100PercentBronx

Monday, April 18, 2016

WILLIAMS CHAIRS HEARING ON MODIFIED CONSTRUCTION CODES AND REGULATIONS

The New York City Council's Committee on Housing and Buildings, chaired by Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Deputy Leader, held a hearing to discuss four bills and vote on three others that would modify construction codes and regulations. The Committee heard testimony from representatives of the Department of Buildings (DOB), the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and other interested members of the public.

"Modifying codes and regulations to reflect the constantly evolving dynamics of construction and buildings' environments is essential to keeping New Yorkers safe," Council Member Williams said.

The Committee discussed the following four bills:

Int. No. 918, sponsored by Council Member Margaret Chin,would prohibit construction documents from being subject to less than full examination, and would also require that final inspections be performed by DOB where more than ten percent of the dwelling units are occupied, or where the owner has previously harassed tenants.

Int. No. 924, sponsored by Council Member Rafael Espinal, would require vacate orders to include a requirement that the conditions for which the vacate order was issued be corrected in ten days or less.

Int. No. 934, sponsored by Council Member Mark Levine, would create a real time enforcement unit in DOB to enforce construction codes. The bill would also require DOB to publish an annual report on the effectiveness of such unit.

Int. No. 944, sponsored by Council Member Helen Rosenthal, would impose certain additional penalties for performing construction work without a permit and would require posting of information concerning the occupancy status of buildings subject to a permit.

The Committee voted on the following three bills:

Int. No. 831, sponsored by Council Member Jumaane Williams would alter permit filing fees for certain new building and alteration permit applications filed with DOB. The bill would decrease fees for 1-, 2- and 3- family homes and increase fees for larger buildings. I should note that permit filing fees have not been increased since 1991.

Int. No. 1118 and Int. No. 1119, sponsored by Council Member Jumaane Williams would move the City expiration date for the J-51 program, a tax exemption and abatement program for renovations of residential buildings and single room occupancy housing units, from June 30, 2015 to June 30, 2019.

"The goal of today's bills is to ensure that the DOB and HPD work together in updating and implementing construction codes that will create the safest spaces for NYC residents."

NEW YORK’S THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES FOR DRUG ADDICTS NEED OUR SUPPORT

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York

You should know that since the 1960's, Therapeutic Communities have been considered the most effective method of treating people suffering from addiction to opiates. These programs were always long-term, 18 to 24 months in duration, highly structured and mostly funded by state aid grants.

In the late 70's, the criminal justice system began to recognize these programs as secure and effective alternatives to prison.

In traditional Therapeutic Communities, clients are not allowed out unescorted for the first 6 to 12 month of their treatment, thereby safe guarding themselves and the community. The long-term length of stay allowed programs to treat the client in a comprehensive way. With this block of time, medical officials and counselors could address their substance abuse and behavior problems, but also could deal with education, job training and employment issues as well.

For example, in one very successful agency in New York, most clients are 35 to 50 years old, have little or no work experience, educational deficits and long histories of substance abuse. The long-term Therapeutic Communities format worked well, and has long been considered ''best practices'' as it relates to the rehabilitation of long-term drug addicts.

It is very important for you to know that one year in prison costs about $55,000. One year in a Therapeutic Community costs about $25,000.

In early 2001, the state put out a Requisite For Proposal (RFP) for a pilot project that would shorten the stay in a Therapeutic Community to 6 to 9 month. They offered supplement funds, on top of what you already received in the contract, for programs to give it a try.

While at least one agency declined, knowing that the shortened time would be a disaster, a couple of agencies did give it a try. The incidence of deviation and relapse increased, as they attempted to squeeze 24 months of treatment into 9 months of service.

Fast-forward to today, and now there is a new attempt at reinventing the wheel.

All Therapeutic Communities that are funded by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services are being required to convert to a managed care platform.

This means that ultimately, state aid funds will dry up leaving long-term treatment programs at the beck and call of managed care insurance companies. We all know that insurance companies are businesses designed to make money, which is where the concern comes into play.

The first wave of this initiative is designed so that programs can derive huge surpluses. This was presented so that programs would want to convert, but at least one program did not.

The state offered that for the first 2 years programs could keep their state aid, and bill managed care companies at the same time. All the big agencies knew this was to sweeten the pot so that they would want to convert, but most of them knew better. After there were no takers of this dangling carrot, the state decided to mandate all programs to convert or lose their state funding.

Earlier this month, agencies were informed that they must convert by 2017, or the will not be funded going forward.

While it's true that most well run programs will develop a surplus in the first 2 years, what comes after that should be alarming to all New Yorkers. At the end of 2019 the state will stop babysitting these insurance companies, and the results will be as follows:

- Drug addicts seeking residential treatment will be asked to first attend an outpatient program, even if they are homeless. This is purely a cost cutting measure and has nothing to do with the well being of our community.

-Managed care companies will require pre- authorization for drug addicts to attend a residential program, just like you need to get an MRI. This can take days, and in the meantime addicts will have to commit crimes in order to support their habits.

-These authorizations will have to be renewed every 90 days, and can be denied at any time. Once a resident’s coverage is denied, the program will not be allowed to discharge her/him. Programs will be required to keep them without any reimbursement until housing is secured. This alone could send some small programs into financial devastation.

-Duration of treatment will be dictated by managed care companies, which will render the trained program staff powerless in terms of length of stay needed.

-During this process, state aid will dry up, leaving programs completely at the mercy of insurance companies. When this happens, managed care companies will take 90 to 180 days to pay and will reject claims as they see fit.

-Ultimately, sometime in 2020, managed care companies will be allowed to begin the process of bidding out rates. This means that programs will be pitted against each other without any regard for quality of care.

In the end, the drug addict and the community will suffer the consequences.

We all know that for some people, relapse is part of the recovery process. By 2020, if a person relapses after completing s residential program, insurance companies will have the right to say no to another attempt during the same calendar year.

These addicts, with no treatment options, will be turned loose in our communities. The numbers will increase over the years. They will all have habits to support, and sad to say, many will turn to crime and violence in order to support their habits.

The best-case scenario for these people, is that they end up off the street and in our already overcrowded prisons. The unfortunate but likely outcome is that they will wreak havoc in our communities; robbing, stealing and killing innocent people because they could not get the treatment they need.

Finally, state representatives will assure you that they have it all under control. Please remember that the true answers lie in the motive for this conversion, and most importantly, what happens in 2020.

I am Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Williams To Chair Hearing on Modified Construction Codes and Regulations Tomorrow

Tomorrow, the New York City Council's Committee on Housing and Buildings, chaired by Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Deputy Leader, will hold a hearing to discuss four bills and vote on three others that would modify construction codes and regulations. The Committee will hear testimony from representatives of the Department of Buildings (DOB) and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD).

The Committee will discuss the following four bills:

Int. No. 918, sponsored by Council Member Margaret Chin,would prohibit construction documents from being subject to less than full examination, and would also require that final inspections be performed by DOB where more than ten percent of the dwelling units are occupied, or where the owner has previously harassed tenants.

Int. No. 924, sponsored by Council Member Rafael Espinal,would require vacate orders to include a requirement that the conditions for which the vacate order was issued be corrected in ten days or less.

Int. No. 934, sponsored by Council Member Mark Levine,would create a real time enforcement unit in DOB to enforce construction codes. The bill would also require DOB to publish an annual report on the effectiveness of such unit.

Int. No. 944, sponsored by Council Member Helen Rosenthal,would impose certain additional penalties for performing construction work without a permit and would require posting of information concerning the occupancy status of buildings subject to a permit.

The Committee will vote on the following three bills:

Int. No. 831, sponsored by Council Member Jumaane Williams would alter permit filing fees for certain new building and alteration permit applications filed with DOB. The bill would decrease fees for 1-, 2- and 3- family homes and increase fees for larger buildings. I should note that permit filing fees have not been increased since 1991.

Int. No. 1118 and Int. No. 1119, sponsored byCouncil Member Jumaane Williams would move the City expiration date for the J-51 program, a tax exemption and abatement program for renovations of residential buildings and single room occupancy housing units, from June 30, 2015 to June 30, 2019.

WHO: The Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Department of Buildings, Committee on Housing and Buildings.

WHERE: Council Chambers of City Hall

WHEN: Monday, April 18, 2016, 10:00 AM

100 PERCENT Sunday April 17 , 2016

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

The Bronx Voice

You may be asking what is the Bronx Voice, and it is the newest newspaper to hit Bronx streets. For those of you who liked the old Bronx News or Parkchester News the former editor of both newspapers has begun his own newspaper the Bronx Voice. You may notice some familiar items in the Bronx Voice such as this column. The preview edition of the Bronx Voice arrived this past week, and the Bronx Voice will be published weekly starting the first week of May.

To see my predictions of the presidential race on both sides, and just why Ted Cruz and John Kasich came to the Bronx you will have to pick up the Bronx Voice. I will go over the results of the New York Presidential Primary later this week here.

As for local politics, in the 78th Assembly race two hatchet men of Assemblyman Jose Rivera are trying to end the candidacy this year's primary challenger Ischia Bravo by repeating a New York Post story that says Ms. Bravo is to be questioned about the Bronx Democratic County organization. A certain spy for Assemblyman Jose Rivera has gone one step further than the Post by adding more to the story on his facebook page, and here is my comment since I can not put it on his facebook page.

I did my own story on the Bronx Democratic County organization last year right after a story by the New York Times did a story of possible wrongdoing by the Bronx Democratic County organization. The Times story focused on the Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Carl Heastie, but I went further and focused on other parts of the Bronx Democratic County organization. As a matter of fact I was at the Bronx Democratic County organization office one day when former Assemblyman Nelson Castro (while he was wired by the former Bronx DA and U.S. Attorney's office) tried to get information from Ms. Ischia Bravo. We see that either there is incompetence at both judicial departments, or there was nothing to be gotten from Ms. Bravo. I was there, I saw a wired U.S. Attorney agent (former Assemblyman Nelson Castro) try to get information, and there was nothing to be gotten from Ms. Ischia Bravo.

By the way it was former Bronx Democratic County Leader Jose Rivera who helped Nelson Castro win in the 86th Assembly district. It was also former Bronx Democratic County Leader Jose Rivera who ran with former State Senator Pedro Espada, and while the condoms given out may have said vote for Pedro Espada the palm cards said vote for Pedro Espada for state senate and Jose Rivera for Assembly.

I have many more Jose Rivera stories that could fill a book. In fact one day Assemblyman Jose Rivera said to me "we should write a book about all the things we know about Bronx politics, it would be a best seller". Now that this column is back in print in the Bronx Voice, 'One never knows what may happen next in politics'. My advice to Jose Rivera, enjoy your retirement.

If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Civil Forfeiture Complaint To Recover Proceeds Of $100 Million Wire Fraud Scheme

Complaint Seeks Forfeiture of Funds in At Least 20 Accounts Worldwide Stolen from American Company Through International Business E-Mail Fraud Scheme

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Diego Rodriguez, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the filing of a civil forfeiture complaint against the funds in at least 20 bank accounts around the world that are alleged to constitute the proceeds of an elaborate scheme to defraud a United States company (the “Victim Company”). In particular, the complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court alleges that the perpetrators of this fraud created a fake email address and posed as one of the Victim Company’s legitimate vendors (the “Vendor”) in communications with a professional services company (the “Professional Services Company”) that the Victim Company retained to handle the details and logistics of vendor payments. Through these fraudulent communications, the perpetrators of the scheme caused the Victim Company to transfer nearly $100 million due to the Vendor to an account at Eurobank Cyprus, Ltd (“Eurobank”) that was actually under their control. Almost immediately after funds were transferred into this account, the perpetrators of this scheme caused portions of the fraud proceeds to be further dispersed to accounts under their control around the world, including in Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, Estonia, and Hong Kong.

Through the timely actions of officials at Eurobank, and in coordination with U.S. and Cypriot law enforcement authorities, more than $74 million of the stolen funds have already been returned to the Victim Company. Foreign governments acting at the request of U.S. authorities have restrained 20 accounts worldwide that received portions of the remaining ill-gotten funds, and the funds in those accounts are the subject of the complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Criminals can be resourceful and unrelenting in their efforts to scam innocent victims out of money. Here, the alleged perpetrators – through a fake email address and by impersonating a legitimate vendor – almost got away with $100 million. Thanks to the timely actions of law enforcement here and abroad, as well as by Eurobank in Cyprus, where the stolen funds were first sent, $74 million has already been returned to the victim company. With this civil forfeiture action, we seek to return the rest.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Diego Rodriguez, said: “This modern-day impersonation scheme used a fake email account to scam a business instead of the old way of in-person imitation by the perpetrators. However, this scam was cut short in the end thanks to modern-day tools used by banks to stop suspicious transactions and cooperation by our foreign partners to restrain the transferred funds.”

As alleged in the Complaint:

The Victim Company is an American-based corporation doing business worldwide. Like many corporations, the Victim Company has contractors and vendors who are paid via wire transfer for services provided, including the Vendor, which is based in Asia. During all times relevant to the Complaint, the Victim Company retained the Professional Services Company to communicate with vendors and handle the details of vendor payments.

Over the course of several weeks in August and September 2015, the perpetrators of the scheme described in the Complaint managed to impersonate the Vendor by creating a fake email address that resembled email addresses used by actual employees of the Vendor. Using this fake email address, the perpetrators then communicated with an email account maintained for the purpose of allowing vendors to communicate with the Professional Services Company on behalf of the Victim Company. Through those email communications, the perpetrators of the scheme convinced the Professional Services Company to change the designated bank account to which the Victim Company would make recurring payments to the Vendor for services rendered. As a result, payments from the Victim Company meant for the Vendor were transferred to an account under the control of the perpetrators of this scheme (“Subject Account-1”) rather than an account actually affiliated with the Vendor.

Once this change was put into effect, the Professional Services Company, on behalf of the Victim Company, began directing a series of payments from Victim Company accounts in the United States to Subject Account-1 that were intended for the Vendor. Specifically, between August 21, 2015, and September 14, 2015, approximately 16 payments intended for the Vendor as payment for services rendered to the Victim Company were wired for deposit into Subject Account-1, totaling approximately $98,879,545.80. Officials at Eurobank developed concerns regarding these transfers and, as a result, restrained approximately $74 million of the transferred funds before they settled into Subject Account-1. In coordination with law enforcement authorities, those funds have since been returned to the Victim Company.

In regard to the approximately $25 million that actually settled into Subject Account-1, the perpetrators of the scheme then laundered portions of those crime proceeds through at least 19 additional accounts, including accounts in Cyprus, Latvia, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Hong Kong. Those accounts, along with Subject Account-1, have since been restrained by foreign governments acting at the request of U.S. authorities.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of FBI. He also thanked the

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) of the United States Department of the Treasury, the Law Office of the Republic of Cyprus Unit for Combating Money Laundering, and Eurobank Cyprus Ltd. for all of their assistance in the investigation and the return of funds to the Victim Company.

This investigation is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Unit and Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Edward B. Diskant and Megan L. Gaffney are in charge of the case.

The investigation is ongoing.

New York Hispanic Clergy Organization Annual Banquet

The main ballroom at Maestro's Caterers was filled to capacity as the 28th Annual New York Hispanic Clergy Organization Luncheon. Reverend Luis Serrano, Chaplain of the New York City Police Department; Dr. Ariel Torres, Member of Radio Vision Cristiana International Board of Directors; Reverend Dr. Feliciano Espaillat, Community Dentist and Pastor; Dr. Julio Wally, Pastor of the Iglesia Alianza Cristiana Ebenezer; and Reverend Francisco Peralta, Assistant Pastor of Heavenly Vision Ministry in Bronx County received Certificates, Proclamations, and Recognition during the luncheon.

Elected officials on hand included U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, New York State Comptroller Tom Di Napoli, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., New York State Assembly members Marcos Crespo and Luis Sepulveda, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, City Councilman Rafael Salamanca, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, and the event was hosted by State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. The photos below will tell some of the story.

Above - You can see that the rom was packed for this event.

Below - New York State Comptroller Tom Dinapoli, Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr., Bronx DA Darcel Clark, and Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo pose for the cameras.

Above - State Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr. welcomes everyone to the 28th New York Hispanic Clergy Organization Annual Banquet

Below - While they may not agree on everything, there is no love lost between father and son Diaz.

Above - U.S. Senator Charles Schumer addresses the packed room.

Below - After giving his speech in english, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino then repeated it in Spanish.

Klein & Salamanca to City: No mini Rikers in Hunts Point community

Elected officials & community rallied against ‘secret’ proposal to locate new 2,000 bed jail in Bronx neighborhood

State Senator Jeff Klein and Councilman Rafael Salamanca joined community leaders and residents today to rally against a “secret” proposal to develop a mini Rikers Island in the growing Hunts Point community.

Two weeks ago, plans to locate new jail facilities throughout the boroughs, including Hunts Point in The Bronx, were reported. The proposal detailed closing the Vernon C. Bain Center barge. Currently moored in the area, the barge already houses approximately 800 inmates.

The new proposal would introduce a 2,000-bed adult jail to the area - more than doubling the number of inmates housed in Hunts Point.

While the de Blasio administration at first denied any knowledge of plans to locate new jail facilities to replace Rikers in communities across the city, including Hunts Point, a detailed 18-page document outlining plans for the possible facility was later exposed.

“The Hunts Point community has worked hard to develop their area, and a secretive plan to bring a mini Rikers to the area is simply unacceptable. An exposed document is not how this community should learn about a proposal that will impact their day-to-day lives. The Hunts Point community has its own vision for business, housing and growth. This proposal puts their vision behind bars. We should be focusing on the best way to fix Rikers, rather than on blindsiding our neighborhoods, ” said Senator Klein.

“While I understand that we need to make strides in improving corrections infrastructure, primarily Rikers Island, the solution is not building a new facility in the South Bronx. I’m incredibly concerned that it took a leaked document provided to a newspaper for this community to learn about a proposal to place a possible jail in Hunts Point. Enough is enough. This neighborhood is making positive strides and already has had its fair share of these types of facilities. South Bronx families deserve better,” said Councilman Salamanca.

“Building jails is a bad idea because it does not fix the problem. Hunts Point is resurrecting itself from a dark past. The community is against it,” said Bronx Community Board 2 Chairman Dr. Iam Amritt.

Above - It appears that State Senator Jeff Klein had to be called in to fught the latest City proposal to build a new 2,000 bed adult jail into the Hunts Point area where an 800 bed jail currently sits.

Below - Former Bronx Community Board #2 District Manager, and recently elected City Councilman (to replace the former Councilwoman Maria Del Carmen Arroyo who resigned in December 2015) claims ignorance as to the sighting of the new 2,000 bed adult jail in his council district, and former community board where he was the District Manager.

In the background is a large fish company that is right across the street from the proposed adult jail site.

I was able to ask Councilman Salamanca about the power of the city council which seems to have diminished greatly under Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, after this project, the sighting of homeless shelters, The MIH and ZQA council approval over the opposition of the community boards, and the recent problems at the Kingsbridge Armory to name only a few. Councilman Salamanca could only say that he did not see any diminished power in the city council.

If so why was the community not notified Councilman Salamanca?