Friday, August 18, 2023

VCJC News & Notes 8/18/23


Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
News and Notes

Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!

Reminders

  1. Shabbos

    Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.
    Here are the times you need:  
    Shabbos Candles Friday 8/18/23 @ 7:31 pm
    Shabbos morning services at 8:40 am.  Please join the services if you can do so safely. 
    Shabbos Ends Saturday 8/19/23 @ 8:34 pm
    Kiddush given by Roberta Seidner for the yahrzeit of her husband, Charles Seidner. 


     

  2. Rosh Chodesh Elul
    Thursday 8/17 - Day 1
    Friday 8/18 - Day 2

  3. Responses needed
    The Book of Remembrance flyers have been mailed out. Please respond BEFORE SEPTEMBER 6th.  
    Flyers have been mailed out for Holiday Greetings, Holiday tickets and

    Membership dues.  Your quick response would be appreciated!


  4. 1st Night of Selichot

     

    Saturday September 9th 8:45PM

    Services to be Held at:

    KCI 

    3220 Arlington Ave

    Riverdale, NY 10463

     

    If you would like to attend services and need transportation to the shul please contact the office via phone or email(vancortlandtjc@aol.com) or you can visit the office during regular hours and give them your name.

     

    Please try and notify the office by September 7th.

    If you are planning to attend services and want to volunteer to transport people to the shul please notify the office.


  5. Lulav & Etrog Sets for Sale

     

    Have your Lulav and Etrog Set delivered directly to the Shul.  Sets Available at 4 Different Price Points

    $30.00

    $37.00

    $46.00

    $56.00

     

    If you are interested in ordering a Lulav & Etrog Set through the shul, you can call or email (vancortlandtjc@aol.com) the order to the office or come and visit the office during regular office hours.  Please specify the number of sets you wish to order and the price point of the sets you want.  If using email please make sure to include your name in the email.

    All orders must be received by September 15th.

    If you will not be in shul for the first days of the Sukkot Holiday and still want to place an order let the office know so we can arrange for you to pick up your set before the holiday begins.

    Payment does not need to be made at the same time as submitting your order.


Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

3880 Sedgwick Ave

Bronx, NY 10463

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - Sign Up: Virtual Town Hall on August 24

 

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez


Sign Up: Virtual Town Hall on Thursday, August 24


Join Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for a virtual town hall on Thursday, August 24, 2023 at 5:30PM. Guests are asked to register in advance at the registration page below.

The Congresswoman will discuss her recent trip to Brazil, Colombia, and Chile where she discussed climate change, immigration, threats to democracy, and the U.S./Latin America relationship. She will also take questions from constituents.


Spanish and ASL interpretation will be available. CART open captions can be accessed at http://bc.typewell.com/kbjknbna


For any questions, you may reach us at 718-662-5970. 


We hope to see you there!


Thursday, August 17, 2023

Governor Hochul and Representative Espaillat Update New Yorkers on Joint Commitment to Improve Opioid Treatment in Harlem

 A counseling group

Amid Nationwide Overdose Crisis, Governor and Representative Espaillat Announce Efforts To Support Harlem Community


Governor Kathy Hochul and Representative Adriano Espaillat today announced immediate actions to improve the way opioid treatment is provided in Harlem. The effort will support the Harlem community while continuing New York's efforts to fight the overdose crisis that has taken thousands of lives.


“These measures will directly address community concerns while we work to identify additional long-term solutions to improve the density of services in Harlem," Governor Hochul and Representative Espaillat said. "Supporting and providing health care to New Yorkers struggling with addiction remains a joint priority, and we will continue to work together to tackle this statewide public health crisis head on.”

Under the framework developed by Governor Hochul and Representative Espaillat, two immediate steps will be taken. First, the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) will work with opioid treatment program providers to address high foot traffic and idling at certain sites while better serving existing patients. To do so, providers will shift to requiring fewer visits to receive take-home medications, when appropriate, which will eliminate barriers to life-saving treatment and reduce the number of in-person visits needed for each patient.

Additionally, OASAS will expand the Mobile Medication Unit (MMU) program to additional regions later this year, including Wards Island, helping to alleviate foot traffic issues along the 125th Street corridor. The MMU program launched this year with a $6 million investment and is designed to reach underserved areas and people who have difficulty accessing treatment by bringing services directly to them.

MAYOR ADAMS, DCP DIRECTOR GARODNICK UNVEIL PROPOSAL TO CONVERT VACANT OFFICES TO HOUSING THROUGH CITY ACTION, OUTLINE NEXT STEP IN “CITY OF YES” PLAN

 


Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” Proposal Will Include Changes Needed to Facilitate Office Conversions That Albany Failed to Pass

 

City Creating an Office Conversion Accelerator to Expedite Conversion Projects Immediately, Advancing Effort to Create New Homes and Good Jobs in Midtown Manhattan

 

Follows Adams Administration’s Record-Breaking Year for Creating Affordable Housing and Moving New Yorkers from Shelter into Permanent Homes, While Inaction in Albany Threatens to Halt Progress


Following a record-breaking year for affordable housing production across the five boroughs, despite a severe housing shortage, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Dan Garodnick today took three major steps towards building much-needed new housing across the city, including by laying out a plan to convert vacant offices into housing as part of Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” plan. The Adams administration is also launching an Office Conversion Accelerator to expedite complex office-to-housing conversion projects — speeding up the process of creating new housing while putting millions of square feet of empty offices to better use for New Yorkers. Finally, the Adams administration today kicked off the “Midtown South Neighborhood Plan,” a community planning process that will update zoning rules that currently allow only manufacturing and office space to foster a vibrant, 24/7 live-work community with new homes and good job opportunities.

 

While Albany failed to take critical action in the 2023 legislative session that would have facilitated office conversions with affordable housing, the city can act through the land use review process to change zoning citywide and expand the flexibility needed for these projects. With the proposed changes — which Mayor Adams first outlined in partnership with the City Council in January 2023 and highlighted again in March and May — office-to-residential conversions could produce 20,000 new homes for 40,000 New Yorkers in the next decade. This proposal will be part of Mayor Adams’ forthcoming “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” citywide zoning text amendment that will unlock the potential for more new housing in every corner of the city. While Mayor Adams has committed a record $24 billion for affordable housing, and even though the city can act to change zoning and permit conversions, state action would still be needed for office-to-residential conversions to produce a substantial amount of new affordable homes. If the state again fails to act in the upcoming legislative session, the city’s progress in tackling the affordable housing crisis could stall.

 

“I’ve said it before: New York City is the ‘City of Yes’ — and today, we are saying yes to a flourishing economy, yes to thriving business districts, and yes to creating more homes for New Yorkers,” said Mayor Adams. “Today, as part of our ‘City of Yes for Housing Opportunity’ plan, we are throwing open the door to more housing — with a proposal that will allow us to create as many as 20,000 new homes where the building owner wants to convert offices into housing but needs help cutting through the red tape. With these three initiatives — converting empty offices to homes, an Office Conversion Accelerator, and the Midtown South Mixed-Use Neighborhood Plan — we continue to use every tool at our disposal to increase the supply of homes for New Yorkers.”

 

“It makes no sense to allow office buildings to sit empty while New Yorkers struggle to find housing. By enabling office conversions, New York will reinvigorate its business districts and deliver new homes near jobs and transit,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “Taken together, these aggressive actions deliver on Mayor Adams’ promise to make New York a ‘City of Yes.’”

 

“We are ready to deliver smart zoning changes that will throw a lifeline to underused office buildings and create much-needed housing in the process,” said DCP Director Dan Garodnick. “‘City of Yes for Housing Opportunity,’ the Midtown South Mixed-Use plan, and the Office Conversion Accelerator will play an important part in delivering a more affordable, prosperous city.”

 

In addition to advancing Mayor Adams’ vision for a “City of Yes,” these new initiatives build on his “Get Stuff Built” plan and “moonshot” goal to meet the need for 500,000 new homes across the five boroughs over the next decade. They also deliver on recommendations from the “New” New York panel’s “Making New York Work for Everyone” action plan, which highlighted Midtown South as an area ripe for updated zoning and office-to-residential conversions as a key step for reinvigorating business districts and job hubs.

 

Converting Empty Offices to Homes

 

Under the proposed actions to facilitate office conversions, the most flexible regulations would be extended to an additional 136 million square feet of office space — roughly the amount of office space in the entire city of Philadelphia — though individual property owners will ultimately decide whether to convert their buildings. The zoning changes would make buildings built before 1990 eligible to convert to housing — an update from the existing 1961 and 1977 cutoffs in various areas — and allow offices and other non-residential buildings to convert to housing anywhere in the city where housing is permitted under zoning. They would also enable conversions to a wider variety of housing types, including supportive housing, shared housing, and dorms.

 

Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” — with this proposal to facilitate office conversions — will begin public engagement this fall and be formally referred in early 2024.

 

To further use every tool in the city’s toolbox to enable conversions of empty offices and create much-needed new housing, Mayor Adams launched a new Office Conversions Accelerator, comprised of experts from across city government, to work with office building owners to advance conversion opportunities. Led by Get Stuff Built Executive Director Robert Holbrook, the accelerator will convene representatives from City Hall, the DCP, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the Board of Standards and Appeals, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), and others to marshal the city’s resources to assist owners with complex conversion projects — from analyzing the feasibility of individual projects to helping secure necessary permits.

Beginning today, property owners and applicants can reach out online to seek the accelerator’s help.

Creating Affordable Homes and Good Jobs in Midtown 

While advancing citywide action to create housing, the Adams administration continues to pursue neighborhood-level efforts to support jobs, economic growth, and vibrant communities in business districts like Midtown Manhattan. Launching today, the Midtown South Mixed-Use Neighborhood Plan will update outdated zoning to foster a 24/7, live-work, mixed-use neighborhood in the area between 23rd Street and 40th Street from Fifth Avenue to Eighth Avenue.

The plan, which will cover four areas designated for manufacturing a half-century ago, could, for the first time, enable new housing — including permanently affordable housing — to be built in the heart of Manhattan with access to economic opportunities and mass transit where new housing is not permitted under current zoning.

The plan will explore opportunities to enable conversion of non-residential buildings to housing, support economic growth and create family-sustaining jobs, and continue to drive the city’s economic recovery.

Additionally, the Midtown South Mixed-Use Neighborhood Plan will explore both zoning and non-zoning tools to support local businesses and create good jobs in an area that already supports 135,000 jobs and more than 7,000 businesses.

Public engagement is expected to begin this fall.

“When life hands you empty offices, you convert them to housing. Creating the housing New Yorkers need by converting underused office space is a no brainer,” said HPD Commissioner Adolfo CarriĆ³n, Jr. “We need new housing in every neighborhood across the city, from Midtown to Midwood. The city is stepping up to do what it takes, and office conversions will strengthen our fight — advancing our continued efforts to break records and create housing everywhere.”

“Mayor Adams’ ‘City of Yes for Housing Opportunity’ is a necessary next step to address New York City’s housing crisis while also putting to use the abundance of vacant office spaces around our city,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “As key recommendations from the ‘New’ New York action plan, these proposals will continue to deliver on Mayor Adams’ vision to build vibrant, 24/7 commercial districts throughout New York City that are great places to live, work, play, and do business.”

“By loosening outdated zoning regulations that no longer serve their intended purposes, Mayor Adams and our partners at City Planning are providing builders with the flexibility necessary to convert unused office spaces into the housing our fellow New Yorkers desperately need,” said DOB Commissioner Jimmy Oddo. “My team is excited to roll up their sleeves and get to work with our agency partners and office building owners on the newly created Office Conversions Team, which will further help to break down silos in city government and get these planned office conversions projects in motion.”

“The repurposing of historic buildings to better serve modern needs while retaining historic features shows the important role that preservation can play in helping New York City evolve to meet the demands of our changing world,” said LPC Chair Sarah Carroll. “Mayor Adams’ ‘City of Yes for Housing Opportunity’ is a powerful statement of this administration’s commitment to provide much-needed housing and to ensure that our designated landmark office buildings, which include some of the most architecturally significant structures across the city, will have the opportunity to adapt and thrive while continuing to serve New York City and its residents in the years ahead.”

“Under Mayor Adams’ leadership, a relentless focus on addressing the city’s most vexing problems is producing solutions for a more resilient New York, and bringing the city’s underutilized office buildings back to life with desperately needed homes for New Yorkers is the latest example,” said Chief Policy and Delivery Officer Sherif Soliman. “Office-to-residential conversion is a proven success when the zoning barriers intended to shape new construction are removed. These zoning changes, coupled with the creation of the Office Conversion Accelerator, will provide consistent rules citywide and facilitate the conversion process to enhance the vibrancy of our neighborhoods.”

“These zoning changes will unlock opportunities for building owners and, more importantly, for everyday New Yorkers in need of housing,” said “Get Stuff Built” Executive Director Rob Holbrook. “I am grateful to have the opportunity to lead the Office Conversion Accelerator, which will help building owners map a path to residential conversions and then facilitate the multiagency coordination needed to move through the regulatory processes.”

“Addressing New York’s housing crisis requires a multi-faceted approach that will result in the equitable production of housing,” said New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “Our city needs every tool at its disposal to create more affordable, sustainable, and long-term housing for all people who call our city home. The Council will carry out its Charter mandate and engage in various efforts to expand housing and economic opportunities, including the start of the Midtown South Neighborhood Plan. I look forward to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to help realize our shared goals of advancing solutions to the housing crisis that impacts all New Yorkers.”

“The regulations that currently govern the conversion of nonresidential buildings in New York City into housing are decades out of date and do not account for the many buildings and building types that have become obsolete in recent years,” said Sarah Watson, deputy director, Citizens Housing and Planning Council. “The ‘City of Yes’ proposals will help revitalize business districts and meet housing needs in high-opportunity neighborhoods. They also up the ante for the state to deliver a tax incentive that enables privately financed mixed-income conversions.”

“During a time in which our state needs to build more than 800,000 housing units, it is critical that we think outside the box. NYSAFAH applauds the Adams administration for proposing as-of-right office-to-residential conversions across the city and is enthusiastic to learn they are setting up an interagency Office Conversion Accelerator,” said Jolie Milstein, president and CEO, New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH). “This will enable the creation of thousands of new units of housing, including supportive housing — which will help ease the crisis facing our shelter system. We look forward to seeing this proposal enter public review next year.”

“We applaud the 'City of Yes' Plan and its transformative approach to our city's challenges,” said Melva M. Miller, CEO, Association for a Better New York. "Converting vacant offices to housing is necessary to unlock the potential for new housing across New York City, and the Office Conversion Accelerator shows visionary leadership in addressing housing shortages swiftly. The 'Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan' further exemplifies the administration's commitment to a dynamic and livable New York, with diversified spaces that offer homes and job opportunities. These initiatives mark crucial steps towards a more equitable and vibrant city.”

“The ability of the private sector to invest in projects that restore the vitality of older Manhattan commercial properties absolutely depends on the proposed zoning and regulatory changes put forward in the Mayor’s City of Yes plan,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO, Partnership for New York City

“We applaud the mayor and our local elected officials for taking action to address our city’s housing shortage through efforts to facilitate office-to-residential conversions,” said James Mettham, president, Flatiron NoMad Partnership. “In Flatiron and NoMad, we have seen how the combination of a thriving residential community, office-based companies, and a diverse range of ground-floor businesses create a vibrant 24/7, mixed-use district. Creating more housing throughout Midtown South will expand the economic benefits that come with mixed-use districts, while making our city more livable for more people.”

“Today’s announcement is an important step in the development of the Garment District as a more vibrant, mixed-use community,” said Barbara A. Blair, president, Garment District Alliance. “From our district’s close proximity to major transportation hubs, to top-notch restaurants, office space and more, the Garment District is a premier location for residential development in New York City. We applaud Mayor Eric Adams, the Department of City Planning, and our elected officials for addressing the compelling need for housing and we look forward to our work together to position Midtown for the future.”  

“Expanding and modernizing these zoning laws will allow for more housing which will help New York City tackle its 500,000-housing unit goal. REBNY applauds the Adams administration for its leadership in conversions and hopes that this leadership will inspire much needed regulatory reform to unlock more opportunities to house New Yorkers,” said Basha Gerhards, senior vice president of planning, Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY).

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: State Pension Fund Valued at $254.1 Billion at End of First Quarter

 

Office of the New York State Comptroller News

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced that the estimated value of the New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund) was $254.1 billion at the end of the first quarter of state fiscal year 2023-24. For the three-month period ending June 30, 2023, Fund investments returned an estimated +3.08%.

“The rebound of the financial markets in recent months helped the Fund post positive results for the quarter,” DiNapoli said. “Recent economic indicators have shown a resilient U.S. economy, but the Fund’s diversified portfolio is well-positioned to handle any market fluctuations. Our pensioners, members and beneficiaries can remain confident that their benefits are safe thanks to our prudent management and long-term perspective.”

The Fund's value reflects retirement and death benefits of $4.09 billion paid out during the quarter. Its audited value was $248.5 billion as of March 31, 2023, the end of last state fiscal year.

As of March 31, the Fund had 44.14% of its assets invested in publicly traded equities. The remaining Fund assets by allocation are invested in cash, bonds, and mortgages (21.53%), private equity (14.61%), real estate and real assets (13.39%) and credit, absolute return strategies, and opportunistic alternatives (6.33%).

The Fund’s long-term expected rate of return is 5.9%.

DiNapoli initiated quarterly performance reporting by the Fund in 2009 as part of his on-going efforts to increase accountability and transparency.

About the New York State Common Retirement Fund

The New York State Common Retirement Fund is one of the largest public pension funds in the United States. The Fund holds and invests the assets of the New York State and Local Retirement System on behalf of more than one million state and local government employees and retirees and their beneficiaries. It has consistently been ranked as one of the best managed and best funded plans in the nation.

Foreign National Sentenced to Over 21 Years for Mailing Ricin to President of the United States in 2020

 

Defendant Also Mailed Threatening Ricin Letters to Texas Law Enforcement Officials

Pascale Cecile Veronique Ferrier, 55, a dual citizen of Canada and France, was sentenced today to 262 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for sending threatening letters, containing homemade ricin (a toxin), in September 2020, to then-President Donald J. Trump at the White House, and to eight Texas State law enforcement officials.

Ferrier pleaded guilty on Jan. 25 to prohibitions with respect to biological weapons in two separate criminal cases. One case was brought in the District of Columbia, and the other was brought in the Southern District of Texas and transferred to the District of Columbia for purposes of plea and sentencing.

According to court documents, Ferrier admitted that she made ricin at her residence in Quebec, Canada, in September 2020. Ricin is a deadly poison made from castor beans. Ferrier placed the ricin toxin in envelopes containing letters she wrote to then-President Trump at the White House and to eight Texas State law enforcement officials.

Ferrier had been detained in the State of Texas for approximately 10 weeks in the spring of 2019, and she believed that the law enforcement officials were connected to her period of detention. In early September 2020, Ferrier used the Twitter social media service to propose that someone should “please shoot [T]rump in the face.” The letters in the envelopes contained threatening language, and the letter addressed to then-President Trump instructed him to “[g]ive up and remove [his] application for this election.” Ferrier mailed each of the threatening ricin letters from Canada to the United States. Ferrier then drove a car from Canada to the Peace Bridge Border Crossing in Buffalo, New York, on Sept. 20, 2020, where border patrol officials found her in possession of a loaded firearm, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and other weapons, and arrested her. Ferrier has remained in custody.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director Susan Ferensic of the FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate made the announcement.

The FBI Washington and San Antonio Field Offices investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.