In February 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $57 million commitment to upgrading McCarley Gardens, an affordable housing development just south of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. However, renovations did not go as expected for residents. Residents shared various concerns, including poor communication about renovation timelines, unsafe environments such as hanging electrical wires and non-fenced-in building materials, and loss of heat and electricity for extended periods. Due to improper construction, other residents have experienced property damage, including rodent and insect infestation. Kelly Camacho, Community Organizer at Citizen Action, and Dennice Barr, activist, Fruit Belt Advisory Council president, and community liaison, talk with host Dejia James about what’s happening at McCarley Gardens. They dive deeper into resident concerns, their work organizing residents, and what should happen next so residents are guaranteed a safe place to live.
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