5G towers spark outrage across NYC

NEW YORK - 5G towers are starting to be installed in neighborhoods across New York City, and while they're meant to improve internet service, people who live around them say the towers are an imposing eyesore.

Marion Little, the owner of a hardware store in Brooklyn, was shocked to see a 32-foot tower seemingly appear overnight right outside his shop.

"We just don’t have no idea what it is, does it help the neighborhood, does it help the residential property value," Little says.

The tower is actually a 5G antenna tower installed by the city to bring free high-speed internet across the five boroughs in underserved areas. The New York City Office of Technology and Innovation partnered with LinkNYC to install 2,000 5G antenna towers over the next few years.

"It’s extremely huge. I mean, it's really huge, it's almost like an eyesore," added Little. "A lot of people call me, email me, text me like what is that? What's going on? And I have no answer."

Over in Fort Greene, Hon. Renee Collymore, with the Vanderbilt Block Association, also has questions.

"When I saw how huge it was, and this monstrosity of an installation, I said what is that? No one came to us to ask if we wanted it, if we were concerned," said Collymore.

A spokesperson with LinklNYC says the company received extensive community input during the process, such as reviews with community boards. They say they chose specific areas that currently have little broadband.

"If they did a community research, with who?, because it wasn't with me," Collymore said. "Who did you meet with? And what were the results of the meeting? And why were we not at the table?"

Some people also say they fear the towers can be unsafe, aside from being unsightly and imposing. However, the city cites the FDA’s approval of 5G technology as being unharmful. 

But ultimately people say, they just wish there was more communication. "We just don't know that's the whole issue. We just don't know, we have no answers," said Little.