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Saturday, June 15, 2019
REMINDER! Bronx Metro-North Hunts Point Interactive Public Workshop
Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez - Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Announcement
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Dear Friend and Neighbor,
Yesterday, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council announced the $92.8 billion budget deal agreement for fiscal year 2020. This deal will ensure all New Yorkers receive the support and opportunities they need to strive in the great city of New York!
These are some of the takeaways for NYC's 2020 budget:
- $194 million for 800 new affordable apartments for our seniors!
- $30 million 285 additional social workers in our schools, with many of them going to the most needing and undeserved communities, 115 of which will be assisting students living in temporary housing
- $6 million to restore health programs focused on the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, maternal health, immigrant health and more
- $33 million for additional operating hours and staffing for libraries
- $57 million for accessible pedestrian signals at intersections
- $250 million more into our city reserve account
- $8.6 million for additional litter basket pick up city-wide, in busy intersections
- $250K for the New York Abortion Access Fund making New York City the first in the U.S to directly fund abortions
- $43 million increase in funding for our city parks
I will continue to work alongside my colleagues, Speaker Corey Johnson, and the Mayor to ensure that all New Yorkers continue to receive the support they need!
Sincerely,
Ydanis
Engel Marks 7 Year Anniversary of DACA Program
Congressman Eliot Engel, a top member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, joins the estimated 800,000 DREAMers today recognizing the seven-year anniversary of President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA has provided protected status and work authorization to hundreds of thousands hardworking young DREAMers brought to this country as children by their parents. The program was rescinded by President Trump 2 years ago, but House Democrats have passed legislation, H.R. 6 the “American Dream and Promise Act,” which would provide a pathway to citizenship to DREAMers in addition to Temporary Protective Status (TPS) recipients, and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders.
“President Obama understood that many immigrant children were brought to our country by no fault of their own and needed to be protected,” said Engel. “I was happy to help pass the American Dream and Promise Act last month, which would provide a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers as well as TPS and DED recipients. Despite President Trump’s attempts to rescind DACA two years ago, court injunctions have kept the worst of that decision from coming to pass.
“While in the Majority, the GOP tried tying DACA renewal to funding for the President’s ridiculous border wall, something I voted against no less than 5 times. But now, under the new Democratic House Majority, we have passed a permanent fix for our DREAMers, and currently, DACA recipients can still renew their status without delay. I encourage all previous DACA recipients to do so as soon as possible in order to uphold their protected status until further legislation has been passed. For more information on how to renew your DACA status, please contact any one of my offices.”
Bronx Office
3655 Johnson Avenue
Bronx, NY 10463
Phone: (718) 796-9700
Fax: (718) 796-5134
Monday-Friday 9 am - 5 pm
Westchester Office
6 Gramatan Avenue; Suite 205
Mt. Vernon, NY 10550
Phone: (914) 699-4100
Fax: (914) 699-3646
Monday-Friday 9 am - 5 pm
Co-op City Office
177 Dreiser Loop, Rm 3
Phone: (718) 320-2314
Fax: (718) 320-2047
Monday-Friday 9 am - 5 pm
Friday, June 14, 2019
FIVE MEN FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER IN STABBING OF LESANDRO “JUNIOR” GUZMAN-FELIZ
DARCEL D. CLARK
DISTRICT ATTORNEY, BRONX COUNTY
Today a jury has found five defendants, Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, Antonio Rodriguez
Hernandez Santiago, Manuel Rivera, Jose Muniz and Elvin Garcia, guilty of first-degree Murder,
second-degree Murder, second-degree Conspiracy and second-degree Gang Assault in the death of
Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, 15, on June 20, 2018.
The defendants will be sentenced on July 16, 2019.
Statement from Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on the Signing of Rent Law Legislation
"At the beginning of this legislative session, I called for the most sweeping, aggressive tenant protections in state history. I'm confident the measure passed today is the strongest possible set of reforms that the Legislature was able to pass and are a major step forward for tenants across New York.
"As the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Clinton, I know full well the importance of affordable housing and with the existing rent laws set to expire tomorrow, I have immediately signed this bill into law - avoiding the chaos and uncertainty that a lapse in these protections would have caused for millions of New Yorkers.
"This year we have passed more impactful progressive legislation than any time in modern political history, but as we enter the last week of session, we must not rest on our laurels. We must pass the unfinished items on our agenda and continue the work that the people of this great state sent us here to do."
Attorney General James Announces More Than $2.5 Million In Debt Relief For New York Itt Tech Students
Multistate settlement delivers justice for students in 43 states and DC
Credit Reports for all students affected will be repaired
New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that her office obtained an agreement to provide $2.58 million in debt relief to 288 former ITT Tech (“ITT”) students in New York as part of a settlement with 44 State Attorneys General. The agreement was made with Student CU Connect CUSO, LLC (“CUSO”), which was created for the sole purpose of providing private student loans to students at ITT — the now defunct for-profit college.
“Instead of helping students further their education, CUSO and ITT targeted, exploited, and bullied young people into taking predatory loans that would have lasting impacts on their lives,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “This settlement will ensure these students are not saddled with a lifetime of debt and bad credit, providing relief to hundreds of low-income New Yorkers.”
The investigation revealed that ITT — with CUSO’s knowledge — targeted low-income students and specifically offered them a “temporary credit” upon enrollment to cover the gap between the maximum amount of federal student aid available and the full cost of attending ITT. However, unlike typical financial aid or student loans offered by most colleges and universities, this “temporary credit” was due to be repaid before the student’s next academic year. Both ITT and CUSO knew or could easily deduce that most students would not be able to repay these “temporary credits” when due, and, instead of giving students time to pay off the credits, ITT pressured students into accepting loans from CUSO. Some of the high-pressure tactics ITT used included pulling students out of class and threatening to expel them if they did not accept the CUSO loans. Many students were forced to choose between taking unwanted loans from CUSO and dropping out of school.
CUSO then specifically preyed upon these students, many of whom could not pay off their loans and who would likely default on them. More than 90-percent of students defaulted on their loans, and those defaults — which have generally not been dischargeable in bankruptcy — continue to affect students’ credit ratings today.
Under the settlement, CUSO has agreed to forego collection of the students’ outstanding loans and will cease to do business. CUSO’s loan servicer will send notices to borrowers about the cancelled debt within 30 days and will ensure that automatic payments are cancelled. The settlement also requires CUSO to provide updated information to Credit Reporting Agencies for affected borrowers — effectively deleting the loans from the students’ credit reports — so that any students’ credit affected by defaulted loans to CUSO are repaired and restored to their previous states.
The investigation was conducted in conjunction with 44 State Attorneys General across the nation, and its subsequent settlement will result in debt relief of more than $168 million for over 18,000 former ITT students, who took out loans between March 2009 and December 2011. The agreement is contingent upon federal court approval of a related settlement between CUSO and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Students with questions about the settlement can contact the New York State Attorney General’s Office at 1-800-771-7755.
ITT filed for bankruptcy in 2016, and had 149 campuses across the country. The three ITT campuses in New York were in Albany, Liverpool, and Getzville.
SENATOR RIVERA CELEBRATES THE PASSAGE OF HISTORIC MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN RENT LAWS AND PROTECT NEW YORK STATE TENANTS
Today, State Senator Gustavo Rivera, along with members of the Senate Majority Conference, proudly voted for bill S.6458. After the historic vote, Senator Rivera released the following statement regarding the landmark piece of legislation that will implement a series of long-awaited reforms to strengthen New York's rent laws and provide adequate protections to tenants across our State.
"For a long time, tenants in rent-regulated apartments have faced extraordinary challenges due to the greed of unscrupulous landlords who have held an unfair amount of power over them. They have had to fight against poorly maintained and dilapidated units, unfair overcharges, unwarranted eviction notices, and sudden and inexplicable rent hikes. New Yorkers, especially those in working-class neighborhoods such as the ones I represent, have felt the brunt of these injustices.
My district has the second highest number of rent-regulated units in the state. Unaffordable and perilous housing is, without a doubt, the number one issue affecting my constituents. In fact, since my election in 2010, thousands of them have visited my district office desperate to find solutions to their housing-related problems, only to find that the law was working against them. I am incredibly proud that we have finally passed pro-tenant, affordable housing legislation that truly protects New Yorkers and helps them stay in their homes.
These reforms are the result of the diligence of thousands of brave, unrelenting tenant advocacy groups, including Bronx organizations such as CASA New Settlement and Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition. I sincerely thank them for their efforts and support. This is truly a win for the residents of the 33rd Senate District and tenants across New York State."
These reforms are the result of the diligence of thousands of brave, unrelenting tenant advocacy groups, including Bronx organizations such as CASA New Settlement and Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition. I sincerely thank them for their efforts and support. This is truly a win for the residents of the 33rd Senate District and tenants across New York State."
Highlights included in the historic affordable housing, pro-tenant bill:
- Extends rent regulations laws and makes them permanent
- Repeals high rent vacancy deregulation and high income deregulation
- Repeals of the vacancy bonus and longevity bonus
- Makes preferential rents the base rent for lease renewal increases
- Extends rent overcharge four-year look-back period to six years
- Reforms rent increases for Major Capital Improvements (MCIs)
- Reforms rent increases for Individual Apartment Improvements (IAIs)
- Prohibits rent guidelines board from setting class-specific renewal increases
- Establishes stronger housing security and tenant protections
MAYOR DE BLASIO AND SPEAKER JOHNSON REACH EARLY HANDSHAKE AGREEMENT FOR A BALANCED FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET
Mayor Bill de Blasio, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Council Finance Chair Daniel Dromm and members of the City Council today announced an agreement for an on-time and balanced City budget for Fiscal Year 2020. The budget protects the City’s fiscal health by maintaining record levels of reserves and a robust Citywide Savings Program.
The agreement on the approximately $92.8 billion budget includes funding to place 200 additional social workers in public schools, including specialists working within Thrive who will help students experiencing crisis and mental health issues. Further, the City is expanding its commitment to Senior Housing by adding $275 million over Fiscal Years 2020 through 2023. These resources will help generate an additional 800 affordable senior homes. This will raise the total City commitment for newly constructed senior housing to $687 million from now to the end of the housing plan.
“The Fiscal Year 2020 Adopted Budget creates greater fairness for all New Yorkers. We’ve reached an agreement that promises to create a pathway to pay parity for our early childhood education providers to address recruitment and retention issues, expands services that prevent unnecessary detention and fights the widespread national attack on access to abortion care,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We’re also strengthening our support services in schools by providing over 200 social workers for students who need them most, fulfilling our commitment to senior affordable housing and putting our new expanded speed camera program into action. We’re accomplishing all of this while protecting the City’s fiscal health by increasing savings and adding $250 million to our already historic levels of budget reserves. I want to thank Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Finance Chair Daniel Dromm and the rest of the City Council for their partnership.”
As part of the budget agreement, the City is making a commitment to work with early childcare providers and their labor unions to create a pathway to pay parity to address recruitment and retention issues through collective bargaining. Similarly, in recognition of critical role legal defense attorneys play in the justice system, the City will continue conversations with providers to address compensation, recruitment and retention.
The Administration and the City Council have jointly funded justice reform initiatives that address historic disparities in the justice system. This includes an expansion of criminal justice related diversion programs, such as post-arrest diversion, supervised release and transitional housing.
In order to make sure that every New Yorker is counted in the 2020 Census and the city gets its fair share, theAdministration has deepened its investment in outreach staff and public awareness campaigns.
The FY20 Adopted Budget also maintains $1.15 billion in General Reserve, an increase of $150 million, $4.57 billion in Retiree Health Benefits Trust Fund, an increase of $100 million, and $250 million in the Capital Stabilization Reserve.
As part of the City’s aggressive savings program, the Adopted Budget includes over $300 million in new savings, on top of the $2.5 billion achieved in the Citywide Savings Program over Fiscal Years 2019 and 2020 since last Adoption. These savings were, in part, attained through the Administration’s first Program to Eliminate the Gap (PEG), and a permanent reduction of 2,600 City-funded positions. 325 additional vacancies will be reduced in this plan, adding $25 million in savings. The Citywide Savings Plan is an element of strong fiscal management, and helps balance the City’s budget and finance initiatives in an era of slowing revenue growth.
Highlights of the Fiscal Year 2020 Adopted Budget include:
- Placing 200 additional social workers in DOE schools, including mental health specialists, to help support students and provide necessary social and emotional support ($26 million).
- Investing jointly with the City Council in an expansion of criminal justice related diversion programs, such as post arrest diversion, supervised release and transitional housing.
- Installing low noise “rumbler” sirens on FDNY vehicles to help reduce noise pollution ($1.5 million).
- Funding for Vision Zero public awareness campaigns to educate drivers and support pedestrian and cyclist safety ($5 million).
- Launching NYC Care to guarantee healthcare access for 600,000 uninsured New Yorkers and enhance MetroPlus, NYC’s Public Option, by increasing enrollment and improving access to care, including mental health services ($25 million in Fiscal Year 2020, ramping up to $100 million in Fiscal Year 2022).
- Expanding 3-K for All by funding 1,900 new seats in the Bronx (District 8) and Brooklyn (District 32) for next school year. This investment brings 3-K to 14 districts and 20,000 children by September 2020, and includes the 10 highest-need districts in the city ($25 million).
- Increasing Mayoral funding for 2020 Census outreach staff and public awareness campaigns to ensure a fair and accurate count that gives New York City its fair share ($22 million for a total Mayoral investment of $26 million).
- Fulfilling a commitment to energy efficiency with green technology by retrofitting City buildings as part of NYC’s Green New Deal ($60 million).
- Providing annual funding for the “Bridging the Gap” program that provides social services and academic support for students in shelters ($14 million).