DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION SUES FIRM FOR RUNNING $20 MILLION ILLEGAL SHORT-TERM RENTAL OPERATION

The Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement estimates as many as one-third of short-term rentals in New York City are part of a highly developed commercial operation

  The Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement is bringing a lawsuit against Manhattan real estate brokerage firm, Metropolitan Property Group (MPG), five current and former MPG employees, and 18 corporate entities affiliated with these employees for turning at least 130 apartments across 35 residential buildings, including one entire building in East Harlem, into illegal short-term rentals primarily through Airbnb.

“Illegal hotels take precious housing away from New Yorkers and destabilize our communities. My administration is cracking down on corporate operators to ensure residents and visitors are safe and are treated fairly,” said Mayor de Blasio.

“Over and over again, well-meaning visitors are being misled by sophisticated businesspeople into booking illegal rentals. Only with better data and cooperation from the booking websites can we efficiently identify and shut down these operations. Our top priority is preserving housing and a sense of community in New York neighborhoods, and we want guests to feel safe when they visit our city,” says Christian Klossner, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement.

MPG and their employees advertised short-term rentals on Airbnb through approximately 250 listings via approximately 101 host accounts using various fake identities. Nearly 70 percent of locations advertised omitted the house number for the rental location. The platforms’ data shows the same contact information was often used to set up the distinct host accounts. 

Users who advertise housing for rent on booking platforms were allowed to use fake identities, create multiple host accounts, and omit location information, obstructing enforcement as well as consumers’ ability to receive complete information and track reviews. In response to community complaints, OSE conducted inspections and issued violations in five buildings named in the lawsuit. OSE then utilized data obtained from the platforms via administrative subpoena to connect illegal activity to the ring of real estate professionals.

OSE was also able to determine the 18 entities affiliated with MPG and its employees received at least $20.7 million in short-term rental revenue through Airbnb alone from 2015 to 2018. MPG employees conducted 13,691 short-term rental transactions, involving over 75,000 guests who were not notified of the illegality of the rentals nor the lack of safety measures. Revenue from almost 3,000 short-term rental transactions were made payable to MPG’s headquarters.

OSE identified at least 138 listings on Airbnb advertising short-term rentals within the five Subject Buildings, located at 200 East 116th Street in East Harlem, which has entirely been converted to short-term rentals, 123 East 54th Street in Midtown East, 207-215 East 27th Street, 230 East 30th Street and 2118 3rd Avenue in Kips Bay. OSE estimates MPG has advertised and maintained short-term rentals in 30 other buildings in Manhattan since 2014.

Based on data the booking platforms make publicly available, there are approximately 60,000 listings on the top five platforms for vacation rentals. OSE estimates 33 percent of listings are commercial listings.

The complaint filed in court today can be found here.

“These egregious violations are prime examples of just how serious the illegal hotel problem is in our city. I commend OSE for their stellar work and look forward to further strengthening our enforcement tools so that we may meet this challenge head on. This Council will continue to combat the illegal hotel problem to increase public safety and protect our affordable housing stock,” said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson.

MAYOR DE BLASIO EXPANDS NYC FERRY SYSTEM, CONNECTING ALL FIVE BOROUGHS

Revised ridership projections anticipate serving 11M annual riders by 2023

Following his State of the City address last week, Mayor de Blasio today released additional details about the expansion of the NYC Ferry system, which will begin serving all five boroughs in 2020. The expansion includes the addition of two new routes that will run from Staten Island and Coney Island, plus the modification of two existing routes to include new stops in the Bronx and Brooklyn. A new ferry stop in the Throggs Neck/Ferry Point Park section of the Bronx will join the Soundview route, and a stop at the Brooklyn Navy Yard will be added to the Astoria Route.

“It’s official. The NYC Ferry will now serve all five boroughs!” said Mayor de Blasio. “We’re delivering new routes to Staten Island, Coney Island, and new stops in the Bronx and Brooklyn. As New Yorkers take to the water to get around our city more than ever before, we will look forward to improving the NYC Ferry system to make it better than ever.”

“In less than two years, NYC Ferry has become one of the most reliable, affordable, and beloved transit systems in the city,” said James Patchett, New York City Economic Development President and CEO. “Expansion of the system means getting even more New Yorkers where they need to go, increasing access to good-paying jobs, schools, and other neighborhoods, all for the price of a subway ride. We are proud to have delivered an invaluable asset to the city that makes all five boroughs fairer and stronger.”

The expansion will increase service for many waterfront communities where neighborhoods are growing, and job centers are burgeoning. The NYC Ferry expansion includes:

· Launch of the St. George Route in 2020: The new route will run from St. George to Battery Park City/Vesey St., ending at Midtown West (W. 39th St. /Pier 79). Anticipated total run time is ~35 minutes.

· Launch of the Coney Island Route in 2021: The Coney Island route will launch in 2021, with a stop in Bay Ridge, before ending at Wall St. /Pier 11, an anticipated total run time of ~35 minutes from start to finish. The route is estimated to serve approximately four thousand NYCHA residents that live within a half-mile radius of the landing.

· Extension of the Soundview Route in 2021: A new landing in Throggs Neck/Ferry Point Park will be added to the Soundview route. Launched in August 2018, the Soundview route connects residents and workers in the East Bronx with stops on Manhattan’s Upper East Side (E. 90th St.), Midtown East/E. 34th St. and Wall St./Pier 11. Riders boarding at the new Throggs Neck/Ferry Point Park ferry stop are able to transfer for free to the East River, Rockaway, Astoria, and South Brooklyn routes at East 34th St. and Wall St. /Pier 11. The extended route will take approximately ~51 minutes from start to finish.

· Modification of the South Brooklyn Route in 2021: The South Brooklyn Route will be reconfigured to start from Sunset Park/Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT) instead of Bay Ridge, which will be added to the new Coney Island Route and will no longer stop at DUMBO/BBP1. Alternatively, DUMBO/BBP1 will only be accessible via the East River Route. Starting in 2021, the new estimated run time will be ~34 minutes from start to finish. In addition to current route reconfiguration, future modifications may occur to expand service to emerging job clusters.

· Modification of the Astoria Route in 2019 to include the Brooklyn Navy Yard: This May, a stop will be added at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on the Astoria Route. The Navy Yard, which currently serves as NYC Ferry’s homeport, is undergoing a historic expansion of the campus and is expected to more than double its workforce by 2020. The Navy Yard ferry stop also offers a new commuting option for the many surrounding neighborhoods along the stretch of waterfront, including over 14,000 NYCHA residents. Starting this May, the Astoria Route will take ~45 minutes from start to finish.

Following the launch of the Lower East Side route in August 2018, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) commenced the 2018 Feasibility Study to determine whether the system could expand to serve more waterfront communities throughout the five boroughs. The study included feedback from New Yorkers, elected officials, and community boards. The feasibility study results are available here.

In 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced his vision for a six-route citywide ferry service that would expand transportation access across the city affordably and reliably. In the summers of 2017 and 2018, NYCEDC launched the East River, Rockaway, South Brooklyn, Astoria, Lower East Side and Soundview routes. With 21 landings across New York City, NYC Ferry has served nearly eight million riders to date. With the addition of the St. George and Coney Island routes, and the Throgs Neck/Ferry Point Park and BK Navy Yard’s landings, revised annual ridership forecasts project the system will reach 11 million annual riders by 2023.

In May of 2018, the de Blasio administration announced it was preparing to invest $300 million in capital for the service over the next five years.  The long-term capital plan announced in May 2018 will invest in infrastructure improvements and upgrades to existing infrastructure, larger capacity vessels, a second homeport facility, and improvements to the City’s two main ferry terminals, Wall St./Pier 11 and E. 34th St. The City will invest an additional $100 million in capital to add fleet capacity, build new landings, and invest in existing landings to support the system’s expansion.

“Our City’s ferries have proven to be a great alternate mode of transportation and a useful utilization of our waterfronts,” said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson. “I'm thrilled that ferry service is being expanded across the City, and that residents on the West Side will now have a direct link to Lower Manhattan and Staten Island. I want to thank EDC and the administration for their commitment to expanding ferry service in the city.”

  

Public and Private Partners Help The Arts Flourish in the Bronx

KZA Realty Group Instrumental in Bringing

Bronx Kreate Space Arts Incubator to the Borough

The artistic renaissance in the Bronx is getting a boost as workplace and community incubator Bronx Kreate Space obtained 15 Canal Place in the Mott Haven neighborhood.

Made possible in part by a $595,000 Downtown Revitalization Award from New York State and a $350,000 loan arranged by The Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp. and its president, Marlene Cintron, Bronx Kreate Space plans to establish a modern arts hub that will provide local artists with affordable creative space that fosters artistic synergies while also driving the local economy.

But first, the entity had to find a suitable site, eventually settling on a four-story warehouse built in 1908. Bronx Kreate Space singled out Kathy Zamechansky, president of KZA Realty Group, for her pivotal role in securing the new space.

“Kathy was instrumental in helping Bronx Kreate Space find and secure our location in the South Bronx,” said Dan Herdoon, CEO of Bronx Kreate Space. “We began working with Kathy more than two years ago and despite some challenges, she persevered as a partner and advocate for our team, taking an interest as if it were her own project. This is a win for us, and a win for the borough.”

Bronx Kreate Space will lease affordable studios to more than 100 artists and makers, along with offering community memberships that allow participants to take part in classes, lectures, gallery space and maker markets.

“This project is of utmost importance to the continued revitalization of the Bronx – especially the ability to attract artists and artisans,” said Zamechansky, an award-winning real estate professional who has helped spur the borough’s commercial and residential renaissance. “This deal would not have happened without support from the Borough President’s office, who encouraged Dan Herdoon and his team to open the site in the Bronx, and the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, who provided a portion of the financing needed to build out the site and facilitated the New York State grant. We are grateful for their help.”

In partnership with local museums, non-profit organizations, schools and government agencies, Bronx Kreate Space will establish a cultural destination in the borough and foster a strong sense of community in the immediate area. Resident and affiliated artists will also mentor local public and private school students.

“The Bronx has always been an innovator in the arts and music, but now we have a home where artists can work in a communal setting,” said Marlene Cintron, president of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation. “The economic development impact of supporting our local artists in the Bronx under one roof will be unprecedented. I look forward to financing more of them as the need for even more space becomes apparent.”

In addition to hiring management, maintenance and hospitality employees, Bronx Kreate Space will partner with a local coffee shop to occupy a cafe space and help build traffic for the ground floor gallery. The space will also host local events.

“Bronx Kreate Space will be instrumental in sending the message that art is for everyone and we need to keep it alive in the Bronx,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. “My office supports projects like this to help break down barriers of entry for local artists and the community and I am excited to see this project come to fruition. I thank KZA Realty Group and Kathy Zamechansky for their contribution to the Bronx arts community through the development of this project and the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp. for providing a significant percentage of the funding to make this happen.”

Councilman Santa Mark Gjonaj Holds Toy Giveaway

  It may have been a few weeks after Christmas, but Sunday Councilman Mark Gjonaj and some of his staff gathered the toys collected from his Christmas Party and spread them out in his office. This was so children could receive another toy from Councilman Santa Mark Gjonaj. While there were hundreds of toys on display for children to choose from, any toys that were not chosen will be given to Einstein Hospital for children at the hospital to enjoy.

Above and below children show off their toys they received from Councilman Santa Mark Gjonaj.

Above - These four children show off their toys they received from Councilman Santa Mark Gjonaj.

Below - There were toys for even the youngest of children from Councilman Santa Mark Gjonaj.

Second Truck in As Many Days Stuck On Henry Hudson Parkway

  This three truck caravan wound up getting stuck on the Henry Hudson Parkway just before the nine foot seven inch clearance West 239th Street overpass this afternoon. It took NYPD Highway police and the help of a large truck tow-truck over two hours to help maneuver the three truck caravan off the parkway. The GMC truck caravan departed Texas enroute to Maine. This was the second truck to have a problem in as many days at this West 239th Street overpass.

New York State Police have said at a prior truck incident which sheared half of the roof off months ago at this overpass, that the four large 'NO TRUCKS' signs at the entrance to the Henry Hudson Parkway at the George Washington Bridge were replaced with only one smaller sign. It would only make sense that today's truck caravan enroute from Texas to Maine went across the George Washington Bridge.

Above - You can see that as this truck caravan backed up, the rear truck went one way, the middle truck a different way, and the first truck a third way.

Below - Police were finally able after two hours able to get the truck caravan to a place where it could be driven off the parkway over an island.

The truck caravan now safely off the Parkway sits on the service road where the driver was given four summonses, and a bill for one thousand dollars by the tow truck company which had to assist in getting the trucks off the parkway.

Comptroller Stringer, State Senator Kavanagh, Assemblymember Simon, Council Member Levin and Brooklyn Communities Rally for a Better BQE

Coalition demands greater transparency and community engagement during planning of upcoming Brooklyn-Queens Expressway reconstruction

Rally follows Comptroller Stringer’s letter to Mayor’s office, DOT

  Today, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer, State Senator Brian Kavanagh, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, Council Member Stephen Levin, A Better Way NYC, Brooklyn Heights Association, Cobble Hill Association, Cadman Towers, and community leaders demand more transparency and community engagement from the City during the rehabilitation of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE).

Last year, the City’s Department of Transportation (DOT) announced two potential options to repair the triple-cantilevered section of the BQE. The first would replace the Brooklyn Heights Promenade with a six-lane highway for up to six years while the permanent highway is reconstructed below. The second would be a conventional lane-by-lane construction project, which would take longer, involve nighttime and weekend work, and likely flood local streets with thousands of trucks and cars diverted during construction.

While these repairs are necessary and urgent, DOT has failed to devise sufficient alternatives to the current proposed BQE redevelopment plan. The coalition called on the City to open the planning process and consider a wider range of construction options.

The rally comes after Comptroller Stringer issued a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio expressing concern that the City has failed to consider community needs and provide transparency regarding alternatives to the renovation plan. Congressmember Nydia Velazquez, State Senator Kavanagh, Assemblymember Simon and Council Member Levin also issued a statement as an update on their conversations with DOT and the community.

“When the City plans a massive years-long project, their top priority should be transparency,” said Comptroller Stringer. “No project can succeed without community input and the planning process for the BQE renovation has failed that basic standard. The City must consider a wider range of options to ensure this project does not unnecessarily burden the Brooklyn Heights community.”

“Reconstructing the BQE will be an enormous undertaking, but long before the City settles on a plan and the first shovel hits the ground, we need an equally expansive effort to get the design, the construction method, and the process right,” said State Senator Brian Kavanagh. “That’s why from the first day this project was announced to today, I’ve joined my elected colleagues and many local organizations and residents calling upon the DOT to explore every feasible alternative option and to give every affected community a full opportunity to have their needs and concerns considered. The DOT has met with us and has shown signs that they are willing to do just that. We know we have to keep our communities engaged and keep the pressure on, so I’m proud to stand with Comptroller Stringer, Congressmember Velazquez, Assemblymember Simon, Councilmember Levin, the Brooklyn Heights Association, the Cobble Hill Association, and many other concerned New Yorkers, to renew our call for a full, thorough, transparent process.”

“I am glad to stand with Comptroller Stringer, my partners in government, and with community residents to ensure our communities’ voices are heard and that all feasible options for the reconstruction of the BQE are rigorously examined. I am encouraged that DOT has begun engaging in small group meetings with those who will be most affected by the reconstruction and that DOT is open to considering alternative plans to its two existing proposals, but we need greater transparency and engagement at every level of this process,” said Assembly member Jo Anne Simon.

“DOT’s proposed innovative approach has revealed several concerning impacts on the surrounding community, and a better way is needed. I appreciate DOT’s efforts as they explore alternative options and I urge them to continue to work with community stakeholders to find a solution that’s in the interests of everyone,” said Council Member Stephen Levin.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Comptroller Stringer is entering his sixth year as New York City Comptroller, This highway in Brooklyn has not gotten into the situation it is now overnight. One thing this coalition fails to recognize is that this highway will be a major route to and from the new Amazon Queens headquarters, and that is why the NYCDOT is doing repairs on it. 

Where is Comptroller Stringer on the fate of the Cross Bronx Expressway. A major route from mainland United States to the Bronx, Long Island and New England. The Cross Bronx Expressway is mostly a large parking lot that is carrying a load much greater than it was built for. Where is the NYCDOT plan to fix the Cross Bronx Expressway?

What you should be asking City Comptroller Scott Stringer is why he is trying to pander to some Brooklyn Heights residents that he wants their vote from in the next mayoral election. Why is Comptroller Stringer not concerned with the Cross Bronx Expressway which is in as bad if not worse shape than the Brooklyn Queens Expressway.

BRONX MAN INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER OF COP, ASSAULT OF TWO BYSTANDERS AND OTHER CHARGES FOR SHOOTING INCIDENT AS HE FLED AFTER COMMITTING A ROBBERY

Defendant Fired At Pursuing Police Officer, Who Returned Fire; Woman and 12-Year-Old Girl Were Wounded

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been indicted on charges including Attempted Murder of a Police Officer and first-degree Assault for firing a gun at a cop after robbing a man of a backpack of cocaine, causing the officer to return fire that left two bystanders wounded. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant allegedly committed a gunpoint robbery, setting off a chain of events that led to exchange of gunfire with a police officer on a busy street. The alleged conduct of this defendant put the public in danger.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Edwin Castillo-Concepcion, 37, of 1001 Home Street, was indicted on a total of 31 counts, including Attempted Murder in the first degree, Attempted Murder in the second degree, first-degree Assault, second-degree Assault, first-degree Robbery, first-degree Criminal Use of a Firearm, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Reckless Endangerment. (All charges listed below.) He was arraigned today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice John Carter. The defendant was continued remanded and is due back in court on January 31, 2019.

 According to the investigation, on the evening of December 5, 2018 the defendant allegedly robbed two men inside 98 West 183rd Street, forcibly stealing a backpack and firing one shot from a .25-caliber pistol. The defendant then fled the scene, running on West 183rd Street, where he encountered two on-duty plainclothes NYPD Police Officers who were in the area. Castillo-Concepcion allegedly fired two shots at Police Officer Juan Gomez, and Gomez returned 27 shots. Irene Urena Perez, 46, was shot in her torso and a 12-year-old girl was struck by bullet fragments in her right leg. Both victims were taken to local Bronx hospitals.

 According to the investigation, the defendant had in his possession two kilograms of cocaine.

District Attorney Clark thanked the NYPD Force Investigation Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force for their assistance.

Charges: 

Attempted Murder In The First Degree 

Attempted Murder In The First Degree 

Attempted Murder In The Second Degree 

Attempted Murder In The Second Degree 

Attempted Assault In The First Degree 

Attempted Assault In The First Degree 

Attempted Aggravated Assault Upon A Police Or A Peace Officer 

Attempted Aggravated Assault Upon A Police Or A Peace Officer 

Menacing A Police Officer Or Peace Officer 

Menacing A Police Officer Or Peace Officer 

Assault In The First Degree 

Assault In The Second Degree 

Assault In The Second Degree 

Robbery In The First Degree 

Robbery In The First Degree 

Robbery In The First Degree 

Robbery In The First Degree 

Robbery In The Second Degree 

Robbery In The Second Degree 

Robbery In The Third Degree 

Criminal Use Of A Firearm In The First Degree 

Criminal Use Of A Firearm In The First Degree 

Criminal Possession Of A Weapon In The Second Degree 

Criminal Possession Of A Weapon In The Second Degree 

Criminal Use Of A Firearm In The Second Degree 

Criminal Use Of A Firearm In The Second Degree 

Criminal Possession Of A Firearm

Criminal Possession Of A Controlled Substance In The First Degree 

Criminal Possession Of A Controlled Substance In The Third Degree 

Criminal Possession Of A Controlled Substance In The Third Degree 

Reckless Endangerment In The First Degree

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

Wave Hill events January 24‒February 1

Sat, January 26

Woodworking Workshop series begins: The Wave Hill Chair

Wave Hill’s inspirational landscape is complemented by this iconic Wave Hill Chair. In this two-day workshop, construct your own Wave Hill Chair under the guidance of master woodworker and Wave Hill Director of Facilities Frank Perrone. Participants receive step-by-step instructions; no previous carpentry skills required, but participants must attend both sessions. The second day of this two-session series is Sunday, January 27, from 9:30AM to NOON. Space is limited! $240. Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration required, online at wavehill.org or at the Perkins Visitor Center.

Wave Hill House, 9:30AM–4PM

Sat, January 26

Family Art Project: Painted Papers and the Stories of Eric Carle

What better season than winter to cuddle up with stories you love? Join us to explore Eric Carle’s stories illustrating the wonders of nature. Hear some of these enchanting favorites as told by our storytellers, then learn from Eric Carle’s techniques, as we cut and layer hand painted papers to form bright and colorful images. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sun, January 27

Family Art Project: Painted Papers and the Stories of Eric Carle

What better season than winter to cuddle up with stories you love? Join us to explore Eric Carle’s stories illustrating the wonders of nature. Hear some of these enchanting favorites as told by our storytellers, then learn from Eric Carle’s techniques, as we cut and layer hand painted papers to form bright and colorful images. Free with admission to the grounds.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sun, January 27

Winter Workspace Drop-In Sunday

Artists in the Winter Workspace program share their studio practice with visitors on this Drop-In Sunday. Free with admission to the grounds.

Glyndor Gallery, 1–3PM

Sun, January 27

Garden and Conservatory Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 2PM

Mon, January 28

Closed to the public.

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–4:30PM,  November 1–March 14. Closes 5:30PM, starting March 15.

ADMISSION – $10 adults, $6 students and seniors 65+, $4 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.