Federal/ State Cooperation Helps HUD Kiosk Open in Harlem

(left to right): City Councilman Robert Jackson; Deborah Boatright, Regional Director for DHCR (Department of Housing and Community Renewal); Marisel Morales, HUD Regional Director for New York and New Jersey; Congressman Charles B. Rangel; City Councilman Bill Perkins; Assemblyman Keith Wright; and Will Brown Jr., Building Manager for the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building.

NEW YORK - Combining the wizardry of computer graphics with the latest advances in information technology, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development opened an informational Kiosk in New York City at the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building on 125th Street in Harlem on July 15, 2002.

The opening ceremony for the new kiosk was held in the lobby of the new site. Among those present were Marisel Morales, Regional Director for HUD in New York and New Jersey, Harlem Congressman Charles B. Rangel, New York State Assemblyman Keith Wright and New York City Councilmen Robert Jackson and Bill Perkins. Representing The State of New York was Deborah Boatright, Regional Director of the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) and Building Manager Will Brown, Jr. of the Office of General Service (OGS) the agency that made the placement of the kiosk in the state building possible. Both Ms. Morales and Congressman Rangel provided comments. There was a sizeable audience made up of representatives from different community groups, the media and local Harlem residents. Introducing Congressman Rangel, Ms. Morales called the kiosk a "step forward" in reducing the barriers between government and the general public. As the keynote speaker, the Congressman hailed the kiosk as a tool to empower residents, saying "a constituent who comes into my office with a problem knowing what their options are is easier to serve than someone who is uninformed" due to the inaccessibility of government information. A ceremonial ribbon-cutting took place after speeches from the other officials.