Comptroller Stringer Audit Uncovers Lagging Enforcement by DCWP of the City’s Earned Sick Time Act

NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) failed to ensure employers paid required restitution to 38 percent of the workers in the audit sample

DCWP did not enforce the late fees agreed to by employers in consent orders

when employers delayed or reneged on their agreements to pay workers

Comptroller Stringer recommends DCWP improve enforcement and increase transparency by tracking and publicly reporting the number of employees who actually receive sick leave restitution payments, and amounts received,

as a result of its investigations

  New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released a concerning new audit that uncovered the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), the agency responsible for enforcing New York City’s Paid Sick Leave Law, failed to ensure employers paid required restitution to 38 percent of workers in the audit sample, under the city’s Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA). Although DCWP successfully investigated numerous ESTA complaints and negotiated restitution orders with employers, the agency failed to ensure that 872 of the 2,313 employees in the audit sample actually received their sick time payments from their employers. ESTA, also known as the Paid Sick Leave Law, went into effect in April 2014.

The Comptroller’s audit found that DCWP’s tracking and pursuit of the restitution payments employers agreed to pay to their workers were insufficient to ensure the workers were properly protected. The ESTA was intended to give relief to workers across the city by granting the right to use sick leave for the care and treatment of themselves or a family member.

“Treating our city’s workers with the dignity and respect that they deserve is not an optional principle to be embraced on an ad hoc basis – it’s the required standard in the City of New York. That means the City must ensure employers fulfill their legal obligation to pay their employees fair wages, including paying for sick time off,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “While the Earned Sick Time Act was a major step forward, our City government needs to step up to the plate to properly enforce the law and ensure fairness for workers. Enforcement of the Earned Sick Time Act isn’t a multiple choice question – it’s the law – and it’s imperative to ensuring the healthy work culture that makes New York City a more desirable place to raise a family. The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection must do a better job of holding employers accountable and protecting our city’s workers.”

Comptroller Stringer’s audit of DCWP’s enforcement of ESTA found:

• Out of a sample of 31 ESTA cases, DCWP negotiated consent orders with 15 employers and obtained an administrative order against 1 additional employer that together required the 16 employers to pay restitution to 2,313 employees for ESTA violations, but the agency had no evidence that 38 percent of those employees—872 individuals—had ever received the restitution payments, totaling $202,972, to which they were entitled.
• The audit found no evidence that DCWP took any action to pursue the overdue payments.
• The agency did not impose late fees when employers failed to document the restitution payments even though those late fees were agreed to in DCWP’s consent orders.
• DCWP did not report the amounts of money employees actually received in the Mayor’s Management Report (MMR).
• DCWP failed to take timely actions on 28 of the sampled cases, some of which included significant time gaps in the investigative process.

Comptroller Stringer’s audit included a series of recommendations to ensure DCWP is fulfilling its mission of protecting the rights of all of the city’s workers, particularly by ensuring accurate record-keeping of payouts to employees. The recommendations included:

• DCWP should improve its tracking capacity by developing lists of restitution amounts ordered, paid, and past-due to employees for sick leave.
• DCWP should take additional steps to ensure employers are complying with ESTA if there is evidence that a fine has not been paid or an employee has not received a required payment, for example, by sending letters to employers and filing petitions with the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH).
• DCWP should consider all available legal remedies if an employer does not comply with ESTA, such as referring the issue to the City Law Department for legal action.
• DCWP should develop methods that more effectively provide evidence that employers are complying with ESTA and employees have received the payments to which they are entitled.
• DCWP should enforce its negotiated late fees when employers fail to timely pay an employee the amount due.
• DCWP should collect and maintain sufficient supporting data and documentation and consider publicly reporting the number of employees for whom it secures sick leave payments—and the amounts they receive—in the MMR.

To read Comptroller Stringer’s audit of NYC DCWP’s enforcement of the ESTA, click here.

Second Farms - 1932 Bryant Avenue - 319 Units Low Income Housing

  

  On what was a parking lot, Catholic Charities through its Catholic Homes New York is constructing a massive 319 unit low income housing building. The average median income or AMI will be a mix of 40/60/and 80 percent of the AMI for the area. The apartments will range from one, two and three bedrooms. The square footage of each apartment was not been announced, but in similar construction the percentage of the AMI could result in that percentage of the apartment size with new Micro units being built. As for the number of parking spaces for the 319 units, none are required since the building sits next to the subway on East Tremont Avenue, and according to the Mayor's City Planning Commission in the new MIH-ZQA Zoning plan low income housing residents do not own cars. 

  The building will be 15 stories on the east side and 12 stories on the west side, because of the grading of the lot. This is so the new development would not be out of context with the much smaller buildings in the area. This is also part of the Live-On New York plan for Catholic Charities and other non profits who own parking lots to be able to build massive housing buildings with financing through the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development and private funding sources.

Above - Msgr. Kevin Sullivan Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York speaks of the 319 unit building (in the photo on the right), and how the building will have two retail stores on the first floor including a supermarket. There will be 11,000 square footage of retail space for the two stores.

Below - Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. speaks of what this new building scheduled for completion in fall of 2020 will do for the community with its housing shortage. BP Diaz added that he allocated one million dollars of his discretionary funding to this project, because he wants to convert religious properties that are no longer used into housing. 

  

Above - Councilman Rafael Salamanca gives a ceremonial check for $850,000 to the Monsignor as part of the deal to include three bedroom apartments in the building. 

Below - This steel beam is to be a time capsule covered over to be uncovered in fifty years. Bronx BP (and Mayoral hopeful) Ruben Diaz Jr. is second to sign after Ms. Molly Park Deputy Commissioner of Development NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, who watches. Others associated with this building also signed the beam.

DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES NEW INVESTMENTS TO PREVENT AND ADDRESS YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IN NEW YORK CITY

City to provide more services to youth experiencing homelessness, including a new mobile platform to connect youth with services

  The de Blasio Administration announced new investments to help youth experiencing homelessness transition off the streets into shelter and from shelter into permanent housing. Through collaboration across multiple City agencies, including the Department of Youth and Community Development, the Department for the Aging, and the Department of Social Services, youth experiencing homelessness will have access to an array of new resources,including a new mobile service that will help youth experiencing homelessness find and access relevant support. The Administration will also establish a Senior Advisor for Youth Homelessness responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and expansion of such interagency initiatives, and collaborating with members of the taskforce to continue take efforts to address youth homelessness even further.

“Helping people get back on their feet is at the center of what we do as government,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Too many young people have nowhere to turn and it’s our responsibility to be their stepping stone from housing insecurity to stability.”

“We want all young people in our city to be safe, supported, and healthy – and for young people experiencing homelessness, many of whom identify as LGBTQ, that means providing them with the services and resources they need,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. “New York City is proud to continue its work with the Task Force to ensure we are doing everything we can to prevent and end youth homelessness.”

“The Youth Homelessness Taskforce and our academic partners have provided invaluable input into the creation of these new investments and we are grateful for their support and continued engagement,” said Dr. Herminia Palacio, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services. “These new investments will go a long way to assisting youth in need.”  

Through the collaboration of multiple City agencies, youth experiencing homelessness will have access to new resources, including:

·          The Department for the Aging (DFTA) for the first time will connect youth experiencing homelessness to housing opportunities through their Home Sharing program (program already operating, effective immediately);

·          A new mobile service that will help homeless youth more easily find and access support.  The design of the service will be informed by youth with lived experiences of homelessness in NYC, developed through a human-centered design process led by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, with $200,000 allocated for research, scoping and design to begin this fall;

·         A new cohort of pregnant or parenting youth participating in the outcome-driven Parent Empowerment Program through the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), which provides access to childcare to young parents while they pursue their high school equivalency diploma and earn workforce credentials.

Additionally, the Administration is:

·         Creating a Senior Advisor for Youth Homelessness role under the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services to oversee interagency initiatives and collaborate with members of the taskforce to continue the work on preventing and ending youth homelessness;

·         Piloting the provision of Department of Social Services (DSS) prevention resources within a Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) 24-hour drop-in center in Queens

·         Working with the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) to connect certain eligible young people transitioning out of DYCD shelter and entering Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter with CityFHEPS rental assistance

·         Bidding out a two-year contract through the Department of Social Services-Human Resources Administration (DSS-HRA) to support the NYC Youth Action Board, which will integrate people with lived experience within the NYC Coalition on the Continuum of Care

·         Ensuring that the Department of Youth and Community Development providers are trained by the Department of Social Services-Human Resources Administration in applying to NYC Supportive Housing units;

·        Partnering with members of the NYC Youth Action Board, Department of Youth and Community Development and homeless service providers so that Human Resources Administration can update the assessment for Supportive Housing applications to include specific eligible experiences of young people; and

·        Relaunching the Youth Experiencing Homelessness page on Generation NYC, co-designed by Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity with members of the NYC Youth Action Board, Department of Youth and Community Development, and homeless service providers so that there is an online resource guide specific to youth experiencing homelessness (no cost, launch this summer).

These efforts build on the de Blasio Administration’s comprehensive effort to reduce and prevent youth homelessness, most recently with the creation of the Youth Homelessness Taskforce in June 2018. The taskforce was a multi-sector stakeholder group comprised of over 80 individuals representing 16 city agencies & offices, 22 nonprofits, two federal partners, a research group and the NYC Youth Action Board, a group of young adults with lived experience of homelessness. The Taskforce coordinated with the NYC Continuum of Care and the Interagency Homelessness Accountability Council to inform the City’s next steps for preventing and ending youth homelessness.

These new innovative strategies were informed by data from the Center for Innovation through Data Intelligence, an assessment conducted by Chapin Hall on the youth homelessness system, and the Mayor’s Youth Homelessness Taskforce.

“DYCD looks forward to continued collaboration with our Agency partners to deepen the City's progress in improving and finding effective, innovative practices to work toward ending youth homelessness. This announcement demonstrates the City’s commitment to improve the delivery of services to help more and more young people transition back into permanent housing. Homeless youth need a safe place to stay, supportive services and opportunities to succeed,” said Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Bill Chong.

“As we address the citywide challenge of homelessness, which built up in a haphazard way over decades and impacts every community across the five boroughs, we’re proud to collaborate with our City Agency colleagues to share best practices, continually redouble our efforts, and pilot new approaches in order to develop new solutions,” said Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks.

“The challenges that young people face today are abundant, with homelessness adding a layer of uncertainty and fear,” said Department for the Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. “We see the value in connecting homeless youth with older adults through the Home Sharing Program for housing as well as intergenerational exchange. This is an innovative way to maximize the City’s assets.”

“We are committed to using research, data, and technology to improve outcomes for all New Yorkers” said Matthew Klein, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. “Building on our work with the Youth Homelessness Taskforce and Chapin Hall to assess available services and supports for youth experiencing homelessness, we are excited to be partnering with youth, City, and community stakeholders to identify the best solution for ensuring homeless youth are more easily connected to the support and resources they need.”

“The Parent Empowerment Program helps stabilize young families by delivering high quality childcare while supporting parents toward achieving their educational and employment goals,” said David Fischer, Executive Director of the NYC Center for Youth Employment. “We look forward to sustaining and expanding this successful initiative as part of New York City’s comprehensive approach to addressing youth homelessness.” 

“The Coalition for Homeless Youth applauds the city for continuing to improve on their efforts to meet the needs of the too many youth experiencing homelessness in NYC. We have already seen the positive impact that has come from cross-system collaboration through the New York City Youth Homelessness Taskforce, including prioritizing the Youth Action Board’s participation, and are excited to see this work continue under the leadership of the Senior Advisor for Youth Homelessness. The city’s commitment to ensuring that homeless youth will now have access to CITYFHEPS, as well as increased accessibility to supportive housing and other resources through increased capacity, staff training and a mobile platform, are cause for celebration. The Coalition for Homeless Youth looks forward to continuing to collaborate with the city on these investments.” said Jamie Powlovich, Coalition for Homeless Youth Executive Director.

"On behalf of Covenant House New York, I want to express my excitement and gratitude regarding the de Blasio Administration's announcement of new and innovative ways to assist youth in transitioning out of homelessness and into a stable environment," said Sr. Nancy Downing, Executive Director. "With our long history of working with youth experiencing homelessness, we know that these planned innovations will lead to stable housing, and meaningful opportunities that will be transformational in the lives of our young people," said Nancy Downing, Covenant House Executive Director.

“New York City exposed their system to external scrutiny so that they could have an objective, evidence-based assessment of their services to youth experiencing homelessness,” said Bryan Samuels, Executive Director of Chapin Hall. “Today’s announcement of increased service coordination and availability reflects not only many of our recommendations, but also a commitment to using data and evidence to inform decision making. That’s good news for New York City’s youth.”

“The Supportive Housing Network of New York applauds the City for investing critical resources aimed at helping at-risk youth into housing, especially in its efforts to connect homeless youth to supportive housing,” said Laura Mascuch, Supportive Housing Network of New Executive Director.

“The New York City Youth Action Board (YAB) is looking forward to our continued work with the City to improve the ways the needs of young people who are currently homeless are met. The YAB has always felt it is critical that youth at high risk of becoming homeless get the support that they need and deserve to prevent them from becoming homeless at all. Most, if not all, current YAB members feel that their initial experience of homelessness was traumatic and preventable. Thus, we are happy to see the city committing to expand their approaches to prevent youth from experiencing homelessness while maintaining its commitment to giving currently homeless youth a way out,” said Skye Adrian, Chair of the New York City Youth Action Board. 

“There are many experts in the Youth Homelessness Taskforce who helped the City determine what the next best steps were for youth experiencing homelessness. We know there is more to do but are excited about taking these first steps. In my second year I will continue to work with the stakeholders of the taskforce to ensure the City is responsive to the needs of youth experiencing homelessness,” said Cole Giannone, Senior Advisor for Youth Homelessness to Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio.

This announcement builds upon a number of initiatives taken by the de Blasio Administration to prevent and address youth homelessness, including the NYC Unity Project, a $9.5 million investment to prevent and address homelessness for LGBTQ youth across the City; 500 new beds for homeless youth and expansion of youth drop-in centers; the Department of Homeless Services’ Marsha's House in the Bronx, the first-ever DHS shelter for LGBTQ young people in New York City; and the commitment to allocate 1,700 supportive housing units for youth through the Supportive Housing NYC 15/15 Initiative.

News From Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz

ASSEMBLYMAN DINOWITZ STATEMENT ON COURT REJECTION OF ANTI-SCIENCE LAWSUIT

On Friday, a judge in New York’s state Supreme Court ruled against Children’s Health Defense and anti-vaxxers who had requested a temporary injunction against the non-medical vaccine exemption repeal which passed in June.

  Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx) issued the following statement in response to today’s denial of a temporary restraining order against Dinowitz’s legislation (A2371/S2994) to repeal non-medical exemptions to school vaccine requirements. The lawsuit was brought in Albany County Supreme Court by Children’s Health Defense, an organization led by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. which raises money for anti-vaxx causes. The legislation was introduced in the State Senate by Brad Hoylman.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said: “I am glad that science has prevailed once more and that the public health will continue to be protected while our judicial system works through this lawsuit. My legislation is not and has never been about religion. It is about protecting public health. Those who are opposed to vaccinations should not be allowed to put the health of other people’s children at risk – end of story. Similar legislation has been upheld in California, and the policy has been in effect for many years in West Virginia and Mississippi. I am confident that my legislation will withstand this lawsuit and our children will be more protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.”

ASSEMBLYMAN DINOWITZ RESOLUTION HONORS 50^TH ANNIVERSARY OF MOON LANDING

The Assembly resolution commemorates a period in American history when the entire nation stood united by a common goal supporting science and the public interest.

 In honor of the fifty year anniversary of the moon landing, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz sponsored aresolution in the New York State Assembly to honor this historic achievement. On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 Project successfully landed two people on the moon after an intensive nationwide effort to achieve this momentous scientific goal.

The Assembly resolution was supported by a bipartisan coalition of 61 Assemblymembers, led by Dinowitz. The resolution notes that the moon landing resulted from a challenge issued by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 in response to the Soviet Union launching the first artificial satellite into space as well as the first person in space. Kennedy declared “this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.”

Three astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, began the Apollo 11 mission on July 16, 1969 before the ultimate stage of landing the lunar module Eagle on the moon’s surface on July 20. Moonwalkers Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin left behind an American flag, pictures of human beings, recordings of a variety of languages, a patch honoring fallen crew from Apollo 1, and a plaque reading “here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.” The crew traveled 240,000 miles from the Earth to the moon in 76 hours.

The resolution goes on to note that the documentary Apollo 11, which debuted at Sundance, was partially produced at a shop in New York City, a partnering post production shop is located in New York, and the $5 commemorative coin will be produced in New York.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz  said: “As a child, I distinctly remember the awestruck inspiration I felt as I watched two American astronauts become the first people to ever walk on the moon’s surface. It was incredible as our country was unified behind this incredible scientific effort, and we felt like we could accomplish anything we set our minds to. With less computing power than a modern cellphone, we were able to send three human beings into space, land two of them on the moon, and return them all home safely. This is the mentality that we need to have again, as we explore solutions to climate change and other immense challenges that face our society.”

Bronx Metro-North Co-Op City Interactive Public Workshop

JUST ONE WEEK AWAY! Please join us and help plan around coming Metro-North service in your neighborhood! Co-Op City Interactive Public Workshop

Join us for a public workshop/open house and help plan around future Metro-North service in your neighborhood! This interactive, self-paced event is an important opportunity for the community to join city agencies in planning around future Metro-North service. Come share your local expertise, hear from your neighbors, contribute your ideas for improving pedestrian and transit connections to and from the station, and help ensure that new service is thoughtfully integrated into the surrounding neighborhoods. Activities will be self-paced and participants can come when they wish and stay for as long as they are able to.

WHEN Tuesday, July 16, 2019 6PM–8:00PM (Self-paced activities. Come when you wish and stay for long as you are able to.)

WHERE Bartow Community Center, Room 31 2049 Bartow Ave Co-Op City, Bronx

For any questions or special needs, please email bmns@planning.nyc.gov or call 718 220 8500

Find Out More

¡Sólo falta una semana! ¡Únase a nosotros para un taller público interactivo y ayude a planificar alrededor del futuro servicio de Metro-North en su barrio! Co-Op City Taller Público Interactivo

¡Únase a nosotros para un taller público interactivo y ayude a planificar alrededor del futuro servicio de Metro-North en su barrio! Este evento interactivo y que irá a ritmo propio será una oportunidad importante para que la comunidad pueda unirse con agencias municipales para planificar alrededor del futuro servicio de Metro-North. Venga a compartir su pericia local, entender las perspectivas de sus vecinos, contribuir sus ideas para mejorar las conexiones a la estación para los que caminan y los que usan tránsito, y ayude a asegurar que este nuevo servicio se integre en el contexto local de una manera bien pensada.

¿CUÁNDO? Martes, 16 de Julio, 2019 6PM–8:00PM (Actividades irán a ritmo propio. Venga cuando quiera y quédese el tiempo que pueda.)

¿DÓNDE? Bartow Community Center, Room 31 2049 Bartow Ave Co-Op City, Bronx

Para cualquier pregunta o necesidades especiales, por favor, envíe un correo electrónico a bmns@planning.nyc.gov o llame al 718 220 8500

DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION FILES AMICUS BRIEF TO SUPPORT EVIDENCE-BASED OVERDOSE PREVENTION EFFORTS

  The de Blasio Administration today announced it has joined five other cities and counties across the country in filing an amicus brief supporting a nonprofit being sued by the U.S. Department of Justice for its attempt to open an overdose prevention site.

“We have a moral obligation to save lives and connect people to addiction treatment, and New York City is on the front lines of the opioid crisis,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “It’s repugnant that the Trump Administration is once again trying to criminalize people with addiction issues and we’re proud to stand with other municipalities to say we’ll do everything in our power to save lives.”

“As people die and families are devastated by the long lasting consequences of the continuing opioid epidemic, cities must do everything they can to support communities and save lives,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. “New York is taking every measure to address the root causes of substance abuse and ensure people have the resources they need to help themselves or someone they love. We will be vigilant and press on until the end of this public health crisis.”

The nonprofit, Safehouse, is planning to open and operate a site that provides overdose prevention services in Philadelphia. In February 2019, the DOJ filed a civil lawsuit asking the court to block the site and declare it a violation of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, the “crack house statute.” The brief is being submitted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

In New York City, someone dies of a drug overdose every six hours. In 2017, there were 1,487 confirmed drug overdose deaths, and more people in New York City died from drug overdoses that year than from motor vehicle collisions, suicides, and homicides combined. Opioids were involved in 82 percent of New York City overdose deaths that year. For the first time, fentanyl, a powerful and fast-acting opioid, was the most common drug, involved in 57 percent of deaths. Overdose deaths remain at epidemic levels in New York City as illicitly manufactured fentanyl continues to be present in the drug supply.

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, as well as other health departments across the country, takes an evidence-based approach to confronting the crisis of opioid addiction and overdose, and research strongly indicates that overdose prevention sites prevent overdoses, improve access to addiction treatment, and save lives.

In May 2018, Mayor de Blasio announced his support to pilot four overdose prevention centers in New York City. The sites would be privately operated and funded, and would need to meet specific criteria prior to opening, including: Receiving authorization from the New York State Department of Health to pilot the overdose prevention centers as a research study; be sanctioned by the local District Attorney where a site is proposed; receive support from a local Council Member; and undergo a 6 to 12 month planning process with a local community advisory board, comprised of local stakeholders, including residents. The State Department of Health has not yet moved ahead with authorization.

The City has taken aggressive steps to reduce drug overdose deaths citywide and connect people to care and treatment. In 2017, it launched HealingNYC, a program that aims to fight the opioid epidemic by increasing resources, support and education in communities. HealingNYC has distributed more than 230,000 naloxone kits to opioid overdose prevention programs citywide, and has launched a peer-based program called Relay in 10 hospital system’s emergency departments across the city to provide support to people who experience an overdose. In addition, HealingNYC has trained more than 1,700 clinicians to prescribe buprenorphine, raised public awareness through three citywide media campaigns and launched StopODNYC, a free mobile app to teach New Yorkers how to recognize and reverse an overdose with naloxone and links them to locations where naloxone is available without a prescription.

“New York and other cities are on the frontlines of this deadly public health crisis,” said Corporation Counsel Zachary W. Carter. “Citing a federal law clearly intended to prohibit the operation of crack houses, DOJ seeks to prevent cities and counties from supporting health facilities designed to prevent dangerous drug overdoses. New York City will continue to use every legal tool at its disposal to protect this lifesaving initiative.”

“This administration is committed to disrupting the opioid epidemic and saving lives using every tool at our disposal,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio. “That is why last year we announced our support for Overdose Prevention Centers as an evidence-based, innovative model to reducing overdose deaths.”

“In New York City we won’t stand idly by as our fellow residents are dying of overdoses,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “We are doing everything in our power to provide life-saving overdose reversal kits, sterile syringes as well as judgement-free information that can link people with services. We can turn the tide on the overdose epidemic, but we need to employ every available tool. The science is clear: Overdose prevention centers save lives. They have a record of success in other jurisdictions and should be available in Philadelphia as well as New York City.”

The brief argues cities and counties should be permitted to support the opening of these sites in their communities. DOJ’s reliance on the federal Controlled Substances Act, or “crack house” statute, to prohibit localities from doing so is fundamentally incompatible with the statute and would raise troubling implications for the constitutional powers of state and local governments to protect public health.

Today’s amicus brief is the latest in New York City’s legal efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. In January 2018, the City filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court to hold manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioids accountable for their roles in the deadly epidemic. Through the lawsuit, the City aims to recover upwards of half a billion dollars in past damages and future costs to address the opioids crisis. Earlier this year members of the Sackler families, who have controlled opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma for decades, and large retailers like CVS and Wal-Mart were added as defendants in the City’s lawsuit.

The amicus brief was drafted by Hogan Lovells. In addition to New York City, other jurisdictions joining the brief include San Francisco, California; King County, Washington; Seattle, Washington; Pittsburgh Pennsylvania; and Svante L. Myrick, Mayor of Ithaca, New York.

The amicus brief can be found here.

Team AOC - Vital info for our neighbors to avoid ICE

Two weeks ago, the Trump Administration threatened thousands of people with deportation and massive ICE raids across the country. Now, they’re threatening to do it again.

They were forced to back down the first time. Now, we’re not so sure if that will happen again. That means we need people like you to spread information that can help people threatened by ICE know their rights, and avoid having their families torn apart.

All that it takes for injustice to triumph is for good people to do nothing. Always remember, inaction never benefits the victim, only the oppressor.

Thanks for taking action,

Team AOC

Paid for by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress

Email us: us@ocasiocortez.com