Cuomo rips NYCHA; mayor's aide calls him a liar

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - Heating problems continue to plague NYCHA housing complexes across New York City. But the plans to make repairs continue to be a sore spot between the mayor and the governor.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo toured Forest Houses in the Bronx Thursday. He visited the apartment of Carmen Silva, 85, who has been bedridden since suffering a stroke three years ago. Her bathroom walls are crumbling and the stove has no gas service. Her son, Alberto Pizarro, told the governor that the repairs tickets remain open.

That NYCHA apartment is just one of thousands across the city dealing with mold, lead paint, and heating problems.

Cash Raymond of the King Towers in Harlem said the heat and water problems the past few weeks are hard on his health.

Cuomo has blamed the federal government for failing to provide funding. But he also is, once again, pointing the finger at Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYCHA.

"It doesn't matter how much money you pour into NYCHA when NYCHA is incompetent to literally spend the money," Cuomo said. "It's a game, it's a ruse that the politicians are playing."

De Blasio didn't take questions from reporters Thursday. Instead, his office issued a strongly worded statement.

"We understand the Governor's obsession with the Mayor has prevented him from learning how NYCHA funding works, but the truth is NYCHA is spending hundreds of millions of dollars each year to fill the hole left by state and federal underinvestment," Olivia Lapeyrolerie, mayoral spokesperson said in the statement. "Instead of lying about the facts to feed his political obsession, the Governor should give NYCHA tenants the money he has promised and refuses to deliver."

Cuomo promised that he will not sign the state budget unless lawmakers approve money for a "professional company" to make repairs in public housing.

"The conditions we saw once again are just disgusting. And they're intolerable," the governor said. "No more talking. No more bureaucracy."

This story have been updated to attribute the statement from the mayor's office.