Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens District Attorneys Announce Unprecedented Dismissal of Nearly 700,000 Open Summons Warrants

Staggering Backlog of Open Warrants, More Than 10 Years Old, to be Vacated Next Month Allowing Thousands of New Yorkers to Move on With Their Lives without Fear of Arrest Stemming from Low-Level Warrants Issued More Than a Decade Ago 

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark, Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, New York County District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr., and Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown today announced that nearly 700,000 summons warrants that are 10 years or older will be vacated in the next few weeks. The warrants in question were issued for failure to pay a ticket for a minor infraction, subjecting individuals to arrest as well as carrying other negative consequences. 

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said, “By asking the Court to purge these old warrants, we are removing a hindrance to many people’s lives. Those who committed minor offenses a decade ago or longer and have not been in trouble with the law pose no threat to public safety today. These warrants bog down the court system. As a judge, I handled these summonses and I dismissed many of them because they were legally insufficient. The Bronx was ground zero for summonses emanating from questionable stop-and-frisks, so purging the old warrants is a way to not only improve the lives of tens of thousands of Bronx residents but to restore the community’s trust in the criminal justice system.”

  Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Gonzalez said, “We have been working in Brooklyn to build trust between law enforcement and the community, and to focus our resources on violent crime. Dismissing these old warrants is an important step in advancing both of these goals. The bulk of these summonses have been issued to mostly poor, Black and Latino individuals, many of whom may not even be aware that they have become open warrants that could trigger an arrest for minor infractions dating back many years. Vacating these warrants enhances public safety and promotes fairness.”

  New York County District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr., said, “We continually seek to strike the right balance between fairness and public safety and are confident we will be doing that when we collectively dismiss open summons warrants older than ten years en masse. In Manhattan alone, we estimate that approximately 240,000 summons warrants will be expunged through this effort, giving those New Yorkers a fresh start and a new chance to engage more fully in their communities. I applaud my colleagues in the Queens, Bronx, and Kings County DA’s Offices, as well as OCA, the NYPD, and the City Council, for their work on this issue.” 

  Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said, “The prosecution of thousands of ten year old and older summons part cases would pose serious factual and legal challenges. The NYPD has vetted the list and excluded the most flagrant violators who may still be prosecuted if apprehended. We believe the people of Queens County will be better served by focusing our resources on more serious offenses.”

  The dismissal of the warrants poses no risk to public safety as those individuals whose warrants are being dismissed have not been arrested in the past 10 years or their warrants would have been triggered. Furthermore, the warrants stem from summonses issued for minor infractions such as riding a bicycle on the sidewalk, drinking beer in public, disorderly conduct, and being in a park after dark.

There are approximately 1.5 million open summons warrants citywide. These summons warrants, when left unresolved, subject those who have them to an automatic arrest when questioned by police on the street or during a traffic stop. They may also carry a number of negative consequences, including impeding one’s ability to apply for citizenship, to secure employment or obtain public housing, and subject undocumented immigrants to deportation.

  Approximately 143,000 warrants will be dismissed in Brooklyn; 166,000 in the Bronx; 240,000 in Manhattan; and approximately 100,000 in Queens. 

  The warrants will be dismissed in court proceedings in each county next month. The large-scale dismissal of the warrant backlog comes following multiple warrant forgiveness events in Brooklyn (Begin Again); Manhattan (Clean Slate) and the Bronx (Another Chance).  

  The dismissals follow months of work with the Office of Court Administration, the New York City Police Department and the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice.

Wave Hill Events Aug 10–Aug 17

Thu, August 10    Evening Garden Walk

Enjoy an evening stroll in the gardens with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT THE PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6:30PM

Thu, August 10    Evening Yoga

Enjoy yoga on the lawn select Thursday evenings. Participants should bring a mat, dress appropriately and expect to be outside unless precipitation or excessive humidity occurs. Classes are offered in partnership with Yoga Haven. All levels welcome. $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Pre-registration recommended, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.

ON THE GROUNDS, 6:30PM–7:30PM

Thu, August 10    Bat Walk: Creatures of the Night

Take an evening walk with naturalist Paul Keim to hear how bats, crickets, frogs and other creatures use sound to navigate the nighttime landscape. Use eyes and ears—and an echo-locator (electronic device)—to search for bats as they skim the evening sky in search of insects. Don’t forget your flashlight! Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. $20/$10 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.  

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 7–8:30PM

SAT, August 12    Family Art Project: Fishy Fun

Focus on friends with fins, especially those popular goldfish swimming in Wave Hill’s Aquatic Garden. Turn colorful paper bags into fantastic 3-D fish that can swim through the air and flutter home with you. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, August 12    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Sat, August 12    Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow leads a tour of the summer exhibitions in Glyndor Gallery. An exuberant counterpoint to Wave Hill’s lush summer gardens, Flora Fantastica! shows the work of four artists who share an interest in using pattern derived from cultural and botanical sources to create fantastic hybrid forms.Nancy Blum, Amy Cheng and Elisabeth Condon each has an entire room for their paintings. Jill Parisi creates an installation for the entry foyer. In the Sunroom Project Space, Jan Mun combines digital and living media to explore the movement of plant species and the immigrant experience, while a window installation by David Rios Ferreira contains drawings and collages with cartoon-inspired characters, along with historical, cultural and contemporary pop references. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Sun, August 13    Summer Birding

Naturalist Gabriel Willow contributes his extensive knowledge of diverse bird species and their behavior on these captivating walks through the gardens and woodlands. Observe the plants, insects and habitats at Wave Hill that make it an appealing destination for such a wide variety of birds. Birders of all levels welcome! Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds. NYC Audubon Members enjoy two-for-one admission to the grounds.

ON THE GROUNDS, 9:30AM

Sun, August 13    Family Art Project: Fishy Fun

Focus on friends with fins, especially those popular goldfish swimming in Wave Hill’s Aquatic Garden. Turn colorful paper bags into fantastic 3-D fish that can swim through the air and flutter home with you. Free with admission to the grounds. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sun, August 13    Family Nature Walk

Join naturalist and educator Gabriel Willow on a family-friendly walk through the gardens or woodlands. No registration required. Children ages six and older welcome with an adult. Severe weather cancels. Free with admission to the grounds. 

MEET AT WAVE HILL HOUSE, NOON

Sun, August 13    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Mon, August 14    

Closed to the public.

Tue, August 15    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Tue, August 15    Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow leads a tour of the summer exhibitions in Glyndor Gallery. An exuberant counterpoint to Wave Hill’s lush summer gardens, Flora Fantastica! shows the work of four artists who share an interest in using pattern derived from cultural and botanical sources to create fantastic hybrid forms.Nancy Blum, Amy Cheng and Elisabeth Condon each has an entire room for their paintings. Jill Parisi creates an installation for the entry foyer. In the Sunroom Project Space, Jan Mun combines digital and living media to explore the movement of plant species and the immigrant experience, while a window installation by David Rios Ferreira contains drawings and collages with cartoon-inspired characters, along with historical, cultural and contemporary pop references. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Wed, August 16    Art Workshop: Mixed-Media Floral Abstractions

Practice abstracting the flowers and gardens of Wave Hill with artist Wennie Huang. Using pastel, collage and transfer techniques, reinvent your favorite flowers in a mixed-media artwork. This two-day workshop includes outdoor drawing, technical guidance from the instructor and a tour of the exhibition Flora Fantastica! Fee for this two-day workshop, which continues August 17. $170/$140 Wave Hill Member. Registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM–4PM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–5:30PM, starting March 15.  Closes 4:30PM, November 1–March 14.

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.

Community Board 8 Homeless Shelter Meeting

  It was a hot night with words being hurled at the assistant Commissioner of the Department of Homeless Services, and the CEO of Praxis who are going to run a homeless shelter at 5731 Broadway. The 83 unit building was built by Stagg Developers who when applying for a 421 A tax break stated that the building was going to be Market Rate rentals. Stagg Developers even said to Community Board 8 that the building was going to be market rate housing when CEO Mark Stagg appeared before the board for the boards support for the 421A status.

  Land Use Chair Charles Moerdler who has fought hard over the years to keep CB 8 the way it is, questioned 1sr Deputy Commissioner of DHS Jackie Bray, and Praxis CEO Sween Jorgenson on how this situation has come about, when he said that there has been a mis representation by someone of the building status. 

 The mayor has a new plan to house homeless people as close to where they said they have come from, and Ms. Bray said that CB 8 has 360 homeless people some are at the Van Cortlandt Motel currently which would close at the end of this year, while others are scattered throughout the city. Praxis as a non-profit runs scatter site homeless services and two buildings, and have answered the RFP to run another. The question then came up as to how Praxis was obtaining 5731 Broadway, and what type of people would be housed there. Ms. Bray mentioned six year old children, but later would admit that it would also be adult males. 

  Mr. Jorgenson said that he had a contract with Stagg Developers, but when Mr. Moerdler asked to see it Mr. Jorgenson said it was a verbal agreement. When asked when this verbal agreement was made the answer was in April of 2017 with Stagg Vice-President Adolfo Carrion Jr. (Mr. Carrion Jr. is a past Bronx Borough President). The next answer seemed to be once DHS approves the Praxis contract would there be a written agreement with Stagg. 

  The site is to be a Tier Two Transitional housing, and that brought out many more questions as to why it is not going to be permanent housing. Moerdler said that people in the board area are humaine, and not against helping people, but would want to see permanent housing rather than a come and go situation as proposed. He said it is the people who make money off the homeless such as CEO's of non profits then asking the salary of Mr. Jorgenson who refused to answer the question. 

  Mr. Moerdler then asked for a copy of the latest draft between Praxis and Stagg, a copy of the draft letter between the city and Praxis, and a ledger of salaries for the non profit Praxis. In essence Mr. Moerdler wants to know how much money Praxis and Stagg Developers (who were not present) are making off this deal with the city to house the homeless.

Above - Praxis CEO (left) Sween Jorgenson with other Praxis and DHS people sitting at the table.

Below - 1sr Deputy Commissioner of DHS Jackie Bray tries to answer one of the many questions board members had.

Above - The mayor's Community Affairs spokesperson tried to answer a question directed at the mayor.

Below - Part of the packed room of over 200 people in attendance had their own opinion of who to blame.

Senator Jeff Klein holds groundbreaking ceremony at Pelham Parkway Houses for $2.1 million lighting project

   Senator Jeff Klein, along with Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, NYCHA General Manager Michael Kelly and other NYCHA staff members, held a groundbreaking ceremony for his $2.1 million lighting improvement project at the Pelham Parkway Houses. The outdoor lighting enhancements represent the latest project aimed at improving safety at the Pelham Parkway Houses following two tragic homicides just months apart in the summer of 2012.

“Today is an exciting day for the Pelham Parkway Houses community. This $2.1 million project is a long time coming, and I’m thrilled that this summer we broke ground. We’re now well on our way to improving safety for all residents of the Pelham Parkway Houses,” said Senator Klein.

“Increasing public safety is a top priority of mine, and this project does exactly that. I commend Senator Jeff Klein for this $2.1 million funding allocation, which is a tremendous step towards a safer Pelham Parkway Houses Community,” said Assemblyman Gjonaj.

“The commitment from our local elected officials is vital in achieving our NextGen goal to provide safe, clean and connected communities for all NYCHA residents,” said NYCHA General Manager Michael Kelly. “These new lights will mean safer homes and improved quality of life for the more than 2,500 Pelham Parkway residents.”

New outdoor lights will go up throughout the entire development as a result the state funding secured by Senator Klein. The project includes the installation of 93 lighting poles with LED lights. The majority of the new fixtures will be park-like poles installed in locations that previously lacked efficient lighting.

Above - State Senator Jeff Klein with Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj and NYCHA General Manager Michael Kelly behind the senator. You can see the open trench and the wire to the new light pole on the lower left.

Below - The traditional first shovel of dirt to cover the new wiring to the pole on the right which is blocking one NYCHA official.

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO ON THE CITY COUNCIL LAND USE COMMITTEE VOTE TO REZONE GREATER EAST MIDTOWN

  “Greater East Midtown is New York City’s largest and most important business district, representing a huge part of our tax base and hundreds of thousands of jobs. But, its aging office buildings and overburdened transit have threatened its ability to compete in the 21^st century. The rezoning, approved by City Council subcommittee and full Land Use Committee today and to be voted on by the full Council, makes an ironclad promise to the people who work in East Midtown: This district’s growth is now directly linked to real-time improvements in its public transit and public realm. In the years ahead, this neighborhood will see major upgrades to subway stations, more expansive space for pedestrians, investments in its iconic landmarks, and a new generation of office buildings that will spur good jobs for New Yorkers and will keep our city the global capital of commerce. This is a powerful promise that will make our city stronger.”

“Years in the making, this plan represents an unprecedented consensus by elected officials, civic organizations and New York City-based businesses. I congratulate Council Member Dan Garodnick for shepherding and honing this proposal, his colleagues in the Council for their support and Borough President Brewer for her collaboration throughout this extensive community process. The future of our city is brighter for their efforts.”

New York League of Conservation Voters Endorses Bill de Blasio For Re-Election as New York City MayorNew York League of Conservation Voters Endorses Bill de Blasio For Re-Election as New York City Mayor

A proven record of leadership on environmental justice & sustainability

  The New York League of Conservation Voters, which works to make environmental sustainability a top political and policy priority in New York State, has announced its endorsement of Bill de Blasio for New York City Mayor.

Since he was elected in 2014, Mayor de Blasio has been a fierce advocate for environmental causes. The sustainability agenda he put forth under OneNYC includes ambitious initiatives such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050, sending zero waste to landfills by 2030, and having the best air quality among major U.S. cities by 2030. Accompanying these initiatives is a roadmap that contains milestones and specific indicators that are to be completed by the end of each year. This endeavor has not only increased transparency but it has kept his administration focused on creating a greener, healthier, and more equitable New York.

Under Mayor de Blasio's leadership, the City has has reduced more than 300,000 metric tons of CO2e, reduced GHG emissions 14 percent, expanded the City’s solar capacity to over 100 MW, expanded the City’s electric vehicle fleet to nearly 1,000, completed the remediation of 577 toxic properties, and completed the TreesCount! tree census surveying over 130,000 blocks to identify the number of trees in the City. 

"When you have an incumb

ent mayor who has wholeheartedly embraced a robust environmental agenda, the case for re-election is open-and-closed. Through his OneNYC Plan, Mayor de Blasio has put New York City on the path to a greener, healthier and more equitable future. There is still much work to be done, however, and achieving initiatives like 80 x 50 requires a steady course. The Mayor deserves a chance to see these efforts through in a second term and NYLCV is proud to endorse him," said Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. "Officials in Washington are responding to climate change by burying their heads in the sand so cities must fill the vacuum and lead. Mayor de Blasio understands the grave threat a changing climate poses to our city and the world. He and his administration have embraced their role in charting a bold and innovative path forward for others to follow. When leaders step up on climate as Mayor de Blasio has, we must stand with them at the ballot box."

“No one fights harder for the air we breathe, the water we drink, or our impact on climate change than the New York League of Conservation Voters,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Under the OneNYC plan, New York City will reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2050, send zero waste to landfills by 2030, and have the cleanest air of any big city in America.  Achieving these goals will make our City a global leader in sustainability and environmental justice, and I look forward to working closely with the NYLCV to make them a reality.”

THE MONEY FOR THE MTA’S SUBWAY CRISIS PLAN IS IN GOVERNOR CUOMO’S BUDGET

THE CITY OF NEW YORK

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

NEW YORK, NY 10007 

  This morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo asked New York City to put money into the MTA’s new plan to fix the subways. But before he asks hardworking New York City taxpayers to kick in more, the Governor should return the money he siphoned away from MTA riders, re-allocate the money he’s using to light up bridges, and fulfill his $1 billion promise.

Here’s what New York City residents, riders, and taxpayers deserve to know:

1. Will Governor Cuomo move to return the $456 million the State siphoned from MTA riders since 2011?

Since 2011, Governor Cuomo has diverted $456 million of operating money specifically earmarked for MTA riders.

·         $391.5 million diverted from the Metropolitan Mass Transportation Operating Assistance Account, (MMTOA), to the State’s general fund:

o   $200 million in 2011

o   $20 million in 2013

o   $30 million in 2014

o   $141.5 million in 2015

·         $65 million reduction in State reimbursements to the MTA in 2017 (for the exemption of schools, libraries, and small businesses from the dedicated-MTA payroll mobility tax) - a reduction of state general fund operating support from $334 million to $269 million.

o   For comparison, New York City provides approximately$800 million in direct annual operating support to the MTA, and an additional $800 million in in-kind services like NYPD Transit Police, debt service for capital contributions, and homeless outreach. In addition, NYC residents, businesses, and workforce contribute nearly $10 billion through taxes, fares, and tolls.

The State's $5 billion operating "contribution" referenced by the Governor is disingenuous because it includes:

·         $4.7 billion in dedicated taxes for MTA riders from the MTA region (including $2.9 billion from New York City residents), from which Governor Cuomo has siphoned $456 million to support the State general fund since 2011

·         Just $300 million in direct State operating support

The State’s money is available and ready to spend. These additional operating funds diverted from riders helped Governor Cuomo and New York State end the 2017 fiscal year with a $7.7 billion operating surplus.

2. Will Governor Cuomo shift more than $200 million for the “light show” on the MTA bridges to support Chairman Joe Lhota’s subway crisis plan?

·         In January 2017, Governor Cuomo announced a plan to illuminate “all the bridges in New York City with different-colored lights, and the bridges can then be coordinated and choreographed to music…” [CBS]

·         Officials from the governor’s office estimate the cost of the “show” to be $216 million. [Politico]

3.  How much of the $1 billion Governor Cuomo committed to the MTA will go towards Chairman Lhota’s plan?

·         Just last month, Governor Cuomo committed $1 billion to the MTA, saying “New York is going to put its money where its mouth is ... so the MTA has the resources to get this done…” [NYDN]

STATEMENT FROM BX BOROUGH PRESIDENT RUBEN DIAZ JR. RE: Pedro Hernandez/Bail Reform

 

"The case of Pedro Hernandez highlights the need for significant bail reform, if not the elimination of the money bail system altogether, in the State of New York. We need a system that places greater emphasis on the objective risk a defendant poses.  Unfortunately, for too long, bail policies have been applied inconsistently and disproportionately. For low-income New Yorkers, the bail system has been prohibitive and punitive.

"The actions taken by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights demonstrate that, for too many, bail is simply out of reach.  For Pedro Hernandez, for Kalief Browder, and for the thousands of individuals currently waiting for trial on Rikers Island and elsewhere, the status quo must be changed. I support the recommendations on bail reform made by the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform, led by Judge Jonathan Lippman, as a way to keep New Yorkers out of jail when the interests of public safety permit it, and look forward to working with colleagues and advocates for criminal justice reform to move this issue forward," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.