[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15670-15671]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO PAUL NAVARRO

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 18, 2009

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in special tribute to an 
outstanding public servant and community leader, Paul Navarro. Today it 
is my honor to join the Members of the East Harlem Asthma Working 
Group, Inc. (EHAWG) and the public service sector of the City of New 
York to pay tribute to a courageous New Yorker and exceptional human 
being, for his commitment, and tireless efforts, in improving the lives 
of so many affordable homeowners and renters throughout my 
Congressional District and beyond.
  Born and raised in the South Bronx, where he still lives, Paul 
graduated from Lehman College in 1980 with a degree in Public and Group 
Communications. Troubled by the poverty and urban blight that plagued 
his neighborhood, Paul got involved in community activism by becoming 
an active member of his Community Planning Board; he also served as 
President of his Homeowner's Association for 15 years; created a green 
thumb garden; and helped to identify buildings which required 
renovation and repair and improved the quality of the life of the 
surrounding neighborhoods. He later became an executive board member 
and treasurer of the Diego-Beekman houses, a thirty-one building 
development housing over 1200 families in the South Bronx.
  Paul joined Mayor Koch's Division of Labor Services in 1980, 
responsible for monitoring equal employment opportunities and 
prevailing wage rates in the construction industry. His career 
continued with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and 
Development (HPD) as a Property Manager in East and Central Harlem, 
helping tenants with rent and repair issues. In 1987, Paul was named 
Director of the Crisis Management Unit in East Harlem.
  During the 1990's, while living through kidney failure, dialysis 
treatments and receiving a kidney transplant, Paul served as HPD's 
Director of Anti-Abandonment Program for the Borough of Manhattan. In 
1999, late and former New York City Council Member Philip Reed 
presented Paul a special Citation for Outstanding Service to the 
Community for all of his positive efforts in the Anti-Abandonment 
Program.
  In 2001, as a member of the East Harlem Asthma Working Group (EHAWG) 
Paul shared

[[Page 15671]]

a City Council Proclamation from former City Council Speaker A. Gifford 
Miller. In 2006, New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly 
presented Paul with the prestigious Isaac Lieberman Award for 
Outstanding Performance by a Civil Service Employee. Paul continues to 
stand up for fair and decent housing today as Director of the Green 
Point-Williamsburg Tenant Assistance Center in Brooklyn, and his team 
have assisted over 1300 families with landlord/tenant disputes and 
submitted an amazing 983 Section 8 applications.
  Paul has two daughters, Elaine and Nancy, six grandchildren, four 
great grandchildren and despite his own health issues, along with his 
brother Rick, they take care of their 85 year old mother, Maria, who 
suffers from dementia. Let us all salute a great New Yorker, Paul 
Navarro.

                          ____________________