NYCHA community center in the Bronx feels like a ‘sauna,’ residents say

THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — In the hot days of summer in New York City, it’s not only uncomfortable for people who don’t have air conditioning, but it can also be potentially dangerous.

Jeanette Salcedo, the tenant president of the Castle Hill Houses in the Bronx, said there are times when the Kips Bay Castle Hill Senior Center is hotter inside than it is outside.

Emily Pelayo, the director of the Kips Bay Castle Hill Senior Center, said on any given day the center accommodates more than a hundred older people mostly from NYCHA’s Castle Hill Houses. The center also accommodates children’s after-school programs.

Pelayo said NYCHA does promptly respond to complaints, but she said the problem is bigger than just a quick fix. Salcedo, the tenant president, believes the solution is to replace the entire air conditioning system.

A NYCHA spokesperson told PIX11 News: “NYCHA’s assigned vendor visited the Castle Hill community center yesterday and today to assess necessary repairs, and repair work to the HVAC system is scheduled to begin tomorrow.”

If you have a story, reach out to Monica Morales at monica@pix11.com

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