Paralyzed Allerton NYCHA tenant struggles with inaccessible apartment
Nyree Stevens tells News 12 she’s tried to ask NYCHA for a transfer or at least an accessibility modification.
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Nyree Stevens is paralyzed from the neck down, and says her Allerton apartment does not fit her needs.
She needs two caregivers to hoist her in and out of bed, as well as in and out of the shower.
“I want to get to my bathroom. I want to be in the shower. I want to be able to get in and out of my room,” Stevens said.
She tells News 12 she’s tried to ask NYCHA for a transfer or at least an accessibility modification.
She said NYCHA told her they can’t do anything because "the apartment was built that way.”
Besides the lack of accessibility, she says the apartment is downright hot. Stevens said NYCHA employees once brought a thermometer into the apartment, and it was close to 100 degrees.
She lives above the building’s boiler and said the previous tenants moved out due to the heat.
Despite the struggles with her apartment, Stevens has an incredible talent that keeps her grounded.
She draws and paints characters with her mouth. It’s a skill she developed during the pandemic and says it’s her way of feeling independent.
She wants to inspire others in the disabled community to pursue their passions because anything is possible.
News 12 reached out to NYCHA about the apartment condition. A spokesperson says they’re meeting Stevens at her home to discuss the possibility of a transfer to an accessible unit.
