Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Makes an Announcement Regarding Funding for the Eastchester Gardens Community Center

February 1, 2019

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Thank you. Thank you. You know, I love the fact that Keith talked about what our kids need, what our seniors need, but he didn't take any credit for himself, but he's been providing a lot of leadership that’s making this a better [inaudible]. Let’s thank Keith.

[Applause]

And what Keith talked about is a community – a community that's strong, a community of people who do so much for this borough and this city. And I think it's important we recognize that. I often say when we talk about the people who live in NYCHA housing, there's often a misunderstanding, in my view, and I say it's simply – people who live in NYCHA are the backbone of the city.

[Applause]

Make this city work. And families that are strong – seniors have got a lot to teach, as you said, kids who are filled with potential, but we've got to invest in all that’s good. We've got to help people to realize that potential and that's what today is all about.

I want to tell you that it is a pleasure to gather here. This is the end of our City Hall in Your Borough in the Bronx, and we have been all over the Bronx. I've been all over the Bronx, the deputy mayors, the commissioners, everyone's focused on the Bronx. Look at the smile on Carl Heastie’s face. Carl Heastie believes that every week should be City Hall in the Bronx Week. And because Carl Heastie is the Speaker of the New York State Assembly, I think it would be commendable if City Hall focused on the Bronx every day.

[Applause]

And he certainly, I want us – I’m going to bring him up in a moment, but he has often used the power that he has achieved to focus resources back on the grassroots. And I want you to think about that. There are people who achieve power and they only think about themselves. And there are people achieve power and they only think about the other powerful people. But when someone achieves power and uses it to help people at the grassroots, that's the way it's supposed to be, isn't it?

Audience: Yes.

Mayor: So, I want to thank you, Speaker, for that. I want to thank our colleagues in government who have been extraordinary advocates for all the people who live in public housing and they have demanded the kinds of investments we need. First of all, Senator Bailey, I want to say thank you for you being here, but I also want to say thank you for your leadership in Albany.

You know, we had a momentous day yesterday resolving a lot of issues in terms of public housing, coming to agreement with the federal government. And that's a good thing, that's going to help us move forward. I hope now we can get to the point where we can bring those State resources we've been waiting for forward. And the Speaker, obviously, we've been talking this. I hope the way is now clear that we can get that additional investment to help people here and so many other developments.

So thank you for your leadership. Councilman Andy King. I want everyone to know I made the huge mistake earlier in the week – we were at a couple of events together here in Bronx Week, and I was shocked that Andy King was wearing suits that looked actually kind of conventional and I made fun of him. I said he was getting conservative. I said he looked like a college professor.

Well obviously, my friends, I have obviously sparked something here. I pushed a button, something happened and Andy King decided to fight back and he doesn't do anything halfway. So Andy, I stand corrected, Council Member King. And again thank you for your extraordinary leadership – and the City Council has been with us every step of the way. We have made huge investments over the last years separate from any of the discussion with the federal government. We had already put in almost $4 billion of new investments in public housing in the city and we were able to do it because the Council supported us every step of the way and believed it. So let's thank the Senator and let’s thank the Council member for all they do.

[Applause]

Now I’m going to be real quick, but I have to say this, you know when I spend time in the Bronx, it doesn't take too long before people say what they are feeling about the history of how this city has treated the Bronx and we all know it and it's good to say it out loud. For decades and decades, the Bronx did not get its fair share. It's just a statement of fact. For decades and decades, the Bronx was too often ignored by our City government and our job is to right that wrong. Our job is to recognize that notion. It's in scripture – the last shall be first and the first shall be last – to make sure that who people work so hard get their fair share.

[Applause]

And certainly when it comes to public housing, the federal government stops giving public housing the level of investment it needed decades ago, State government followed suit, the City, too often, didn't give enough focus to public housing.

So the residents were here, but the cavalry never came, and we are trying to right that wrong as well by making real investments, putting a real focus on it so we can make public housing everything it once was and everything it should be again. That's what we're focused on and today is an example of that. Today we get a chance to right another wrong. Here you have at Eastchester Gardens, this community center, which you heard how much it means to people. It's so important for our seniors, it’s so important for our children.

When our parents know that children have a good and safe place to be, to learn, and grow, that's an incredible relief to our parents – our hardworking parents who are putting so much time and energy and love into the lives of their kids, who are working one job, two jobs. We have to make sure the community center is everything it should be for them. So I'm pleased to announce a $3.7 million investment to make this community center great.

[Applause]

And I always say to people, if you want great outcomes from our kids, you've got to invest in them like everything else in life. So you want them to be all they can be. You want them to develop their intellectual skills? You want them to believe in their potential? Well, give them the kind of afterschool programs that stretch the school day and make them everything they were meant to be. You want them to have a safe place so they don't get in trouble? Give them activities at night so they know there's something they can choose. And certainly if we want to honor our seniors – and we all talk about our seniors and we honor our seniors and they paved the way well we got invest in them, if we want to honor them. So having the right programs for our seniors makes a difference.

[Applause]

So Mr. Speaker, I'm sure you're saying what will that $3.7 million buy? You know, he has an accounting and mathematics – excuse me, a background in accounting and mathematics. And when you speak, just as Speaker Heastie, he is very clear about the power of each dollar, but he wants to know what it'll buy. And that's good because he governs over a huge budget. Mr. Speaker, we will get a new basketball court.

[Applause]

We will get upgraded heat and upgraded air conditioning.

[Applause]

Upgraded classrooms.

[Applause]

And something we all believe in, new plumbing.

[Applause]

And we are starting the design work right away so we can get this up and running quickly. You know, I want to have a day when every child in this city feels that they are so special. They are so uplifted, that there is such focus on their potential that they can feel it, they can feel pride and hope. We know for a long time too many of our children were given the opposite message by our society and sometimes even by our government. I want our children to go into a center like this and feel they know they're special because the investment is there for them and they are worth it. They are worth it, right?

[Applause]

So I'll conclude. I'm going to say a few words in Spanish and then turn to the Speaker – but just to say this, yesterday the agreement we came to with the federal government is going to move us forward with public housing. We have already made, as I said, almost $4 billion in investments before this agreement. We locked into this agreement and I do it willingly, happily, $2.2 billion more for public housing over the coming years to really spark a turnaround. The road is clear now to make public housing strong again in this city.

[Applause]

So we have said the goal we have for this city – and it's based on the fact that this city is so capable of greatness. We are right now the safest big city in America, and we are proud of that – the safest big city America.

[Applause]

I want us to be the fairest big city in America. I want us to be a place where it's fair and everyone gets treated right.

[Applause]

A few words quickly in Spanish –

[Mayor de Blasio speaks in Spanish]

Now we're going to be the fairest big city in America. I can tell you one of the big reasons is because we have a champion for this city in Albany and I'll say it every time, I don't care if he says I repeat myself too much. There are so many times year after year when the city's back is against the wall and Albany and there's one person who stands up and makes all the difference and saves the day, and that is Speaker Carl Heastie.

[Applause]

And some of you may remember that old ad on television for EF Hutton. They said when EF Hutton speaks, people listen. Carl Heastie speaks, people listen, and he said we need this. We need this community center fixed and yes sir, thank you, sir. Mr. Speaker.

[Applause]

[…]

Alright, everybody. We're going to have a beautiful new center. Congratulations to everybody.