Senator Sanders Brings His Mobile Office to the South Jamaica Houses

State Senator James Sanders Jr. (D-Rochdale Village) brought his mobile office to the South Jamaica Houses on April 30, 2015. There he met one-on-one with residents, listening to their concerns and discussing enhancements to area such as possible improvements to building management, renovating a nearby park and re-opening a shuttered senior center.

Senator Sanders joined Marlene Reed, president of the NYCHA South Jamaica Residents Association and Ernestine Johnson, secretary of the same group, along with others from the complex on a tour of Jamaica Playground, located directly across the street from the South Jamaica Houses, between 109th and 110th avenues and Union Hall and 160th streets. 

They suggested making cosmetic repairs to the playground such as re-painting benches and playground equipment as well as adding amenities like tennis and volleyball courts to help increase utilization of the space by the surrounding community.

Also a concern for residents was the closure of the South Jamaica Senior Center at 107-60 159th Street, which shut its doors about three years ago, causing older adults in the area to have to travel further to reach another such facility. 

Several people wanted to see improvements to the cleanliness and maintenance of the South Jamaica Houses complex along with better tenant-management relations.

Senator Sanders will continue to work with residents to address these concerns.

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 will travel to different areas of Senator Sanders’ district on a rotating basis. While at the South Jamaica 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.