Wednesday, May 12, 2021

STREETS WEEK!: MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES “OPEN BOULEVARDS”

 

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced “Open Boulevards,” a new program to enhance and expand 10 multi-block corridors to create dining destination experiences throughout the city. The plan builds off last year’s successful Open Streets: Restaurants program, which transformed miles of restaurant-heavy streets into open space for diners, cyclists, and pedestrians to enjoy. In addition to creating extra space for dining, Open Boulevards will feature cultural activities, community-based programming, landscaping and other beautification, and art installations.
 
The City will work with NYC & Company to promote Open Boulevards and drive citywide, regional, and international tourist activity to each location in the five boroughs. The announcements continue Streets Week!, a suite of transportation, traffic safety, and open space policy announcements to double down on the transformative Vision Zero initiative.
 
“In a year of dramatic changes to our urban landscape, Open Boulevards will transform New York City’s streets like never before,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The Recovery for All of Us will come to life on these streets, where small businesses, restaurants, artists, pedestrians, and cyclists will gather to create the kind of destination you can only find in the greatest city in the world.”
 
“New Yorkers deserve more open space than ever this summer, and Open Boulevards will be a great resource for dining, cycling, and enjoying all the dynamic cultural events our city has to offer,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Laura Anglin. “As we bring back Open Streets: Restaurants and make Open Streets permanent, there will be more ways than ever to put our streets to work for people, not just vehicles.”
 
“As a Brooklynite, I know that Open Streets like Vanderbilt Avenue have already illustrated how this city, through the determined and combined involvement of residents and restauranteurs, can thrive in this recovery,” said DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman. “With even more resources and publicity, Open Boulevards will give us a chance to further expand those success stories, driving even more business to vibrant communities and of course, great dining.”
 
“We’re pleased to support the new ‘Open Boulevards’ plan that will not only expand the City’s café culture across the five boroughs, but also add new arts, culture and community elements that will help boost New York City’s reawakening and attract visitors this summer and beyond,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO at NYC & Company.
 
The City will mark Open Boulevards with branded light pole banners and gateways at entrances and public tables and chairs. Restaurants on Open Boulevards will receive free barriers at select giveaway events, to ensure safety for roadway diners and pedestrians.
 
Locations include:
 

Borough 

On Street 

From Street 

To Street 

Bronx 

Alexander Ave 

Bruckner Blvd 

E. 134th St 

Bronx 

Arthur Ave 

E. 187 St 

Crescent Ave 

Manhattan 

Amsterdam Ave 

W. 106 St 

W. 110 St 

Manhattan 

Columbus Ave 

W. 106 St 

W. 110 St 

Brooklyn 

Vanderbilt Ave 

Atlantic Ave 

Park Place 

Brooklyn 

5th Ave, Park Slope 

Dean 

Park Place 

  

  

Sterling Place 

Berkeley Place 

  

  

President St 

3 St 

  

  

10 St 

13 St 

Brooklyn 

5th Ave, Sunset Park 

39 St 

41 St 

  

  

45 St 

47 St 

  

  

55 St 

59 St 

Queens 

Ditmars Blvd 

33 St 

36 St 

Queens 

Woodside Ave 

76 St 

78 St 

Staten Island 

Minthorne St 

Victory Blvd 

Bay St 

  
More information, including days, hours, and operating partners, can be found at www.nyc.gov/openboulevards.
 

Assemblymember Nathalia Fernandez - Food Distribution and Rapid Testing, May 18th

 



Greetings,

Our office is happy to announce we will be providing the following 

services to our community on Tuesday, May 18th at our office 

2018 Williamsbridge Road, 10461:

  • Free Rapid COVID-19 Testing, in partnership with 
  • Essen Healthcare, 11:00am to 3:00pm
  • Food Bag Giveawayin partnership with New York 
  • Common Pantry2:00pm to 4:00pm

To register for COVID testing, please fill this form out: 

https://forms.gle/uZJHfNH3h5nvTQtT8

The testing is Free For The Uninsured and 

Zero Copay For The Insured.

The giveaway will be conducted on a first come, first serve basis -  

While Supplies Last!

We encourage you to invite your families, friends, and neighbors as 

we continue to practice COVID-19 Safety Guidelines and do our parts

to keep the community safe and fed through this pandemic.

 

Best Regards,

New York State Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez

235 Day and Counting, Finally Some Sense From This Mayor

 


After my bike ride from Gracie Mansion to City Hall I have decided that all bikes should have license plates like cars, truck, and buses. That way when they go through red lights or speed past Speed Cameras we will be able to give them tickets just like any other moving vehicle on the streets of New York City.


Tuesday, May 11, 2021

RECOVERY FOR ALL OF US: MAYOR DE BLASIO SIGNS RETIREMENT SECURITY AND TENANT PROTECTION LEGISLATION

 

Mayor Bill de Blasio today signed Retirement Security for All legislation, establishing a retirement savings program for private employees and a retirement savings board to administer it. The Mayor also signed two bills expanding New York City’s landmark right to counsel program for low-income tenants facing eviction in Housing Court.

 

“Working New Yorkers have been tested like no other due to the pandemic,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Our recovery must put them front and center.  By expanding Right to Counsel, we’ll continue to drive down evictions and bring support directly to tenants.  With Retirement Security for All, we’re fulfilling our commitment to make New Yorkers more financially secure as they age. I thank the City Council for their partnership and for passing these crucial bills.”

 

Currently, about one and a half million private sector employees in New York City have no access to a retirement saving program through their employer. Retirement Security for All is a continuation of the de Blasio Administration’s commitment to workers’ rights, including Paid Safe and Sick Leave, Fair Workweek, fighting for a $15 minimum wage and Paid Personal Time.

 

Today’s bill signing also codifies the increased speed with which the City has implemented the Mayor’s 2017 commitment to provide all low-income tenants facing eviction with legal representation in Housing Court: the program is now fully funded, well within the five-year expansion plan. Under the de Blasio Administration, the City has increased funding for tenant legal services to prevent evictions from approximately $6 million in 2013 to more than $160 million today, which has helped provide representation for thousands of tenants in housing court, with evictions dropping more than 40 percent since 2013 as a result. 

 

A summary of each bill is below:

 

Intro. 888-A (Kallos) – This bill creates a mandatory auto-enrollment payroll deduction IRA program for employees of private sector employers which do not offer a retirement plan and employ five or more employees.

 

Intro 901-A (Miller) – This bill establishes a retirement savings board to facilitate the implementation of the private sector employee retirement program and tasks the Comptroller with establishing an investment strategy and policy and directing the underlying investments or investment funds. The board would consist of three Mayoral appointees, and would be tasked with entering into contracts with service providers and administrators, creating a process for those not employed by a covered employer to participate, and conducting education and outreach to employers and employees.

 

Intro 1529-A (Levine) – This bill requires the Office of the Civil Justice Coordinator to collaborate with community groups in engaging and educating tenants of their rights in housing court, and then report on their efforts.

 

Intro 2050-A (Levine) – This bill speeds up the timeline for full citywide implementation of the housing court right-to-counsel law from July 31, 2022 to June 1, 2021.

 

The Mayor also held a hearing on Intro 1933-A (Rivera) to make the Open Streets Program permanent and provide a process for to community organizations to apply to operate open streets. A bill signing on this legislation will be held in the coming days.

 

“New Yorkers work hard, but those without the option to save for retirement face a crisis as they age,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Laura Anglin. “Retirement security will change lives and help millions of New Yorkers retire with dignity. I thank Mayor de Blasio and the City Council for focusing on this critical issue.”

 

“Our landmark right-to-counsel initiative providing tenants with legal assistance has helped thousands of New Yorkers avoid homelessness by driving down evictions by 41% in New York City – and in the process, sparked right-to-counsel programs across the country, with other jurisdictions following our City’s lead and providing low-income renters facing eviction with access to free legal counsel,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks. “During this past unprecedented year, our legal services providers met the moment, expanding their efforts under extraordinarily challenging circumstances to serve all low-income tenants facing eviction in New York City – and we thank them for their dedication, compassion, and commitment to community service. Today, we’re proud to codify those efforts, with the full expansion of this game-changing program achieved well within the five-year expansion plan initially agreed upon. We are grateful to our partners and the sponsors of the legislation at City Council for their ongoing support and commitment to keeping New Yorkers in need stably housed.”  

 

“All New Yorkers deserve to retire with income security to enjoy their years of hard work. Retirement income security is obtained through Social Security, personal savings and pension income. While it is a necessity in an individual’s life, savings may be difficult to acquire and is oftentimes dismissed or not considered until it is too late.  Through these bills, working New Yorkers have the opportunity to save for their futures and not have to spend their retirement years worried about finances, but instead, spend it enjoying the fruits of their labor. We  thank Mayor de Blasio and City Councilmembers for their work in passing this important legislation that makes New York a model Age-Inclusive City,” said Department for the Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. 

 

Retirement Security for All creates a vehicle that makes it simple for employers and easy for workers to save for retirement. All workers deserve to retire with dignity rather than trying to subsist on Social Security or working until they die.  Now 1.5 million New Yorkers will have the opportunity to join 9 million workers in other states who already have gained the opportunity to save for retirement through their paychecks.  Hopefully many millions more will follow in our footsteps,” said John Adler, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Pensions and Investments Chief Pension Investment Advisor for the Mayor.

 

“I'm proud that four of the bills we recently passed to help stabilize New Yorkers are being signed into law today. We expanded the number of New Yorkers eligible for free legal counsel in housing court to stop evictions, which must be one of our main priorities as a city right now. And we established a City-facilitated retirement savings program for private sector employees because we know too many New Yorkers don't have the access to employer plans. We have a lot of work to do as we rebuild from COVID, and legislation like this is crucial to helping rebuild a stronger city," said Council Speaker Corey Johnson

 

“Automatic workplace retirement savings provide an easy pathway for workers to start building a safety net and grow the savings they need to take control of their future. Employees are 20 times more likely to save for retirement with automatic payroll deduction,” said AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel. “On behalf of our 750,000 New York City members, AARP New York thanks Mayor de Blasio for signing this critical program into law so more New Yorkers can save at work. We appreciate the leadership of Council Speaker Johnson and Council Members Kallos and Miller in making this program a reality for our private-sector workers.”

 

"Today is a victory in the middle of a pandemic. A step forward to expand and implement right to counsel for tenants to have legal representation in New York City in-house court. It would help keep families in their homes and prevent homelessness and it is also a huge victory for organizers who can educate communities about their right to have an attorney,” said Randy Dillard, Right to Counsel Coalition.

 

In Memory of Aurelia Greene

 

In Memory of Aurelia Green


The entire Bronx Dems family mourns the passing of the Honorable Aurelia Greene. Aurelia Greene was a shining light in this world. From her decades-long career in public service as Assemblymember and Bronx Deputy Borough President to her legislative accomplishments and contributions to her community, she was a trailblazer and inspiration to so many. She will be remembered for an extraordinary life and legacy of generosity and public service. 

Ms. Greene served as New York State Assembly Member for the 77th District from 1982 to 2009, representing parts of her native Morrisania, Highbridge, and Morris Heights. Prior to her election to the State Assembly, she served as the Female Democratic District Leader for the 76th Assembly District. During her tenure in Albany, Ms. Greene became the first woman to lead the Assembly’s Banking Committee and was the first African-American appointed as Speaker Pro Tempore. She also served in leadership positions on numerous committees. From 2009 to 2017, she served as Deputy Bronx Borough President. In 2018, the Bronx Dems presented Aurelia Greene with our very first Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her lifelong work for the betterment of Bronx County.

Aurelia Greene was beloved by the entire Bronx community, and she will always hold a special place in our hearts. A true community leader and champion for Bronxites, she dedicated her life to the betterment of our borough, opening doors for women in elected office and fighting to improve the lives of New Yorkers everywhere. She was the epitome of grace and generosity and never passed up an opportunity to help others. Her contributions to our borough, city, and state will live on forever.

The Bronx lost a legend, a phenomenal woman, leader, mentor, and friend to many. She will be greatly missed. We send our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. May she rest in peace.

Statement from Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Expanded Use Authorization for the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine

 

 "Yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to include people ages 12 to 15. This is an encouraging step in the ongoing battle against this global pandemic.  

"As we have with the authorization of each COVID-19 vaccine and subsequent changes, we will use science and data to determine the safest path forward for New Yorkers. Tomorrow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), will meet publicly to review data and discuss whether to recommend the vaccine for this age group to the CDC director. Following that review, Dr. Howard Zucker will meet with our Clinical Advisory Task Force and make a final recommendation, which means we could have full authorization for vaccinations to begin for 12 to 15 year olds here in New York as early as Thursday. 

"The COVID-19 vaccine is our best weapon to defeat the virus, and we're taking all the appropriate precautions to ensure the safety and effectiveness of our vaccine program."