz.

According to City estimates, nearly one-third of seniors in New York in 2008 are below the poverty line. For those seniors, the city’s public housing is most likely the only affordable residence.

Each senior center needs about $350,000 to operate annually. Unless government increases the budget to the centers, NYCHA may have to close some of the senior and community facilities located in public housing developments.

“We need immediate assistance. I think the first commitment on the heart of the city is that you don’t let the senior centers close. Because once you close those doors, they are not going to open again. You can’t get it back, so we need the city to keep these centers open; then we see what goes on in the government,” said Bobbie Sackman, Director of Public Policy.

The NYCHA is in fact entitled to more than $600 million in federal money according to federal spending formulas. However, the assistance not included in Congressional appropriations bills. Community youth centers are also vulnerable to closure due to lack of funds.

“The youth centers are obviously something we can do to provide role models and adult leaderships to young people, showing them the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. The last thing we want to do, especially in many of the neighborhoods, in which we have public housing, is to take away services from the young people. Believe me, we need them actively involved in socialization programs that teach them positive values that they will have for their whole life and a respect and celebration for life,” said Markowitz.

This is a challenging issue for the officials, youths and seniors. In particular, the seniors do not get a chance to socialize and get in touch with the world other than at senior centers.

The Brooklyn President and others want urgent support, as well as attention from the next President of United States.