MY FIVE DAYS JOURNEY TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz

District 18 Bronx County, New York

  You should know that I just returned from a trip of five (5) days to the Dominican Republic. On Monday April 2, we arrived at Santo Domingo accompanied by the Rev. Dr. Jose Martinez the newly elected president of Radio Vision Cristiana Internacional, his wife Ana Martinez, Dr. Kittim Silva Bermúdez the Vice-President of Radio Vision Cristiana Internacional and Bishop Nicolas Angustia from the Mennonite Church who also serves as the presidential liaison between the New York Hispanic Ministers.  That same night we were welcomed with a tremendous dinner, which consisted of succulent typical Dominican cuisine at the Criselio Sánchez (FUNCRIS) Foundation chaired by Minister Felicia Valera Sanchez.

On Tuesday April 3 we were greeted at the National Palace for a private meeting with the President of The Dominican Republic the honorable Danilo Medina. That afternoon the Rev. Jose Martinez invited us to his condo where we played dominoes, and feasted on dinner prepared by Sister. Ana Martinez.

On the following day, Wednesday we met with the Hon. Ruben Maldonado Diaz the President of the Chamber of Deputies. There we were treated to a hearty lunch accompanied with other deputies.

Thereafter, we headed to the Chancellery where we were greeted by the Hon. Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado and Ms. Peggy Cabral de Peña the widow of Peña Gómez.   From the Chancellery we were greeted at the television studio as guests of program "Punto y Coma" directed by my friend Juan Cruz Trifolio via T.V. station “Super Canal Caribe”.  Our events ended on Wednesday with an evening at The "Todos Unidos" Foundation directed by Ms. Dinamarca Reynoso de Pastrano.   We were very impressed with Foundation staff and humanitarian work to benefit the poor and needy of the country.

Thursday April 5th, we were up early to attend a television interview at the home of  Ms. Peggy Cabral by 8:00 a.m.   From the home of Ms. Cabral we headed to San Cristobal to the estate of former President Hipolito Mejia’s who invited us to feast on a meal where he personally and graciously served us a Dominican Dish (Asopao) that would raise the dead.

From the home of former President Mejia’s we headed towards the (FUNGLOBE) Foundation to meet with former President Leonel Fernandez, who welcomed shared pleasantries with us.   Our final day Friday April 6^th,  we returned to New York City to retake the reins of our responsibilities.

I want to thank Lic. Hector Mojica the Director of (OMSA) The Metropolitan Bus Services Office, Lic. Pedro Aguiar, Dinamarca Reynoso, Caonabo Muñoz, Pedro Sanchez, Gersan Sánchez and Mr. Geraldo Rosario for all their support, services and courtesy bestowed upon us during our visit to D.R.. 

The express purpose of our meeting with the diverse leaders of D.R., the interviews, and dialogues, where Mr. Antonio Cabrera President of the New York Taxi Federation, and Ms. Bertha Almonte and Ms. Felicia Valera were in attendance, was for the purpose of addressing the problems confronted by the Dominican Diaspora, exclusively the problems which affect the taxi industry and its drivers.  I explained the great participation and the creation of the industry leaders known as " The Group of 25".

It is important that you know that we intend to continue these dialogues with those leaders upon their visits to New York City in the future.

I am Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz, and this is what you should know.

What Bronx Elected Officials are Saying about the Resignation of NYCHA Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ

  “Shola Olatoye’s time at the New York City Housing Authority was fraught with controversy. During her tenure, NYCHA further eroded the trust of the more than 400,000 New Yorkers who live in our public housing system—the very people the agency is charged to serve.

 

“Governor Cuomo’s recent announcement that he would heed the call of myself and others and issue an emergency declaration for NYCHA demonstrated that Ms. Olatoye’s position at the agency was untenable.

 

“Today's announcement allows our city to move forward. A leadership change at NYCHA is a welcome step towards rebuilding the reputation of the agency. I wish Ms. Olatoye well in her future endeavors,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.  

STATEMENT FROM CONGRESSMAN ADRIANO ESPAILLAT 

  “Thank you outgoing chairwoman Shola Olatoye for four years of service with NYCHA, a critical and valuable resource to New Yorkers that has served hundreds of thousands of residents in public housing throughout the City’s five boroughs,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13).

“We recently announced a significant increase of federal funding allocated for HUD, New York housing and NYCHA, including an increase in the Public Housing Capital from $1.942 billion to $2.75 billion, of which NYCHA will see a significant increase above last fiscal year’s funding level of $346,326,398, and an increase to Section 8 housing by 8.5% which will create more than 5,000 vouchers for residents. This was funding that was long overdue. It remains critical that we continue to invest federal funds and resources in NYCHA programs in an effort to support sustainable programs and create opportunities that will allow low and moderate income residents the ability to secure safe and affordable housing for their families.

“As we move forward during this transition, building on the increased federal investment in public housing, I look forward to working with Interim NYCHA Chairperson Stan Brezenoff in continued efforts to make NYCHA a better place for all residents.”

STATEMENT FROM STATE SENATOR GUSTAVO RIVERA

  The departure of Chairwoman Shola Olatoye is a disappointment, despite the scandals that rattled her and the authority in recent months. Lest we forget, the New York City Housing Authority is plagued by decades of negligence and chronic divestment. Ms. Olatoye was a dedicated public servant and partner who took on the toughest issues facing New Yorkers living in public housing. She and her team reduced repair times, forged new opportunities for residents, and helped secure more funding from the City and State than we've seen in years. While  most cities have abandoned or demolished public housing, she fought for the health, safety, and affordability of over 300,000 units. Although it is notable that NYCHA's needs are finally at the forefront, those who care about our fellow New Yorkers living and working in these developments should remember that NYCHA is not a political talking point. Residents have real concerns about their homes that require long-term investment and innovative solutions. Ms. Olatoye recognized the need and the complexity of bringing our public housing stock into the 21st century. I am saddened that she will no longer be on the front lines of our fight.

MAYOR DE BLASIO NAMES STANLEY BREZENOFF INTERIM CHAIR OF NYCHA

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced Stanley Brezenoff will serve as Interim Chair of the New York City Housing Authority, succeeding Shola Olatoye who will depart the post at the end of April. Under Olatoye’s leadership, the Housing Authority has been pulled back from the brink of bankruptcy, launched an interagency partnership that drove down crime in public housing 7% in 2017 and has reduced average wait time for basic repairs from 13 to 4.3 days. 

As Interim Chair, Brezenoff will partner with NYCHA’s new General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo to continue reversing decades of disinvestment in public housing, improving front-line services for residents and putting the City’s record investment to work replacing critical infrastructure like heating systems. NYCHA is the nation’s largest public housing authority, home to 400,000 residents—1 in 14 New Yorkers.

“The Housing Authority that the Chair inherited four years ago faced bankruptcy, an inability to make basic repairs and an alarming surge in violence. She was a change agent from Day One. Crime is down. Repairs are faster. Finances are stabilized. And NYCHA is putting record investment from the City to work making life better for the 400,000 New Yorkers that call NYCHA home. We’re grateful for her service,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “With a proven track record of transforming large agencies, I’m confident that Stanley Brezenoff will help to continue our progress while we search for a new chair.”

“While the challenges facing public housing are significant – I’m incredibly proud of the leadership team we’ve assembled and the strides we’ve made over the last 4 years to speed up repair times, reduce crime, launch a major development program and bring NYCHA into the 21st century,” said NYCHA Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye.“It’s been an honor to serve the 1 in 14 New Yorkers who call public housing home. I leave this role secure in the knowledge that we created a path for a stronger and safer NYCHA in the years ahead as the de Blasio Administration moves forward with NextGen.”

“This is one of the toughest jobs in America. Under Mayor de Blasio and Chair Olatoye, NYCHA has faced down enormous challenges, launched an enormous turnaround effort and improved the lives of residents,” said Stanley Brezenoff. “I’m committed to working with residents, finding new solutions and making progress that people will see and feel in their communities.”

The Mayor announced the transition at Ocean Bay Bayside Apartments, the nation’s largest Rental Assistance Demonstration conversion project. All 1,400 apartments in the complex—home to nearly 4,000 residents—are being renovated with brand new kitchens and bathrooms. The roofs, heating systems, elevators and windows at each of the 24 buildings are being fully replaced, and new resiliency measures including rooftop solar arrays and a flood wall are under construction. The NextGen NYCHA plan set a goal of transforming 15,000 apartments through RAD over ten years, as part of a multi-pronged strategies to improve public housing.

The de Blasio Administration has made an unprecedented commitment to preserve and strengthen public housing. This investment is part of the Administration’s total commitment to $2.1 billion to support NYCHA’s capital infrastructure from Fiscal Year 2014 to Fiscal Year 2027 and $1.6 billion to support NYCHA’s operations from Fiscal Year 2014 to Fiscal Year 2022. This investment includes $1.3 billion to fix over 900 roofs, over $500 million to repair deteriorating exterior brickwork at nearly 400 buildings, and $140 million to improve security at 15 NYCHA developments.  The City waived NYCHA’s annual PILOT and NYPD payments to the City, relieving NYCHA of nearly $100 million in operating expenses a year. In January 2018, the Mayor announced $13 million to improve NYCHA’s response to heating emergencies this winter, followed by an additional $200 million for long-term heating improvements at 20 NYCHA developments. 

ABOUT STAN BREZENOFF

Stanley Brezenoff served as President of New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation from 1981 to 1984 under Mayor Koch, governing the world's largest non-federal health care system. Mr. Brezenoff brought the system's $1.8 billion annual budget into line, secured full accreditation for the system's 11 hospitals, improved emergency medical services and brought personalized care into crowded municipal hospital clinics. Brezenoff also expanded the psychiatric transfer service (PTS) unit of the New York City Emergency Medical Service to ensure the mentally ill have access to the City's health system. Brezenoff became the City's Deputy Mayor for Operations in 1984 and served as First Deputy Mayor from 1985 to 1990.

Brezenoff then served as Executive Director of the Port Authority, where he was responsible for administration of the Hudson River bridges and tunnels, the region's four major airports, the PATH system, leasing and management of the original World Trade Center, several industrial development districts, and shipping ports in New York harbor.

Beginning in 1995, Mr. Brezenoff served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Maimonides Medical Center, then as CEO and President of Continuum Health Partners, Inc. Most recently, he was the interim CEO of New York City Health + Hospitals.

Brezenoff was born in East New York, and majored in Philosophy at Brooklyn College.

News From Congressman Eliot Engel

Engel Marks Equal Pay Day by Calling for Passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act

  Congressman Eliot L. Engel today marked Equal Pay Day by calling for the passage of H.R. 1869, the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Equal Pay Day falls on April 10^th, the 100^th day of 2018, symbolizing the 100 extra days that the average American woman had to work just to earn what men did in 2017. American women working full-time typically earn 80 cents for every dollar that men earn doing the same work.

This divide grows even wider for women of color. Black women’s Equal Pay Day will not come until August 7^th, and Latinas’ Equal Pay Day falls on November 1^st – meaning they must work nearly a full extra year to match men’s earnings.

To finally eliminate this pervasive pay gap, Congressman Engel is an original cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act. This bill, introduced by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, would create stronger penalties for pay discrimination, allow women to join together in class-action lawsuits in response to sex-based pay discrimination, prohibit employers from punishing employees who share salary information, and take needed steps to ensure discriminatory salaries do not hold women back throughout their careers.

“There is absolutely no reason why any Member of Congress should oppose equal pay for equal work – and yet, only one House Republican has cosponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act,” Congressman Engel said. “This should not be a partisan issue in Washington. Women are not second class citizens and it’s long past time our laws reflected that.

“It is time to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, and close the pay gap once and for all.”

Engel was an original cosponsor of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which became law in 2009.

Engel: Make Sure You Take Advantage of ConEd’s Storm Reimbursement Program

  Congressman Eliot L. Engel is urging all those affected by last month’s storm outages to take advantage of Con Edison’s reimbursement program.

In a letter to ConEd, Engel demanded the utility company reimburse their customers for the series of outages that affected the area last month. ConEd has since announced that it will reimburse customers for food and prescription medicine spoilage if they lost power for at least three consecutive days. Those reimbursements for eligible residential customers amount to $225 without receipts, or up to $515 with receipts. Business owners are eligible for food spoilage reimbursements up to $10,200 with receipts. Those seeking to file for reimbursements for spoilage can check the company’s website here: http://bit.ly/2FD2mm8.

In addition, If you lost power for 3 days or more during the March 2 and March 7 nor’easters, ConEd will provide you with an adjustment to your bill that will reflect a one-time reduction to your monthly customer delivery charge. Customers will receive this credit on their bill by May 21.

“ConEd dropped the ball for thousands of New Yorkers during last month’s swing of nor’easters and its important they make these adjustments for their customers,” Engel said. “I demanded ConEd provide their customers with reimbursement for these outages, and while I am pleased they are working towards this goal, much more needs to be done to ensure another incident like this won’t take place in the future.”

Bronx Israel Independence Day Festival

Statement From A.G. Schneiderman On Efforts To Weaken State Board Of Elections Independent Enforcement Counsel

“Risa Sugarman has been a critical partner in my office’s fight to root out fraud and abuse in our state’s campaign finance system. By working with a strong, independent Enforcement Counsel at the Board of Elections, we’ve held public officials accountable time and again for breaking the law and cheating New Yorkers.

It is deeply disturbing that the Board of Elections would consider gutting one of the few tools that exist to root out public corruption in New York—or sideline a dedicated professional like Risa Sugarman who is committed to upholding the rule of law.

Any weakening of the Enforcement Counsel’s authority or independence would only encourage more corruption across New York State. The Board of Elections should reject any proposal that does so, without delay.”

Comptroller Stringer Audit: Nearly Three-Quarters of NYCHA Playgrounds in Unsatisfactory or Dangerous Condition, Creating Hazards for Thousands of Children

Stringer audit finds NYCHA filed bogus playground inspection reports while broken equipment endangered children

72 playgrounds in 52 different developments posed imminent danger

NYCHA failed to maintain 549 of its 788 playgrounds citywide, potentially putting thousands of children at risk

Stringer calls for NYCHA to immediately overhaul its inspection protocols and conduct a top-to-bottom review of all NYCHA playgrounds

  The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) has failed to properly maintain hundreds of playgrounds Citywide, potentially putting tens of thousands of children living in its developments at risk, according to an audit released today by New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. NYCHA’s playgrounds are meant to provide recreation opportunities and shared community space for NYCHA’s 400,000 residents and 100,000 children, but the Comptroller’s audit found that most of NYCHA’s playgrounds were in decrepit condition, with dozens potentially posing imminent danger to children.

In its ninth NYCHA audit since 2014, Comptroller Stringer’s office inspected all 788 NYCHA-maintained playgrounds—across 238 different NYCHA developments—and found that 549, or 70 percent, were plagued by unsatisfactory and often hazardous conditions, such as missing and broken play equipment, some with exposed jagged edges, and loose and damaged safety surfaces. Visibly hazardous conditions, which may have posed imminent danger to children, were found at 72 playgrounds in 52 different NYCHA developments. What’s more, the Comptroller’s Office uncovered that NYCHA’s own inspection reports for 25 sampled developments were either inaccurate, lacked the required supervisory review, or were missing altogether. Among the Comptroller’s Office’s findings:

Dangerous, Deteriorating and Decrepit Playground Conditions

• Visibly hazardous conditions, which may have posed imminent danger to children, were found at 72 playgrounds across 52 different NYCHA developments;
• 151 developments had a total of 352 playgrounds with damaged safety surfacing, such as mats and tiles that were loose, missing, warped or otherwise damaged;
• 97 developments had a total of 164 playgrounds with missing, bent, or broken play equipment;59 developments had a total of 149 playgrounds with broken or deteriorated benches; and
• 55 developments had a total of 79 playgrounds with clogged or inadequate water drainage.

At 25 NYCHA developments where Comptroller Stringer’s auditors found hazardous playground conditions, they also looked for NYCHA’s required monthly inspection reports covering a 17‑month period and found:

• 24 NYCHA developments (96 percent) failed to report any hazardous playground conditions in need of repair, despite the clearly visible hazards that the Comptroller’s auditors observed and photographed.
• 9 NYCHA developments (36 percent) filed more than a dozen inaccurate inspection reports within 2 months of the auditors’ inspections, omitting specific hazards the auditors identified.
• In one egregious case, one week after the Comptroller’s office informed NYCHA’s senior management of visibly hazardous damage to a bench, a play structure platform, and a spiral slide at the Throggs Neck Houses playground, the development filed an inspection report that inaccurately rated the condition of all three items as “good.” Four days later, the development filed a new inspection report that rated the spiral slide as “unsatisfactory” and stated that it had been removed but continued to rate the two other damaged items as “good.” Ultimately, NYCHA reported that all three damaged items were either removed, blocked off, or slated for repair.
• 12 NYCHA developments (48 percent) filed no inspection reports whatsoever.
• Overall, the 25 NYCHA developments filed only 124 (29 percent) of the required 425 monthly inspection reports.
• Of the 124 playground inspection reports NYCHA maintained on file, more than half had not been signed by a supervisor as required by NYCHA’s own standards.
• The only NYCHA development that noted any conditions in need of repair reported a single damaged slide on 22 consecutive inspection reports but failed to repair it until after the Comptroller’s auditors reported it and other playground damage to NYCHA’s senior management.

“As a parent, I’m shocked. As Comptroller, I’m outraged. Our kids face lead, mold, and broken heating inside their apartments. But when they walk outside, they have play spaces that should break adults’ hearts, because they put children in jeopardy. Jagged metal edges, broken slides, decrepit structures – this is what government is providing for our kids. All children – whether they live in public housing or in luxury condos – deserve to play in a safe space that encourages their growth. But right now, NYCHA is failing to inspect and repair their playgrounds, which means the Authority is sitting on a catastrophe waiting to happen. While NYCHA has many needs, children in public housing deserve more,” said Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “When children living in NYCHA buildings are put in danger right in front of their own homes, it’s a terrible message to send. Just when we should be helping kids achieve their dreams, NYCHA is making their play spaces a nightmare. That’s why I’m calling on NYCHA to conduct a top-to-bottom review of each playground it’s required to keep safe for our kids.”

Under NYCHA policy, the agency must maintain each development’s playgrounds and other exterior areas, including lawns, trees, parking spaces, paved areas, and fences.  To ensure compliance with safety regulations, the agency requires inspection results to be entered into NYCHA’s electronic system for tracking maintenance and physical repair work.

Comptroller Stringer’s audit, however, shows NYCHA’s playground-maintenance is at best inconsistent and at worst demonstrates outright neglect of those community spaces that kids and families rely on for recreation.

The unsatisfactory and dangerous conditions Comptroller Stringer’s auditors found include the following:

Riis Houses playground located at 1115-1141 FDR Drive, Manhattan

Broken Spiral Climber with Sharp Edges

The Comptroller’s office notified senior NYCHA officials of the broken spiral climber at Riis Houses on June 23, 2017.  On July 12, 2017, NYCHA informed the Comptroller’s Office that the damaged portion of the equipment had been secured with plywood and caution tape. Subsequently, NYCHA repaired and refurbished the equipment, as shown in the bottom photograph below.

Refurbished Spiral Climber

Broken Metal Slides with Sharp Edges

Jackson Houses playground, 285 East 156th Street, Bx

On July 24, 2017, the Comptroller’s Office notified NYCHA 

officials of the dangerous broken metal slides reflected in 

the photographs below at the Jackson Houses playgrounds.  

On August 17, 2017, NYCHA informed the Comptroller’s 

Office that the damaged equipment was repaired.

Jackson Houses playground, 300 East 158th Street, Bx

Drug Dealer Charged With Overdose Death Of Public School Teacher In The Bronx

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the arrest and unsealing of a Complaint charging KASHAWN LYONS with distributing the fentanyl that resulted in the death of Matthew Azimi, a public school teacher in the Bronx.  The Complaint also alleges that LYONS and a co-defendant, TERRICK WHITAKER, distributed heroin and fentanyl together between February and March 2018 in the Bronx.  LYONS was arrested yesterday by the NYPD, and presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman in Manhattan federal court.  TERRICK WHITAKER remains at large.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged, Kashawn Lyons and Terrick Whitaker peddled potentially lethal heroin and fentanyl near the grounds of a Bronx public school.  Additionally, Lyons allegedly sold a dose that was in fact lethal and resulted in the overdose death of a teacher at the school.  Working with the NYPD we will continue to combat the epidemic of lethal opioids that is killing people from all walks of life.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint[1]:

On November 30, 2017, Matthew Azimi, a 36-year-old teacher, was found dead inside a faculty bathroom at a special education public school in the Bronx (the “School”) where Mr. Azimi was a teacher.  The NYPD responded to the School and began investigating Azimi’s death.  An autopsy conducted following Mr. Azimi’s death revealed that he died from a lethal dose of fentanyl.  NYPD officers recovered a syringe and a pink glassine bag with no stamp or other distinctive marking next to Mr. Azimi’s body.  The NYPD also recovered Mr. Azimi’s cellphone.

As detailed in the Complaint, the NYPD was able to trace the last three completed calls that Mr. Azimi made before he overdosed on November 30, 2017, to a cellphone used by LYONS.  Through surveillance, the NYPD learned that LYONS continued to sell heroin and fentanyl in the vicinity of the School.  In February 2018, the NYPD made undercover buys of heroin and fentanyl from LYONS and WHITAKER, who was dealing drugs with LYONS, in close proximity to the School.  The heroin and fentanyl purchased from LYONS and WHTIAKER were packaged in the same unique pink glassine bags as the one found next to Mr. Azimi’s body.

LYONS was charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and with conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl with WHITAKER.  LYONS faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison based upon his distribution of the fentanyl that killed Mr. Azimi., 31, of the Bronx, 

WHITAKER, 31, of the Bronx, was charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and with conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl with LYONS, each of which carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. 

The statutory maximum and minimum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for information purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD in this case. 

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.