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Residents press Peekskill officials on Section 8 office move and access
Summary
Residents and advocates told the council they fear moving the PHA office to John Walsh Boulevard will reduce accessibility for low-income and elderly residents; city staff said appointments and many services will remain available downtown by appointment and that documents will be scanned into their electronic system.
Multiple residents pressed the council and Section 8 staff about the announced relocation of the PHA office to 2 John Walsh Boulevard and what it means for access to appointments and records. Tina Volz Bongar and Cynthia Knox expressed concern that relocating an office outside the downtown core raises transportation barriers for low-income, elderly and less tech-savvy residents.
Jessica Ganz, the Section 8 director, repeatedly stressed that the program is not discontinuing downtown service: appointments will continue to be scheduled at City Hall by caseworkers, documents can be mailed, and staff will make arrangements at the neighborhood health center if needed. She said client paperwork will be scanned into the PHA’s existing electronic file systems once files are completed. “We will make the appointment here … so they don’t have to come all the way down here if they don’t need to,” Ganz said.
Residents also questioned whether inspections would be handled in-house. Ganz said the program presently uses a contractor for inspections and is planning to hire an in-house housing inspector in the future as HUD requirements increase. The council asked staff to provide clearer public notices about the office move, updated contact information, and a plan to ensure continuity of services for clients with limited mobility or internet access.
