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“THE PEOPLE'S FIREHOUSE CELEBRATE ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SERVICE” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1952 on Oct. 17, 1995.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE PEOPLE'S FIREHOUSE CELEBRATE ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SERVICE
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HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, October 17, 1995
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the People's Firehouse, Inc. which is celebrating its 20th anniversary of service to the Williamsburg and Greenpoint communities of northern Brooklyn this November. PFI was founded when, in November of 1975, the city of New York announced that it would close fire engine company 212. The threatened loss of prevention services brought the people of north Brooklyn together to form the People's Firehouse.
In an act of courage rising out of concern for their community, residents entered the firehouse and refused to leave. They held the firetruck hostage and, for 16 months, lived and worked in the fire station, all the while pressuring the city to reopen engine company 212.
One official called off attempts to remove the protesters from the firehouse saying that the fire station was now ``the people's firehouse.'' The name stuck and after much negotiation, engine company 212 was reopened as a fully operational fire station. Those involved in the firehouse situation decided to form a permanent organization to assist their community, and, this year, the People's Firehouse, Inc. a Housing and Community Development Co., celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Mr. Speaker, PFI offers a number of services to the community deserving of recognition. PFI provides legal rights outreach and mediation services to tenants, landlords and the homeless; housing management programs; and housing preservation and development. Seniors and immigrants are given special assistance in English, Spanish and Polish. PFI manages 16 buildings consisting of 141 residential units. The NYC Housing Preservation and Development Community Management Program provided funding for PFI to renovate and manage previously abandoned, city-owned buildings. Since beginning contracting with Housing Preservation and Development in 1979, PFI has rehabilitated nine city-owned buildings and later sold them to the tenants as limited equity cooperatives.
As if their housing and citizen-outreach programs were not enough, the PFI has received fire and arson prevention funding from the U.S. Fire Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the New York Department of State, and the mayor's office arson strike force. The PFI also offers a weatherization assistance program; participates in historic restoration; strengthens the Northside Merchants Association with marketing assistance, store renovation and a matching grant program; improves streets with the Bedford Avenue street reconstruction project; and engages in protection of the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the 20 years of service to the community provided by PFI deserve our recognition and praise. PFI takes great pride in its community and responds to the needs of its citizens throughout Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Northside and Southside. One of PFI's most recent projects includes youth job training and establishment of the People's School which offers programs designed to address issues of unemployment, poverty and neighborhood stabilization.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of the People's Firehouse Inc.'s 20 years of service to its community. At a time when many argue that neighborhoods and any ``sense of community'' no longer exist--PFI strives to find more and more ways to serve its citizenry.
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