Democratic District Leader and 47th District City Council Candidate Ari Kagan (Coney Island, Sea Gate, Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach) recently came through big-time for residents of NYCHA’s Marlboro Houses.
Kagan’s actions came after residents from one of the Marlboro Houses buildings at 2295 West 11 Street recently complained that the United States Postal Service (USPS) delivery of parcels to apartments had stopped and notices were given at the mailboxes that anybody with parcels would have to go to the local post office to pick them up.
This forced seniors and people with disabilities to come to the Post Office at set hours to pick up their parcels instead of having them delivered to their door. It also left working people unable to come to the post office and wait in lines during the day time on weekdays.
Meanwhile, all parcels brought by UPS and FedEx continued to be delivered in a regular way – directly to tenants of the same building.
Kagan contacted both NYCHA officials and the USPS to bring their attention to this unacceptable situation. Initially, USPS and management explained the change of parcel was caused by the entrance buzzers inside the building not working. But after Kagan repeatedly calls the USPS finally agreed to restore the previous service. Tenants were happy that they did not need to visit post office every week in order to pick up their parcels, including medicine and other necessities.
Kagan’s work garnered him his first endorsements in his race for the city council from leaders and activists of Marlboro Houses.
“Ari Kagan always was there for us,” said Betty James, President, Marlboro Resident Association. “I met him for the first time about 12 years ago. Ari helped the family that experienced a fire years ago and followed up to the end. Until this day he has been present helping families in need. He is a kind, nice, caring person. No matter what it is, he will go out of his way to help ordinary people. It does not pay him, this is just that type of person he is. Ari Kagan is my First Choice for City Council!”
Kagan currently works as District Director of Operations for term-limited City Councilman Mark Treyger. Together they have hosted numerous food and PPE distributions, successfully advocated for COVID-19 testing center at the Marlboro Houses and organized several toys giveaway for local kids.
Former Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny, young upstart Steven Patzer and Coney Island native Joseph Packer are also running for the seat.
The Democratic Primary is slated for June 22.
