Addressing Quality of Life Issues Surrounding Several In-Need Service Centers In Port Richmond

Borough President Vito Fossella was joined by members of the Port Richmond North Shore Alliance and residents of apartments at 36 Hamilton Ave. to address the growing quality-of-life concerns surrounding several nearby in-need service care centers.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been 243 calls to 911 and more than 18 arrests at the housing complex at 1544 Castleton Ave. The arrests stemmed from issues relating to drug use, trespassing, harassment, attempted robbery, and attempted assault.

“Every time, the good people of Port Richmond try to do something to improve the quality-of-life for their neighbors, some entity comes in and tries to destroy it,” said Borough President Fossella at a press conference at the corner of Castleton Avenue and Park Avenue. “We owe it to the business owners and the homeowners and the people renting these apartments to ensure that they have a better quality- of-life, not a worse quality-of-life. We’re calling upon those that control this entity and the agencies involved to stand up and defend and support the hardworking taxpayers of Port Richmond and not turn a blind eye and ignore their calls.”

Borough President Fossella also addressed concerns of loitering, harassment, and other disorderly conduct at a drop-in center at 150 Richmond Terrace in St. George. He said there has been a lack of communication with the drop-in center’s leadership and the City Department of Homeless Services.

“We have met for two years on a regular basis trying to address these issues,” said Borough President Fossella. “Not only has it not gotten better, it’s actually gotten worse. So, we’ve made every good faith effort for them to address the needs and to fix the problems and it hasn’t happened.”

While acknowledging the “crucial services” the social centers provide, he said the city “has an obligation to ensure the quality-of-life for these people who just want to work hard, take care of their families, make a living and walk around their community without interruption, without being threatened -- it is something so basic and it seems to be lost.”