Former President Of Law Enforcement Union Edward Mullins Charged With Defrauding Union And Its Members

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Keechant Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today that EDWARD D. MULLINS, the former President of the Sergeants Benevolent Association (“SBA”), the union that represents all current and former Sergeants of the New York City Police Department, was charged with one count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the SBA, through the submission of fraudulent expense reports.  MULLINS surrendered to the FBI in Manhattan this morning, and was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein.  The case has been assigned to United States District Judge John G. Koeltl. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Edward Mullins, the former President of the SBA, abused his position of trust and authority to fund a lavish lifestyle that was paid for by the monthly dues of the thousands of hard-working Sergeants of the NYPD.  Mullins submitted hundreds of phony expense reports to further his scheme, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the SBA.  This Office is committed to rooting out corruption at all levels of government, and that includes public officials like Mullins who use their positions of power to line their own pockets to the detriment of others.”

FBI New York Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “As public servants, members of the SBA pay dues to a union that’s supposed to represent their best interests. As SBA president, Mullins allegedly went above and beyond to best serve his own interests. Our NYPD sergeants expect and deserve more from their union leadership than they received. Today, thanks to the joint efforts of those on the FBI/NYPD Public Corruption Task Force, we’re righting that wrong.”

NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “Ed Mullins allegedly violated the ethics and rules of this department, the trust of 13,000 Sergeants, active and retired whom he represented, and the laws of the United States. The NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau, has detectives assigned to the FBI’s Public Corruption Unit and works as a team with agents on matters involving the NYPD.”

According to the allegations in the Information[1] filed today in Manhattan federal court:

Overview

For nearly two decades, from in or about 2002 until in or about October 2021, EDWARD D. MULLINS served as President of the SBA, which is the union that represents all current and former Sergeants of the NYPD.  As President, MULLINS was responsible for promoting the general welfare of the SBA’s membership.  Instead, MULLINS orchestrated a scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the SBA and its members.

Between in or around 2017 and in or around October 2021, MULLINS defrauded the SBA by using his personal credit card to pay for meals at high-end restaurants and to purchase luxury personal items, among other things, and then submitting false and inflated expense reports to the SBA, seeking reimbursement for those bills as legitimate SBA expenditures when in fact they were not.  Altogether, MULLINS was reimbursed for over $1 million dollars in expenses from the SBA, the majority of which was fraudulently obtained.

The SBA

The SBA is the fifth-largest police union in the United States with its headquarters located in lower Manhattan.  The SBA’s membership consists of all active and retired sergeants of the NYPD, with approximately 13,000 members as of October 2021.  All members are required to pay dues to the SBA.  For active members, dues are deducted bi-weekly from their paychecks, totaling approximately $1,300 annually for each member.  For retired members, dues are required to be paid in a one-time payment of $600 within ninety days of retirement.

The SBA has a Contingent Fund, which is used to pay for the SBA’s “regular, fiscal, and miscellaneous expenses necessary for the transaction of the [SBA’s] business.”  The Contingent Fund is funded primarily through member dues.  Ninety cents of each dollar of member dues are deposited into the Contingent Fund, where they are supposed to be used for the benefit of the SBA and its members.  The President of the SBA is authorized to use the Contingent Fund to “defray miscellaneous expenses incurred in the performance of duties, e.g., travel, lodgings, meals, et cetera.”

The SBA has a written expense reimbursement policy (the “Policy”).  The Policy provides, among other things, that “the SBA will reimburse actual and reasonable meal expenses required to conduct SBA business or fulfill the SBA’s mission.”  In order to be “reimbursable,” expenses “must be closely related to SBA business.”  The Policy further provides that “[r]eceipts are required for any meal,” and that “[r]equests for reimbursement for meals in excess of $50.00 must be accompanied by an attendee list and the subject matter discussed.” 

The SBA is governed by a Board of Officers, consisting of nine officers, including the President, Vice President, and Treasurer, among others, and fourteen directors.  Beginning in or around 2002, MULLINS ran for and was elected President of the SBA for five successive four-year terms.  After the 2014 election, the individual who had been elected Vice President of the SBA assumed responsibility for reviewing and approving the expense reports submitted by SBA officers, including MULLINS.  The Vice President routinely scrutinized expense reimbursement requests and rejected certain expenses if they were too high or were not supported by receipts. 

In or around 2017, the then-Vice President retired as an officer of the SBA.  The Treasurer assumed primary responsibility for reviewing and approving expense reports submitted for reimbursement by SBA officers, including MULLINS.  The Treasurer did not scrutinize the expense reports in the same manner as the prior Vice President had, and, in particular, did not regularly require receipts for MULLINS’s reimbursements in particular.  As set forth below, between 2017 and 2021, the Treasurer approved hundreds of expense reports for MULLINS, totaling more than $1 million dollars.

The Scheme To Defraud the SBA

Beginning in 2017, MULLINS devised a scheme to fund his personal expenses through SBA dollars.  Specifically, MULLINS charged his personal credit card for, among other things, hundreds of high-end meals, clothing, jewelry, home appliances, and a relative’s college tuition.  MULLINS then submitted, typically by email, fraudulent and inflated expense reports to the Treasurer of the SBA, seeking reimbursement for such items purporting to be legitimate SBA expenditures when in fact they were not.  MULLINS rarely included receipts.

The Treasurer processed the expense reports once they were received – almost always without obtaining any receipts – and issued SBA reimbursement checks to MULLINS from the Contingent Fund – i.e., the fund that was made up almost entirely of member dues.  MULLINS then deposited the checks into his bank account or enlisted an individual at the SBA to deposit the checks on MULLINS’s behalf at a bank branch near the SBA’s headquarters in lower Manhattan.  MULLINS then, usually immediately thereafter, paid down his credit card bills with the deposited funds.

As part of this fraudulent scheme, MULLINS made at least three types of misstatements on his expense reports.  First, MULLINS included meals on his expense reports that were not SBA-related.  Second, MULLINS inflated the costs of his meals – whether SBA-related or not.  For example, if the actual cost of a meal was $522.55, MULLINS would seek reimbursement from the SBA for $822.55, and pocket the difference.  At times, MULLINS would even write out these changes on his personal credit card statements that he maintained at his home – i.e., crossing off “522.55” and writing in “822.55”, thereby documenting his false statements.  Third, MULLINS would take personal expenses like supermarket bills and claim them on his expense reports as SBA-related meals for which he also sought reimbursement.  

For example, in November 2019, MULLINS submitted expense reports to the Treasurer for more than $3,000 at a high-end restaurant in Greenwich Village in Manhattan (“Restaurant-1”).  Those charges, however, were not related to any work for the SBA.  Instead, as reflected in text messages that MULLINS exchanged with an employee of Restaurant-1 (the “Employee”), MULLINS was paying, on two separate occasions, for his family members and personal associates to dine at Restaurant-1.  Specifically, MULLINS, purchased two $300 gift cards for Restaurant-1 and then sought reimbursement from the SBA for the gift cards.  Two weeks later, MULLINS texted the Employee to inform the Employee that a relative (“Relative-1”) and Relative-1’s partner “are coming in for dinner tonight” and “I gave [Relative-1] a gift card that I grabbed 2 weeks ago.”  MULLINS sent a similar text message to the Employee the following night when a personal associate (“Associate-1”) was planning to dine at Restaurant-1 and use the other gift card that MULLINS had purchased with SBA funds.

As another example, in October 2020, MULLINS sent a text message to another personal associate (“Associate-2”) asking Associate-2, “Going to place an order at [the Steakhouse] what do u want[?]”  Associate-2 responded by providing MULLINS with a list of several items on the menu.  MULLINS’s October 2020 credit card statement in turn reflected a $744.59 expense at the Steakhouse on the same day.  MULLINS later submitted this fraudulent $744.59 expense, without a receipt, to the Treasurer for reimbursement, claiming the expense as an SBA-related meal when in fact it was not.  

In addition to submitting personal expenses for reimbursement, MULLINS inflated and altered his actual expenses in order to steal more money from the SBA.  MULLINS maintained two copies of his credit card statements in his home office.  The first copy, often labeled with a sticky note bearing the words “Clean Copy,” had no annotations or markings.  The second copy, often labeled with a sticky note bearing the words “Work Copy” or “Work Sheet,” had MULLINS’s handwritten annotations and markings throughout.  In the Work Copy, MULLINS changed the amount and, at times, the type of expense, from a lower amount to a larger amount, or from an item that could not be reimbursed – such as a supermarket bill – to a restaurant name, which would then be reflected in MULLINS’s reimbursement forms submitted to the Treasurer and the SBA.

For example, in April 2021, MULLINS changed a $45.92 charge to an $845.92 charge at a wine bar in New Jersey; a $609.89 charge to a $909.89 charge at the Steakhouse; and a $185.88 charge at a supermarket on Long Island to a $685.88 charge at an Italian restaurant in Manhattan.  MULLINS then submitted those fraudulent expenses, without receipts, to the Treasurer for reimbursement.  Likewise, in August 2021, MULLINS changed a $49.60 charge to a $89.60 charge for a diner on Long Island; a $53.56 charge to a $153.56 charge for a restaurant on Long Island; a $96.16 charge at a supermarket to a $396.16 charge at a restaurant on Long Island; a $152.42 charge to a $352.42 charge at a deli on Long Island; and a $464.00 charge to a $664.00 charge at a pizza place on Long Island.  Once again, MULLINS submitted these fraudulent expenses, without receipts, to the Treasurer, who approved the reimbursements.

Altogether, as a result of the scheme, MULLINS received more than $1 million dollars in expense reimbursements from the SBA, the majority of which was fraudulently obtained.

MULLINS, 60, of Port Washington, New York, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York FBI. 

This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys David Robles, Alexandra Rothman, and Andrew Rohrbach are in charge of the prosecution.

The charge contained in the Information is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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

New York City Comptroller’s Office Releases Audit of DCWP’s Inspections of Early Pandemic Price-Gouging

 

DCWP received 5000+ complaints in March 2020 regarding inflated PPE and hand sanitizer prices, stretching the agency's ability to protect consumers

 The New York City Comptroller’s Office released an audit that found that the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) was overwhelmed by the volume of price-gouging complaints for PPE and other essential products at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. DCWP received 38,010 complaints from March 2020 – February 2021, an 114% increase from the previous, pre-pandemic year. DCWP received 5,497 complaints in the month of March 2020 alone. The audit – spanning March 4th-November 16th, 2020 – found that DCWP investigated twenty-eight percent of price gouging complaints it received, and it took an average of forty-three days to conduct those inspections.

To address the spike in prices of essential goods that were in short supply, DCWP declared an emergency rule making it illegal to raise prices by ten percent or more on essential products needed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, including face masks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and other personal and household goods on March 15, 2020. According to a DCWP press release, most of the price gouging complaints came from Black and Latinx neighborhoods hit hardest by the pandemic. Some of the most egregious pricing violations found were selling an eight-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer for $28, $300 for a ten-pack of face masks, and $20 for one N95 face mask.

“As we move towards understanding how to live with this pandemic and brace ourselves for future crises, our City agencies must be at the ready to protect New Yorkers over those gaining to profit from their fears and pains,” said Comptroller Brad Lander. “I appreciate the incredible hardship our agencies, including DCWP, went through at the onset of the pandemic to safeguard New Yorkers from the pandemic and unscrupulous profiteers. These recommendations will better arm NYC with the tools needed to protect consumers in moments of emergency, whether that is the next COVID variant or the next superstorm.”

At the time the emergency price-gouging rule was established, the fine was set at $350 per item or service. DCWP established a permanent rule prohibiting price gouging on any products or services essential to health, safety, and welfare during a declared state of emergency in June 2020. As of January 2022, the fine is now $525 for the first violation, $1050 for a second violation, and $3500 for a third violation.

In its response to the audit findings, the agency committed to using the recommendations to improve implementation of this rule to be better prepared for future emergencies:

• Formalize criteria for its price gouging enforcement– including conducting initial inspections within DCWP’s own 35-day window of receiving complaints.
• Create an independent review process for its complaint inspection and selection determinations.
• Establish criteria on how often to inspect businesses with multiple complaints.
• Develop timeframes for resolving price gouging complaints and enact performance measures with inspections and follow-ups.

Read the audit report here.

NYS OASAS Announces Availability of Funding to Improve Transportation Services for Individuals Affected by Addiction

 

Funding Will Establish Transportation Demonstration Projects Designed to Improve Transportation Needs for People who are Seeking Resources for Substance Use Disorders

 The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) today announced the availability of up to $500,000 to establish transportation demonstration projects aimed at testing regional solutions to improve transportation services for people who are in need of supportive services for substance use disorder, including treatment and recovery services. Two awards of up to $250,000 each will be made in upstate New York, one in a rural county and one in an urban county.

“The lack of reliable transportation is one of the main barriers that keeps many people in need from seeking services for a substance use disorder. This can impact people in urban, suburban, and rural areas,” OASAS Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham said. “This funding allows us to work with our providers on the ground to address these issues, and improve transportation services for people in need of further support or resources.”

This pilot program will help to address isolation issues for people in treatment or recovery. For many people who need services, the lack of resources to travel to and from the programs they need has a negative impact on health outcomes. This has been made worse in some cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funding awarded under this program must be used for non-medical transportation needs, such as recreational activities likely to increase social connection or emotional well-being, recovery supports, peer interactions, formal or informal mutual support groups such as SMART recovery and AA or NA meetings, and rides to treatment or harm reduction services or to service providers. Data and information from this pilot program will help to guide further expansions of transportation services across the state.

Further information on this project can be found here.

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). 

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.

If you, or a loved one, have experienced insurance obstacles related to treatment or need help filing an appeal for a denied claim, contact the CHAMP helpline by phone at 888-614-5400 or email at ombuds@oasas.ny.gov.

BRONX BBOROUGH PRESIDENT GIBSON TO HOST A PUBLIC HEARING ON FY`23 BRONX BUDGET PRIORITIES

The Bronx Borough Board, chaired by Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, will host a virtual public hearing on the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2023 Preliminary Expense and Capital Budget tomorrow at 11 AM. Join us as we discuss the capital and service needs for our colleges, hospitals, parks, and neighborhoods in the Bronx.

Log-In Here

How the Budget Works: The Expense Budget covers the costs of running our city. It pays for the sanitation worker who picks up your garbage, and powers the lights at your local library. Funds are set aside to operate each city agency. This also includes the Debt Service, the City’s annual loan payment for long‑term Capital Projects for which the City borrows State & Federal money. The Capital Budget covers larger long‑term investments in facilities & infrastructure, or Capital Projects. Examples include the construction of public schools, street maintenance, and parks improvements. The Revenue Budget outlines money expected from taxes, State & Federal aid, and other sources of revenue. It determines the maximum amount in the Expense Budget, as the City is required to have a balanced budget.

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Attorney General James and Mayor Adams Take Down Eco-Yogi Slumlords Who Ran Unlawful Short-Term Rental Operation, Illegally Evicted Tenants

 

 Landlords to Surrender $2 Million Property That Will Turn Into Affordable Housing

$2.25 Million Settlement Results From First Enforcement of Unlawful Eviction Law in New York City, Represents Largest Settlement Against Illegal Short-Term Rental Operator

 New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Mayor Eric Adams today shut down a Brooklyn-based slumlord and scored a victory for tenants’ rights after a group of tenants were subjected to unlawful evictions in July 2020. Attorney General James and Mayor Adams announced a settlement against Gennaro Brooks-Church and Loretta Gendville — the owners of 1214 Dean Street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn — for illegally evicting tenants in 2020 and running an unlawful short-term rental operation for four years across nine Brooklyn buildings. Today’s $2.25 million settlement agreement compels the owners to forfeit their $2 million property, which will be converted into affordable housing for New Yorkers. The legal actions — coordinated jointly between the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), the city’s Law Department, the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement (OSE), and Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) — represents the first-ever enforcement of the unlawful eviction law in New York City.

“During a period of unprecedented global struggle, Brooks-Church and Gendville callously forced New Yorkers from their homes,” said Attorney General James. “We have long seen these types of harmful housing scams, especially in Central Brooklyn, where people make a business out of unfairly and inhumanely pushing others out of their homes. Let this serve as a warning: Any landlord who mistreats and tries to unlawfully evict renters will face the full force of my office and the law. We will continue to work closely with Mayor Adams and other government partners to ensure individuals like these can no longer terrorize New Yorkers.”

“These landlords may have been sending a loving and peaceful message out publicly, but they were kicking tenants to the curb privately,” said Mayor Adams. “Safe, affordable housing is not only vital to the city’s survival and public safety but is a basic human right, which is why my administration will never hesitate to stand up for tenants who are illegally harmed. Today’s settlement sends a clear message to slumlords everywhere in the city: Cruel and illegal behavior will not be tolerated, and, as long as I am mayor, you will never get away with putting tenants at risk. I thank Attorney General James for her continued partnership and fighting every day to protect New York City’s tenants.”

The global settlement stemming from the city’s lawsuits and the investigations by the OAG and the city requires landlords Gennaro Brooks-Church — a self-proclaimed “green builder” — and Loretta Gendville — the owner of a Brooklyn-area yoga studio and a separate retail store that sells both maternity and workout clothes — to take the following steps:

• Transfer 1214 Dean Street — which is valued at more than $2 million — to an entity designated by the city for use as affordable housing;
• Pay $125,000 to the OAG, to be put toward Attorney General James' Affordable Housing Fund; 
• Pay $125,000 to the city of New York for substantial penalties; 
• Agree to a permanent injunction against further illegal short-term rental activity anywhere in the city; and
• Comply with laws governing rentals in New York state pursuant to a written agreement with the OAG.

Simultaneously, the landlords have settled the lawsuit brought by former tenants of 1214 Dean Street by providing them with a substantial recovery for the damages and trauma they suffered from the unlawful eviction. The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) will work with an entity designated by the city to rehab the property for affordable housing.

“The Adams administration will not tolerate tenant harassment,” said Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz. “We will go to bat for tenants, protect our housing stock, and create the affordable housing New Yorkers need and deserve. Safe, affordable housing is a top priority for this administration, and our work on this case shows it. Thank you to all of the tenant advocates and community members who worked so hard on this case.”

Attorney General James began an investigation in July 2020 following an illegal eviction incident at the 1214 Dean Street property. In coordination with the city of New York, Attorney General James found that from January 2016 through at least the summer of 2020, Mr. Brooks-Church and Ms. Gendville ran an illegal short-term rental operation generating $1.4 million by placing 83 different listings on Airbnb. The scheme deceived nearly 5,600 guests, and prevented 14 homes across nine Brooklyn buildings from housing permanent tenants. In July 2020, the landlords used threats and force to push out at least four tenants at 1214 Dean Street — removing their tenants’ possessions and changing the locks without providing keys to the tenants. These actions violated the law prohibiting property owners from engaging in “self-help evictions” — also known as lockouts — and circumvented the statewide moratorium on evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The city became aware of the landlords’ illegal behavior via social media on July 7, 2020. Within three days — on July 10 — the city's Law Department sent a cease-and-desist letter to the landlords. On November 17, 2020, working closely with the OAG and MOPT, the Law Department’s Tenant Protection Unit brought its first lawsuit under the city’s Unlawful Eviction Law. The following month, on December 16, OSE filed a lawsuit targeting the illegal short-term rentals, which did not include 1214 Dean Street. Four of the former 1214 Dean Street tenants — now represented by counsel from TakeRoot Justice — brought an action for damages based on their unlawful eviction. Additionally, the OAG began an investigation of possible state law violations.

If the terms of the agreement are not met, Attorney General James reserves the right to pursue civil action. 

“These defendants must pay a heavy price for their illegal actions,” said New York City Corporation Counsel Georgia M. Pestana. “This settlement demonstrates that New York City will not tolerate the forcible and illegal eviction of tenants — especially during a pandemic — or the loss of homes for New Yorkers to a ring of illegal short-term rentals. This is the first lawsuit brought by the law department’s Tenant Protection Unit under the city’s Unlawful Eviction Law, but owners who engage in this type of illegal activity will be sorely mistaken if they think it will be the last.”

“By operating dozens of illegal listings on Airbnb, these landlords took homes away from would-be residents of Brooklyn neighborhoods from Carroll Gardens to East New York to the detriment of permanent renters in need of a home,” said OSE Executive Director Christian Klossner. “But this settlement with the city and the state ensures they will not be able to do so in the future.”

Governor Hochul Announces Availability of $65 Million in Federal Emergency Home Heating Aid

 

Second Round of Emergency Home Heating Aid Available for Struggling Households Facing Heating Emergencies Amid Statewide Surge in Energy Costs    

More than $25 million in Emergency Assistance Distributed Since Jan. 3 

State Agencies Continue Robust Public Awareness Efforts to Connect Eligible New Yorkers with Assistance

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that $65 million in funding remains available to help low- and middle-income New Yorkers avoid having their home heating disconnected or exhausting their heating source amid fuel price increases this winter. Administered by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the Home Energy Assistance Program is now accepting second emergency benefit applications for those New Yorkers who have used up their regular and first emergency benefits and are facing a heating emergency. 

"Energy prices remain at sky-high levels, putting a tremendous burden on struggling New Yorkers trying to pay their energy bills during these cold winter months," Governor Hochul said. "With just a few more weeks of winter left, this second round of emergency assistance will provide critical relief for low- and middle-income households, helping New Yorkers in need when the temperatures dip to frigid levels."

Income qualifying households that have exhausted the available regular HEAP benefit and the first emergency benefit may now apply for a second round of assistance, provided they are facing either a heating utility shutoff, or an electric utility service disconnection that will impact their primary heating equipment. Also qualifying are households that have exhausted their heating fuel supply or have less than one quarter of a tank of oil, kerosene, or propane; or that have less than a 10-day supply of other heating fuels.   

Demand for heating assistance through HEAP has been high so far this winter season. More than 1.4 million regular benefits totaling $212 million have been issued since the program opened in October, with an additional 28,000 emergency benefits totaling $25 million provided since January 3. 

To qualify, applicants must meet HEAP eligibility criteria and income guidelines, which vary by household size. For instance, a family of four may have a maximum gross monthly income of $5,249 or an annual gross income of $62,983. 

Last fall, the New York Public Service Commission projected increases in supply prices this winter, with the cost of natural gas—used both to heat homes and generate electricity—rising sharply and sometimes more than doubling the cost of the supply component of customer electric and/or natural gas bills. These bill increases are being driven by a global increase in natural gas commodity prices due to higher domestic usage resulting from colder-than-normal weather, increased economic activity, and increased international demand. 

In response to the anticipated spike in energy prices, the emergency benefit amount per household was increased by at least 32 percent, and upward of 42 percent, depending on the type of heating fuel used for the household. The period to apply for both the regular and emergency benefit was also extended to April 29. 

In October 2021, Governor Hochul announced $373 million for home heating aid to assist New Yorkers during cold weather months and since January 3, 2022, more than $25 million in Emergency Assistance has been distributed to New Yorkers. This February, Governor Hochul announced that $65 million in funding remains available to help low- and middle-income New Yorkers avoid having their home heating disconnected or exhausting their heating source amid fuel price increases in the third month of winter.

Additionally, back in November, Governor Hochul launched a digital media campaign designed to raise awareness of the various state programs available to help struggling New Yorkers pay heating and utility expenses to avoid potential service interruptions during the cold weather months. The campaign also provides tips and best practices to help contend with higher-than-average home heating costs.    

Applications for assistance are accepted at local departments of social services in person or by telephone, with funding provided on a first-come, first-served basis. A list of local offices by county can be found here. Residents outside of New York City may also apply online for regular heating assistance benefits. New York City residents may download an application and obtain program information here. 

Since the fall, the state Department of Public Service has been conducting outreach to alert the public of projected cost increases this winter. Last month, the agency conducted a series of virtual workshops with other state agencies to publicize financial assistance programs such as HEAP; utility energy affordability programs; weatherization measures; and other actions consumers can take to be energy efficient. 

NYS Office of the Comptroller Dinpoli - Green Economy Boosts Job Growth in New York

 

State Must Fund More Training and Development Programs

 New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today released a report showing that New York’s environment and sustainability initiatives are creating new green occupations, as well as creating additional demand for existing occupations and changing the skills required to fulfill others. In total, these occupations made up over 17% of all jobs in the state pre-pandemic. He urged the state to fund more educational and workforce development programs to grow the green economy and help bolster New York’s pandemic recovery.

“Climate change is driving a concerted effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resiliency. To be successful, we need trained individuals who can fill these jobs,” DiNapoli said. “The workforce impact goes beyond just wind and solar jobs as many established occupations are seeing an increased demand for skills that are useful for responding to climate change. We need to prepare our workforce to meet those challenges.”

DiNapoli’s report found that the number of jobs influenced by the green economy in New York exceeded one million in 2019 and 2020. New York efforts to promote sustainability, including the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) and the Reforming the Energy Vision, not only encourage the creation of new jobs related to clean energy and energy efficiency, but they can also affect employment more broadly, requiring new skills in existing occupations and increasing demand for others.

“This important new report underscores why New York’s climate law has been called the most ambitious in the world,” said Peter M. Iwanowicz, executive director of Environmental Advocates NY. “Our laws will zero-out climate pollution, improve public health, clear the air of the pollution that is making far too many sick and, as this report demonstrates, create hundreds of thousands of good jobs in the emerging green economy that is New York’s future. We appreciate Comptroller DiNapoli’s efforts to shine a light on this important issue.”

“New York continues to set the standard for fighting climate change and creating green jobs that power a clean energy innovation economy,” said Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “As we continue to strive toward major goals in the CLCPA, Comptroller DiNapoli has highlighted a path with this Green Jobs report that can increase and sustain good-paying jobs, including many union jobs, here in New York by investing in and training the next generation for the opportunities the green economy will create. As members of the New Yorkers for Clean Water and Jobs Coalition, we know investing in the environment will result in a stronger, more sustainable economy.”

“We applaud Comptroller DiNapoli for raising awareness to ensure we are creating good jobs as the green economy grows,” said Mario Cilento, president of the New York State AFL-CIO. “We agree with the need for adequate funding to make educational and workforce training available. The report also points out that labor standards like project labor agreements on construction, Buy American for the supply chain, and labor peace for operations and maintenance have been enacted for renewable energy projects. Now, we need to ensure those protections on projects moving forward so we can achieve a just transition as we address climate change here in New York State.”

“New York has positioned itself as the new frontier for good, middle-class careers in the sustainable economy, and that doesn’t just happen on its own. It takes thoughtful and deliberate policy ensuring that renewable energy and sustainable projects are governed by essential labor standards that uplift our workforce,” said Gary LaBarbera, president of the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council. “We applaud New York’s elected leadership, policymakers, and industry advocates for their continued commitment to working with the Building and Construction Trades Council to develop a best-in-class, trained workforce to lead the sustainable projects that will help New York meet its ambitious climate goals, create family-sustaining careers, and pave the way to New York’s future.”

“As New York State moves towards a cleaner and greener economy, it is essential that the state help address business' need for innovative and skilled employees,” said Heather Briccetti Esq., president & CEO of The Business Council of New York State. “We agree with Comptroller DiNapoli that this is a tremendous opportunity for our education and workforce development systems to partner with businesses that will build New York's future.”

Based on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Employment and Wages Statistics reports and the Occupational Information Network definitions of green jobs, DiNapoli’s report found:

• Of the 1.7 million green jobs in New York in 2019 (17.3% of New York’s employment), almost 85% were in existing occupations facing either increased demand (37.5%) or the need for new or updated skills (46.8%). Examples include electricians, carpenters, mechanics, and software developers, operations managers, maintenance and repair, and construction laborers.
• New and emerging jobs, which include those in the solar industry, recycling, water and energy, were 15.7% of all green jobs in the state, up from 9.7% in 2015.
• Between 2015 and 2019 green jobs grew by 13.2%, more than twice the rate of total job growth in New York (6%). The number of jobs in new and emerging occupations grew by 82.5% during this time. Increased demand and enhanced skills occupations grew more slowly, at rates of 9% and 3.3%, respectively.
• Green jobs constitute a smaller share of state employment in New York than the national average (18.8%), and the state trails neighboring states such as Pennsylvania (20.9%) and New Jersey (18.5%), as well as the large states of Illinois (21.4%) and California (18.2%).
• The number of green jobs declined by 31.9% in 2020, more sharply than total employment, largely because of the economic disruption caused by the pandemic.

While most programs to implement the CLCPA are still in the design stage, achieving the goals of the act will require significant changes in homes, businesses, transport and infrastructure that will shape economic activity and jobs. To further support workers, the State Fiscal Year 2021-22 Enacted Budget established prevailing wage, project labor agreement, and minority and women owned business requirements for certain projects. The Offshore Wind Training Institute launched in 2021 through a partnership between Stony Brook University, Farmingdale State College and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, funded with $20 million in state funds. 

DiNapoli recommended that policymakers ensure opportunities are available for New Yorkers seeking to upgrade their skills or take on new career paths, as well as identify actions to increase workforce training and educational measures. In addition, the state should bolster support to businesses to help with the transition to a green economy, including providing access to the resources needed to provide their employees with the training and skill development needed. DiNapoli called on the state Department of Labor to include green jobs in its “Future of Work” occupational outlook and toolkit.

Report

Green and Growing: Employment Opportunities in New York’s Sustainable Economy

JOINT STATEMENT FROM PUBLIC ADVOCATE WILLIAMS AND COMPTROLLER LANDER ON MAYOR'S RECENT APPOINTMENTS

 

"We are deeply concerned about the message that the mayor is sending by appointing leaders who have histories of disparaging the rights, and even the humanity, of LGBTQ New Yorkers and of working to criminalize abortion. LGBTQ immigrants in NYC need to know that they can turn to city agencies for help. Especially at this moment, people in New York City need to know that their city will wholeheartedly defend their right to reproductive health care.

"All New Yorkers need to know that their leaders view them as fully equal people and will work every day to protect their rights. Apologies and redress for past harm are important, as is meaningful, demonstrable growth. At the same time, it’s critically important that concerns about the people hired to serve our city are heard, acknowledged and meaningfully addressed, not dismissed.

"This is a city that holds dear the values of equality and dignity. Those are the values that we will hold this administration accountable to."