The Residents
Saundrea I. Coleman is an Organizer and Community Activist for Isaacs Houses, where she has lived for six years. Previously, Coleman lived at Holmes Towers for 26 years. She has leaks in her walls that have created “bubbles” that exude a black substance Coleman thinks might be mold, which she breathes in daily.
“Heat is very high in both Isaacs and Holmes Towers. My son, when I used to live at Holmes, used to wake up with nose bleeds. We moved to Isaacs; he also used to wake up with nose bleeds.” Coleman said that the heat in her home is to blame.
To combat indoor temperatures that can reach up to 100 degrees fahrenheit, tenants rely on their window units to make their apartments liveable. In addition, if Coleman turns off her window unit, it will freeze. If NYCHA residents have to choose between opening a window or turning on air conditioning, they will turn on their units. If they open windows, rodents might creep in.
Sandra Perez is the Tenant Associations President at Holmes Towers. She has lived at the development for 26 years. Perez is afraid of another superstorm like Hurricane Sandy, which in 2012 resulted in the death of 44 New Yorkers. She is afraid of high waters surrounding her while she is outside and having to swim to safety.
“I almost drowned when I was five years old,” said Perez at a community event for the residents of the Isaac Houses and Holmes Towers on Oct 23. “I was accidentally pushed by a group of kids that were playing near the water. The swimming pool was 19 feet. Lifeguards had to go all the way to the bottom, pick me up, and resuscitate me,” she recounted. Perez is afraid that if she has to swim to save her life, she’ll go into panic mode and doesn’t know if she’ll survive.
“I fear water,” she said. “I always think about being caught on the outside and drowning. I’m afraid of drowning because I don’t know how to swim. I fear. That’s one of my pet peeves, that I fear.”
Terry Spencer has lived at Isaacs Houses for four years. She is originally from Antigua and Barbuda, but has been in New York for over 30 years. Spencer’s biggest fears surrounding the climate crisis have to do with her family’s safety. Spencer is fearful that her building will collapse with her inside.
“I say that because of the problems we are already experiencing with the lack of repairs, especially in the bathroom or the hallways,” said Spencer.
Recently, while Spencer was giving her newborn a bath, debris from the ceiling fell in the tub. For over a month, holes in the ceiling remained. “I was hysterical. I called them [NYCHA] and told them about it. They said to put in a ticket, and someone will be there shortly, at least by tomorrow, which didn’t happen,” she relates.
“Thinking about things falling apart or breaking in, that’s a scary feeling. A scary thought to know that something like that can happen.”