Thread: Rat-infested home has illegals squabbling w/social workers

Rat-infested home has Mount Vernon family squabbling with social workers
By ERNIE GARCIA
THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: September 5, 2007)

MOUNT VERNON - The city's condemnation of a vermin-infested building left a family squabbling with social workers over new housing.

Sonia Bryan said staffers at the Westchester County Department of Social Services were refusing to deal with her housing advocate and were requesting too much income documentation during her housing crisis, which began last month when the buildings department condemned 132 S. Fourth Ave. because of a rat infestation.

City officials are letting her stay in the building until she can find new housing, she said.

County officials countered yesterday that they were willing to give Bryan financial assistance if she would promise to pay for the portion of the rent that public assistance will not cover.

"All she had to do was sign a document that she would be responsible for the rest of the rent. This was all arranged," county spokeswoman Susan Tolchin said yesterday. Tolchin said social workers raised questions because the monthly amount of rent money Bryan claimed she would receive from her brother did not seem possible given the low income indicated by his pay stubs.

Bryan, 52, who does not have regular employment, said she will go to the office today to sign a letter agreeing not to hold the county responsible for more than the $314 a month she receives as a rent subsidy.

"I'm not going to say it's fixed until I move," she said of her dispute with the Department of Social Services.

Bryan and advocate Gary Fuller of the Mount Vernon United Tenants organization held a press conference in front of county offices at 100 E. First St. yesterday to complain about what they said was social workers' unwillingness to expedite Bryan's assistance claim.

Fuller said his client needed about $3,000 to move and pay security deposits and brokers' fees.

"When you have an emergency you can waive (financial documentation) requirements," said Fuller.

Tolchin said the Department of Social Services has been accommodating of Bryan, an illegal immigrant whose children are U.S. citizens. Bryan also has been arrested multiple times for possessing what totaled hundreds of bags of marijuana. Yesterday she said those drugs belonged to her then-boyfriend.

Reach Ernie Garcia at elgarcia@lohud.com or 914-696-8290

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs ... 026/NEWS10

Love to eat them mousie's
Mousie's what I love to eat.
Bite they little heads off
Nibble on they tiny feet.
-- B. Kliban

Tolchin said the Department of Social Services has been accommodating of Bryan, an illegal immigrant whose children are U.S. citizens. Bryan also has been arrested multiple times for possessing what totaled hundreds of bags of marijuana. Yesterday she said those drugs belonged to her then-boyfriend.


"Accommodating" is an understatement. The fact that she should have been deported a long time ago for those arrests aside, she should not be receiving any kind of housing subsidy because of it and it doesn't matter what the status of her children is alleged to be.

I've dealt with many, many, many tenants receiving housing assistance and when anyone living in the home is arrested for criminal behavior, they lose that assistance....permanently and no questions asked. It doesn't matter if they have children, how old their kids are, or anything else....it's gone and done with.

So, not only why is this hag still here, but why, is she receiving this assistance?

Bryan, 52, who does not have regular employment, said she will go to the office today to sign a letter agreeing not to hold the county responsible for more than the $314 a month she receives as a rent subsidy.

"I'm not going to say it's fixed until I move," she said of her dispute with the Department of Social Services.

This woman is an ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT. What right does she have to make up her own rules? SEND BRYAN AND HER KIDS BACK HOME! Taxpayers should not be subsidizing anything for her.