SENATOR JEFF KLEIN, ASSEMBLYMAN MARCOS CRESPO, SOUNDVIEW HOMEOWNERS & ATTORNEY SUSAN CHANA LASK ANNOUNCE $8 MILLION FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST UNSCRUPULOUS CONTRACTORS & NYC DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS

NYC Department of Buildings, Contractors Allegedly Duped Bronx Homeowners Into Spending Life Savings on Unsafe, Uninhabitable Homes

    An unscrupulous contractor and the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) swindled Bronx homeowners out of millions of dollars by constructing substandard homes and failing to provide new homeowners with valid certificates of occupancy upon closing, alleges an $8 million federal lawsuit announced today by State Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, the Soundview Homeowners and Attorney at Law Susan Chana Lask, and Homeowner Johanny DelaCruz

Senator Klein said: “The actions taken by unscrupulous Bronx contractors to dupe unsuspecting families into spending their  life savings on uninhabitable new homes are reprehensible. Not only are these new homes constructed poorly and with shoddy, cheap materials – they pose significant health and safety concerns to the families living there. When scheming agencies and contractors prey on aspiring homeowners, they need to know that we will hold them accountable."

For years, the DOB has permitted its licensee, Bad Ass Inc.,  to build unsafe homes across the Bronx that are not up to New York City building codes and as a result, cannot receive permanent certificates of occupancy. Under constant threat of eviction from DOB, Soundview Homeowners pay more than $400 a month in upkeep to combat leaking roofs, cracked walls, irregular plumbing, black mold and improper insulation. What’s more, because they lack permanent certificates of occupancy they are unable to sell or refinance their homes.

Attorney Susan Chana Lask said: “The Department of Buildings has ignored these people long enough. It is responsible for safe housing, not issuing building permits for illegal housing because its more concerned with its $100 Million a year revenue while people suffer.”

Homeowner Johanny DelaCruz said: “This has been a nightmare to me, my family and my children.  We thought we purchased the American Dream, but the Department of Buildings and Bad Ass gave us a nightmare.  We live in a freezing, damp uninsulated structure that is illegal and frightening." 

Assemblyman Marcos Crespo said: “I stand today with Senator Jeff Klein and these homeowners to support this new filing and to fight for swift justice on behalf of these families. We can no longer allow unscrupulous individuals and shady companies to defraud those willing to invest in our community and make a commitment to raise their families in our neighborhoods. They deserve justice and today we take another step in seeking it!”

The federal lawsuit comes on the heels of a state lawsuit filed in Bronx civil court in December 2013, alleging contractor Bad Ass Inc. conducted an elaborate scheme to scam first time home buyers into purchasing unsafe properties. Attorney Lask recently requested a stay to amend the complaint and Senator Klein submitted a letter of support.

“I ask the court to grant the plaintiffs’ request for a stay in the proceeding so that new motion papers can be filed. These plaintiffs deserve their day in court.” continued Senator Klein.

Senator Klein, Assemblyman Crespo. Lawyer Susan Lask, Homeowner J. DelaCruz, and other people and their children who are some of the 150 home owners in this situation living in homes built by Bad Ass Inc. 

Bad Ass Inc. is still a licensed home builder of the New York City Department of Buildings. 

Could this type of housing be in store for people who will be moving into the 200,000 new affordable housing units planned by Mayor Bill deBlasio?

Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo to host a FAFSA & NYS Unclaimed Funds Workshop

  New York State Higher Education Services, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, State Senator Ruben Diaz, State Senator Jeffrey Klein, Councilmember Annabel Palma and myself will be bringing a FAFSA & NYS Unclaimed Funds Workshop to Clason’s Point Library which is located at 1215 Morrison Avenue Bronx, NY 10472 on February 8^th, 2014 from 3pm-5pm. 

I am hoping you can help me spread the word. Even if you know someone who doesn’t have children they should still come to this event because there is an opportunity for them to see if the State Comptroller’s Office has any unclaimed funds. Unclaimed funds range from but not limited to bank accounts from banks who no longer exist, security deposits to cell phone providers  that no longer exist, tax returns that was never received, accounts that a relative or someone close to you may have created and never told you.

 

  New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, New York State Higher Education Services Corporation, State Senator Ruben Diaz, State Senator Jeffrey Klein, and Councilmember Annabel Palma, and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo -
Present a Workshop on:

FAFSA  (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

 

&

NYS Unclaimed Funds

February 8th, 2014

3pm – 5pm

NYPL Clason’s Point Branch

1215 Morrison Avenue Bronx, New York 10472

For more information or for community related services please contact Assemblyman Crespo's office at 718-893-0202.

Free Legal Forum, From Assemblyman Marcos Crespo 85th A.D.

 

I would like to invite you to an open legal forum which I am hosting in my office with The Legal Aid Society. We will be discussing topics such as Civil, Criminal and Juvenile Rights.

The event will be held in my District Office (located at 1163 Manor Avenue Bronx, NY 10472) on Thursday, November 7, 2013 from 4pm-7pm.

Feel free to bring a relative, neighbor or friend(s). Please RSVP with Matthew Shuffler my Office Manager either via email @ shufflm@assembly.state.ny.us or via phone @ 718-893-0202.

Hope to see you here!

Respectfully,

Marcos A. Crespo

Member of Assembly

85th District

Senator Klein and Assemblyman Crespo Team Up to Rid Bronx of Violent Nightclubs

  Lawmakers Urge Governor to Sign Legislation into Law That Can Help Shut Down NYC Nightclubs with Violent Track Records

   Standing in front of the infamous nightclub, Club Eleven, in the Hunts Point area of the Bronx, Senator Klein and Assemblyman Crespo announced legislation passed by both houses in the state legislature that would close the information gap between the New York Police Department and State Liquor Authority when it comes to crimes committed at bars, nightclubs and restaurants with liquor licenses.

In the wake of a prolonged effort by the Hunts Point community to revoke the liquor licenses of crime-plagued nightclubs like Club Eleven, Senator Klein and Assemblyman Crespo successfully sponsored legislation to help shut down licensed institutions with track records of criminal activity. Under their legislation, communities would be able to recommend what types of information the NYPD provide the SLA regarding criminal activity at licensed establishments.

This legislation would also establish a systematic process for the NYPD to transfer usable information on criminal activities to the SLA. This would allow the SLA to be systematically informed of all crimes and complaints that could threaten a community’s quality of life or put residents in danger. These crimes could include, assault, prostitution, drug trafficking, unreasonable noise, littering, obstructing a pedestrian, public urination or underage drinking. With this additional information, the SLA would have a more complete profile of the frequency and types of criminal activity occurring at and around venues with liquor licenses.

Alongside community leaders from across the Bronx, Senator Klein and Assemblyman Crespo called on Governor Cuomo to sign this legislation into law.

Senate Majority Coalition Leader Jeff Klein said, “Establishments like Club Eleven are cesspools of violence and crime that have no place in our strong, working class communities. That’s why Assemblyman Crespo and community leaders from across the Bronx urge Governor Cuomo to immediately sign this bill into law. This law would encourage better communication between the SLA and the NYPD regarding criminal activity, allowing the SLA to better understand how certain licensed venues are putting the community’s quality of life in jeopardy. By making sure we are all on the same page, I believe we can get in front of the violence and keep our communities safe and our neighborhoods strong.”

"We have the fabric of communities all across our state being torn apart and the safety of New Yorkers threatened by establishments that abuse their privilege to hold a State liquor license. This legislation will help the State Liquor Authority (SLA) access police data on crimes committed at and around licensed businesses. It will also allow for additional community input so that the SLA will be able to make a better determination on granting or renewing liquor licenses,” said Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, member of the Assembly Standing Committee on Cities. “These changes to the law are part of the ongoing work of Senator Klein and myself to improve public safety and make our neighborhoods a safer place to live and raise our families. I urge Governor Cuomo to sign this legislation into law."

Community Board 2 Chair Dr. Ian Amritt said, "Our community board has done everything possible to protect our neighborhood from the violence and destruction that center around nightclubs like Club Eleven. While we are concerned about violent crimes that happen at venues like Club Eleven, our community is also deeply affected by other issues like noise, reckless driving and littering. This legislation would allow us to give law enforcement and the SLA a fuller picture of how certain local bars and lounges are truly compromising our quality of life. I thank Senator Klein and Assemblyman Crespo for their leadership on this issue and urge Governor Cuomo to sign this legislation into law.”

Advocates and Lawmakers Call for State Senate and Governor to Toughen Laws to Protect Immigrants

Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Senator Ruben Diaz and immigrant advocates concerned that with federal immigration reform on the horizon immigrants will be victims of mass fraud without immediate State action

   Immigrant advocates and policymakers today called for tougher measures to discourage rampant immigrant assistance service fraud.  Federal immigration reform proposals are moving quickly in Washington DC and both the US Senate and House of Representatives are scheduled to pass the legislation in June and August respectively.  “Passage of immigration reform will open flood gates of immigrants seeking assistance with federal requirements and fraudulent immigration services providers are already lining up to strike thousands of victims,” stated Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo, Chair of the Assembly Task Force on New Americans. In the spring of 2011 a sweep by federal and New York City law enforcement agencies found over 220 immigration service providers operating outside the limits of the law and issued over $288,000 in fines.  Surveys on this type of fraud in other major US cities have found that over 40% of immigration assistance services operations are fraudulent.

According to Crespo, “Immigration assistance services fraud is a serious problem facing the more than two million New Yorkers who are non-citizens, including some 800,000 who are considered undocumented immigrants.  Many immigrants looking for assistance with federal immigration matters have been defrauded and have lost their lifes savings trying to navigate our immigration system.” 

Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. stated, “I am proud to be the Senate Sponsor of this important bill and I thank my co-sponsors Senators Parker and Sampson for having the courage to put their names on this legislation. The Federal Government has taken long-awaited steps to improve the lives of millions of undocumented immigrants.  The time has come for New York State to do everything in its power to protect these immigrants who live all throughout our great State, from the eastern shores of Long Island to Niagara Falls and everyplace in between.  Now that the Assembly has passed this bill unanimously for the second time, I am calling on the Senate leadership to bring this bill to the Senate floor for a vote before the legislative session ends.”

“With federal immigration reform on the horizon and a rush of huge number of immigrants seeking to qualify for the new Registered Provisional Immigrant (RPI) status, it is anticipated that mass scale immigration services fraud will be committed. Tougher measures at the State level to discourage and punish immigration services fraud are needed and should be in place prior to the enactment of federal immigration reform,” declared Crespo.

The legislation (A.158/S.786) which passed the Assembly on May 29, 2013 via a unanimous vote increases fines, requires qualifying criteria to be able to be an immigration assistance service provider and requires such providers to be registered with the New York State Department of State and requires that they prominently display their State certification.

"Comprehensive Immigration Reform is a very real possibility, and immigrant New Yorkers will be seeking assistance to determine their best options," said Wayne Ho, Executive Director of the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families.  "Immigrant New Yorkers deserve reliable, credible immigration assistance services.  Service providers should not take advantage of immigrants who will be making important decisions that impact the well-being of not only themselves but also their children and families.  Immigration services fraud should not be tolerated, especially in New York."

“Immigrants living in New York City who could applying to legalize their immigration status need more than ever a law that guarantees a qualified assistance to fulfill  a complex immigration application process. Therefore LULAC Queens Council 23047 supports the bill proposed made by Assemblyman Crespo concerning: "Immigrant Assistance Service Enforcement Act." The bill propose increases fines imposed upon those who violate laws regarding immigrant assistance services; requires certain immigrant assistance service providers to be registered with the Department of State.  I invites our Latino community to support it to prevent deceptive actions of people and organizations who are not following the  laws, rules and procedures, causing serious consequences for the applicants,” stated Sylvia Mata, President of the Queens Chapter for League of United Latin American Citizens.

"The NYIC commends Assemblyman Crespo and the New York Legislature for addressing the need for consumer protections against the unauthorized practice of immigration law and the provision of incompetent or unscrupulous legal services.  It enhances penalties for fraudulent services; establishes a registration system for immigration legal providers and requires that they meet clear criteria for registration and renewal of registration; and imposes penalties for providers who fail to register,” stated Chung-Wha Hong, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coaliton.  “Two key elements remain to be addressed: a robust public education campaign funded by the state to increase consumer awareness so that immigrant communities know how to protect themselves against unscrupulous providers; and a clear mechanism for reporting incidents of unscrupulous and incompetent practices to ensure both enforcement and restitution, as appropriate.  We look forward to working with Assemblyman Crespo and the New York Legislature to make this bill as effective as possible.”

According to Alfred Placeres, Esq., Legal Director for Casa Puebla, "This bill will help to expose those unscrupulous immigrant service providers who continue to  plague our community. Protecting our New Americans from getting ripped off as they travel down the path to citizenship is something we can all support.

“Last year, my organization published a report that relied on community led research where we documented that Immigration Service Providers are routinely violating the law and engaging substandard, predatory and fraudulent practices.” says Valeria Treves, Executive Director of New Immigrant Community Empowerment, “In clear contravention of the law, none the ISPs visited by the our ‘mystery shoppers’ had a required “not an attorney” sign posted, up to a quarter of them advertised that they provide legal advice; and a quarter of them falsely identified themselves as an immigration attorney office. Furthermore, 23% of mystery shoppers received legal advice on the spot and one in three ISPs visited by the mystery shoppers guaranteed success in their applications for immigration benefits, which also forbidden by law. The consequences of an immigration services scam can range from the loss of money (sometimes thousands of dollars), to immigration consequences (including deportation) to social and emotional trauma.”

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TCM Bargain Bin, $5.99 and up!

FIRST REPSONDERS, HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES TO BE PROETECTED DURING EMERGENCIES

  

Assemblyman Crespo’s proposal to ensure State’s health and safety infrastructure has power during emergencies is included in State’s budget deal

ALBANY, NEW YORK – (03/21/2013)  ---  New York State is a step closer to protecting its critical health and safety infrastructure thanks to legislation (A. 4862A/S.3845) proposed by Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo earlier this year and included in the budget deal reached with the Governor and the Legislature (A3008D). The proposal, set to become state law, will begin the process of including microgrids in emergency planning to protect vital infrastructure with an eventual full roll-out of the technology when recommendations required by the proposal are funded and implemented.

According to Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo, member of the Assembly Standing Committee on Energy, “Had New York State constructed microgrids to protect hospitals, first responder headquarters such as police and fire stations, emergency shelters, schools, water filtration plants, sewage treatment plants and other infrastructure, the extent of the damage caused by Super Storm Sandy would have been tremendously mitigated.”

He added, “In New York, hospitals, police stations, fire stations, sewage and water filtration plants all lost power rendering inoperable critical health and public safety infrastructure. This loss of power threatened the lives of hospital patients and elderly and harmed our environment when tons of untreated toxic waste was released into waterways and neighborhoods.”

Microgrids are a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources within clearly defined electrical boundaries that act as a single controllable entity with respect to the grid. They can connect and disconnect from the grid to enable them to operate in both grid-connected or island-mode.

The proposal, which will be adopted as part of the State’s 2013-14 budget, was strongly supported by Senator Malcolm A. Smith, Co-Chair of the Bi-Partisan Task Force on Hurricane Sandy Recovery. Specifically, the proposal requires the Department of Public Service and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to collaborate with NYSERDA and report, by April 1, 2014, on how to implement and fund microgrid technologies to protect vital public health and safety infrastructure.

Crespo said, “The extent of severe damage caused by recent storms demonstrates the tremendous benefits of having microgrids in place to protect critical public health and safety infrastructure.” He added, “It is very clear that microgrids are needed in order to fully protect the expensive and extensive public safety and health infrastructure New York has developed.”

“In addition, microgrid technology can serve to save lives by not only protecting the communication systems of first responders but also by protecting the electrical needs of hospitals and nursing homes where patients are connected to life-saving electrical equipment.”

He added, “News accounts documented the life-threatening loss of power to hospitals, nursing homes and residences for the disabled. Infirmed and fragile elderly had to be moved to higher floors and evacuated without access to elevators and life-sustaining electric equipment. Some 4000 nursing home patients needed the help of 1,500 the National Guard to evacuate facilities where power was lost.  My proposal will help prevent such chaos in the future.”

“New York State has started spending $10 billion of the $33 billion in Super Storm Sandy federal disaster relief on repairing the damage to electric circuits and the power grid. But soon loss of power and damage to critical public health and safety infrastructure will be prevented. I am excited that my proposal will be acted upon and New York will take the next steps to prevent the widespread loss of power and damage to critical infrastructure we have witnessed,” declared Crespo.

Immigrant Assistance Service Enforcement Act

Speaker Sheldon Silver and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo announced today the passage of legislation to implement the Immigrant Assistance Service Enforcement Act (A.4887A).

·         The bill would require organizations assisting immigrants to register with and be certified by the Department of State.

·         This bill would increase civil penalty from not more than $7,000 to not more than $10,000 dollars, for violations of this article.

·         No immigration service shall be provided unless such provider is registered with the Department of State.

“For many immigrants, naturalization in the United States is a lifelong dream. However, the process can be arduous,” said Silver. “Immigration assistance is an essential resource. We must ensure that those on this path have access to competent, skilled service providers who can help navigate this complicated process,” said Speaker Silver.

“Acclimating to a new environment is extremely challenging. And individuals trying to follow the precise application process for citizenship face added pressures. The Immigrant Assistance Service Enforcement Act will protect those seeking citizenship from unnecessary missteps in the application process by guaranteeing the qualifications of providers,” said Crespo.

The application process for citizenship is complex. Serious consequences can occur if related laws, rules and procedures are not followed. As a result of this legislation, individuals seeking assistance can be certain that the assistance they receive is from a qualified provider.

 

This is being sponsored in the State Senate by Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. and is Senate bill S-94-8 which is currently in committee.

 

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Assemblyman Marcos Crespo Letter To 

NYS DOT Commissioner McDonald

Re: Bronx River Parkway Accident 

And Response by Commissioner McDonald

May 1, 2012

Joan McDonald

NYS Department of Transportation

50 Wolf Road

Albany, NY 12232

 Dear Commissioner McDonald,

I am writing to officially join Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and many of my colleagues in the Assembly and Senate in calling for an expeditious and thorough investigation and review of the safety conditions of our city and state roadways, particularly the sections of the Bronx River Parkway where the most recent and tragic accident took place last weekend.

I have lent my support to the Rodriguez family, who reside in my Assembly District, as they mourn their loved ones and seek assistance from the public for the tremendous cost of properly burying their deceased family members. Additionally, as their State Assemblyman, I see a greater responsibility on my part to assist in any effort we can undertake as State officials to review the circumstances that led to this and other accidents on the Bronx River Parkway, to consider more appropriate safety measures along our roads, especially in sections which are adjacent to steep drops, and the immediate installation of any additional safety measures.

Hopefully, we can take action in our State and help prevent another tragedy like the one that occurred last weekend.  As we begin this effort to study the safety conditions of the Bronx River Parkway, I expect that we will further this effort throughout our State roads and transportation infrastructure.

As a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee, I respectfully urge your consideration of this request and I look forward to working closely with your office in this effort.

Respectfully,

Marcos A. Crespo

85^th Assembly District

__________________________________________

STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER JOAN MCDONALD ON THE BRONX RIVER PARKWAY

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald said today: “The New York State Department of Transportation shares community concerns about the safety of the Bronx River Parkway in the wake of the tragic crash that claimed the lives of seven family members on April 29.

“Since Sunday’s accident, we have been working on interim actions that will be implemented on the parkway beginning this morning.

“For the viaduct over the Bronx Zoo, as well as two other similarly constructed viaducts south that cross over East Tremont Avenue and Amtrak respectively, NYSDOT will install concrete barriers along the outside (right hand) travel lane so that these barriers will abut the viaduct curbing on both the north and southbound lanes. 

“Beginning today, NYSDOT crews will be installing signage and will be striping the approaches and decking of the three BRP viaducts in question.

“During the installation of the barriers on each of these viaducts, motorists will be informed that they will be traveling through a construction zone, which will limit their legal speed to 35 mph.

“We are working cooperatively with the New York Police Department on enhanced enforcement activities in the area to help raise driver awareness and reduce travel speeds.”

Assemblyman Marcos Crespo said:  “As a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee, I am proud and grateful for the expeditious response from the State Department of Transportation.  We are paying our respects in part through this timely effort to improve safety measures along the Bronx River Parkway as we continue to mourn the tremendous loss of three generations.”

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said: "I am grateful that the State Department of Transportation has heard our calls for safety improvements on the Bronx River Parkway. We must do everything we can to avoid a similar tragedy in the future, and this announcement is an important first step towards the goal of an improved Bronx River Parkway that is safer for drivers and the community alike. I thank the State Department of Transportation for moving quickly to address these issues, and I look forward to assisting them in the implementation of these improvements in the future.”

Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera (in whose district the accident occurred) said:  “I'm extremely pleased that the State Department of Transportation has responded swiftly and in a meaningful way to the calls for new safety measures on the Bronx River Parkway. Drivers on the parkway will immediately be safer as a result of the State DOT's actions today. 

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I HOP Ribbon Cutting

  Mr. Dominick Broccoli opened his third Bronx I HOP Restaurant at 1001 White Plains Road at the corner of Bruckner Blvd. He already owns I HOP restaurants located on E174th Street, and on Allerton Avenue in the Bronx, both recently opened within the past few years. There is seating for 220 customers at the new White Plains Road I HOP, with friendly servers, and reasonable prices. At the official ribbon Cutting ceremony to help Mr. Broccoli were State Senators Ruben Diaz Sr. and Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Community Board # 9 chairman Al Hayward, District Manager Francisco Gonzalez (with several other CB 9 members), and Community Leader Luis Sepulveda as pictured below.

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