Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
News and Notes
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Bronx Politics and Community events
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Today the New York City Council voted to pass Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams’ Worst Landlord Law to help prevent fraudulent repairs by bad landlords and increase accountability for failure to correct hazardous violations, including by increasing financial penalties. The bill is part of the Worst Landlord Accountability Act, a two-bill package which comes out of the Public Advocate’s annual Worst Landlord Watchlist.
Within the current system, landlords are often able to self-certify their own repairs without city verification – and frequently, they falsely certify that violations have been corrected. The legislation passed today will restrict bad actors who own the worst buildings in the city from engaging in this deceptive practice.
“"Last year’s Worst Landlord Watchlist saw the most violations in its history as buildings deteriorate and rents rise under landlords who put profit over people,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams ahead of the vote. “They exploit loopholes to shamelessly dodge accountability and avoid repairs, while tenants suffer. Passing this Worst Landlord law will prevent the worst owners in the city from self-certifying repairs that haven’t been made, and increase penalties for failing to fix violations so that fines aren’t just part of the cost of doing business. Our list is designed in part to shame the worst landlords in the city — but for owners who are shameless in their negligence, this law will hold them to account and deliver relief to countless tenants facing unlivable conditions.”
Intro 583-A, which was passed by overwhelming majority today, would increase the penalties for many violations issued by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development related to registration failures, hazardous conditions, and false certification. In addition, HPD would be required to annually identify 100 buildings based on criteria such as the number of hazardous or immediately hazardous violations that have been falsely certified as corrected. Hazardous or immediately hazardous violations issued to buildings on the list would not be deemed corrected unless HPD has attempted at least two re-inspections, or those violations are excluded from the calculation for identifying the 100 buildings.
The Public Advocate's Worst Landlord Watchlist spotlights the top 100 most egregiously negligent landlords in New York City as determined by widespread and repeated violations in buildings on the list. These bills, the second of which would mandate faster inspections and repairs for the most hazardous violations, are aimed at correcting and preventing disingenuous tactics used by some of those landlords in order to remove themselves from the list.
Together, the legislation in the Worst Landlord Accountability Act will help tenants get the repairs they need, make the worst landlords pay for their negligence and deception, and show that there are consequences for the conduct that puts landlords on the Watchlist.
This was the first Bronx Week scheduled event after the introduction of Bronx Week. The Veterans Appreciation Luncheon is a favorite of all the members of the Armed Forces and of all wars which the United States sent troops to fight in. In the front was the special table that is set up to remember those who did not return from fighting to protect the country.
Mr. Gary Axelbank has been the emcee of this Bronx Week event, and did his usual excellent job of introducing speakers and honorees. After the singing of the National Anthem by veteran Belinda Barnes the invocation was given by Bishop Rosario, and there was a moment of silence as the names of fallen soldiers were read from the previous year. Mr. Axelbank then acknowledged Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark and Deputy Bronx Borough President Janet Peguero, the representatives of other elected officials, he then introduced Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson.
Bronx Borough President said "Today we gather to celebrate and appreciate the men and women who have served our country in the armed forces". She then called out the various branches of the armed forces to hear those members respond, and the loudest cheer came from those that had served in the U.S. Army. She introduced her Veterans Advisory Committee, and mentioned that she is trying to have the city council declare November as Veterans Appreciation Month so veterans are appreciated for not just one day, but an entire month. BP Gibson introduced Joe Mondello the chair of her Veterans Advisory Committee. Mr. Mondello explained the importance of the empty table at the front to remember the soldier who did not return from wars to protect the country.
Vivian De Cohen the Director New York State Veterans Services, James Hendon of the NYC Department of Veterans Services, Balavenkatesh Kanna MD, MPH the director of the Bronx VA Medical Center, and Wendy McClinton CEO of the Black Veterans for Social Justice (who was the keynote speaker) all spoke, and then it was time for the Honoree Recognition. The five Honorees were Mrs. Roxanne Gonzalez-Jimenez, Courtney Lanier, Dondi McKellar USN(MST),Sidney T. Clark, and Ed Deglomini.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson then gave closing remarks and called to the podium Pastor Jay Gooding for the closing prayer. Bronx Week runs through Sunday when the Bronx Week Parade, Food Festival and Concert take place along the Grand Concourse from East 167th Street through East 158th Street. Go to Ilovethebronx.com for the calendar of events for Bronx Week 2023.
Veteran Belinda Barnes sings the National Anthem.
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ABDI HUSSEIN AHMED, a citizen of Kenya, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for conspiring to traffic large quantities of rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory — both protected wildlife species — worth millions of dollars that involved the illegal poaching of more than approximately 35 rhinoceros and more than 100 elephants, as well as for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. The sentence was imposed earlier today by U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods.
AHMED is the fifth and final member of these conspiracies to be sentenced in a case prosecuted over the course of several years, and which has involved the extradition of multiple individuals from several countries in Africa. AHMED’s co-conspirators were previously sentenced to substantial prison terms by Judge Woods. Specifically, MOAZU KROMAH, a/k/a “Ayoub,” a/k/a “Ayuba,” a/k/a “Kampala Man,” a citizen of Liberia, was sentenced to a prison term of 63 months; AMARA CHERIF, a/k/a “Bamba Issiaka,” a citizen of Guinea, was sentenced to a prison term of 57 months; MANSUR MOHAMED SURUR, a/k/a “Mansour,” a citizen of Kenya, was sentenced to a prison term of 54 months; and BADRU ABDUL AZIZ SALEH, a/k/a “Badro,” a citizen of Kenya, was sentenced to a prison term of 42 months.
According to the charging and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made in court proceedings:
KROMAH, CHERIF, SURUR, and AHMED were members of a transnational criminal enterprise (the “Enterprise”) based in Uganda and surrounding countries that was engaged in the large-scale trafficking and smuggling of rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory, both protected wildlife species. Trade involving endangered or threatened species violates several U.S. laws, as well as international treaties implemented by certain U.S. laws.
From at least in or about December 2012 through at least in or about May 2019, KROMAH, CHERIF, SURUR, and AHMED conspired to transport, distribute, sell, and smuggle at least approximately 190 kilograms of rhinoceros horns and at least approximately 10 tons of elephant ivory from or involving various countries in East Africa, including Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal, and Tanzania, to buyers located in the United States and countries in Southeast Asia. Such weights of rhinoceros horn and elephant ivory are estimated to have involved the illegal poaching of more than approximately 35 rhinoceros and more than approximately 100 elephants. In total, the estimated average retail value of the rhinoceros horns involved in the conspiracy was at least approximately $3.4 million, and the estimated average retail value of the elephant ivory involved in the conspiracy was at least approximately $4 million.
Typically, the defendants exported and agreed to export the rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory for delivery to foreign buyers, including a buyer represented to be in Manhattan, in packaging that concealed the rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory in, among other things, pieces of art such as African masks and statues. The defendants received and deposited payments from foreign customers that were sent in the form of international wire transfers, some of which were sent through U.S. financial institutions, and paid in cash.
On or about March 16, 2018, law enforcement agents intercepted a package containing a black rhinoceros horn sold by the defendants that was intended for a buyer represented to be in Manhattan:
From in or about March 2018 through in or about May 2018, the defendants offered to sell additional rhinoceros horns of varying weights, including horns weighing up to approximately seven kilograms. On or about July 17, 2018, law enforcement agents intercepted a package containing two rhinoceros horns weighing over five kilograms that were sold by the defendants and intended for a buyer represented to be in Manhattan:
Separately, from at least in or about August 2018 through at least in or about May 2019, SURUR, AHMED, and SALEH conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a large quantity of heroin to a buyer represented to be located in New York.
KROMAH was arrested in Uganda on June 12, 2019, and expelled to the United States on June 13, 2019. CHERIF was arrested in Senegal on June 7, 2019, and extradited to the United States on April 2, 2020. SURUR was arrested in Kenya on July 29, 2020, and extradited to the United States on January 25, 2021. SALEH was arrested in Kenya on May 30, 2022, and extradited to the United States on June 17, 2022. AHMED was arrested in Kenya on August 1, 2022, and extradited to the United States on September 3, 2022. The defendants all have been detained since their arrest and arrival in this country.
KROMAH, 53, of Liberia; CHERIF, 58, of Guinea; SURUR, 62, of Kenya; and AHMED, 49, of Kenya, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wildlife trafficking. In addition, KROMAH and CHERIF both pled guilty to two counts of wildlife trafficking. SALEH, 52, of Kenya, SURUR, and AHMED each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and he thanked law enforcement authorities and conservation partners in Uganda and Kenya, including the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Uganda Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, the Uganda Police Force, the Kenya Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and the Kenyan Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, for their assistance in this investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Department of State for their invaluable assistance, which made it possible to secure the arrest and return of these five defendants from Kenya, Senegal, and Uganda to the United States.
New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams unveiled her Fair Housing Framework legislation alongside Council Members, housing advocates, and labor unions. The Speaker’s bill would require the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and Department of City Planning (DCP) to establish targeted housing production goals for each Community District to ensure each New York City neighborhood plays an equitable role in addressing the city’s housing crisis while accounting for unique community needs. The framework would help address housing production and investment disparities that have kept high-opportunity neighborhoods from equitably contributing to affordable housing development and communities experiencing underinvestment without sufficient resources. The bill represents the next step in Speaker Adams’ Housing Agenda and is
A brief on the legislation can be found here.
“To deliver real relief for New Yorkers, we must prioritize equitable and affordable housing development that matches the need in our city,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “ a cornerstone alongside her Planning & Land Guidelines and Toolkit.This Fair Housing Framework legislation will not just advance the goal of building truly affordable housing for New Yorkers, but also build stronger and healthier neighborhoods. Permanent housing is the key to safety and stability, and by investing in equitable affordable housing production, we can ease the stressors that exacerbate other citywide challenges. I look forward to working in partnership with all stakeholders to give working families across the five boroughs a real chance at building their legacy in this city. thank my Council colleagues for their support, housing advocates for their leadership, and our partners in labor for their commitment to uplifting all New Yorkers.”
The Fair Housing Framework legislation includes:
A Strategic Equity Framework specifying policy goals and strategies to:
A Citywide Housing Needs Assessment to determine the total number and type of housing units that need to be produced or preserved citywide to achieve affordable access to housing for all households of all socio-economic backgrounds
Citywide housing production targets for a five-year period for:
Citywide housing targets for the Community Districts that include the above metrics and consider the following criteria:
Public Engagement
Housing production in New York City has significantly fallen behind population growth – only 200,000 new units were created compared to over 600,000 new residents. From 2014-2021, 23 Council Districts produced over 1,000 units of housing with only five Districts producing more than 3,000 units.
“In 2018, 81.6 percent of white or Black New Yorkers would have had to move to a new neighborhood to achieve a more equal racial distribution in our city, highlighting an uncomfortable truth. New York City is one of the most segregated metropolitan areas in America, following a history of government and private sector practices – like redlining, blockbusting, unequal access to financing, real estate steering and exclusionary zoning – that served to exclude Black and Brown New Yorkers and low-income people from certain neighborhoods,” said Council Member Pierina Sanchez, Chair of the Committee on Housing & Buildings. “I am proud to stand with Speaker Adrienne Adams today in announcing landmark legislation that will require the production of a Citywide Fair Housing Plan every five years. The Speaker’s bill thrusts our City once again into leadership on policy seeking to end systems of discrimination and blocked opportunities. A citywide Fair Housing plan that includes targets for low-income and supportive affordable housing at the community district level and calls for anti-displacement resources and investments in underserved communities, will lead us to a fairer, more just city for all.”
“New York City is in the midst of a housing crisis unlike anything we’ve ever experienced,” said Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Chair of the Committee on Land Use. “At a time when more than 70,000 New Yorkers are sleeping in homeless shelters, and the city’s population growth far exceeds the number of new units produced each year, the time is now for the New York City Council to take bold legislative action that will create affordable housing across New York City; Speaker Adrienne Adams’ Fair Housing Framework does just that. In the South Bronx, I’ve approved over 8,000 units of affordable housing, including 6,000 units of new construction since being elected to office. The reality, though, is the South Bronx can’t solve the housing crisis alone. It takes a true citywide approach and buy-in from all 51 districts. I commend Speaker Adams for her leadership on this issue and look forward to working with my colleagues to implement this meaningful legislation.”
Overtime costs at state agencies rose 47.2% to more than $1.36 billion in 2022, setting a new record, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Overtime hours increased 11.1% to 22.2 million over the same period. Overtime earnings comprised 7.5% of total payroll spending in 2022, a significant increase from the 4.6% average from 2013-2021.
“The workforce is the backbone of state government and many of the employees working overtime ensure that essential services are provided,” DiNapoli said. “People leaving state jobs drastically outpaced hiring in 2020 and 2021, and the sharp decline in the size of the workforce spurred longer hours on the job for many. However, overtime is not a long-term substitute for proper staffing levels. State agencies should ensure that overtime use is justified and that employees are not pushed to the point of burning out.”
Key Findings:
State Workforce Trends
During the 10-year period, the average annual number of employees working for the state, excluding SUNY and CUNY, declined from 160,829 employees in 2013 to roughly 142,396 in 2022 – a drastic reduction from 15 years ago when the state workforce size was over 180,000.
The 2021 rate of attrition was the highest in the last ten years, with 16,858 people leaving the workforce, an increase of 26% from the prior year. New hiring declined sharply in 2020 but rebounded in 2021, though not nearly enough to match attrition.
Report
New York State Agency Use of Overtime and State Workforce Trends, 2013-2022