New York City Public Advocate Protecting Our Children

Every student in our City deserves a high quality education. Every school in our City has a responsibility to teach and protect each and every child who walks through its doors. Sadly, some schools in our City are failing this basic responsibility and severely mistreating our most vulnerable children such as those with disabilities. That's why today, I filed a federal civil rights complaint against Success Academy Charter Schools. For years, Success Academy has been denying children with disabilities and their families the educations they deserve. Success Academy has failed to provide reasonable accommodations to these children, such as paraprofessionals and occupational therapists; and has coerced students with disabilities and their families to leave the charter network altogether. We will not stand for mistreatment and discrimination against any New Yorker, especially our most defenseless children and their families. We will hold any institution responsible for their actions to ensure that every student has the education they deserve. We'll continue to take action to protect the most vulnerable New Yorkers and make sure our schools are safe spaces for all students. We were joined in our civil rights complaint by Council Member Dromm and advocates - you can read more about it here.

Sincerely,  Letitia James New York City Public Advocate

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj Employment Opportunities

Housing Court Answers is HIRING!    Housing Court Answers seeks a full time coordinator for its NYCHA Information Table. HCA, an independent nonprofit, provides non-lawyer assistance to people in Housing Court without lawyers from Information Tables in all 5 boroughs, and through a telephone hotline. The NYCHA Coordinator will be responsible to staff an information table at 250 Broadway Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 1pm to answer NYCHA tenants' questions about NYCHA rules, grievances, and termination of tenancy hearings. The coordinator will also refer tenants to legal and social services and rent arrears assistance when appropriate. Additionally, the NYCHA coordinator will spend time in the NYHCA parts in the city's Housing Courts and assist tenants who call our hotline. The NYCHA coordinator will engage in ongoing advocacy with NYCHA to make the Authority's procedures easier to navigate for tenants and to improve access to justice for tenants facing eviction.  The NYCHA coordinator will coordinate advocacy campaigns around the following issues: Streamlined procedures for getting repairs for NYCHA tenants through Housing Court Fairer treatment of tenants at 250 Broadway termination proceedings Better treatment of tenants in nonpayment proceedings in the courts' NYCHA parts Greater legal representation of NYCHA tenants in eviction proceedings.  Specific Duties and Responsibilities: Coordinate the provision of services at the information table in the administrative hearing office at 250 Broadway Work with HCA staff and local advocates on advocacy campaigns to further the rights of NYCHA tenants Develop workshops and trainings on NYCHA procedures and related issues for advocates and social service providers across the city Develop information sheets and other tools for educating unrepresented litigants on their rights and NYCHA procedures Plan monitoring and advocacy projects Position Qualifications: Bachelor's degree required Demonstrated commitment to social justice Demonstrated ability to work with the public in a stressful and/or chaotic setting Demonstrated knowledge of housing, tenants' rights, and NYCHA Strong verbal and written communication skills Spanish ability a plus Ability to work independently and collaboratively   Salary currently $45,000 plus health insurance and paid vacation, although salary and benefits subject to Collective Bargaining process.   To apply: email cover letter and resume to info@hcanswers.org with NYCHA Coordinator in the subject line.  Employment Opportunities The Academy of Medical and Public Health Services is HIRING!  The Academy of Medical & Public Health Services (AMPHS) is a not-for-profit health service organization based in Sunset Park, Brooklyn with a triple aim to identify barriers to health and wellness in underserved immigrant communities; coordinate truly needed primary care with social assistance; and deliver care with dignity and empathy to marginalized New Yorkers.   They are looking to hire Part-time positions for the following areas: Program Coordinator Program Assistant Social Worker Community Health Worker Nurse Practitioner Chinese/Spanish Translator  Program Coordinator  AMPHS seeks a passionate and skilled professional to join the operations team. The Program Coordinator plays a key leadership role in integrating clinical and social services and ensuring the smooth coordination of all Community Health Project programming activities among AMPHS staff and partners. The ideal candidate is a seasoned program manager and exceptional communicator, relationship manager, trainer and coach. He or she will identify and contribute to the development and execution of innovative solutions to grow program capacity and expand outreach within vulnerable immigrant populations. The Program Coordinator reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer. For more information, please click here. Program Assistant  The Program Assistant is responsible for assisting in the implementation and administration of the health screening, education, and training programs at the Academy of Medical and Public Health Services. Responsibilities include event coordination, outreach, client communication, and basic reception and clerical duties. The candidate will work directly with Executive Management staff to ensure that the organization runs smoothly and efficiently. For more information, please click here.  Social Worker The Social Worker is responsible for providing high-level oversight over the organization's culturally-sensitive social service counseling program and presiding over the organization's weekly Saturday health clinics. AMPHS' unique, integrated clinical-social service program enables community members to receive direct social service counseling to connect them to theneeded care immediately following each clinical encounter. The Social Worker is responsible for managing client cases and assisting community members in navigating resources in coordination with recommendations from the clinical team. The Social Worker is also responsible for establishing and maintaining a community referral network, facilitating workshops and overseeing a team of community health workers. For more information, please click here. Community Health Worker The community health worker (CHW) is responsible for providing culturally-sensitive health navigation services to help patients and their families navigate and access community services and resources within the healthcare system, while guiding them to adopt healthy behaviors. CHWs will work primarily with immigrant families in Sunset Park, many who have limited access to healthcare. The CHW supports AMPHS clinicians, the supervising social worker and program coordinator by providing an integrated system of support services that promotes and maintains healthy behaviors and addresses the social determinants of health affecting the local community. Primary function areas include social service counseling, advocating for individuals and community health needs, and facilitating community outreach workshops. For more information, please click here.    Nurse Practitioner  The Academy of Medical & Public Health Services offers free weekly Saturdayhealth clinics for low-income, uninsured community members in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Screening participants often lack health insurance or experience language barriers that prevent them from accessing available health resources; for many, it is their first time receiving a health assessment in many years. During the clinic, AMPHS clinicians perform health screenings while partner healthcare agencies offer free specialty services, such as HIV and Hepatitis C testing, mammograms, and flu shots. AMPHS may also offer specialty theme-based services each month. At the beginning of the screening, AMPHS volunteers distribute health surveys through which it collects health data used to analyze community health trends and develop education programs. The Nurse Practitioner will be responsible for presiding over AMPHS clinics to conduct basic and specialty screenings, provide long-term medical counseling, and facilitate health education workshops. The NP will not be making diagnoses, but will identify risk factors and lifestyle changes that the community member should pursue, as well as follow-up treatment. He or she will then work collaboratively with the Social Assistance team to connect community members to the relevant services based on treatment recommendations from the clinical encounter. The ideal candidate is passionate about working with immigrant communities and has significant experience working with low-income populations who have had little or no access to care. For more information, please click here.     Chinese/Spanish Translator  The Academy of Medical & Public Health Services (AMPHS) works with a predominantly Latino and Chinese community in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, bringing them accessible healthcare through free health screenings and education workshops. At the beginning of each screening, AMPHS staff collects demographic data from each participating community member to conduct analytical research on predominant health trends in the local community. AMPHS also holds public health workshops that educate community members in health access, disease management and prevention, nutrition and wellness. They are seeking fluent or highly proficient Spanish, Cantonese and/or Mandarin speakers to interpret for AMPHS constituents during open clinics and events.    Translators will also have the opportunity to engage in other community fieldwork projects that include conducting interviews and focus groups and community outreach alongside our community engagement team. Additionally, they will be responsible for assisting with other administrative projects, such as recording Chinese/Spanish segments for educational videos, translating educational literature, brochures, flyers, and other outreach material, and writing Chinese/Spanish blog posts for our online news portal. AMPHS clinics take place Saturdays on a weekly basis; workshops take place on weekends and select weekdays. Translators will receive training in medical terminology, patient history-taking, and HIPAA prior to engaging in a service role. For more information, please click here.

Andrew Sandler New District Manager of Community Board 7

   Last night at its full board meeting Community Board 7 chose Mr. Andrew Sandler as its new District Manager. The vote was unanimous among the community board members who were in attendance. On hand to congratulate the new CB 7 District Manager were Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, Councilman Andrew Cohen, and the Bronx Democratic County Committee Executive Director Mr. Anthony Perez, who incidentally is a member of Community Board 7. Also on hand was Assemblyman Jose Rivera who left before he was announced. An ally of Assemblyman Rivera, his State Committeeman in the 78th A.D. Mr. Kenny Agosto also applied for the District Managers position, but was not chosen. Apparently Assemblyman Jose Rivera upon seeing Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Councilman Andrew Cohen, and Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj (who defeated Naomi Rivera Jose's daughter and former 80th A.D. Assemblywoman several years ago) knew who was going to become the new District Manager, and it was not going to be Mr. Agosto. 

   Mr. Andrew Sandler has worked for former Councilman Oliver Koppell, and kept his position as crack constituent problem solver with Koppell's successor Councilman Andrew Cohen. It is a big win for the residents of Community Board 7. New District Manager Andrew Sandler will not have to learn on the job, but come into the position with his vast knowledge of how New York City runs. The only losers will be, Councilman Andrew Cohen for loosing such a valuable and knowledgeable employee and the people of Councilman Cohen's council district outside of Community Board 7 for the same reason. 

   Once again congrats to Mr. Andrew Sandler the new District Manager of Community Board 7. 

Gas Under $2.00 A Gallon - Now in The Bronx

  As you see the price of Unleaded Regular Gas at this Gulf station located on Williamsbridge Road at Neil Avenue is now selling for $1.99 a gallon today. A gallon of Unleaded Regular gas sold for more than $4.00 a gallon over a year ago. Oil has steadily fallen in price, and the price for a gallon of gas now is less than half of what it was. With Iran begining to be allowed to sell oil the price is expected to drop even further. You may be able to see a gallon of Regular Unleaded gas selling for under $1.00 a gallon before 2016 is over.

Elected Officials and Others protest Friday Evening Anti-Muslim Attack in Parkchester by Two Assailants

   Mujibur Rahman, 43, was picking up his nine-year-old niece from PS 118 located at 1075 Pugsley Avenue about 5:30 p.m. Friday when the two assailants punched him in the head and knocked him to the ground where they kicked him several times, while reportedly yelling the anti-Muslim slurs. 

     Mr. Rahman was joined by Bronx elected officials such as Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. , Parkchester Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda, State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Public Advocate Letitia James, and representatives of other elected officials including Mayor Bill de Blasio this morning to denounce the 'Act of Hate'. 

    Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, called it an act of cowardice, and those who committed it need to be caught. Assemblyman Sepulveda thanked the Commanding Officer of the 43rd Police Precinct for the quick response by the NYPD in this incident which is being labeled as a 'Hate Crime'. Others at today's rally also denounced the crime. Photos of the press conference calling for the attackers to give themselves up. Anyone with information about the attack to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477).

ASSEMBLYMAN DINOWITZ ANNOUNCES SENIOR CENTER TOWN HALL SERIES

  Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz has announced that he will be hosting a series of Town Hall meetings at senior centers across the district. The Town Halls will focus on matters that largely affect seniors including housing and consumer issues; however at the end of each meeting the Assemblyman will also hold an open-ended Q & A session for residents to ask any questions they may have.

The schedule for the Town Halls is as follows:

• January 22^nd, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. at the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center
• January 29^th, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Van Cortlandt Senior Center
• February 12^th, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Riverdale YM-YWHA
• February 26^th, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the R.A.I.N. Senior Center
• March 4^th, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Riverdale Senior Centers

“Seniors are disproportionately the victims of consumer fraud and also housing issues,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz. “Additionally, many of them are unaware of some of the programs and benefits they are entitled to, such as the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program. Over the last year many of my constituents have received calls from scammers who threatened to shut off their electricity if they didn’t receive payments for alleged debts or tax liabilities. These fraudulent calls are well-coordinated and widespread attempts to take advantage of seniors – and this is just one example of how seniors are victimized. I am excited to meet with and talk to these seniors, the sessions will be incredibly informative and I hope to see a large turn out, however, for those who can’t make it my office is always available at 718-796-5345 to answer any questions or provide any information we can.”

ELECTED OFFICIALS REQUEST TRAFFIC STUDY FOR AREA SURROUNDING RIVERDALE CROSSING

Requested Area of Study Includes Broadway, West 238th Street, Bailey Avenue and West 237th Street

   City Council Member Andrew Cohen, Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz, Congressman Eliot Engel and Senator Gustavo Rivera penned a joint letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT) requesting a traffic study for Broadway, West 238th Street, Bailey Avenue, West 237th Street and any other surrounding street in close proximity to Riverdale Crossing, the new shopping mall that is now fully open for business.

In recent months there has been an influx of pedestrian and vehicular traffic going in and out of the mall, which warrants new or improved traffic controls to ensure a more orderly flow of traffic in order to avoid any accidents and to mitigate congestion.

Riverdale Crossing is centrally located in a transportation hub along Broadway, a heavily used commercial corridor that is home to the No. 1 train and the Major Deegan Expressway. It is also ideally located to the 50th police precinct, Manhattan College, and is a short walk from Van Cortlandt Park. The parking lot of the shopping mall is almost always filled to capacity, causing traffic to overflow onto the already congested local streets. It is for these reasons that the local elected officials feel it is imperative for DOT to conduct a comprehensive study of the traffic patterns and its volume in the surrounding areas.

“Over the last several months this section of the Broadway shopping corridor has changed drastically for the better as new businesses and restaurants have opened in the Riverdale Crossing shopping center, causing a significant increase in the amount of traffic in the area. With no way of knowing how recent developments affect traffic volume and safety, it is critical that the DOT conduct a traffic study so we can determine what additional traffic control measures may be needed. The opening of the Riverdale Crossing mall has already been a great addition for our community; however, it is imperative that we comprehensively examine the impact of its presence on traffic patterns and public safety,” said Councilman Cohen, Congressman Engel, Assemblyman Dinowitz, and Senator Rivera.

Rep. Engel Writes to President Obama Calling for Close to Assault Weapons Import Loopholes

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Eliot Engel, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, authored a letter to President Obama cosigned by 91 of his House colleagues, asking the President to follow up his executive action on background checks with further steps that would restore tough enforcement of the assault weapon import ban.

Although it is currently illegal to import assault weapons into the U.S., the George W. Bush administration used executive action to create sizeable loopholes in the law. Under current administrative guidance, for example, even an AK-47 assault rifle might be permitted. Congressman Engel and his colleagues are asking the President to use his existing authority to close these loopholes. Text of the letter can be found below:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Mr. President:

We write today in strong support of your plans to take executive action to expand background checks on the sale of guns, and we respectfully renew our request that your administration return to the strong enforcement of the ban on imports of military-style assault weapons that was in effect during the administrations of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

With more than a mass shooting on average each day this year in this country, and remembering the many thousands of Americans who have died as a result of gun violence just since the terrible shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut three years ago, we believe strongly that we as the people’s representatives must do what we can to stem the tide of dangerous weapons flowing into the hands of dangerous people.

Expanding background checks to include additional gun sellers is an important step, and we welcome recent reports that your administration is planning to take that step. But, in accordance with the Gun Control Act of 1968, we respectfully ask that you also consider tightening significantly the rules that currently allow for the importation into the U.S. of military-style assault weapons.

The Gun Control Act prohibits the importation into the United States of any firearm that is not “generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has already said that this import ban includes “semiautomatic assault rifles” with “military configuration features.”

Unfortunately, current guidance treats these terms too narrowly, focusing only on the inclusion of specific parts and components. This scheme risks losing sight of the threat posed by such powerful weapons, which were designed for the military and clearly have no sporting purpose. Further, focusing on parts and components creates a loophole whereby minor cosmetic changes to a non-sporting weapon can permit its import.

Current guidance allows, for example, the free importation into the U.S. of variants on the AK-47 assault rifle. Weapons like these flow throughout the United States and Mexico by both legal and illegal channels. They make up a major portion of weapons identified in criminal prosecutions in the United States, and nearly one in five weapons seized at crime scenes in Mexico are AK-47 variants trafficked into that country after being imported through the U.S.

It’s time to develop a new policy that will strengthen enforcement of the Gun Control Act and eliminate these loopholes. In response to similar circumstances, previous administrations have undertaken administrative reviews to determine which additional dangerous weapons should be prohibited from importation. In April of 2014, more than 90 Members of Congress from the House and Senate wrote to ask you to consider tightening these restrictions using your existing authority. Again, we welcome the news that your administration is moving quickly to expand background checks by executive action. But today we renew our request that your administration use similar action to address the importation of military-style semiautomatic assault weapons.

We are all familiar by now with how popular weapons like these are among terrorists and mass shooters. Sayed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, Robert Dear, Muhammad Abdulazeez and others used semiautomatic assault rifles to kill and wound dozens in the name of their warped ideologies. Stemming the flow of these weapons into the United States would help to temper the danger these weapons pose, and so we thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

                                                      

Eliot L. Engel                                                   

Member of Congress