Disabled Marine veteran battles housing discrimination in Queens

Katherine Ragazzino served with the U.S. Marine Corps as a staff non-commissioned officer (NCO) and a Staff Sergeant on two deployments with the 13th MEUSOC (Marine Expeditionary Unit Special Operations Capable).

Everything was normal for her in daily life until she suffered a traumatic brain injury during her 2004 tour in Iraq, leading to her being medically retired. Before moving to New York from California in 2012, according to the amNY article published on Aug. 16.

Before the diagnosis, Ragazzino said, “My symptoms were changes in mood, inability to focus, concentrate and do ordinary tasks that were at one point extremely easy for me to do.”

She stated that it was a struggle getting diagnosed by doctors, and it’s still a learning process in terms of figuring out how to do basic daily tasks.

Ragazzino had a care provider who helped her maintain her way of life once she moved to NYC before the caregiver resigned in June 2021.

It took four years for Ragazzino to secure housing at the Dayton Towers West apartment complex after she was accepted into the Mitchell-Lama affordable housing program, which provides affordable rental and cooperative housing to moderate- and middle-income families.

“Everything was set up for me; I had her from 2012 until 2021. She became my VA caregiver in 2012 and went back from CA to NY for service and humanitarian work, towards my therapy, we did health and wellness retreats and various healing modalities to help me heal,” Ragazzino added.

After her nurse left, she had specialized home health aids come in to assist her daily. Following the war, her organs weren’t functioning in the same way as before. Other than her TBI symptoms, she is still dealing with residual chronic injuries from the war. She also has nerve damage and other invisible disabilities.

She used a walker from September to October 2021. She had physical therapy and was better as of December 2021. She came off my cane on Dec. 19, 2021.

Then, things got a lot worse when the fire happened on Jan. 3, 2022. Ash and smoke, water and electrical damage, and flooding severely damaged Ragazzino’s apartment.

She is still dealing with the damage, which the Aug. 16 amNY article said includes “exposed wiring, hallway ceiling damage, and a soot-covered balcony.”

“I requested them to remove the raised flooring and damages, nothing was ever done,“ she stated. 

She fell in her apartment on March 17th, 2022, due to uneven flooring and has been receiving extenuating care and going to physical therapy since then.

While repairs were being done, Ragazzino had to move out for over a year. Several other floors in the building remain permanently damaged, affecting residents living on them. The repairs in the building have not been done well.

Ragazzino filed a lawsuit on May 21 of this year after moving back into her apartment. It could be a class action, as many other people in the building have also been wronged by this situation.

“Since the fire, I have been reaching out to all local officials, the building department, the senator, the Assembly Member, the Council Member, the health department, and HPD (housing preservation department), and they have all been made aware of the ongoing issues, and that is where I am at,“ she continued.

Other repairs that need to be done include cleaning the balcony, which Ragazzino asked the management to do since moving back. “The hallway is a common area which is still sitting and waiting for repair.”

In addition, she said that the quality of life for her and other residents living in the building has been affected since the fire, and that should have been addressed within six months of it happening.

“I am still walking on plastic, waiting for the work to be done. The work was all haphazard, painting over non-clean buildings and walls. Constant battles. My front door is still not done, because it needs to be cleaned first and primed before painted. I want it to be done properly. There should be no reason the wires in the hallway are still exposed.”

Ragazzino believes there should be an investigation into how they are treating everyone.

She has had the following current experience with ableism:  “I did try to have several meetings with the building, and they told me I had to come alone, which is why I took them to court. My apartment wasn’t finished until I went to court. They are charging me for all the court fees. They said, “If you don’t come alone, the meeting will be canceled.”

Ragazzino, through this lawsuit, sees herself as an advocate for the disability community.

“I sat on the sidelines and thought the elected officials would do something to assist us instead of just putting a bandaid on top.”

Ragazzino estimates that since the fire, the building has had its sixth assistant manager, and the leading manager has been released.

Ragazzino is calling for the mayor’s office to investigate the financials and management, building safety, and how it needs to be reformed at Dayton Towers.“ Ragazzino hopes her voice helps the victims of past fires, saying,  “Other fire victims have no door on the apartment. I hope they get things done quickly.“

“Through training and when a situation is presented, I have expressed that I am a disabled veteran, I need an in-person meeting. I can’t do so well with emails, etc,“  she explained.

When discussing advocacy, Ragazzino wants allies of the disabled to know this: “Everyone has different things; it may take a little bit of extra effort for the disabled community. Be open, especially if you are in a management position, to have more awareness.”

“I had no guidance. I did go to several places and got turned away. I was turned away so much, and it takes a lot of work,“ she continued.

This is why, to her,  it’s essential to find “advocates and others educated within the community that can assist those with invisible wounds.”

In an emergency, Ragazzino wants those in the disability community to remember: “Get as much independence for yourself, and get people and support advocates to help you through this.  Don’t give up. Take care of yourself first.”