Cynthia Nixon Calls NYCHA A Health Crisis After Brooklyn Tour

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — “Sex and the City” star and New York governor hopeful Cynthia Nixon declared conditions in NYCHA housing “a state of emergency” and decried the “pissing contest” going on between Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio after touring Crown Heights' Albany Houses Wednesday.

“I wasn’t prepared for what a health crisis this is,” said Nixon after her first ever visit to a public housing development. “This isn’t just a housing crisis, this is a health crisis.”

Nixon visited three apartments at 1414 Bergen St., including the home of Diann Wise, 76, whose granddaughter died of an asthma attack five years ago.

Latisha, then 19, had been running to catch her son’s school bus when she lost her breath, returned to her grandmother’s apartment and begged, “Can you please hold me, I’m gonna die.”

“I’m so tired,” said Wise, whose home is plagued by mice and roaches and who has been begging NYCHA officials to fix her broken floors, cabinets and flickering lights that scare her. “I lost three brothers to a fire when I was eight — I’m so afraid of fire.”

Wise is now raising her great-grandson Jawwadd, 10, in the apartment.

Nixon promised that, should she be elected, she would give NYCHA “lump sums of money” to address conditions.

“We have a state of emergency in our public housing and we need a massive investment,” said Nixon. “We need to distribute that money through the system where it’s needed most and not just to cosmetic changes someone can stand next to for a photo opp.”

Nixon also called out Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Cuomo for getting embroiled in personal arguments in the public sphere.

“When I am the governor I am sure the Mayor and I will disagree on a whole host of issues,” Nixon said. “But I promise you we won’t get into this kind of a pissing contest.”

As Nixon walked away from her press conference, housing advocate and NYCHA resident Kayaswonna Williams, 40, begged her to help people in public housing and began to cry.

“Can you please make sure they can’t do this to people no more? Can you please make sure that everyone has a place to live? Can you please make sure that children don’t have to feel so sad?”

“Yes.” Nixon replied. “I’m so sorry for what’s happening to you.”

Photos and video by Kathleen Culliton