[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 160 (Tuesday, October 17, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1952]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    THE PEOPLE'S FIREHOUSE CELEBRATE ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SERVICE

                                 ______


                        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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