Mill Brook Terrace Affordable Senior Housing Project Debuts At 570 East 137th Street In Mott Haven, Bronx

Mill Brook Terrace, a new affordable housing development for seniors, has opened for occupancy at 570 East 137th Street in the Mott Haven section of The Bronx. Developed by West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the project is a result of NYCHA’s NextGeneration Request for Proposals (RFP), a community visioning process that identified the need for additional senior housing and services in the neighborhood. West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing was awarded the site in 2016 and construction was completed in December 2019. By October 2020, the property was fully leased.

Now complete, the nine-story building provides 158 residences for low-income seniors, including 48 studio units for the formerly homeless. The deeply affordable homes require tenants to pay only 30 percent of their income for rent.

Additional components within the property include an 8,700-square-foot senior center and a 1,000-square-foot public community space with a commercial kitchen, a dining room, and a flexible recreation room for events and special programming.

“This project shows exactly how we are reimagining our space to create the affordable housing that New Yorkers need,” said New York City mayor Eric Adams. “These 158 apartments in Mott Haven will provide our seniors with safe, affordable homes and the resources they need to thrive.”

Designed by Perkins Eastman, the building features 107 one-bedrooms and 51 studios. The façade comprises a mix of red brick, white metal cladding, floor-to-ceiling glass enclosing the community center and a central volume that divides to distinct building wings, and a standard window system with ventilation grills outside each residential unit.

To improve the building’s overall energy performance, the design team outfitted the structure with 319 rooftop solar panels, LED lighting throughout, and efficient building systems.

Residents will also have access to a landscaped courtyard garden and open green space at the front of the building.

“The combination of safe, permanent, affordable apartments and on-site support services will greatly assist seniors who have experienced homelessness to live full lives in their community,” said New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance commissioner Daniel W. Tietz. “Mill Brook Terrace is a great addition to the Mott Haven neighborhood and we congratulate the West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, along with our New York City partners, on the completion of this much-needed development.”

Funding for the development was sourced from a mix of private financial institutions and public agencies. This includes Capital One, Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, National Equity Fund, and New York City Council Discretionary Capital sponsored by New York City councilmember Diana Ayala.

In addition to NYCHA, public agencies that supported the project include New York City’s Housing Development Corporation’s Extremely Low and Low Affordability Program, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development‘s Senior Affordable Rental Apartments (SARA) program, and the Office of Environmental Remediation.

Support from New York State agencies included the Office of Mental Health, the Homeless Housing and Assistance Corporation, and NYSERDA. Completion of the senior center was funded by the New York Department for the Aging.

“Time and again, we’ve heard from New Yorkers that our city needs more affordable senior housing, that we as a city need to better support our growing senior population,” said Paul R. Freitag, executive director of the West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing. “This collaboration shows how we can get that done, and done beautifully.”

MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to 2015 Murder in Babylon, Attempted Murder in Bay Shore, and Other Crimes

 

Reynaldo Lopez-Alvarado, also known as “Mente,” a member of the Brentwood Locos Salvatruchas clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in connection with his participation in the November 19, 2015 murder of Cesar Rivera-Vasquez, an attempted murder that occurred on April 9, 2013 in Bay Shore, and conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice.  The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Steven I. Locke.  When sentenced, Lopez-Alvarado faces up to life in prison.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Rodney K. Harrison, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the guilty plea.

“In a twisted desire to enhance his status within the MS-13 gang and without any regard for human life, the defendant admittedly participated in extremely violent crimes, including murder and a shooting,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Lopez-Alvarado faces very serious consequences for his senseless actions which I hope will be of some relief to the community, including the family and friends of his victims.  This Office, together with the Long Island Gang Task Force, is working tirelessly to bring MS-13 gang members to justice for the havoc they have wrought on Long Island.”

“This case is a grim reminder of the inhumane acts individuals are willing to commit just to elevate their status within a gang,” stated SCPD Commissioner Harrison. “Let this guilty plea be a testament of our commitment to hold gang members accountable for their heinous crimes. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure public safety on our streets.”

According to court filings and statements by the defendant at the guilty plea proceeding, Lopez-Alvarado participated in the April 9, 2013 attempted murder of a man on Benton Place in Bay Shore.  Lopez-Alvarado, who was a new member of the MS-13 at the time, and another MS-13 member went out looking to kill a rival gang member in order for Lopez-Alvarado to gain full status in the gang.  When they observed a group of men who they assumed were members of the rival Bloods street gang, Lopez-Alvarado and his co-conspirator retrieved a .25 caliber handgun and 20-gauge shotgun, drove back to Benton Place, approached the group of men and opened fire.  One victim was struck and was subsequently transported to a local hospital, where he was treated and survived the shooting. 

Approximately one month after that, Lopez-Alvarado conspired to obstruct justice by assisting fellow gang members after they had committed two murders.  Specifically, on May 28, 2013, Lopez-Alvarado came to the aid of fellow gang members, who had just shot and killed Kennan Russell at a house party in Central Islip, when the minivan they had stolen and subsequently used in not only the Russell murder but also the May 26, 2013 murder of Derrick Mayes, ran out of gas and broke down.  In addition to helping his fellow gang members get gas and hide the firearms used in the Russell murder, Lopez-Alvarado and other MS-13 members, who had learned that the minivan had been linked to the murders, agreed to destroy it.  Lopez-Alvarado and his fellow MS-13 gang members then cleaned the minivan to remove any fingerprints, drove it to a wooded area in Ronkonkoma, doused it with gas, and set it on fire. 

In addition, Lopez-Alvarado admitted during his guilty plea to participating in the murder of Rivera-Vasquez on November 19, 2015, in Babylon.  Rivera-Vasquez was murdered by Lopez-Alvarado and other MS-13 members because the gang suspected him of belonging to a rival Mexican gang, Raza Loca.  On the night of the murder, Lopez-Alvarado and his co-conspirators saw Rivera-Vasquez at a deli located near the Babylon Long Island Railroad train station.  Lopez-Alvarado and the other MS-13 members convinced the victim to leave with them to smoke marijuana and brought him to an isolated area behind a nearby baseball field.  The gang members, who were armed with knives and a baseball bat, told the victim to take off his shirt so they could observe a tattoo they believed signified the victim’s membership in the rival gang.   After observing the tattoo, Lopez-Alvarado and the other MS-13 members attacked Rivera-Vasquez, beating him with the bat and stabbing him repeatedly with knives before one of the co-conspirators cut the victim’s throat.  The MS-13 members buried Rivera-Vasquez’s body near a large mound of dirt.  The body was discovered in April 2018. 

This conviction is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization.  The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States.  With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island.  Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York.  A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults.  Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 60 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders.  These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. 

State Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Audits

 

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today the following audits have been issued. Department of Corrections and Community Supervision: Oversight of Transportation Services and Expenses (2021-S-1) The department has not established adequate controls to effectively monitor and ensure accountability over transportation expenses and performs limited to no central monitoring of payments made through the contractor responsible for serving vehicles. Further, the contractor data does not include sufficient detail needed for the department to adequately monitor vehicle repairs and maintenance costs. Also, the department does not monitor in-house maintenance expenses but, rather, relies on each facility or office for accurate reporting. Department of Health - Medicaid Program: Claims Processing Activity (2021-S-7) The audit identified over $36.1 million in improper Medicaid payments. By the end of the audit fieldwork, about $5.5 million of the improper payments had been recovered. Auditors also identified seven providers in the Medicaid program who were charged with or found guilty of crimes that violated laws or regulations governing certain health care programs. By the end of the audit fieldwork, the department removed the providers from the Medicaid program. Department of Health - Medicaid Program: Improper Managed Care Payments for Misclassified Patient Discharges (2021-S-8) The audit identified 2,808 managed care inpatient claims totaling $32.3 million for Medicaid recipients who were reported as discharged from a hospital, but then admitted to a different hospital within the same day or the following day (which often meets the definition of a transfer). These claims are at a high risk of overpayment if the first hospital inappropriately reported an actual transfer as a discharge. The audit selected a judgmental sample of 166 claims totaling $2,474,162 from six hospitals and reviewed the associated patients’ medical records. Auditors found that 47 claims were overpaid because they were actually for transfers and not discharges and another 13 claims incorrectly billed as inpatient when they were for outpatient services. New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development: Heat and Hot Water Complaints (Follow-Up) (2022-F-3) HPD officials have made some progress in correcting the problems identified in the initial report. Of the initial report’s eight recommendations, three were implemented, two were partially implemented, and three were not implemented. Department of Health: Management of Indoor Air Quality for Individuals With Asthma (2020-S-59) While the department, through its contracts with Local Health Departments (LHDs), has identified poor indoor environmental conditions that impact residents with asthma, it needs to improve its oversight and monitoring of LHDs to ensure that individuals identified with asthma in targeted areas continue to receive appropriate assistance. New York State Liquor Authority: Internal Controls Over Selected Financial Operations (Follow-Up) (2022-F-12) SLA has made progress addressing the problems identified in the initial audit report and has implemented the two recommendations from that report.

President Of Sham United Nations Affiliate Sentenced To 42 Months In Prison For Cryptocurrency Scheme

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ASA SAINT CLAIR, a/k/a “Asa Williams,” a/k/a “Asa Sinclair,” was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for devising a fraudulent investment scheme in which he tricked at least 60 victims into providing loans to his organization, the World Sports Alliance, tied to a purported digital coin offering called IGObit.  SAINT CLAIR falsely represented to investors that the World Sports Alliance was a close affiliate of the United Nations and that they would receive guaranteed returns on their investment, but instead diverted the investors’ funds for his personal expenses and benefit.  SAINT CLAIR was found guilty of wire fraud in March 2022, following a two-week jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge P. Kevin Castel, who imposed today’s sentence. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “Asa Saint Clair deceived everyday investors by taking advantage of their desire to invest in a better world while also getting a guaranteed financial return.  Saint Clair promised his victims all this and more if they invested in IGObit, a digital currency he claimed the World Sports Alliance was developing in support of its work with the UN to promote sports and peace in developing countries.  These promises were false, and Saint Clair’s victims lost the entirety of their hard-earned money.  Today’s sentence holds Saint Clair accountable for brazenly lying to investors while lining his own pockets.”   

According to the evidence presented at trial, SAINT CLAIR solicited investors for the launch of IGObit through promised investment returns, representations that the World Sports Alliance, a purported intergovernmental organization, was a close affiliate and partner with the United Nations, and representations about the World Sport Alliance’s development projects around the world.  World Sports Alliance did not in fact have any relationship with the United Nations and did not, and had not, participated in any international development projects. 

SAINT CLAIR also represented to investors that their money would be used for the development of IGObit, when he in fact diverted those funds to other entities controlled by him and members of his family, as well as to pay his personal expenses, including dinners at Manhattan restaurants, travel, and online shopping.

SAINT CLAIR defrauded more than 60 victims of more than $600,000 dollars.

SAINT CLAIR, 50, of Washington, was convicted of one count of wire fraud.  In addition to the prison term, SAINT CLAIR was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture of $618,417 and restitution of $613,417.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of Homeland Security Investigations.

LOCAL LEADERS ACROSS COUNTRY JOIN NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE TO CALL FOR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE

 As New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released a new report today detailing the underlying root causes of gun violence in communities across New York City, highlighting the correlation between systemic underinvestment in neighborhoods and higher rates of shootings, municipal leaders from across the country joined him in calling for holistic solutions to combat this increase in violence locally and nationwide. 

The Public Advocate’s new report, Reimagining Gun Violence Prevention and Public Safety For New York City, highlights the correlation between a number of factors and a spike in shootings, including job and housing security, mental health supports, education, and healthcare access. It makes the case that zip codes which have been neglected and under-resourced in these areas have seen subsequently disproportionate gun violence. This is a pattern that officials from municipalities which include Chicago, Durham, Newark, Oakland, Portland, and Rochester say is replicated in their own communities.

The solutions to that violence, they then argue, must stem from the cause. Equitable investment from local, state, and federal government in areas such as economic development, quality affordable housing, and educational opportunity would have a significant impact on violence reduction in these areas. Producing public safety, the report argues and the officials reinforced, is not solely the responsibility of law enforcement, nor can law enforcement meet that impossible obligation. A community-driven approach, from investing in public services to providing community-based violence prevention programs, is vital to reversing decades of damage.

“In crafting our new report, we saw that again and again, the same patterns of underinvestment, overpolicing, and increases in gun violence persisted in localities across the country,” said New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “Many of us have spent years highlighting these disparities and root causes, calling for investment and action to combat them and save lives– and we were too often ignored. I’m proud to bring together a chorus of voices from bold leaders across the country to call for community-centered solutions to correct for decades of damage, reimagine public safety, and create truly safe communities in the cities we serve.”

Joining the Public Advocate for a virtual press conference to discuss this issue were Councilmember Stanley Martin of Rochester, Alderman Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez of Chicago, City Commissioner Joanne Hardesty of Portland, Councilmember Jillian Johnson of Durham, Councilmember Sheng Thao of Oakland, and Director Office Of Violence Prevention Dr. Lakeesha Eure of Newark.

The local leaders’ call comes during the week of the anniversary of ‘94 federal crime bill, which greatly expanded the federal death penalty, funded a hundred thousand new police officers, offered almost ten billion in funding for prisons, and fundamentally transformed the American criminal justice system. Instead of addressing systemic inequities or supporting communities with rising crime, the bill’s emphasis on lengthy and punitive prison sentences trapped unprecedented numbers of Americans in more jails for longer, tearing apart families and communities. Nearly three decades later, the impacts are clear, as is the need to take immediate, far-reaching action to undo this damage and uplift neighborhoods. 

“I am very grateful for the work done by Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams and his office around bringing real, community-led response to violent crime and gun violence. The City of Oakland is facing an unprecedented increase in violent crime and that peaked during the pandemic when our groundbreaking Ceasefire program was cut. After the City Council restored this program in 2021, we began to see shootings decline again. This is why we want to invest more into programs like Ceasefire, our groundbreaking MACRO program – which sends non police personal to incidents like mental health and homeless calls, our Department of Violence Prevention, Youth Summer Jobs programs, and more. This report spells out what many members of the community and violence prevention experts already know—the key to solving gun violence is to invest in our communities, invest in victims of violent crime, invest in our youth, and ensure everyone has good housing, good jobs, good pay, and a fair shot at life.” - Sheng Thao, District 4 Councilmember and Oakland City Council President Pro Tempore

“The gun violence we are facing across the country requires an all-hands-on deck situation where government needs to dig deep, think creatively, and directly engage impacted community members to develop shared solutions that improve community safety and invest in the root causes of this crisis. I’m thankful to Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for illustrating the correlation between decades of underinvestment, the erosion of our social safety net, and the related rise in gun violence. Reversing this trend will be key to creating safer communities in cities across the country.” - Jo Ann Hardesty, Portland City Commissioner

NJ MAN SENTENCED FOR VICIOUS MACHETE ATTACK ON GIRLFRIEND

 

Victim Required Facial and Hand Reconstructive Surgeries

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a New Jersey man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision after pleading guilty to striking his girlfriend across the face, hand, and neck with a machete.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant hacked at the 20-year-old woman with a machete in an attempt to kill her. He inflicted life-altering injuries requiring reconstructive surgeries. Despite physical and emotional trauma, this young woman bravely worked with our Office to bring the defendant to justice.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Hector de la Cruz, 29, was sentenced today by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Marsha Michael to 12 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision after pleading guilty to second-degree Attempted Murder on July 26, 2022.

 According to the investigation, at approximately 9:00 p.m. on February 21, 2020 inside the lobby of 2685 Grand Concourse, the defendant approached Lisbeth Acosta-Ramirez, 20, with a machete and attempted to cause her death by striking her on the right side of her face, her right hand, and the back of her neck, causing deep bleeding lacerations. Acosta-Ramirez was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital and underwent reconstructive and life-saving surgery.

 District Attorney Clark thanked 52nd Precinct Officers who responded, particularly Police Officer Anthony Laquidara and Police Officer Rolando DeLeon, for their assistance.

VCJC News & Notes 9/16/22

 

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 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 9/16/22 @ 6:45  pm Shabbos morning services at 8:45 am.  Please join the services if you can do so safely.  Shabbos Ends Saturday 9/17/22 @ 7:48 pm   Selichot Services  Services will be held on Saturday night, Sept. 17 at 10 PM in the main sanctuary.    High Holidays and Memberships Our annual membership year starts with Rosh HaShannah. Please renew your membership now.  Dues are $250 per person by check or in the office.  You can also buy/renew your membership online with a small processing fee.  Rosh HaShannah starts the evening of Sept. 25.  It's not too soon to buy your tickets for services!  Tickets are $125 per person by check or in the office.  You can also buy your tickets online with a small processing fee.  We expect all men who buy tickets to also be members and encourage all women to do the same.    Annual Membership Meeting The VCJC will have its annual membership meeting on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 9:30 AM.  The meeting will be a hybrid meeting, that is, it will be held both in person and via Zoom.  Only members who paid their dues for the 2021-2022 year are eligible to attend and participate.  Detailed announcements have gone out by postal mail.  If you are a member, it is important that you attend!   Lulov and Etrog for Sukkot These will be available through VCJC.  Prices are $35 or $50 for a better Etrog. Let the office know that you plan to purchase a set as soon as possible.

Governor Hochul Announces MTA Systemwide Ridership Record

  

Subways, Buses, Commuter Railroads and Paratransit Carried 5.6 Million New Yorkers on Wednesday September 14

Subways Carried 3.7 Million New Yorkers on Wednesday, Highest Since Early 2020, Surpassing Record Set Last Week

Buses Set 2022 Ridership Record with Preliminary Count of More Than 1.5 Million Riders on Tuesday

Metro-North Railroad Set Ridership Record for Second Consecutive Day, Carrying More Than 181,600 Riders; LIRR Records Second Highest Ridership Day of 2022

Records Come Same Week as OMNY Reaches a Half Billion Taps

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority set a systemwide ridership record Wednesday, September 14, carrying more than 5.6 million riders. The subway and buses carried more than 5.2 million riders on Wednesday, both setting records. Subway ridership surpassed the previous record set on September 8, carrying 3,734,742 on Wednesday, a 28.5 percent increase from the comparable day in 2021. Bus ridership hit the 1.5 million-mark with a preliminary total of 1,523,000 riders, which is expected to rise by approximately 15 percent when the rider count is complete. 

"Our record ridership numbers are the latest indicator that New York's recovery is back on track, and we will continue pushing forward to build a better and stronger New York," Governor Hochul said. "Riders are swiping, tapping, and riding their way to New York's economic recovery, and we look forward to keeping this momentum going." 

The commuter railroads continued to show ridership growth. For the second consecutive day Metro-North Railroad set a ridership record, carrying more than 181,600 riders Wednesday, the highest since at least March 2020. The Long Island Rail Road carried over 200,000 riders on a weekday for the second time since March 2020 on Wednesday, carrying more than 202,700 riders. The preliminary total comes second to the record LIRR set last week on September 7. 

Access-A-Ride also reached a milestone of 28,000 scheduled trips on Wednesday, the highest since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Since schools reopened last week, Access-A-Ride trips have averaged 86 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, "I have heard people writing New York's obituary for almost my whole career, and I can tell you that we at the MTA are going to prove them wrong. These ridership numbers are on the higher end of our latest projections and show mass transit is moving in the right direction, and we're not stopping. While some form of work from home will surely continue, the surge in ridership that we are seeing says that back to the office is a meaningful trend."

Subway Rider Debbie who recorded the 500 millionth tap said, "I really appreciate being able to take the subway, being able to get to work and back home safely. And the convenience of using OMNY."

OMNY, or One Metro New York, debuted to the public in 2019 as a pilot phase at 19 subway stations and on Staten Island buses. The rollout of the contactless system was completed in December of 2020, with all 472 subway stations and the entirety of the MTA's 5,800 bus fleet is now equipped with approximately 15,000 OMNY readers.  

The Authority launched the OMNY fare-capping pilot on subways and buses earlier this year. The fare-capping pilot includes a "Lucky 13" feature where, starting with the 13th ride of each week, every additional ride on subways or buses is free for the rest of that week. 

On the commuter rail, both LIRR and Metro-North continue to offer fare discount packages, and recently rolled out a new TrainTime app. TrainTime combined ticket purchasing with real-time train tracking, and capacity tracking, and has been well received by customers. Since its launch TrainTime has had 295,000 new downloads, 1.2 million users and over 1.75 million tickets have been purchased.