NYC Public Advocate WILLIAMS' STATEMENT ON THE STATEN ISLAND DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S USE OF CLEARVIEW AI FACIAL RECOGNITION

 

 "I was alarmed to learn that the Staten Island District Attorney's office has worked with Clearview AI beginning in May of 2019, and I am grateful that the Legal Aid Society helped to uncover the existence of this contract. That the District Attorneys' office deemed the pursuit of further transparency about this purchase to be an invasion of privacy is ironic, hypocritical, and unacceptable.

"Use of this kind of technology disproportionately targets and falsely condemns people of more color- It amounts to a more technologically advanced version of the same biased-based law enforcement we have battled for many years. District Attorney McMahon must immediately halt any usage of this tool, and District Attorneys across the five boroughs must commit to banning the use of this software in their own offices.  Facial recognition technology like Clearview AI has the capacity to be not a tool for public safety, but a threat to it."

Governor Cuomo Announces Nation's First-Ever Center for Glass Innovation at SUNY Alfred to Improve Glass Recycling

 

NYS College of Ceramics at SUNY Alfred to Lead Innovative, Three-Year Research and Collaboration Initiative

Fulfills Governor's 2020 State of the State Proposal to Promote New Glass Production and Reuse Options

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a new nation-leading collaboration with the State College of Ceramics at Alfred University to bolster markets for recycled glass and improve the quality of glass available for recovery throughout New York. The Center for Glass Innovation was first announced in the Governor's 2020 State of the State Address and will play an instrumental role in helping recycling markets and municipal recycling programs find new ways to produce and recycle glass.  

"The College of Ceramics at Alfred University is playing a critical role in enhancing recycling markets and the overall economic revival of the Southern Tier," Governor Cuomo said. "This first-ever Center for Glass Innovation builds on our efforts partnering the best academic institutions with industry experts to develop strategies to make New York a cleaner and greener state. The investment will also help to ensure our students have the education and skills they need for new opportunities and jobs in the green economy of the future." 

Recycling markets continue to experience volatility. As a result, recycling operations are struggling to find suitable markets for material, impacting local solid waste recycling efforts. Glass is the heaviest component of the municipal waste stream and costly to process. The State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is working with key stakeholders, including municipalities, to strategize on how to bolster new markets to build capacity in the state and the northeast region to address these challenges.   

As a major focus of this initiative, the New York State College of Ceramics (NYSCC) will form the Center for Glass Innovation as a research resource for glass producers in New York State and, ultimately, nationally. The Center will create space for basic and applied research, user facilities, and experimental glass tanks for applied, industrial-scale research, with an emphasis on creating higher value end markets for curbside collected glass. This will be the first center of its kind in the United States where glass companies will be able to test small batches of new glass compositions in a pilot production environment.  

State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras said, "With the launching of the Center for Glass Innovation, the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University will be at the epicenter of the glass industry's growth and evolution. In the latest chapter in a long history of public-private partnership, the College of Ceramics—a national leader in glass science research and education—will collaborate with industry-leading private companies to develop next generation glass materials, make manufacturing processes more energy efficient, and uncover ways to reuse glass that would otherwise be dumped into a landfill. Ultimately, this initiative will create more sustainable, eco-friendly communities and help accomplish Governor Cuomo's ambitious goal of achieving a carbon-neutral economy. I want to thank Governor Cuomo and the Department of Environmental Conservation for their investment in this important research project, and New York's leading glass companies for their partnership."  

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "We want to keep New York's academic institutions ahead of the curve when it comes to emerging trends in recycling. Governor Cuomo's investment in this center is a sign of New York's commitment to not only providing top notch educational opportunities to Alfred University students, but also helping to grow the highly skilled workforce that employers want and need in this competitive field." 

SUNY's statutory unit at Alfred University, the NYSCC, will receive nearly $1.7 million for this initiative through the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) as part of a three-year agreement. NYSCC has a world-renowned reputation in the field of glass science and engineering and is the only institution in the country to offer a doctoral degree in glass science. Since NYSCC's glass science and engineering degree was established in 1932, thousands of graduates have found successful positions at the forefront of materials discovery, glass processing, and manufacturing. NYSCC's location in the Southern Tier of New York State is in excellent geographic proximity to important facilities such as: Corning Inc.; Guardian Glass; Anchor Glass; and Tesla/SolarCity. Other collaborators include Monofrax; St. Gobain; Owens-Illinois; and the Glass Manufacturer Industry Council. 

Assemblymember Nathalia Fernandez - OFFICE NOTICE

 

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344 Days and Counting Down

 

344 days left for Mayor Bill de Blasio until he is term-limited out of office.

 

Queens Man Arrested for Threatening to Murder Members of Congress

 A criminal complaint was filed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Brendan Hunt, also known as “X-Ray Ultra,” with threatening to murder United States officials.  Hunt was arrested this morning in Queens and made his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr., who ordered the defendant detained pending trial.

Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrest and charge.

“Our democracy depends on the legislators who shoulder the responsibility of government.  By allegedly threatening to murder and intimidate elected officials, Hunt is striking at the core of our government,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme.  “This Office will aggressively disrupt such conduct and prosecute offenders like the defendant to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Before the assault on the Capitol building, and again after, Hunt’s alleged online commentary directly called for the assassination of members of Congress.  This is not a hard message to understand –threats of violence against our public officials won’t be tolerated.  Mr. Hunt was arrested this morning by the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force. To others from this area who still don’t get it – if you are considering a similar path to ‘take up arms’ like Mr. Hunt did, that road leads nowhere except a reservation at our building downtown,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.

Mr. DuCharme and Mr. Sweeney praised the outstanding work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force on the case.

As alleged in the complaint, on January 8, 2021, two days after the riot in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Hunt posted a video to an Internet-based video sharing site in which he exhorted his viewers to violence, urging them that “[w]e need to go back to the U.S. Capitol when all of the Senators and a lot of the Representatives are back there, and this time we have to show up with our guns.  And we need to slaughter these m-----f------.”  The video was one in a series of statements by Hunt posted on social media since at least December 6, 2020, in which he called for violence and “public execution” against members of Congress.

The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Hunt faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Attorney General James Secures Agreements with Condo Owner, Management Company, and Security Firm to Protect Rent-Stabilized Tenants

 

Pinnacle Managing and SW Security Violated Rent-Stabilization Laws,  Investigated Chinese Tenants Without Cause

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced agreements with a condo owner, its principals, and a security firm over repeated violations of rent stabilization laws and guidance. The agreements with 132-40 Sanford LLC, the sponsor of the Summit at Infinity 8 Condominium located at 132-40 Sanford Avenue, its real estate management company, Pinnacle Managing Co., LLC, and security firm SW Security Services, LLC, resolves violations relating to the modification of a front door lock of the rent-stabilized building located in Flushing, Queens, which ultimately led to several of the building’s tenants, mostly Chinese tenants, forfeiting their rent-stabilized apartments. Under the terms of the agreements, the companies will implement a series of measures that are inclusive of all tenants, undergo anti-discrimination trainings, and donate $50,000 to nonprofit organizations that focus on tenant organizing in Asian communities.

“Tenants have a right to remain in their homes, and we must do all we can to protect affordable housing,” said Attorney General James. “These companies failed to deliver the pinnacle of service to tenants, and their actions forced individuals — particularly Chinese tenants — out of their rent-stabilized homes. Let this serve as a warning that we will not tolerate anyone or any entity that violates our housing laws and threatens New Yorkers’ right to a safe and decent home.”

In 2017, after acquiring the occupied rent-stabilized rental building at 132-40 Sanford Avenue and submitting initial offering documents to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to convert the building to a condominium, the sponsor hired SW Security Services to change the building’s front door lock system to an electronic access system. However, the sponsor and Pinnacle Managing failed to apply to the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) for permission to change the door lock, in violation of the state’s rent stabilization guidance.

The subsequent key fob distribution process was also overly burdensome on tenants and excluded certain individuals. Tenants were incorrectly told to present a valid New York state ID or other government-issued ID to receive their new key fob. At the time, only U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents qualified for government-issued IDs, leaving the significant number of non-citizen and non-legal permanent resident Chinese tenants of the building with the impression that they were not entitled to access their own homes. According to DHCR guidance, owners must accept any form of identification from tenants as long as it contains a photo of the tenant and it is impermissible for a rent-stabilized owner to require an ID issued by a certain state or jurisdiction.

Additionally, the OAG’s investigation found that in March 2018, when SW Security Services distributed key fobs to tenants, the company’s Director of Investigations impermissibly recorded information from tenant IDs, including the jurisdiction issuing the ID and the address listed. The security company then used the information from the IDs as a basis for recommending 13 private investigations into certain tenants. Ten of the 13 tenants were individuals with Chinese surnames. Both the sponsor and management company authorized those investigations, which resulted in seven of the tenants — six of whom had Chinese surnames — to forfeit their apartments.

As part of the agreement with OAG, 132-40 Sanford LLC and Pinnacle Managing are required to implement a series of measures, including:

• Donating $50,000 to a nonprofit organizations that focus on tenant organizing on behalf of the Asian community;
• Conducting anti-discrimination training for staff through the New York City Commission on Human Rights;
• Implementing a form flyer for key fob distribution that does not require a New York ID. Pinnacle Managing is also required to have these flyers (and all applications for keys) translated into languages that are spoken in the building;
• Agreeing not to record any data from IDs when handing out key fobs to tenants and their guests. The company will also be required to implement a system for key fob distribution that does not require any ID other than one that proves identity and does not require listing of individuals residing in the apartment;
• Agreeing not to hire any security services firm to distribute key fobs; and
• Agreeing to comply with DHCR guidance and regulations.

SW Security Services will also implement similar measures pertaining to their own staff, including:

• Requiring investigators to attend anti-discrimination and rent-stabilization trainings;
• Implementing policies for interactions with minors; and
• Agreeing that investigators will not record any data from tenant IDs when handing out key fobs.

Espaillat, Torres Lead Delegation Urging Resolution Between UnitedHealthcare and Montefiore Health System

 

 In a letter to UnitedHealth Group and the Montefiore Health System, Representatives Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and Ritchie Torres (NY-15), in collaboration with Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) and Mondaire Jones (NY-17), call for the urgent and immediate resolution of negotiations that have stalled since last month while potentially leaving over 60,000 without in-network access to their doctors and hospitals in their communities while continuing to combat COVID-19.

“During this COVID-19 pandemic, New Yorkers relied on UHC and Montefiore in tandem for their health care that they knew and relied upon. We are told the result of arrested negotiations leaves over 60,000 patients in the Bronx, Newburgh, and White Plains without in-network access to their doctors and hospitals. Many of us have heard from constituents concerned about this loss of healthcare access,” stated members in the joint letter.

As previously reported, contract negotiations between the Montefiore Health System and UnitedHealthcare have stalled for nearly a month as more than 60,000 patients could be burdened with higher fees for services no longer considered in-network and face increased out of pocket expenses as a result. This is a critical time especially for minorities communities that continue to be devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Members urge UnitedHealth Group to return to the negotiating table and work in good faith to reach a mutually agreeable outcome.

The letter in its entirety is below:

January 21, 2021

David S. Wichmann

Chief Executive Officer

UnitedHealth Group

Minneapolis, MN 55440-1459

Dr. Philip O. Ozuah, MD, PhD

President and Chief Executive Officer

Montefiore Health System

111 East 210th Street,

Bronx, NY 10467

Dear Messrs. Wichmann and Ozuah:

We understand that UnitedHealth Group and its affiliate UnitedHealthcare of New York (“UHC”) and the Montefiore Health System (“Montefiore”) were unable to come to a resolution and agreement during negotiations, before the end 2020. During this COVID-19 pandemic, New Yorkers relied on UHC and Montefiore in tandem for their health care that they knew and relied upon. We are told the result of arrested negotiations leaves over 60,000 patients in the Bronx, Newburgh, and White Plains without in-network access to their doctors and hospitals. Many of us have heard from constituents concerned about this loss of healthcare access.

With over two weeks since the negotiation deadline having passed, we urge both UHC and Montefiore to return to the negotiating table and work in good faith to reach a mutually agreeable outcome. Until this matter is resolved, we will continue to urge all parties to work together and find a solution to this impasse that invariably impacts the health and safety of New Yorkers who will still require healthcare during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Respectfully,

345 Days and Counting Down

 

What Me Worry?

I still have 345 days left in office.