It took 7 weeks and a tweet from a state senator to get NYCHA repairs after fire tore through a hallway

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn — New York City Housing Authority residents want to know why it took so long to get repairs after a fire tore through a hallway in the Reid Houses.

They got action Thursday after a series of tweets Wednesday from State Sen. Zellnor Myrie. One tweet included video of the senator standing amid the destruction of what was once the second floor of the Reid Houses, a senior NYCHA building in Crown Heights. The fire happened back in August.

"YOU HAVE 24 HOURS TO FIX THIS. I am DISGUSTED & ENRAGED that in a SENIOR development, you allow people to live in a burnt out floor for 7 WEEKS with NO HELP," Sen. Myrie tweeted. NYCHA workers were everywhere.

But families want to know why it took a tweet from a senator to make it happen.

Tenant President Serena lezama said they complained to NYCHA for months and are grateful for all the attention. Now they want the seniors to relocated.

In a statement, NYCHA said, "Staff are washing and repairing the damaged space and will be finished painting Friday. We are looking into the delays and will take appropriate action. NYCHA is working hard to address these kinds of challenges, and to change the way we do business, and we hope the Senator and all of the elected officials we work with will remain in close contact with us as we resolve these issues.”

Sen. Myrie said he will continue to do walkthrough of his NYCHA developments every Wednesday.

PIX11 will be watching.