Salon.com > John Rhea http://www.salon.com Mon, 20 May 2013 02:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 “Christmas present” for Sandy victims: Pay rent upfront http://www.salon.com/2012/11/13/christmas_present_for_sandy_victims_pay_rent_up_front/ http://www.salon.com/2012/11/13/christmas_present_for_sandy_victims_pay_rent_up_front/#comments Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:44:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13070919 As of Monday, 4,400 public housing tenants in New York's Red Hook, Coney Island and Far Rockaway neighborhoods were still without power, while 18,000 residents in 14 complexes in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan still had no hot water or heat.

Despite their conditions, these residents will not get any credit on rent until January and must continue to pay upfront in full. On Monday, New York City Housing Authority Chairman John Rhea called this delayed credit "a nice little Christmas present" -- a comment, the New York Daily News described as "Scrooge-esque" in its insensitivity.

"Public Advocate Bill DeBlasio blasted Rhea, suggesting that the holiday gift was akin to a lump of coal," the Daily News reported.

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