MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES NEW RENT FREEZE TEAM FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT UNIT

  Mayor Bill de Blasio announced during a town hall today, alongside Council Member Margaret Chin, a dedicated team of 10 specialists within the Public Engagement Unit to proactively support the NYC Rent Freeze and Homeowner Tax Exemption Programs across the five boroughs. PEU’s new Rent Freeze Team will conduct door to door outreach and make phone calls to eligible New Yorkers, using case management techniques to help them navigate the application process.

In partnership with the Department of Finance, the Department for the Aging and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, the goal is to enroll 10,000 New Yorkers this year into rent freeze and tax benefit programs for seniors and people with disabilities. Last year, 5,800 households were enrolled into the Rent Freeze Program. The Rent Freeze Program, also known as the Senior Citizen and Disability Rent Increase Exemption Programs (SCRIE and DRIE), provide tax credits to landlords that effectively freeze rent for low-income seniors and people with disabilities living in rent-regulated apartments. The Senior Citizen Homeowners (SCHE) and Disabled Homeowners Exemptions (DHE) provide property tax reductions for senior and disabled homeowners.

“Too many New Yorkers living on fixed incomes are feeling the burden of rising costs in our city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “But we are fighting every day to make sure they can live, thrive and retire in place. The Public Engagement Unit’s new Rent Freeze Team will provide valuable guidance and information about these programs to renters and homeowners. New York City must remain a place for everyone, or it won’t be a place for anyone.”

“As the Public Engagement Unit knocks thousands doors across the City, we constantly meet New Yorkers who are able to live where they love because of these programs,” said Regina Schwartz, Director of the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit. “We are proud to partner with city agencies across the administration to increase our outreach to vulnerable New Yorkers, build new relationship with elected officials, community partners and connect individuals to government.”

New Yorkers participating in SCRIE save an average of $235 in rent per month and in DRIE an average of $135 per month over the lifetime of the benefit.

“We are excited that the Mayor is providing additional resources to help enroll as many eligible seniors and persons with disabilities as possible,” said Finance Commissioner Jacques Jiha. “The renters and homeowners exemption programs offer significant relief for many New Yorkers who would be struggling to stay in their homes if not for this benefit. We look forward to introducing many more people to opportunity to take advantage of the City’s money-saving programs.”

“Obtaining affordable housing remains among the greatest need in New York City, especially for older adults with limited incomes,” said Department for the Aging Commissioner Donna Corrado. “By proactively promoting the Homeowner Tax Exemption and Freeze Your Rent programs, the City is reaffirming its commitment to helping seniors age in place in their communities.”

BPS DIAZ & ADAMS CALL FOR GREATER EQUITY FOR GIFTED STUDENTS

In new report, borough president’s call for greater access to gifted and talented education, test prep programs, specialized high schools and more

  Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. released a new report, titled “Fixing the Pipeline: Solutions to Disparities in Gifted Education in New York City,” outlining multiple recommendations for the future of gifted and talented education at all levels in New York City’s public schools.

The report, which is the work of the borough president’s joint “Gifted and Talented Education and Specialized High Schools Task Force,” was released in front of the Tweed Courthouse in lower Manhattan, home of the New York City Department of Education.

Top recommendations in the report included requiring that all communities have equal access to gifted and talented programs in kindergarten, that all students in public pre-K programs must be tested for gifted and talented programs, that Citywide and other middle school gifted classed must be expanded across the city, that test prep programs must be further expanded for the specialized high schools, and that a single test should not be the only source of admission to the city’s specialized high schools, among others.

"Today, we are giving the Department of Education a little ‘summer reading’ of their own, a report outlining what we believe are necessary changes the city could make today to bring more equity to programs for gifted learners in the five boroughs," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “We cannot send our children to Stuyvesant, Bronx Science and Brooklyn Tech if they are not prepared. And we cannot expect them to be prepared if they do not have the same advantages that are offered to other communities."

"When it comes to gifted and talented education in New York City, the math does not add up. Our analysis clearly shows a historical inequity in delivering high-quality educational opportunities to students across the five boroughs," said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams "Access to G&T programs and specialized high schools can no longer be allowed to be dictated by one’s zip code; parents who live in Belmont and Brownsville should expect the same grade-A programming and enrichment as parents in Tribeca. We don’t need small changes, we need bold changes."

The task force, which is comprised of government officials, community members and parents who are familiar with the issues gifted students face in New York City schools, hosted several public hearings earlier this year to discuss issues surrounding gifted and talented education in New York City public schools. Those hearings, as well as other work, informed the contents of this report.

The report can be viewed at http://on.nyc.gov/2sQkL84.

Rep. Adriano Espaillat Joins Federal Lawsuit Challenging President Trump’s Violation of Constitution’s Anti-Corruption Clause

Nearly 200 House and Senate Democrats File Suit to Stop Trump Accepting Unconstitutional Foreign Emoluments

  Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and 200 Members of Congress have filed a federal lawsuit against President Trump for violating one of the Constitution’s critical anti-corruption provisions: the Foreign Emoluments Clause.  The emoluments clause prohibits the President from accepting foreign payments without seeking and receiving Congressional authorization.

“The Constitution’s Emoluments Clause is a vital protection against foreign governments’ corrupting influence.” said Rep. Espaillat.  “The American people should have total confidence that the President is serving their interest, not his own financial enrichment. President Trump’s refusal to disclose or seek Congress’s authorization for his sprawling foreign financial interests is a brazen violation of the Constitution, and a danger to our democracy itself.  From this lawsuit to legislation, I will use every tool I have to hold this President accountable to the Constitution and to the American people.  In addition to joining my colleagues in filing this federal lawsuit, I have been pushing legislation, for months, which would amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require the President to place any financial conflicts of interest into a genuine blind trust.”

From the beginning of his Administration, President Trump’s embrace of Russia, pandering to Saudi Arabia, and sudden weakness before China have raised urgent questions about his financial conflicts of interest. Since the lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia last week, public reporting has revealed that President Trump has received additional foreign benefits – including new trademarks in China – and is brokering business deals in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf while regional tensions escalate.

The Emoluments Clause provides that “no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under [the United States], shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO ON THE DEPARTURE OF DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSIONER FENIOSKY PEÑA-MORA

   “I deeply appreciate Feniosky Peña-Mora’s extraordinary service to New York City. From his work awarding nearly $1.2 billion in M/WBE contracts, to instituting wide reforms that have already made the agency more responsive, to improving our response to Hurricane Sandy, he made our City a better place. He navigated the agency through a period of robust growth, overseeing more than 860 construction starts and completions valued at more than $9 billion – all while winning more than 80 design awards and helping 1,600 students participate in DDC engineering programs. This is impressive stuff. While I am sorry to see him go, we did know this day would come. Indeed, he put off his return to Columbia, where he is a tenured professor, for an additional year to continue to serve the city. As we search for an equally strong candidate to run this critical agency, I thank Feniosky Peña-Mora’s for his service.”

News From Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz

Assemblyman Dinowitz and Senator Peralta’s Bill Requiring the MTA to Examine Lead Paints Levels at Elevated Subway Lines Passes Senate and Assembly 

  Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and State Senator Jose Peralta’s legislation requiring the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the New York City Transit Authority to conduct a study relative to the amount of lead paint in elevated subway tracks passed both the State Senate and the State Assembly. The bill is now at Governor Andrew Cuomo’s desk, and who will decide whether or not to sign it into law. 

  

The bill was introduced by Senator Peralta and Assemblyman Dinowitz on May 1st. Under the proposal, the MTA will have to submit a written report offering recommendations to eliminate any possible exposure to lead paint by falling chips form the elevated tracks of the subway system.

 “I am pleased that both houses of the legislature passed this important public safety measure. This bill requires the MTA and the NYCTA determine and report which areas of the aboveground transit infrastructure are plagued with hazardous levels of lead paint and which parts of New York City’s aging transit system must be immediately remediated before the thousands of New Yorkers who rely upon city transit become sickened or poisoned. We cannot expect people to live and work while being forced to use subway platforms coated in flaking lead-paint chips that may increase their risk of lead poisoning,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. “It is almost inconceivable in this day and age that people must put up with any lead-poisoning related dangers, yet this legislation will go some way toward ending this problem.”

“I am glad we were able to move this vital piece of legislation quickly through both houses of the legislature in order to protect New Yorkers. In a little less than a month and a half, it was possible for us to introduce and pass this bill in regards to the amount of lead paint in elevated subway tracks, including the 7 line. This subway line cuts across several hard-working communities in my district, and unfortunately lead paint chips are falling onto the streets and sidewalks,” said Senator Peralta. “We must ensure we remove hazardous lead paint from tracks, stations and trestles. The safety of New Yorkers comes first.” 

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Senator Marisol Alcántara Pass Bill Cracking Down on Illegal Non-Rental Fees

Bill Requires DHCR to Notify Rent-Stabilized Tenants of Which Non-Rental Fees Landlords can Legally Charge 

  The New York State Legislature passed legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and Senator Marisol Alcántara yesterday, the last scheduled session day, which cracks down on illegal non-rental fees some unscrupulous landlords use to pressure tenants out of their apartments or trick them into paying more than they owe. Pending the signature of the Governor, the DHCR will now be mandated to provide the full list of legally allowable non-rental fees on the lease rider it issues for all rent-stabilized tenants. The New York Times recently brought to light this issue, which affects many low-income tenants. Often, fees will appear on the monthly rent bill or other correspondence without any explanation, which leads many tenants to believe that they must pay these fees in order to stay in their housing, which is false. Rent-stabilized tenants deserve freedom from arbitrary and in some cases illegal charges that burden an already rent-burdened population in a city undergoing a housing crisis.

“As a result of unscrupulous practices by landlords who insert various non-rental fees into lease agreements and monthly rental bills, we have passed legislation that would put vital information on the legality of these fees into the hands of the tenants they’re targeted at. Recently, some landlords have been attempting to pressure tenants, who may not know their rights, into paying for various legal fees, late fees, and fees for background checks by putting those fees directly into the lease agreement and monthly rent bills. DHCR has called into question the legality of some of these fees, and has put out Fact Sheet #44 to help tenants know their rights. Landlords will no longer be able to bully tenants into paying for things that they are not obligated to pay for,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz. “It is my hope that the Governor will demonstrate his support of tenants’ rights by signing this into law.”

State Senator Marisol Alcántara said: “Rent-stabilized tenants have the right to know whether the fees their landlords charge are legal. This bill, which I urge the Governor to sign, will close a loophole that has allowed unscrupulous landlords to take advantage of their tenants. This will be especially helpful for low-income and immigrant tenants, who may be more unfamiliar with the state’s rent laws and who are at particular risk of tenant harassment such as the use of illegal fees.”

NEWS FROM cONGRESSMAN eLIOT ENGEL

Engel on Senate GOP's Version of Trumpcare

  Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a top member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement regarding Senate Republicans’ version of the American Health Care Act, or “Trumpcare”:

“For weeks, Senate Republicans have been careful not to let a single detail of their health care bill see the light of day. There have been zero hearings, zero committee reviews, and they’ve shown zero willingness to explain their plan, which will intimately affect millions of Americans and upset one-sixth of the nation’s economy.

“There is one thing, though, that Senate Republicans have claimed: their version of Trumpcare will be better for Americans than the House version that President Trump called ‘mean.’

“They’re not fooling anyone.

“Just like the House bill, the Senate’s Trumpcare still makes harsh cuts to Medicaid, still abolishes the Medicaid expansion that’s brought health care to millions, and still lets states gut the protections Americans rely on for quality coverage. It still lavishes tax cuts on corporations and the very rich, paid for on the backs of hardworking families. And it will still force Americans to pay more and get less.

“If Republicans want to lie to themselves about what they’re doing, that’s fine. But they need to stop lying to the American people.

“Just yesterday, the President promised that the Senate’s Trumpcare would be ‘a plan with heart.’ If this is ‘a plan with heart,’ I’d hate to see what Republicans think is a plan without it.”

Engel Cosponsors Voting Rights Advancement Act

Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a leading member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has cosponsored H.R. 2978, the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA), legislation that would fully restore key aspects of the Voting Rights Act that were struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013.

In Shelby County v. Holder the Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the landmark 1965 law, including section 5, which required jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to seek pre-approval of changes in voting rules that could affect minorities. The Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore full protections to the Voting Rights Act and create a new coverage formula that would apply to states with repeated voting rights violations in the last 25 years.

“The Supreme Court got it wrong in 2013 when they struck down key elements of the Voting Rights Act. Its time Congress took action to correct that mistake,” Congressman Engel said. “In the last four years we have seen some states, emboldened by the Shelby decision, enact laws that are designed specifically to suppress minority voting populations. This cannot stand. Congress must act to ensure every American’s right to vote is fully protected under law, and that is why we must pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act immediately.”

In addition, Engel has introduced a Constitutional Amendment, HJ Res. 28, that deals with several election law issues including voting rights, gerrymandering, and the abolishment of the Electoral College.

Assembly passes Sepulveda bill to allow high school students to pre-register to vote; bill moves to Senate

  With voter turnout at record low numbers, a new bill that just passed in the closing days of the New York State Assembly session could very well go a long way to bringing out new voters.

 

Bronx Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda's "Young Adult Voter Registration Act" would require each public high school within the state to make voter registration forms available to students.

 

While the voting age in New York State is 18, students who are 17-years-old could pre-register before reaching legal voting age," said Sepulveda.

 

"This would also be a step in helping to educate youth about civic responsibility and having a voice in determining who will represent their interests as younger members of society," he added.

 

"Regretfully, far too few New Yorkers vote in local, state or national elections, and voter participation has been declining," he said.

 

In the 2016 general election, New York State ranked 41st in the nation for voter turnout, with just more than 57 percent of registered voters casting ballots, Sepulveda said, with just under 56 percent of New York City voters and 52 percent of Bronx voters turning out.

 

"Affirmative steps are necessary to encourage and increase voter participation in all elections," said the Assemblymember.

 

 He attributed the decline and lack of participation, in part, to the fact that voters find it difficult to register to vote.

 

"Although state law provides mechanisms for distributing voter registration forms by state agencies as part of agency-based voter registration programs, the Department of Education does not participate in such programs," he noted, "despite it being uniquely positioned in the state to enhance the participation of young people in the democratic process by distributing voter registration forms to potential young voters."

 

The measure now goes to the Senate, where Queens Senator James Sanders Jr. is its prime sponsor.

“We need to encourage more young people to take part in the democratic process by voting," said Sanders. "I am proud to support Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda and to be the sponsor of this bill in the senate."

"Since the next generation will shape the future of our country, they should be informed in order to make smart choices," Sanders added. "I hope that registering to vote will encourage them to be more active in politics and in learning about the role of government in their lives.”

Assemblyman Sepulveda represents the 87^th Assembly District covering Parkchester, Castle Hill, West Farms, Van Nest and Stratton Park.

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 preschedule an appointment by calling the Office of Council Member Andy King at (718) 684-5509. Ask for Cee Lewis.