Senator Klein & Neighborhood Initiatives Development Corporation Install New & Improved Peepholes for Bronx Seniors

Installations funded through $180,000 grant secured by Klein

New peepholes provide panoramic views of the outside; Improve access and functionality; Significantly boost safety & security for seniors and individuals with disabilities

BRONX, NY - State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) and the Neighborhood Initiatives Development Corporation (NIDC) installed dozens of new peepholes for seniors and individuals with disabilities at Evergreen Gardens on Thursday.

“By improving safety and security in our neighborhoods, we are ensuring that our most vulnerable populations will continue to live both safely and comfortably in their homes for years to come. I’m proud to have secured $180,000 in state funding to boost crime prevention in our communities and I commend the Neighborhood Initiatives Development Corporation for their efforts to lift up and protect all residents of the 34th Senate District. I look forward to our continued partnership as we fight to build stronger, more resilient communities in the northeast Bronx and beyond,” said Senator Jeff Klein.

More than 150 households have already received new peepholes and an additional 75 will be installed this month. The peephole installation project is designed for seniors and disabled tenants who do not currently have a peephole, or whose current peephole does not meet their needs. The new and improved peepholes provide panoramic views of the outside, are installed directly at eye level and significantly improve functionality and visibility for residents.

“Seniors represent one of our most vulnerable populations. Keeping them safe in their homes is our main priority and the peephole initiative was created for that purpose. By installing peepholes at a more appropriate viewing level and with a better look at who is standing outside their door, residents have a better chance of not becoming victims of push-in robberies or assaults. We also provide our seniors with crime prevention information on safeguarding their homes, their cars and themselves. Thank you to Senator Klein for providing this essential funding and we look forward to working together now and into the future,” said Hazel Miura, Director of Housing and Community Development at NIDC.

The initiative is part of a larger effort by Senator Klein to boost safety and security in his district through partnerships like the Northeast Bronx Crime Prevention Project. In the last two years, Senator Klein has secured nearly $200,000 in state funding to keep Bronx neighborhoods safe and build cohesive communities that work together to enhance public safety.

“My new peephole will help me rest easy in my home. Before the installation of my peephole, my studio apartment was incredibly hard to see out of and every time a visitor knocked, I had to open my door to greet them. Now, I can see clearly and easily out of my door without any trouble. Thank you to Senator Klein and the NIDC for providing new peepholes in our apartments and improving safety and security in our buildings,” said Norma Sanchez, an Evergreen Gardens resident.

For more information or to have a peephole installed in your apartment, please call Senator Klein’s office at 718-822-2049.