DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES $52 MILLION IN PLANNED CAPITAL INVESTMENT FOR NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/METROPOLITAN Hospital

Investment will address infrastructure upgrades

  

  Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today $52 million in capital investment projects to improve NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan’s infrastructure. The projects will be conducted over time, with some scheduled for completion as soon as the spring, while others will require work through late 2021.

“We are proud to have the largest public hospital system in the nation,” said Mayor de Blasio. “NYC Heath + Hospitals/Metropolitan has been a mainstay in this community for decades, and this investment will help the hospital get the upgrades needed to continue serving the community.”

“Metropolitan Hospital is a critical community resource for residents of East Harlem and we are proud to invest in it,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio. “We are committed to preserving our public hospital system, making it financially sustainable and able to deliver the best healthcare services for all New Yorkers.”

“While $52 million is obviously a significant investment, it’s clear that it is needed as part of our long-term commitment to the hospital,” said Dr. Mitchell Katz, President and Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals. “We want our staff to be able to focus on meeting our patients’ care needs and keeping them healthy, not worrying about roofs and power systems.”

“Our hospital has been an integral part of the East Harlem community since the 1950s,” said Alina Moran, Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan. “Every day, we provide the highest quality of care to our patients. We welcome this level of capital investment that will allow us to upgrade our buildings and make the necessary repairs to our infrastructure.”

The plan calls for repairs and improvements to:

Bringing the automatic fire sprinkler infrastructure up to new requirements ($12 million)

Replacing patient-accessible windows with new ones featuring polycarbonate glazing for enhanced safety in Behavioral Health units ($13 million)

Upgrading the current emergency power system, as required under new mandates ($25 million)

Replacing the roof to address ongoing leak problems and eliminate the need for ongoing patching ($1 million)

Replacing the unit that directs condensed and cooled water resulting from the building’s usage of steam back to the power plant ($600 thousand)

Replacing cooling towers nearing end of life with new ones with the latest technology to ensure greater safety ($400 thousand)

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

  “The government is shut down for one reason: the President's insistence on a border wall that is an affront to our values and that will not make us safer. It's time for Republicans in Congress and the President do their job and pass a funding bill that will keep our government running. The thousands of federal employees and their families who call New York City home should not be pawns for Donald Trump's backwards immigration policies.”

Congressman Engel Statement on the Trump Shutdown

“President Trump said he would shut down the government if he wasn’t given funding for his nonsensical border wall. And although the President often flip flops on his promises, he was more than willing to follow through on this one. Now, thanks to some help from his co-conspirators in the House GOP, we are mired in a Trump Shutdown just days before Christmas.

“American voters overwhelmingly rejected Republican’s xenophobic fear mongering at the ballot in November, but the GOP didn’t seem to get the message. They’d rather hold an operational government – and paychecks for American families during the Holidays – ransom than pass a clean CR.  The wall funding President Trump and the House GOP seeks will do nothing more than perpetuate a humanitarian crisis at the border, one they themselves have exacerbated.  Instead of building divisive walls, we should be focused on modernizing our ports of entry and ensuring asylum officers have the tools they need. American resources should be used to help those fleeing violence and danger, not keep them out. I urge my Republican colleagues and the President to give up this ridiculous border wall crusade, act responsibly, and pass a clean funding bill immediately.”

Heroin Dealer Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison For Overdose Death Of 25-Year-Old Man

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that FRANKIE BEQIRAJ was sentenced to 25 years in prison for leading a conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, and alprazolam in the Bronx and Westchester.  BEQIRAJ personally distributed heroin that resulted in the death of Robert Vivolo, a 25-year-old man from City Island, New York.  BEQIRAJ was convicted after trial on June 11, 2018, before United States District Judge Richard M. Berman, who also imposed today’s sentence.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Frankie Beqiraj ran a crew of employees that distributed heroin throughout the City Island community, often hiring addicts and paying them in cash and drugs.  His callousness and greed ultimately led to the overdose death of 25-year-old Robert Vivolo.  Now, Beqiraj has been sentenced for his crimes and will spend significant time in prison.”

According to court documents and the evidence at trial:

From July 2016 to January 2017, BEQIRAJ was the principal drug supplier of the small Bronx community of City Island.  BEQIRAJ employed workers, who were themselves heroin addicts and were supplied drugs by BEQIRAJ, to deliver narcotics to his customers using prepaid phones supplied by BEQIRAJ.  These workers were paid their salaries in money and heroin.  Through his organization, BEQIRAJ distributed large quantities of heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, and alprazolam.

On October 21, 2016, BEQIRAJ sold heroin to Robert Vivolo, a recovering heroin addict, on City Island, New York.  BEQIRAJ’s heroin caused Vivolo to die from an overdose that night.

The Court also found that, on or about January 9, 2017, one of Beqiraj’s workers distributed heroin to three additional individuals, all of whom overdosed.  One of those individuals died as a result of the overdose; the two others survived, having been revived with naloxone.

In addition to the prison term, BEQIRAJ, 28, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Berman praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department’s Bronx Narcotics Heroin Overdose Team, the New Rochelle Police Department, and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR SEXUALLY ABUSING SIX-YEAR-OLD CHILD

Defendant Was Victim’s After-School Teacher

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a former after-school program teacher has been sentenced to five years in prison and 10 years post-release supervision for sexually abusing a six-year-old girl in a Bronx classroom. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant sexually abused the child when she sought his help with her homework in a classroom of a Bronx school. The defendant will now serve time for this despicable crime which has left the girl traumatized.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Channing Parker, 23, of the Bronx, was sentenced today by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio to five years in prison and 10 years post release supervision. The defendant will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release. The judge also signed a final order of protection for the victim. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree Sexual Abuse on November 29, 2018.

 According to the investigation, on or about October 6, 2016 to November 16, 2016, the defendant, an employee at Kids Creative, a nonprofit group that organizes after-school programs in New York City, touched the child’s private parts in Archer Elementary School. Months later in 2017, the victim saw a news report about sexual abuse and told her eight-year-old sister what had happened to her. The victim’s sister told their mother, who then reported it to the school. The school notified the authorities and the victim was brought to the Bronx Child Advocacy Center.

 Parker was arrested while he was already incarcerated for sexual abuse incidents he committed at the Ideal School of Manhattan. He was sentenced in Manhattan to 20 years in prison on December 18, 2018 for sexually abusing two children at an after-school program.

 District Attorney Clark thanked the Bronx Child Advocacy Center, the Bronx Child Abuse Squad, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for their cooperation and assistance with this prosecution.

BP DIAZ & FAT JOE AWARD NEW SNEAKERS TO STUDENTS

  Each student in the winning class received a new pair of the latest Nike Sneakers for the improvements to their, grades, attendance, and overall school spirit. 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and hip-hop legend Fat Joe yesterday distributed new pairs of sneakers at four Bronx public schools as part of their new initiative to increase student performance in Bronx public schools.

Administrators at each participating school—P.S. 146, M.S. 123, Accion Academy and I.S. 217 School of Performing Arts—chose one class which had been “most improved” academically from the start of the competition. Those students learned of their victory today and each received a brand new pair of sneakers from Fat Joe, a Bronx native, in recognition of their achievement.

Students in each class participated in this initiative from mid-October through the remainder of the Fall marking period. They were tasked with working together to improve overall outcomes within their classroom based on a variety of factors including student engagement, attendance and total number of books read, among others.

“These kids are seeing today that hard work really pays off and that with focus and intent they have the power to improve their academic performance. Having their schoolwork praised by a musical superstar who looms so large in our borough adds to our message that it is cool to get good grades and it is something they should aspire to, even outside of this competition. For a lot of these students, it was the push they needed to try harder in school,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. "I want to thank Fat Joe for everything he has done for The Bronx and its students, and for partnering with my office on this initiative.”

‘I came from The Bronx and I was the class clown, but I loved sneakers so much that I know if we had had a contest like this my grades would’ve improved. Its Christmas time but this isn’t a Christmas gift, because the kids worked hard to make this happen. I want take these results to sportswear brands so we can prove that initiatives like this really work and other students can do this in New York City," said Fat Joe at the event. "I couldn’t be more proud to work with Borough President Diaz and his office to make this happen.”

Fat Joe also announced at the event that the initiative would continue at the four schools through the next semester.

Photos are below 

Harlem School of the Arts - "THE LITTLE MERMAID: The Story You've Never Heard"

Based upon the original story by Hans Christian Anderson and adapted by  

HSA Theatre Alliance member Geneva Foster-Narvaez, experience Andersen's process of creating the classic story of a unique girl who dreams of love beyond the surface. 

Directed by Trisha Jeffrey Written and Assistant Directed by Geneva Foster-Narvaez

$20 Advance | $25 Door | $15 Students and Seniors

$15 Group Tickets Available for groups of 10 or more

 

    

 

DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION LAUNCHES NEIGHBORHOOD PILLARS PROGRAM TO PROTECT TENANTS AND PRESERVE AFFORDABILITY

Dedicated fund will help non-profit and mission-driven organizations acquire rent-stabilized and unregulated buildings to preserve as affordable housing

  Mayor de Blasio, Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer, and Housing Development Corporation President Eric Enderlin announced the official launch of the City’s Neighborhood Pillars Program.  First announced as part of Housing New York 2.0, the Mayor’s ambitious housing plan to finance 300,000 affordable homes by 2026, Neighborhood Pillars will help finance each stage of the process of acquiring and rehabilitating existing rent-stabilized and unregulated buildings to protect current tenants and preserve affordability in neighborhoods across the city.  The Neighborhood Pillars program aims to fund the acquisition and preservation of nearly 7,500 homes over the next eight years, an effort made possible by funding commitments from the Community Preservation Corporation, Wells Fargo Foundation, HDC and HPD in coordination with Neighborhood Restore HDFC. 

“We are using every tool available to fight the affordability crisis, and with Neighborhood Pillars, we are adding one more,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Now, non-profit developers will have access to the capital required to purchase buildings and ensure their long-term affordability for over 18,000 New Yorkers.”

“Neighborhood Pillars will help level the playing field for non-profits and mission-driven organizations and will provide the resources needed for these organizations to buy affordable housing in the communities they know best, ” said Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen.

“Preservation is the cornerstone of the Mayor’s housing plan and our efforts to keep New Yorkers in their homes and neighborhoods. Through our new Neighborhood Pillars program, we’re giving community-based organizations the tools they need to compete in a fast-changing market.  Now, pre-qualified non-profits will have greater access to the capital and technical assistance they need to purchase rent-stabilized and unregulated buildings and finance their long-term quality and affordability,” said HPD Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer.  “I want to thank our partners at Wells Fargo, CPC, and HDC for their generous support and forward-thinking in our fight to keep this city affordable for generations to come.”

“Local nonprofits are central to protecting the long-term affordability of our city,” said HDC President Eric Enderlin. “The new Neighborhood Pillars program will equip these organizations with the tools they need to compete in today's challenging real estate market and ensure greater housing opportunities for future generations of New Yorkers.  I thank all the partners who have contributed to launching this exciting and important new initiative.”  

With a commitment of $2 million from Wells Fargo Foundation and $2 million from the Community Preservation Corporation, the City has established a new Down Payment Assistance Fund dedicated to pre-qualified non-profit community-based organizations looking to purchase rent-stabilized and unregulated buildings and finance their rehabilitation and the preservation of their affordability through the new Neighborhood Pillars program.

Changes in the state rent laws over the last few decades, combined with the surging demand for housing, have led to aggressive real estate speculation in rent-stabilized buildings, which provide a critical source of housing for low-income New Yorkers. Although there has been no significant net decline in rent stabilized units over the past decade, the city has experienced a substantial decline in the number of low-cost units. Since 2014, the number of units with contract rents less than $1,500 has declined more than 12 percent or about 160,000 units.  Neighborhood Pillars is the latest in a series of efforts to address these issues, and both improve the quality and preserve the long-term affordability of the city’s housing stock.

Community-based non-profit organizations are often well-positioned to identify the buildings most at risk of speculation and rapid turnover, but these organizations often lack the capital needed to make down payments and compete successfully in the acquisition market. The Neighborhood Pillars Down Payment Assistance Fund, the first of its kind, will help level the playing field by providing qualified not-for-profits with technical assistance and capital to use as a down payment or deposit on a contract to acquire properties and cover limited pre-acquisition costs.

The Fund is administered by Restored Homes Development LLC, an affiliate of Neighborhood Restore HDFC, and received critical contributions from Wells Fargo Foundation and CPC.  Restored Homes will offer assistance to not-for-profits in sourcing, underwriting, and negotiating potential acquisitions.