COUNCIL MEMBER ANDY KING TO HOST CONSTITUENT NIGHT ON JUNE 27

  In order to better serve his constituents beyond the hours of 9-5, New York City Council Member Andy King and his staff will be hosting “Constituent Services Night” every other week in a different NYCHA housing development in the 12th Council District.

A Constituent Service Night Event will be held on Tuesday, June 27, 5:00 -7:00 p.m. at Boston Secor Houses, 3550 Bivona St., Bronx.. Services will include resources and solutions for housing, food stamps, immigration status and basic services. Representatives from Home Base/Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New York and Urban Justice Center will be in attendance to address constituents’ needs as well as provide information and resources.

There are five NYCHA housing developments in the 12th District. They are Gun Hill Houses, Baychester Houses, Boston Secor, Eastchester Gardens and Edenwald.

NYCHA residents can pre-schedule an appointment by calling the Office of Council Member Andy King at (718) 684-5509. Ask for Cee Lewis.

10th Annual Allerton International Food Festival

Join Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj,  Senator Jamaal Bailey & Senator Jeff Klein   at the 10th Annual Allerton International Food Festival Saturday - June 24th,2017 12:00PM - 5:00PM Allerton Avenue, between Barnes & Wallace Avenue Featuring African, Albanian, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Jewish, Latin American, Thai and many more cuisines!   Hay rides | Face Painting|Kids Activities & Games|Sports & Fitness| Live Entertainment

JUNE 16 JOB FAIR

NEW SOUTH BRONX CENTER POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE

991 LONGWOOD AVE BRONX NY

Due to the overwhelming response from our last job fair, I and some fellow Bronx electeds are holding another job fair this Friday, June 16, with a number of potential employers from a variety of fields attending. We look forward to you spreading the word and attending. Helpful to bring a resume if you can.

MAYOR ANNOUNCES EXTENSIONS FOR BEACH AND POOL SEASON

FY2018 budget extends beach season through September 10 at Rockaway Beach in Queens, Coney Island & Brighton Beaches in Brooklyn, Midland and South Beaches in Staten Island, and Orchard Beach in the Bronx; and for intermediate and Olympic-sized outdoor pools

  NYC Parks will extend the beach and pool season beyond their traditional Labor Day conclusion at the city’s six most popular beaches and all Olympic and intermediate-sized outdoor pools. This is the third consecutive year beach season has been extended and second consecutive year pool season has been extended. Beaches opened on May 27, outdoor pools will open June 28, and the season for both will now extend through September 10. The extension is made possible by the FY18 budget, which provides $1.7 million to fund lifeguards, maintenance workers and other parks staff for the additional week.

“To millions of New Yorkers, our city’s beaches and pools are a necessity: it’s where they go on hot summer days to relax, exercise, and just cool off.  That’s why I’m thrilled that for the third year in a row, we can expand access to these great destinations,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“New York City’s beaches and pools are where summer happens – and thanks to Mayor de Blasio and the City Council, we’ll once again have a few more days of swimming, sun, sand, and surfing,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver.

"For the countless New Yorkers who can’t afford to vacation in the Hamptons or take a cruise in the Caribbean, the City's beaches and pools offer exceptional summer recreation opportunities right here in the five boroughs--accessible for the price of a MetroCard, free to enter and open to all,” said Council Member Mark Levine, Chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee. "I'm proud we were able to allocated the $1.7 million necessary to extend the beach and pool season a week past Labor Day, so that every New York family can continue to enjoy those resources in the early, and often hot, September days."

Election Results in Puerto Rico Are No Different Than the Election Results for the Mayor of the City of New York

What You Should Know 
By Senator Rev Rubén Díaz 
32^nd Senatorial District 

  You should know that on Sunday, June 11, 2017, the election results for Puerto Rico’s referendum showed that 97 percent of the votes favored Statehood for Puerto Rico.

Following the election, Puerto Rico’s Governor Ricardo Rosello proudly announced in a press statement: “Today, we the people of Puerto Rico are sending a strong and clear message to the US Congress … and to the world … claiming our equal rights as American citizens.”

It is confusing to me that instead, there are more people focusing on the low voter turnout of 23 percent, as if there should be some question about the final results.

It is important for you to know that voter turnout in New York City’s Mayoral election in 2013 was only 24 percent of registered voters, the lowest turnout election in years, yet no one questioned the results.

In fact, the media shouted from the rooftops that Bill de Blasio won his election against Joe Lhota in a landslide, and that his victory was a mandate.

No one focused on the fact that more than 75 percent of the New York City’s registered voters stayed home.

Yet these same cheerleaders want to sit back and question the real will of Puerto Ricans.

Statehood for Puerto Rico was decided by the voters.

I have always stood for Statehood for Puerto Rico, and I hope the elections results will be respected the same way election results are respected in our city.

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

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES OPENING OF NEARLY 300 AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS AT PACIFIC PARK IN BROOKLYN

First 100 percent affordable building serves New Yorkers earning as little as $20,100, and up to moderate and middle income earners

  Mayor Bill de Blasio, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, local officials, Greenland Forest City Partners and community groups announced the opening of 535 Carlton. The building’s 298 homes are all affordable, and reserved for New Yorkers with household incomes of between $20,100 for an individual and $149,000 for a family of three. Preference goes to municipal employees and those with vision, hearing or mobility disabilities.

“Our administration is delivering on the affordable housing this community was promised. For hundreds of families right here in Brooklyn, these homes represent economic security, the chance to save a little every month and get ahead, and the assurance that they’ll be able to afford to stay in the borough they love,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“Having an affordable place to call home and sleep at night is a prerequisite for experiencing the American Dream. The addition of hundreds of critically-needed affordable housing units at 535 Carlton is welcome news for Brooklyn,” Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said.

“Thank you to everyone who helped me make the dream of having a place of our own a reality and for prioritizing affordable housing at Pacific Park Brooklyn,” said Crystal Patterson, a resident of 535 Carlton.

The new building is part of a commitment Greenland Forest City Partners made with Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio and local community groups in June 2014 to build 2,250 affordable apartments by 2025. There are currently 479 units of below market-rate housing at Pacific Park and another 303 will become available this summer. The project contributes to Mayor de Blasio’s affordable housing plan, which has financed more than 63,000 affordable homes in three years.

When complete, Pacific Park Brooklyn will include six million square feet of residential space across 6,430 units of housing, of which 2,250 will be affordable rental units. It will also contain 247,000 square feet of retail space, up to 1.6 million square feet of office space, and eight acres of publicly-accessible open space.

For high-resolution images of 535 Carlton, click here.  

“With nearly 300 units that are affordable to low, moderate, and middle income households, 535 Carlton will provide an anchor of affordability in the heart of Prospect Heights, Brooklyn,” said Housing Development Corporation President Eric Enderlin. “The Pacific Park development also brings significant open park space, retail, and additional transit-infrastructure that will benefit the larger community. Thanks to all our partners, including the Mayor’s Office, the NYS Empire State Development Corporation, Greenland Forest City Partners, COOKFOX, and so many others, including various Brooklyn community stakeholders, for contributing to the success of 535 Carlton and the ongoing development at the Pacific Park project.”

“Through Housing New York, the City set out to secure as much affordability as possible in all our neighborhoods.  When complete, the Pacific Park development will provide more than 2,200 affordable housing opportunities near this vital hub of transportation in thriving downtown Brooklyn,” said Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer. “The opening of 535 Carlton Avenue, the first hundred-percent affordable housing development underway at Pacific Park, represents housing security for 298 families, and the promise of more to come. Congratulations to HDC, the NYS Empire State Development Corporation, Greenland Forest City Partners, COOKFOX, and all our partners for working with us to ensure our neighborhoods are inclusive places of opportunity for New Yorkers at a wide range of incomes.”

The New York City Housing Development Corporation is providing a $73 million tax-exempt first mortgage for the building, funded by Citi Community Capital. HDC is also contributing $11.75 million in subsidy financing. Pacific Park Brooklyn is a state-regulated development established by a General Project Plan adopted by the Empire State Development (ESD) Board of Directors in 2006 and governed by ESD. Pacific Park Brooklyn will include 6,430 units of housing, more than one-third of which will be affordable.

CSA ENDORSES ASSEMBLYMAN MARK GJONAJ FOR CITY COUNCIL

  The Council of School Supervisors & Administrators (CSA), a coalition organization and powerful advocate of education development, has endorsed Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj for City Council. 

“CSA is pleased to announce our support of Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj amid his 2017 City Council campaign. We share in Mark’s commitment to better the Bronx community. His continued efforts to protect quality educational programs and maintain safe neighborhood environments have not gone unnoticed,” said CSA President Ernest Logan. “We are particularly appreciative of his guidance over the this year's State Budget, of which he fought to create the Excelsior Scholarship Program, and to increase valuable services and aid for community schools. We are thrilled to stand by Mark, a hardworking candidate who delivers important resources to students and families.” 

“I am honored to have received CSA’s endorsement. I thank Ernest Logan and the CSA staff for their praise and recognition. All elected officials have a responsibility to help better district schools, to show care for students and teachers, and to create civic opportunities. I look forward to playing an active role alongside the CSA in strengthening educational programs,” said Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj.

New Yorkers have embraced Mark’s candidacy. He has been endorsed by Bronx Democratic County Committee, Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley, State Committeeman Joseph McManus, 32BJ, and Steamfitters Local 638.

The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators is the collective bargaining unit for 6,100 Principals, Assistant Principals, Supervisors and Education Administrators who work in the NYC public schools and 200 Directors and Assistant Directors who work in city-subsidized Centers for Early Childhood Education (ECE). CSA also has more than 10,000 members in its Retiree Chapter.

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj is running for City Council to represent the 13th District. He currently represents the 80th Assembly District, which encompasses the neighborhoods of Allerton, Bedford Park, Morris Park, Mosholu Parkway, Norwood, Pelham Gardens, Pelham Parkway and Van Nest sections of The Bronx. He serves as Chair of the Subcommittee on Micro Business and is a member of several committees: Banks; Local Governments; Real Property Taxation; Small Business; Tourism, Parks, and Sports Development; and Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force.

Senator Jeff Klein, NYC Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña & IDC members unveil new transparency system for school cafeteria inspections

IDC releases School Food Facts: Providing Transparency for School Cafeteria Inspections

Senator Jeff Klein, NYC Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña and members of the Independent Democratic Conference unveiled a new, online transparency system where parents will be able to search for cafeteria health code inspections.

“Parents should never be left in the dark when it comes to the health and safety of their children. I’m proud that by working with the city, parents will now have information on inspections at their fingertips and they can be the arbiters of what grade their child’s cafeteria deserves,” said Senator Klein.

“We remain dedicated to providing students with healthy meals in cafeterias that are clean and safe,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. “Families are critical partners and making cafeteria reports available online will provide communities with an additional level of transparency.”  

"Parents of students who depend on their school cafeterias for breakfast and lunch deserve to know the conditions of the facilities where their food is prepared. This new easy to use system will allow for greater transparency and help ensure that cafeterias are clean and sanitary. Today's announcement is a great victory for New York City parents," said Senator Diane Savino.

“New York City’s children deserve the same peace of mind and cleanliness that restaurant patrons expect. I applaud Senator Klein and Chancellor Fariña for their efforts to ensure the health and safety of our children, who are the future of New York City,” said Senator Marisol Alcántara.

“Giving parents accurate information serves as an important safeguard for all our students. This new system delivers the transparency and the up-to-date information parents need – providing reassurance and allowing parents to voice their concerns about any shortcomings. This step opens an additional avenue to parent participation to the benefit of all,” said Senator Jesse Hamilton.

“Providing healthy and quality meals to our students is a key part of a school day, and this is why parents should know what their kids are eating. I support this initiative by Senator Klein and the Department of Education,” said Senator Jose Peralta.

"Transparency is crucial across all aspects of life. The fact that parents can now see the conditions of their child's cafeteria will allow parents to know that when their children are at school they are not being exposed to unsanitary conditions,” said Senator Tony Avella.

Parents and guardians will be able to access the reports by the start of the 2017-2018 school year online at www.schoolfoodnyc.org. They will also receive copies of health inspections and steps taken to remedy violations.

A parent would simply visit the site and enter a school’s number or name:

And it’s inspection data would pop up for review.

Senator Klein passed S.4173A, which requires the New York City Department of Education to post cafeteria health inspection data online and send secondary notices home with students. Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan (D-Queens) sponsors its companion bill in the Assembly, is expected to pass by the end of session.

The IDC also released “School Food Facts: Providing Transparency for School Cafeteria Inspections,” illustrating the need for this method of transparency.

Schools sometimes receive violations that wouldn’t necessarily lead to a bad letter grade, but would certainly be of interest to parents. For example:

• At one Brooklyn school staff failed to adequately wash their hands, and discovered old food encrusted on preparation equipment and fruit left out without proper covering.
• Schools that receive violations for storing foods like milk and fresh vegetables in temperatures too high — a common violation —would not score enough points for this singular violation to yield a bad grade.
• Conversely, foods like macaroni and cheese and hamburgers that must be kept at high temperatures are sometimes not, leading to a violation.
• At one school in Queens toxic chemicals were stored in the food preparation area. Through the new transparency method, parents would immediately learn of the finding.

Schools work with the City’s Department of Health to correct the violations. Parents would be made aware of corrective actions through transparency measures.