{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://gomez.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2529", "CONGRESSMAN GOMEZ, CATHAY MANOR RESIDENTS HOST PRESS CONFERENCE TO CALL FOR THE REMOVAL OF DON G. TOY, CEO AND PRESIDENT OF C.C.O.A HOUSING CORPORATION", "2021-12-16", "2021", "2021-12", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Jimmy Gomez", "G000585", "gomez.house.gov", "gomez", "https://gomez.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "LOS ANGELES \u2013 Today, Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) joined residents and community leaders at a press conference at Cathay Manor Apartments to call for the resignation of Don G. Toy, Chief Executive Officer and President of C.C.O.A Housing Corporation.\n\nCathay Manor, a 16-story, 270-unit residential apartment building, is owned and operated by the C.C.O.A. Housing Corporation, a nonprofit entity that developed Cathay Manor with financing through the HUD\u2019s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program and currently receives project-based Section 8 rental assistance.\n\nResidents of the building have cited insufficient building maintenance, pest infestations, and numerous building safety concerns. Residents have also cited frequent and sustained elevator outages that prevent the elderly tenants from accessing food and medical services.\n\n\u201cFor far too long, the residents of Cathay Manor\u2014many of whom are elderly and disabled\u2014have had to live in substandard housing,\u201d said Congressman Jimmy Gomez. \u201cUnder the management of Don Toy and the C.C.O.A. Housing Corporation, this residential building has fallen into an unacceptable state of disrepair. That\u2019s why I\u2019m calling on the Department of Housing and Urban Development to end Toy\u2019s involvement at Cathay manner as quickly as possible, to take swift and appropriate enforcement action, and to ensure Cathay Manor remains as affordable housing for the residents of Chinatown.\u201d\n\nCongressman Gomez also toured the building to meet with residents and community leaders to listen to their concerns.\n\n\"HUD must support residents\u2019 demands to remove Don Toy from any involvement at Cathay Manor, pursue an investigation of C.C.O.A. Housing Corporation's finances, and address the building's countless health and safety issues,\u201d said Frances Huynh, from the Chinatown Community for Equitable Development. \u201cThere needs to be accountability. Cathay Manor tenants have the right to live in safe and affordable housing free from abuse and neglect.\"\n\n\u201cWe support Congressmember Jimmy Gomez proposal to dismiss Don Toy\u2014we are very happy,\u201d said Ne Hung Hom, president of the Cathay Manor Resident Council. \u201cDon Toy has abused us seniors for years.\"\n\nThis call for action follows months of advocacy for Cathay manor residents by the Office Congressman Gomez. In September, the Office of Congressman Gomez contacted HUD to express concerns about the deteriorating conditions at Cathay Manor. Last month, Congressman Gomez sent a letter to HUD to urge movement to make this building a safer place to live.\n\nIn addition to hosting the press conference, Congressman Gomez also sent a letter to HUD to call for Don Toy's immediate resignation. The letter is available for review here and below.\n\n###\n\nDecember 15, 2021\n\nThe Honorable Marcia L. Fudge\n\nSecretary\n\nU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development\n\n451 7th Street, S.W.\n\nWashington, DC 20410\n\nDear Secretary Fudge:\n\nI write on behalf of the residents of Cathay Manor Apartments (\u201cCathay Manor\u201d) to strongly urge the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to call for the resignation of Don G. Toy, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Chinese Community on Aging (C.C.O.A) Housing Corporation. The substandard housing conditions at Cathay Manor jeopardize the health and well-being of its residents, and it\u2019s no longer in the best interest of HUD or my constituents for Mr. Toy to continue in his role.\n\nCathay Manor, a 16-story, 270-unit residential apartment building, is owned and operated by the C.C.O.A. Housing Corporation, a nonprofit entity that developed Cathay Manor with financing through the HUD\u2019s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program and currently receives project-based Section 8 rental assistance.\n\nAs noted in my November 2021 letter, residents reported concerns about the unsafe, unhealthy, and physically deteriorating conditions at Cathay Manor. The most recent Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) inspection score of 28c issued on October 13, 2021 confirmed tenant reports of rodent and roach infestations, exposed wires and electrical hazards, inoperable fire protection, mold and mildew, and broken sanitation systems, to name a few.\n\nRecently, the Los Angeles City Attorney filed 16 misdemeanor charges against C.C.O.A. Housing Corporation and Mr. Toy relating to their alleged \u201cfailure over the past two months to address the inoperable elevators, their failure to properly maintain and repair the building and equipment contained in that building, their failure to test and maintain equipment in accordance with Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) fire safety protocols, and their failure to comply with the City\u2019s orders to comply with the law.\u201d Simply put, Mr. Toy\u2019s dereliction of responsibilities has jeopardized the health and wellbeing of elder and disabled residents of Cathay Manor.\n\nOn December 7, HUD staff notified my office that it demanded Mr. Toy immediately hire a management agent to provide management services during this critical time. Mr. Toy was notified November 5, 2021 and was sent a Notice of Default December 7, 2021, making it clear that serious problems persist with his leadership.\n\nThis follows a community town hall organized by Cathay Manor residents, at which my office heard directly from constituents about the poor progress to improve living conditions. It is unconscionable that Mr. Toy remains in place, continuing to collect rent and taxpayer dollars, as he willfully refuses to perform his most basic obligations.\n\nThe health and well-being of Cathay Manor\u2019s residents is of upmost importance to me. I will not stand to see elderly residents uprooted from their communities, where they hold a strong sense of cultural belonging and can access essential services in their native language. HUD must act with urgency to address the deficiencies at Cathay Manor and ensure the residential building retains its Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract, which is up for renewal on December 20, 2022. I again urge you to end Mr. Toy\u2019s involvement at Cathay Manor as quickly as possible and take swift and appropriate enforcement action.\n\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://gomez.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2529"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.83687505684793, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}