MAYOR DE BLASIO AND SPEAKER JOHNSON ANNOUNCE MORE THAN 50,000 NEW YORKERS NOW ENROLLED IN FAIR FARES PROGRAM

Online enrollment option through City’s ACCESS HRA app exponentially increased participation

  Mayor de Blasio and City Council Speaker Johnson announced that more than 50,000 New Yorkers have enrolled in the City’s Fair Fares program- an unprecedented effort to address poverty through the development of a half-priced MetroCard program for low-income New Yorkers. Following the launch of the online platform in April, which introduced the option to sign up for Fair Fares through the City’s Access HRA application, participation increased dramatically, with more than 70 percent of current enrollees opting in digitally, including through the mobile and web applications.

“Using mass transit to get around is central to the lives of New Yorkers – struggling to afford it shouldn’t be. 50,000 New Yorkers now have access to a half-priced Metrocard thanks to this innovative partnership with the Council and I look forward to growing the program even further,” said Mayor de Blasio.

“Working New Yorkers living in poverty need help. Fair Fares is an unprecedented program designed to ease their burden. The Council, which fought hard to enact Fair Fares, is proud that 50,000 New Yorkers have enrolled. We look forward to serving and assisting more low-income families in the months to come because we understand that for some people, the cost of a swipe is unmanageable,” said Speaker Corey Johnson.

The Department of Social Services continues to conduct outreach to eligible New Yorkers who are receiving cash assistance and/or SNAP benefits to inform them of their eligibility, including sending notifications, making telephone calls, implementing a targeted awareness campaign, and alerting HRA clients via their digital Access HRA accounts. To provide eligible New Yorkers with even more options, the City launched the pay-per-ride option in March, enabling those in need to obtain single fares.

Starting this fall, the City will expand the program to eligible New Yorkers in NYCHA, enrolled students at CUNY and student veterans at or below 100 percent of poverty line.

“As a national leader addressing poverty, our City continues to find innovative ways to empower working and low-income families and individuals,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks. “In New York, we’re making important progress leveling the playing field by connecting eligible New Yorkers to more affordable transportation, helping access opportunity and making it easier to meet essential needs—all part of our comprehensive efforts to make New York the fairest big city in the nation.”

"Fair Fares was a good idea for working adults and single mothers especially that are working! As you know, the MTA prices keep increasing, so this program was right on time. This program is saving me half the price of bus and train rides! It’s a good program. It's about time," said Tamika Velez, Fair Fares recipient.

“The program is wonderful. I’ve already purchased two weekly cards and will purchase a monthly card next week. It’s especially good because I only have to pay $63.50,” said Joshua Sabeter, Fair Fares recipient.

“After years of fighting for Fair Fares and a mass transit system that is more affordable and accessible for the city’s lowest income residents, it’s good to see real progress being made extending half-priced bus and subway fares to more eligible New Yorkers,” said David R. Jones, President and CEO of the Community Service Society.  “We applaud Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Johnson for their efforts to advance the program and look forward to marking future milestones in the implementation of this important anti-poverty initiative as it is fully rolled out to the hundreds of thousands in need.”

John Raskin, Executive Director of the Riders Alliance, said, "Just a few months after the launch of the program, Fair Fares is already changing thousands of people's lives, and it's making New York a more just and equitable city. Public transit means access to jobs and education and opportunity, and Fair Fares is helping make that promise a meaningful reality for thousands of people who have been left behind. Speaker Johnson and Mayor de Blasio deserve credit for getting this program on track and for doing the hard work required to make sure thousands of people are able to take advantage of it. We look forward to working with the City on the next important phase, which is to guarantee that everyone living below poverty can sign up for Fair Fares."

In January 2020, the City plans to launch an open enrollment process for all eligible New Yorkers at or below the Federal Poverty line who don’t have discounted transportation from the MTA or the City. Those who were previously enrolled in the program and are still eligible will be able to recertify and receive the benefit again. All other eligible applicants will be able to apply through an online platform.

Eligible New Yorkers can opt-in via the Access HRA mobile or web application, visit the nearest Fair Fares NYC location, or sign up by mail to receive their half-priced MetroCard. Eligible recipients can also call 311 for assistance receiving their card.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES CITY WILL OPEN OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTION OF HATE CRIMES MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

The office will be embedded in the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice and opens months ahead of the November effective date established by City legislation

  Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today that the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC) will open this summer and be embedded in the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. The opening will occur months ahead of the November effective date established by the City Council law that originally created the office. The new office will coordinate responses to hate crimes across City agencies, including the NYPD, City Commission on Human Rights, Department of Education, Department of Probation, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and District Attorney’s Offices, taking a holistic approach to preventing hate crimes, developing and coordinating community-driven prevention strategies to address biases fueling crimes, and fostering reconciliation and healing for victims.

The Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes will also support NYPD training, launch support programs for victims, improve coordination on hate crime reporting and work with affected groups to make sure victims come forward.

“In New York City, we celebrate and uphold our differences and reject any attempt to hate or divide,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes will work to root out hate and make our streets safer, which is why we’re moving up the timeline and opening the office months ahead of schedule. We will never stand idly by while our fellow New Yorkers are targeted because of their race, religion, sexual orientation or any other quality that makes them who they are.”

“Celebrating our differences is not only what makes our city vibrant, but also what makes our city safe. By bringing together expertise from City agencies that work every day to promote the wellbeing of New Yorkers, the new Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes will bolster our commitment to keeping New York City the safest and fairest big city for all residents and visitors,” said Elizabeth Glazer, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice.

“The New York City Commission on Human Rights is proud to enforce one of the strongest human rights laws in the nation which prohibits discrimination and harassment in nearly all areas of city living,” said Carmelyn P. Malalis, Commissioner and Chair of the NYC Commission on Human Rights. “The Commission’s bias response team is on the ground across the city working to combat discrimination, respond to bias incidents, and provide support, resources, and education to impacted communities. The creation of the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes will allow the Commission to coordinate closely with our agency partners, share information efficiently, and confront bias incidents, discrimination, and hate crimes as one city united.”

Most recent data from NYPD shows that hate crime incidents in the City have increased by 64 percent since last year. 60 percent of those incidents were anti-Semitic hate crimes. Arrests for hate crimes have also increased this year.

The new Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes will be strategic in using non-law enforcement deterrence, including investing in public education campaigns, outreach and community safety models and preventative best practices. It will also develop responses for when hate crimes occur, including developing diversion programs and other strategies so that the NYPD, District Attorney’s Offices, defenders and judges have options beyond arrest and prosecution to deal with hate crime perpetrators.

The new OPHC will also support NYPD training and other responses that address the concerns of LGBTQ, immigrant and other groups to help improve the reporting of hate crimes; develop support programs for victims and reconciliation programs; enhance data collection and sharing with the NYPD, District Attorney’s Offices’ hate crimes units, and other partners; and strengthen relationships among victims and law enforcement to enhance criminal justice outcomes and processes for victims.

The new OPHC will issue annual public reports on hate crime prevention once the Steering Council for the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes is launched this summer.

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ RE: Diego Beekman Lawsuit/Mayor's Jail Proposal

  

"The lawsuit filed by the residents of Diego Beekman Houses is a direct result of this administration’s failure to give true consideration to an alternative site in The Bronx. The Lippmann Commission’s own recommendations make it clear that the Mott Haven tow yard is the wrong site for the proposed jail, as it does not meet the principles of restorative justice. There is a perfectly valid alternative site for the proposed Bronx jail—adjacent to The Bronx Hall of Justice inclusive of the current site of Bronx Family Court—yet the city has blatantly refused to give this location any consideration. 

"In the interest of political expediency the administration has chosen the wrong site for its proposed jail, and the residents of the Diego Beekman Houses are justified in seeking legal remedy to the city’s intransigence," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. 

Lawmakers and Advocates call for the passage of the Child Trauma Response Act, A.7815/S.6225

To assist the 2,363 children living in New York that have been traumatized by family separation and other Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as a result of actions taken by the Federal Government of the United States of America under the “Zero Tolerance Policy”.

Assembly Members Andrew Hevesi, Harvey Epstein, Ellen Jaffee, Catalina Cruz, Maritza Davila, Marcos Crespo, Aravella Simotas, Michael Blake, Yuh Line Niou, Dan Quart, Jose Rivera, Carmen De La Rosa, Pat Fahy, and Assistant Speaker Felix Ortiz, along with Senators Alessandra Biaggi and Brian Benjamin were joined by Prevent Child Abuse NY, Safe Passage Project, Safe Horizon, the New York Immigration Coalition, New York State Council of Churches, Catholic Charities, The Legal Aid Society, JCCA and the Legal Project to advocate for the CTRA. The CTRA aims to address trauma and hurdles faced by unaccompanied minors with no lawful immigration status in the United States, many of whom were separated from their families as a result of the Trump Administration’s “Zero Tolerance” immigration policy. This bill calls for a range of services that aim to ensure the wellbeing of such children, who are now in the care of the State of New York. Specific services under the CTRA will include trauma-informed care, legal representation, healthcare, education, and language services, among others, all of which are critical to rectify the serious adversities and toxic stress experienced by this population.  

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that, “highly stressful experiences, like family separation, can cause irreparable harm, disrupting a child’s brain architecture,” and that “prolonged exposure to serious stress – known as toxic stress – can carry lifelong consequences for children.”  The results for children who have experienced trauma, the toxic stress it produces, and their body’s physiological response, may include learning difficulties, behavioral problems, difficulty regulating emotions and increased and potentially debilitating physical and mental health issues. The Zero Tolerance Policy intentionally inflicted trauma upon these children. New York State must lead on behalf of this vulnerable population and ensure that every effort is made to provide these children with the support they need in order to combat the trauma they have endured.

"Trump's devastating 'zero tolerance' policy that separated thousands of immigrant families at the border and displaced immigrant youth across the country, has created lasting trauma as a direct result of these actions. For the 2,363 children who are now sheltered in New York, as a state it is our duty to do everything in our power to protect them from enduring further harm. The purpose of this bill is to provide critical mental health and harm-reduction services to immigrant youth who have experienced trauma at the hands of federal immigration policies, and to continue to build support for immigrant New Yorkers at large while we demand justice at the national level," said State Senator Alessandra Biaggi.

"We agree 'that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men and women to do nothing.'   Thousands of children have been intentionally traumatized by the federal government of the United States of America” said Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Social Services, "We will not sit idly by while that intentional trauma manifests into lifelong difficulties for these children, our communities, our state and our country. Traumatic separation from a parent is one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE’s) that causes toxic stress. Scientists have found that exposure to toxic stress and the resulting elevated levels of stress hormones damages the structure and function of a child’s developing brain. Specifically, the persistently elevated levels of cortisol produce dramatic changes in the connectivity within the prefrontal cortex.  The results for children who have experienced trauma can include learning difficulties, behavioral problems, difficulty regulating emotions and increased and potentially debilitating physical and mental health issues. The physical health implications (short-term) of trauma include: headaches, fatigue, irritability, emotional outbursts, and over and under eating. The long-term health consequences of trauma include increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic health problems including asthma, obesity, cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases. New York State has the responsibility to act in order to enable these children to recover from the trauma inflicted upon them by our federal government.”

OPERATION MELTDOWN: DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION SEIZING 46 ICE CREAM TRUCKS INVOLVED IN SHELL COMPANY SCAM TO DODGE $4.5 MILLION IN TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS

Operators accrued 22,000 violations since 2009, including running red lights, parking at fire hydrants and blocking crosswalks

  The de Blasio Administration began seizing 46 ice cream trucks from operators who consistently violated traffic safety laws and evaded nearly $4.5 million in fines since 2009. The owners amassed the debt through a scheme, creating dozens of “shell” companies to avoid enforcement efforts by the Department of Finance. Between 2009 and 2017, a small group of individuals operated companies that accrued 22,000 summonses for violations, including running red lights, parking near fire hydrants, and blocking pedestrian crosswalks, according to the City’s complaint.

“No New Yorker is above the law – especially those who try to ignore public safety laws and create dangerous situations for pedestrians, bikers and drivers,” said Mayor de Blasio. “For years, these owners have ignored public safety laws and have driven dangerously in one of the busiest areas of the City. This seizure marks the end of the road for these scofflaw ice cream vendors.”

“We all know from common experience that ice cream trucks are magnets for children. In order to protect this particularly vulnerable category of pedestrians, our traffic laws must be strictly enforced. As detailed in our complaint, Defendant owners of scores of ice cream trucks sought to evade enforcement of our traffic laws through an elaborate shell game transferring ownership of their ice cream trucks between and among dozens of phony companies, effectively shielding their trucks from fines and seizure,” said Corporation Counsel Zachary W. Carter. “The City’s investigation has untangled this web of fraudulent transactions and the Court has allowed us to take an initial step towards recovering the money owed to the City, with interest, and damages, and to permanently enjoin Defendants from again putting profit over public safety.”

“The Department of Finance seized dozens of ice cream trucks for failing to pay their parking tickets and for engaging in an alleged systematic scheme to defraud the City of over $4.5 million dollars,” said Finance Commissioner Jacques Jiha. “We commend the diligent investigation by our Office of Legal Affairs and Sheriff’s Department in taking steps to preserve public safety. The Department of Finance stands ready to ensure compliance with the law through the successful enforcement of the Supreme Court’s Order.”

The scheme was based off a periodic, systematic and repeated re-registration of the ice cream trucks with the State of New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles under the names of various shell corporations. The collection division of the Department of Finance attempted to collect this debt through traditional means of demand notices and information subpoenas to banks, but was unsuccessful. The Department found the debtors never had bank accounts, and any trace information to the corporate defendants no longer existed by the time the Department attempted to reach them.

The City’s lawsuit targets the worst offenders—those with more than $10,000 in judgments or unpaid fines. The order also requires the truck’s owners to pay the City damages and prevents them from transferring the ownership of the vehicles that have outstanding parking summonses.

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO ON CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE VOTE TO APPROVE THE BAY STREET NEIGHBORHOOD REZONING - 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com - Gmail

  “The Bay Street Neighborhood Plan will create a more affordable neighborhood that opens the doors of opportunity to residents from all walks of life. This is about making sure kids who grow up on Staten Island can eventually have an apartment in the borough they love, and about making sure there’s affordable and accessible housing for Staten Island seniors, so they can live independently as they age. This subcommittee vote is the first step in bringing more open space, jobs, 1,300 affordable homes, infrastructure improvements and more to Bay Street. I am grateful for Council Member Rose’s partnership and all she has done to fight for the future of Staten Island.”

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. - Bronx Pride Flag Raising

  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. was joined by Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, and many members of the LBGTQ community to raise the Pride flag over Bronx Borough Hall. The Pride flag will fly not for one day, but the entire month of June BP Diaz said. 

Above - The Pride Flag is raised over Bronx Borough Hall.

Below - Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. speaks about Pride Month.

Above - Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul Speaks about Pride Month.

Below - Michael Brady Executive Director of the 3rd Avenue BID says a few words.

Above and Below - People celebrate the raising of the Pride flag over Bronx Borough Hall.

SENATOR BIAGGI BILL “ERIN’S LAW” PASSES THROUGH THE STATE SENATE, REQUIRING EDUCATIONAL PREVENTION PROGRAM AGAINST CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

   Yesterday the New York State Senate passed bill S4070B, also known as “Erin’s Law”. Sponsored by State Senator Alessandra Biaggi, the bill requires the commissioner of education to make recommendations to the board of regents relating to instruction on preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse in grades Kindergarten through 8th. The goal is to provide training for children to identify and appropriately respond to sexual abuse.

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi issued the following statement:

“As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I understand the full gravity of how important this piece of legislation is. The purpose of this bill is to give children the tools to report instances of sexual abuse in order to stop and prevent further harm, as well as provide reassurance to students that they should speak up if they feel unsafe. I am inspired by the devoted leadership of Erin Merryn in bringing this issue to light – I look forward to seeing this bill pass into law and implemented as soon as possible.”