Governor Hochul Announces Hurricane Ida Recovery Action Plan To Assist New Yorkers Impacted by Deadly Storm

 

Comes One Year After Hurricane Ida Made Landfall in New York

Public Comment Period Now Open for Recovery Grants to Enhance Resiliency

Hearings To Be Held on September 8 and September 13

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the release of the proposed Action Plan by the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery to recover from Hurricane Ida, which struck one year ago, and to strengthen the resiliency of communities in future storm events. The proposed plan includes $41.2 million in federal funding to support initiatives that will help residents adapt to the effects of climate change while prioritizing historically underserved communities.

"As New Yorkers continue to recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, we remain fully committed to rebuilding our infrastructure, especially in our most vulnerable communities," Governor Hochul said. "Our Action Plan will prioritize funding for housing, businesses, and other key programs in the most impacted and distressed areas - helping ensure all New Yorkers are lifted up as we recover. As we deal with the effects of climate change, we will continue to do everything we can to help New Yorkers and their communities recover following extreme weather events."

The Governor also announced that the State will be collecting public input on a variety of proposed programs that will remediate Ida-related damage to residential homes, improve resiliency to reduce risk of future flood damage, and to focus on recovery in low- to moderate-income communities. New Yorkers are invited to provide feedback on the plan here by September 28, by attending the in-person public hearing on September 8 at 6:30pm at New Rochelle City Hall, or the virtual hearing on September 13 at 6:30pm (click here for virtual hearing info).

On September 1, 2021, Hurricane Ida flooded homes and roads, causing $7.5 billion in damages and killing 17 New Yorkers. FEMA identified flood damage to 11,000 homes. Earlier this spring, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced an allocation of $3 billion in CDBG-DR funds to help communities equitably recover from disasters, including Hurricane Ida, and build resilience to climate change. GOSR was allocated $41.2 million to support today's proposed programs.

Following the public comment period that is open from now through September 28, GOSR may update the Action Plan based on feedback from the comments and hearings. Any updates will be available here. Informed by GOSR's grassroots, neighborhood-driven process that was used to plan projects following Superstorm Sandy, the agency will then work with local communities, elected officials, and stakeholders to formalize project plans and implement construction.

Governor's Office of Storm Recovery Executive Director Katie Brennan said, "Hurricane Ida was a stark reminder that the next weather emergency is not a matter of if, but when. Our Action Plan will help New Yorkers rebuild and take measures to keep themselves safe in the future."

The proposed Action Plan reflects months of outreach to local officials, community leaders, non-profits, public housing authorities, and other government agencies. GOSR determined that housing recovery represented the largest unmet need in the communities impacted by Ida. The agency then prepared a risk assessment to identify the greatest mitigation needs in the disaster area. Water and flooding were found to pose the most significant risk and therefore reducing flood impacts would have the greatest impact to security and resiliency.

The agency used the Social Vulnerability Index to measure vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters. This research showed that the communities that sustained the most damage were those that could least afford to recover and had historically been underprioritized during disaster recovery in the past, such as individuals with limited English proficiency and low-to moderate-income residents.

As a result, GOSR will make grant funding available to a variety of long-term recovery and resiliency programs targeting renters, homeowners, and owners and operators of affordable housing with a focus on low- to moderate-income residents. Programs will be open to counties outside New York City with a presidential disaster declaration for individual assistance, including Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties. New York City received its own allocation of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding from HUD.

Proposed grant programs include:

Renters Resilient Housing

This program would encourage renters to relocate from storm-damaged homes while remaining in their existing communities by providing financial support for tenants to secure new safe and stable housing. It would also provide assistance to improve homes' resiliency to mitigate future flood risk.

Housing Recovery and Reimbursement

This program would invest in storm damage repairs to residential homes and/or reimbursement for completed repairs. It would also implement resiliency measures including elevating mechanicals, electrical and plumbing mitigation, flood vents, and backflow valves.

Affordable Housing Resiliency

This program would invest in flood mitigation measures and resiliency improvements in multi-family public and affordable housing complexes, as well as expanding affordable housing where feasible. Projects would include floodproofing buildings, emergency generators, water retention systems, and drainage improvements.

Resilient Investments

This program would invest in local governments to better leverage additional funding opportunities for mitigation and infrastructure resiliency improvements. It would also support the creation of emergency plans and studies to help communities be better equipped to withstand future events.

About the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery

Established in June 2013, GOSR coordinates statewide recovery efforts for Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene, and Tropical Storm Lee. GOSR is more recently also coordinating recovery and resiliency efforts for Hurricane Ida.

Through Housing Recovery, Small Business, Community Reconstruction, Infrastructure, National Disaster Resilience, and Rebuild by Design programs, GOSR invests $4.5 billion in federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funding to better prepare New York for extreme weather events. GOSR is also leveraging Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds to implement resiliency initiatives including its Mount Vernon Healthy Homes pilot program to repair homes impacted by the city's sewer crisis. More information about GOSR and its programs is available at http://stormrecovery.ny.gov/.

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF ‘A SAFE WAY FORWARD,’ WHICH PROVIDES SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS WELL AS THE PERSON CAUSING HARM

 

A New Evaluation Suggests Positive Outcomes for Both Survivors & Persons Causing Harm, Who Each Simultaneously Receive Services Through This Program

 

Safe Horizon, Children’s Aid & MercyFirst Have Been Awarded Contracts to Provide this Service in Staten Island, the Bronx and – For the First Time – in Brooklyn

The New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) today announced the expansion of “A Safe Way Forward,” a prevention services program that provides support to survivors of domestic violence/intimate partner violence, the persons causing harm and their children. A new evaluation documents positive outcomes among the program’s participants. For example, survivors described increased self-esteem and increased confidence in their ability to execute a safety plan and make decisions that would keep their family safe. More than half of the persons causing harm said that the people around them had noticed a positive change in their behavior since they began participating in the program.

 

Previously, “A Safe Way Forward” was a demonstration project offered to families in the Bronx and Staten Island. Given the positive outcomes, ACS is now contracting with three providers. As part of today’s announcement, ACS will expand the program to also serve families in Brooklyn.  The following providers have been awarded new contracts to provide these services: Safe Horizon (Staten Island), Children’s Aid Society (the Bronx) and MercyFirst (Brooklyn). 

 

“In our mission to protect children and support families, ACS and our partners are working to address the root causes of family violence while we help survivors and children stay safe.  That’s why ‘A Safe Way Forward’ provides services to survivors of intimate partner violence and the children in the household, including information about how to make an effective safety plan, as well as interventions for the persons causing harm so that they can work towards changing their behavior and end the cycle of violence,” said Commissioner Jess Dannhauser. “I’m pleased by the results of our recent evaluation, which suggests that “A Safe Way Forward” is having a positive impact on families affected by intimate partner violence, and I look forward to expanding the program to three boroughs: Staten Island, the Bronx and now, Brooklyn.”

“Today’s announcement of the expansion of A Safe Way Forward demonstrates the administration’s ongoing commitment to supporting the whole person and whole family,”  said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom . “Thank you to ACS, to all our provider partners, and to every person served by these programs for reaching out for support.  We look forward to having these services be more available across NYC.”

 "We applaud the expansion of NYC Administration for Children’s Services 'A Safe Way Forward’ program," said Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Commissioner Cecile Noel. "This innovative program provides survivors, their children, and persons causing harm with service options and social supports to create positive outcomes for the entire family. We look forward to our continued collaboration with ACS to support survivors in their communities while also identifying, preventing, and changing the harmful behavior that can perpetuate domestic violence.”

 

“We know that domestic violence and child abuse frequently co-occur.  Safe Way Forward offers an innovative and holistic response to families in which domestic violence presents serious risks to children.  In this model, we provide trauma-focused care to the whole family, including the person who has caused harm, while maintaining an unwavering focus on safety for both adult survivors and children.  ‘A Safe Way Forward’ responds to longstanding gaps in care for families affected by domestic violence, and we welcome this expansion,” said Liz Roberts, Safe Horizon CEO. “We are proud to be a partner and service provider for this important program.”  

 

“We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity to further develop the Safe Way Forward programming and continue to provide services specifically designed for families affected by intimate partner violence. We’ve learned how important it is to provide comprehensive case planning and therapeutic IPV intervention services to the whole family – the children, survivor parent, and the person causing harm parent. The unique and specialized approach to engage each family member has shown to support our efforts to increase safety to children and their parents and the stability in the home, to heal from the trauma of abuse, and to repair and strengthen the parent – child relationship. Our partnership with ACS has been invaluable and incredibly supportive throughout the process of program development and implementation. We look forward to continue our collaboration to further strengthen the SWF programming to families residing in the Bronx,” said Nazy Kaffashan, Director of Intimate Partner Violence Prevention and Intervention Services, at Children’s Aid.

 

“MercyFirst is honored to partner with ACS to help expand this critical and innovative program in New York City,” said Renée Skolaski, President & CEO of MercyFirst.  “As a child welfare agency that has been working to strengthen Brooklyn families for over 128 years, we are committed to serving families experiencing intimate partner violence so that we can help break the cycle of abuse and trauma, support and rebuild strong and healthy families, and create positive outcomes for the children impacted.”

 

ACS provides prevention services to help support families in building skills to manage crises, maintain safety and stability within the home, and strengthen their ability to thrive within their community. With the help of a network of over 45 community-based providers, administering over 135 programs, more than 15,000 families each year receive supports like family therapy, mental health counseling, substance misuse treatment, and domestic/intimate partner violence interventions, as well as help accessing concrete supports, including food, diapers, cribs, benefits and housing supports. ACS’s nationally recognized continuum of prevention services have safely reduced the utilization of foster care. There were nearly 50,000 New York City children in foster care 25 years ago, and 17,000 just a decade ago. Today, there are fewer than 7,200 New York City children in foster care – a historic low.

 

In 2019, ACS launched “A Safe Way Forward,” a prevention services program offered to families in the Bronx and Staten Island impacted by intimate partner violence, specifically families receiving court-ordered supervision. The program was informed by 12 months of exhaustive research including interviews with over 100 national experts and close collaboration with the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. The innovative program uniquely works with the entire family system, offering separate and simultaneous trauma-informed case planning and research-informed therapeutic services to the survivor, child(ren), and person causing harm. ACS says that, when safe to do so, involving the person causing harm in these services can provide the individual with the opportunity to learn more about their triggers and how their behavior is impacting the family. For instance, exposure to intimate partner violence has a profound negative impact on children’s social and emotional development. The goal of the program is to promote behavior change to protect the safety of the survivor and children, and to interrupt the intergenerational impact intimate partner violence can have on families.

 

A new evaluation of the program, conducted by Westat, highlights positive outcomes for its participants. According to the evaluation, participants expressed a high level of satisfaction with the program. In fact, more than half of survivors and persons causing harm felt they had made progress in improving their emotional self-regulation and communication skills, keys to moving forward with healthy and safe relationships. When asked how the program was helping them to make progress toward their goals, both survivors and persons causing harm said that, in addition to concrete assistance and clinical work, staff helped them by listening, being understanding, offering suggestions and advice, and just being there.

 

Highlights from the evaluation can be found below. To read the full evaluation click here.

 

Outcomes among survivors served by the program:

• Nearly all survivors expressed confidence in their ability to make good safety decisions, and several spoke of learning to recognize the signs of emotional and physical abuse during their services.
• Survivors described increased self-esteem and self-confidence, a greater understanding of the dynamics of intimate partner violence, and furthering their own life goals and family goals.
• One survivor said, “I’ve learned how to manage being a single mother with two boys that were very attached to their dad and it’s hard for them to just wake up one day and he’s not over there because of certain situations. I think I’ve been doing good. I’ve been trying my best.”
• Another survivor said, “Everything that I went through, I learned from it. And with their [A Safe Way Forward’s] help, I am 10 times stronger.”
• Approximately a third of the survivors interviewed said they were working on improving their relationship with their partners and were making progress due to both partners learning better communication and emotional self-regulation through “A Safe Way Forward.”
• Referring to the program, one survivor said: “I have always said that I don’t know what would have become of me if they hadn’t helped me. So, I would recommend them and I would say that what helped us the most was that they provided us with counseling, which was what helped us the most to get ahead. So, I think their objective is that the families do not feel alone, that despite what they went through there are more people who can look out for them.”

 

Outcomes among persons causing harm served by the program:

• Persons causing harm said they learned strategies for keeping their families safe by controlling their own negative emotions and attitudes that lead to violence and abusive behavior. Most persons causing harm said they had used these techniques in their daily lives, and found them useful in controlling their emotions and improving the quality of their parenting.
• More than half of persons causing harm said that the people around them had noticed a positive change in their behavior since they started services.
• Persons causing harm reported an increased ability to recognize emotional triggers and ask for help when they needed it.
• One person causing harm said, “They helped me learn my triggers…so it’s kind of easy. It seems hard in the beginning, but when you believe in it, it’s not hard at all. And it’s mostly who you surround yourself with.”
• Another person causing harm said, “Yes there are times that we’ve had words and when I see that the situation is becoming too much, I just say ‘okay’ and I turn around and go to the sink, wash my hands, take a breath and then go back.”
• Referring to the program, one person causing harm said: “I would recommend it to anybody that needs it. It has helped me a lot. Like I said, in the communication skills towards my kids and my family, friends, and understanding more about other people’s emotions.”
• Another person causing harm said, “[Two Safe Way Forward staff have] been like a brother and sister to me, because…we’ve had so many emotional conversations that I feel like these people…I can actually call them part of my family because they’ve been there, and they haven’t…thrown me to the side. They never said to me that, “You’re the fault of this or this is the reason why things are going wrong.” They never made me feel like I was small. They always made me feel like there was something better that you can do and you can improve instead of just saying, “Well, you know what? You just failed…” or something like that.”

161st Street Business Improvement District - See You At Our Lunchtime Concert Series Featuring Morrisania Band Project

 

Our lunchtime concert series continues tomorrow with Morrisania Band Project at Joyce Kilmer Park (955 Walton Avenue). Join us at Noon!

Dominick Schiano Way

 

Dominick Schiano Way

By Robert Press

It was a very warm Saturday afternoon as family, friends, and many other people who knew Mr. Dominick Schiano came to honor him with the street co-naming of Bronx Park East and Reiss Place in his name. 

Dominick Schiano passed away from COVID on December 28, 2020 at the age of seventy-two. After working on Wall Street most of his life, Dominick became a member of Bronx Community Board 11 in 2011 resigning in November 2020. During his tenure on CB 11 he was the Chair of the Public Safety Committee, Chair of the Economic Development Committee, and Second Vice-Chair of the board. Dominick was also a board member of the 2044 Bronx Park East Owners Corporation. 

Councilwoman Marjorie Velazquez sponsored the street co-naming in the city council, with many community leaders from all parts of the community board placing their requests for the street co-naming. In addition to the councilwoman, two former chairs of CB 11 spoke Mr. Al D'Angelo and Mr. Anthony Vitale, praising Mr. Schiano's work on the community board and in his neighborhood. One mentioned that Dominick was always trying to get trees planted on Bronx Park East, and an empty tree pit lies below the new street sign Dominick Schiano Way. 

Councilwoman Marjorie Velazquez points to the new street sign Dominick Schiano Way during her speech that is to be uncovered. 

Above - Former Community Board 11 Chairman Anthony Vitale spoke of the dedication of his good friend Dominick Schiano.

Below - Former Community Board 11 Chair Al D'Angelo also spoke of the dedication of his good friend Dominick Schiano.

Former Community Board 11 Land Use Committee Chair Joseph McManus also spoke about his good friend Dominick Schiano.

Former Bronx Parks Commissioner now NYC Deputy Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez spoke of her constant communication with Dominick Schiano about the lack of trees on Bronx Park East and other streets. 

There were several other speakers with Dominick's daughter Lisa speaking for the family. She mentioned the forty-six years Dominick spent in the Bronx Park East neighborhood, him being a role model for her and everyone else, he always gave it one-hundred percent when he did something, he was honest in his feelings, and that it easy to remember him, but hard to forget that he is not here anymore.

As the family was getting ready to uncover Dominick Schiano Way several balloons were let go to fly up to the heavens. 

The new Dominick Schiano Way street sign is uncovered.

The family is given a second street sign as a momento.

NIDC Bookbag and Supplies Giveaway

Neighborhood Initiatives Development Corp., District Leader Remy Salas, and Stanick Law handed out two-hundred bookbags with needed school supplies inside at PS 96 in the Bronx Park East section of the Bronx on Saturday. 

There were about another fifty parents on line when the supply of bookbags ran out and District Leader Salas took down names and emails to let the parents know when he was going to have more. He said he will be doing another bookbag giveaway at PS/MS 98 before school starts. 

(L - R) Lean Stanick, Remy Salas, and the NIDC crew, with some of the 200 bookbags on the table in front of them. 

An NIDC staffer shows some of the school supplies packed inside the bookbags.

Parents signed in with the number of children they had with them.

The children then picked out the color bookbag they wanted.

These children show off the bookbags they chose.

It was a long line of parents and children. more than there were bookbags to give out. 

The bookbags that didn't fit on the table were soon put out, as all two-hundred were gone in thirty minutes. 

HPD Pursues Climate Resilient, Affordable Housing Project At 351 Powers Avenue In The South Bronx

 

New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) has announced a request for proposals to construct a climate resilient, 100 percent affordable housing complex at 351 Powers Avenue in the South Bronx. Located between East 141st Street and East 143rd Street in the Mott Haven neighborhood, the site is an undeveloped, city-owned lot totaling approximately 17,400 square feet.

When complete, the project is expected to yield approximately 80 new affordable homes. Submissions for design and construction will be expected to address the extreme heat of the area. According to HPD, the South Bronx is one of several New York City communities vulnerable to extremely high temperatures and expected to increase due to climate change.

“The science is clear – New York City’s affordable housing stock must be built to withstand increasingly high temperatures and rising sea levels, particularly in parts of the city that are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,” said HPD commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. “We look forward to reviewing proposals for the 351 Powers Avenue site that are designed with the city’s future and the residents’ well-being in mind.”

A pre-submission conference will be held on September 13. The call for submissions will close on November 18, 2022.

BP GIBSON HOSTED JAMAICAN FLAG-RAISING CEREMONY TO COMMEMORATE 60 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

 

Bronx Borough President Gibson joined Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, Assembly Member Chantel Jackson, Council Member Althea Stevens, Mistress of Ceremonies, WCBS-TV Reporter Alecia Reid, and others to host an inaugural Jamaican flag-raising ceremony to commemorate 60 years of Jamaica`s independence. With an estimated 308,000 Jamaicans living in New York City, which is the largest nationwide according to the U.S. Census Bureau (2019), the Bronx represents a significant number of them who live in the Wakefield, Edenwald, Williamsbridge, and Baychester sections of the Borough.

“This is a celebration to acknowledge the history and heritage of Jamaican-Americans living in New York City and the Bronx. With so many other countries represented here in our Borough, hosting this flag-raising ceremony is an opportunity to amplify the culture, heritage, and countless contributions made by Bronx-based Jamaican-Americans each day,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson.

Attorney General James Announces 296 Guns Turned in at Utica Gun Buyback

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that 296 firearms, including 177 ghost guns, were turned in to law enforcement at a gun buyback event hosted by her office and the Utica Police Department. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) accepts — with no questions asked — working and non-working, unloaded firearms in exchange for compensation on site. Yesterday’s event is a part of Attorney General James’ ongoing efforts to combat gun violence and protect New Yorkers throughout the state. To date, Attorney General James has taken more than 3,300 firearms out of communities through gun buyback events and other initiatives since taking office in 2019.

“Gun violence is a scourge that devastates neighborhoods and endangers New York families,” said Attorney General James. “Gun buybacks, such as the one we hosted yesterday, are one of the many ways I am working to combat this crisis, reduce crime, and protect New Yorkers from harm. Every gun that was turned in is a potential tragedy prevented and a potential life saved, and I thank the Utica Police Department for their invaluable support and collaboration.”

Yesterday’s community gun buyback resulted in the collection of 296 guns, including 177 ghost guns, 42 long guns, 41 handguns, 33 non-working guns, and 3 assault rifles. Since 2013, OAG has hosted gun buyback events throughout New York state and has successfully collected more than 5,300 firearms. To date, Attorney General James has helped remove more than 3,300 guns out of communities since 2019.

In exchange for the firearms, OAG offered monetary compensation, in the form of prepaid gift cards, when an unloaded gun was received and secured by an officer on site.