Sanders' Mobile Office Comes to the Hammel Houses

State Senator James Sanders Jr. (D-Rochdale Village) brought his mobile office to the Hammel Houses in Far Rockaway on March 27. There he met one-on-one with residents, listening to their concerns, which included issues such as public safety, improved lighting and renovations to the complex, which is still suffering from Hurricane Sandy damage.

The senator, who is no stranger to the Hammel Houses, having literally been born in one of the apartments there, took a tour of the NYCHA housing project with several of its tenants who pointed out repairs and improvements that needed to be made. Many of the first floor apartments had been rendered uninhabitable after Hurricane Sandy and still had signs on their doors that read – “Hurricane Sandy Affected. Authorized Personnel Only. Danger Zone.”

In addition to asking for repairs, a handful of Hammel Houses residents had formed a “tenant watch,” and were seeking assistance in acquiring uniforms and a meeting space, which the senator said he would help provide. Crime has been on the rise in the overall area and tenant Isaiah “Magic” Lee, 18, was fatally shot at the complex earlier this month.

“These bold folk have established a tenant's patrol, and I am going to help them,” Sanders said. “Although I paid for cameras for Hammels, the foundation of security is the residents themselves.”

The mobile office initiative was created as part of an effort to reach out to more constituents and make it easier for them to access services. It was launched earlier this month with a debut at the Baisely Houses in Jamaica and will travel to different areas of Senator Sanders’ district on a rotating basis.

While at the Hammel Houses, Sanders’ staffers took careful notes and filled out constituent intake forms so they could examine specific issues in greater detail and follow-up with extended help. The staffers also handed out important information to residents and passersby, which included contacts for various government agencies and a listing of their services.