Security Cameras Prompt Eviction Notice at Public Housing Complex in the Bronx

A woman who took it upon herself to ramp up security in a New York City public housing complex is reportedly facing eviction for having installed surveillance cameras, even though some residents say they appreciate having the devices.

Nicknamed "Big Sister" by her neighbors, Rebecca, who declined to give her last name, told WNBC New York that she recently received an eviction notice saying that she had breached her lease by installing the cameras at Parkside Houses, a public housing complex in the Bronx.

"There has been all over the news people getting robbed -- burglaries. I need to provide safety for my family." she said.

Her case brings into focus the issue of security at some city public housing complexes, which critics say have allowed crime to fester. In August, a shooting at another New York housing complex left one man dead and another wounded.

In response to such incidents, city officials have set aside millions of dollars to beef up security in public housing communities. Following a murder last June at Pelham Parkway Houses in the Bronx, the city earmarked $4.6 million for security enhancements in the area, the Daily News reported. The city also reportedly pledged to begin implementing the enhancements by June 2013.

But critics say the city is not acting fast enough to increase security. WNBC New York reported that residents at the Parkside Houses complex like having the security cameras that their neighbor installed and want them to stay.

For her part, Rebecca said she will ignore the eviction notice.

"If they don't want to ensure our safety," she said, "we're going to ensure our own."

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