MAYOR DE BLASIO UNVEILS EMERGENCY RIKERS RELIEF PLAN

 

Mayor Bill de Blasio today signed an emergency order to execute the Emergency Rikers Relief Plan, a five-point plan to address challenges on Rikers Island. In addition to the plan of City actions, the Mayor also called for action across the justice system, including immediately calendaring 500 court cases and enacting the Less is More Act.

 

“New York City will take any action necessary to keep everyone safe throughout the justice system. These reforms will do just that – both by taking immediate steps to put officers back on duty, and by making deeper reforms to reduce the number of incarcerated New Yorkers,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We will uphold our obligation to provide a safe, clean environment on Rikers Island while pivoting to a fairer and more humane justice system.”

 

The mayor’s five-point plan includes:

1. Adjust staffing at courts by shifting NYPD to help operate courts, allowing some Department of Correction (DOC) staff to shift back to duty on Rikers.
2. Toughen accountability for AWOL staffers with 30-day suspensions for Correction officers who do not show up to a post.
3. Expand medical evaluation capacity for staff with additional medical providers to evaluate DOC officers for duty.
4. Engage in emergency contracting to quickly repair broken doors, clean facilities more efficiently, distribute commissary more quickly, scan mail onto tablets to reduce drugs entering facilities, and more.
5. Speed intake to reduce crowding with a goal of moving people through the intake process in 24 hours or fewer. Two currently closed clinic spaces will be opened to allow greater capacity.  

 

The mayor also called for actions across the justice system in the following areas:

• Enacting the Less is More Act
• Speeding up transfers out of Rikers into State-operated locations in five days or less
• Calendaring 500 court cases immediately out of the 5,000 people on Rikers Island in pre-trial, including over 1,500 people have been held for over one year
• Encouraging judges to use supervised release for non-violent offenders, instead of pre-trial detention at Rikers.

Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance holds In Person September Meeting

 

With the first day of in person school over, the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance held its first in person meeting in over a year. The agenda was getting to know the new councilman for the 15th City Council District Oswald Feliz, and the councilman's challenger in the November election Ariel Rivera. 

VNNA Chair Bernadette Ferrera opened the meeting by welcoming everyone back to the first in person meeting in over a year, She introduced her Executive Board sitting up front, and then introduced Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez. Assemblywoman Fernandez gave a review of what went on in the recent special session of the legislature called by new Governor Kathy Hochul. She said that the eviction moratorium has been extended to January 15, 2022, and if tenants need help to get Rent Relief her office her office will work to get the needed help. Her office is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and the office is open remotely on Monday and Friday. If anyone needs help with Flood problems they should call Mr. Jerome Williams of FEMA at 256-454-6461. She also mentioned that she will be taking part in a clean up with the Friends of Pelham Parkway on September 25th from 2 - 4 PM on the South Parkway at Wallace Avenue. She ended by saying that the state owes Nine Billion Dollars to the federal government for loans given to the state.

Incumbent 15th City Councilman Oswald Feliz was next to talk about his short tenure in the council. Councilman Feliz said that he was first elected in a special election that took place in March, but because of Rank Choice voting the results were not official until one month later in April. He said that he has brought fifteen million dollars to the district already, 4.5 million for NYCHA upgrades, 4 million for schools, and 4 million for parks. He added that the mayor has committed to .5 million dollars to renovate Poe Park to add more green space, and get rid of asphalt and concrete. Also he expects from the speaker 3.5 million to redesign the MS 45 playground. He then spoke of a garbage problem in the district, putting cameras where the illegal dumping is going on, he continued funding to the Wildcat clean up crew, and that some newer state laws need to be modified.  

Councilman Feliz's opponent in November spoke next, introducing himself. Ariel Rivera said that he is twenty-two years old, ran for assembly at age eighteen, and currently works at the Board of Elections. He spoke of a housing crisis, and that he wants to use more section 8 vouchers in the NYCHA buildings. Hazel Nura then spoke about NIDC, a housing advocacy organization which helps not only tennants, but landlords oust bad tenants. A representative from Assemblywoman Karines Reyes spoke, and it was said that October 23rd will be the Annual Van Nest Fall Festival in Van Nest Park from 12 - 4 PM. The meeting was then adjourned.

Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez takes a question as VNNA board members (L-R) John Messinger, Bernadette Ferrera, and Sharlene Jackson-Mendez look on.

Incumbent 15th City Councilman Oswald Feliz talks of his accomplishments in just a few short months.

15th City Council candidate Ariel Rivera talks about his candidacy for the city council.

VNNA Executive Board, (L-R) John Messinger, Bernadette Ferrera, and Sharlene Jackson-Mendez, Bob Nolan, and Marion Manfredi.

Attorney General James Shuts Down Virtual Currency Trading Platform and Stops Cryptocurrency CEO From Continuing Fraudulent Conduct

 

Coinseed Put Thousands of Investors’ Money at Risk Despite Ongoing Lawsuit

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today secured a judgment against the virtual currency trading platform Coinseed, as well as founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Delgerdalai Davaasambuu, that permanently halts their illegal and fraudulent operations and puts in place a permanent receiver to protect investors’ funds. The receiver has also taken control of the company’s website so that it may no longer be used as part of the defendants’ fraudulent schemes. Additionally, the court awarded a $3 million judgment against the defendants. In February, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit against Coinseed and its CEO for defrauding thousands of investors across the nation out of millions of dollars. In the months since the suit was filed, Coinseed and its CEO have continued their fraud and commenced additional fraudulent conduct by trading in investors’ accounts without permission and then blocking investors from accessing those accounts.

In June, the New York County State Supreme Court granted Attorney General James’ motion for a preliminary injunction and the appointment of a temporary, court-appointed receiver with special powers to safeguard investments already made on the trading platform. Coinseed and its CEO defied that preliminary injunction by creating, offering, and selling a new virtual currency — including to New York investors — and failed to respond to Attorney General James’ complaint. 

“For years, Coinseed and its CEO have engaged in egregious and fraudulent activities that have cheated investors out of millions,” said Attorney General James. “In defiance of court orders, this company has continued to operate illegally and unethically, holding investors’ funds hostage and underscoring the dangers of investing in unregistered virtual currencies. We will continue to pursue all who attempt to abuse and manipulate the system and ensure investors are protected.”

Since Attorney General James filed this lawsuit, the Office of the Attorney General received more than 175 complaints from investors who were concerned about protecting their assets due to Coinseed’s fraudulent conduct. The judgment secured by Attorney General James today permanently appoints the court receiver to obtain, safeguard, and return all assets invested and traded through Coinseed and orders a money judgment against the defendants in the amount of $3,061,511, both together and separately. Investors who are victims of Coinseed’s fraud should contact the court-appointed receiver at CoinseedReceiver@crowell.com to obtain information about their ability to request funds.

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

 

38,558 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours  

29 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday  

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.  

"We are continuing to closely monitor the numbers across the state and working with localities to identify hotspots and dispatch resources as necessary," Governor Hochul said. "We all want to put COVID-19 behind us, but the reality is we still have more work to do — and we need to stay vigilant. The vaccine is still our greatest weapon in this fight, and those who are still unvaccinated need to understand the power they have in their hands to help New York and our nation finally beat this virus."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 109,138
• Total Positive - 3,686
• Percent Positive - 3.38%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.19%
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,391 (+24)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 257
• Patients in ICU - 544 (+25)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 282 (+15)
• Total Discharges - 196,282 (+202)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 29
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 43,977
  
  The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.
• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 56,029
  
  This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.
• Total vaccine doses administered - 24,347,526
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 38,558
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 337,322
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 79.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 71.4%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 81.6%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 73.3%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 66.8%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 60.1%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 69.1%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 61.7%

Attorney General James Secures Nearly Half a Billion Dollars to Resolve Illegal Stock and Cryptocurrency Sales

GTV Media Group and Saraca Media Group Unlawfully Sold Stocks and Digital Instruments Without Registering in New York 

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced she has secured a recovery of nearly half a billion dollars unlawfully obtained from investors who financially backed GTV Media Group, Inc. and its parent company, Saraca Media Group, Inc. The agreement signed with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) lays out how the two companies — tied to Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui and, previously, to Steve Bannon, who briefly served as a non-executive director of GTV Media — unlawfully sold stocks and two digital instruments promoted as cryptocurrencies without registering in New York state, and forces the companies to pay $479.9 million to settle claims that they failed to register as securities dealers and/or commodities broker-dealers.    

“No matter how powerful or how rich, companies in New York must follow the law,” said Attorney General James. “In a single year — as the nation faced a pandemic and a financial crisis — GTV Media and Saraca Media’s corporate greed led the companies to illegally take in nearly half a billion dollars from investors by cutting corners and failing to follow New York laws. Firms that want to sell stocks and digital currencies to New York investors or conduct business in New York must abide by the same regulations as everyone else. We secured a recovery of $480 million dollars and are forcing these companies to play by the rules because no company is above the law.”

GTV Media was founded in April 2020 and is majority-owned by Saraca Media. Both are New York-based media companies that operate Chinese-language news and social media platforms. Attorney General James’ investigation revealed that GTV Media conducted an offer and sale of its stock, beginning in April 2020, that raised hundreds of millions of dollars from over 1,200 investors, including from dozens of New Yorkers.

Simultaneously with the stock offering, in May 2020, GTV Media and Saraca Media conducted pre-sales of two digital instruments — G-Coin and G-Dollar — that were promoted as digital or cryptocurrencies. These pre-sales raised more than $30 million in additional money from purchasers.

Under New York’s Martin Act, GTV Media and Saraca Media were required to register as securities dealers and/or commodities broker-dealers in selling the stock and digital instruments, but failed to do so.        

Under the agreement announced today, GTV Media and Saraca Media will get credit toward the $479.9 million settlement for payments that they make to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with that agency’s investigation. Money secured by this agreement will be placed in a fund to provide money back to harmed investors.

Espaillat Hails Historic Investments in Child Care, Education, Job Training for New York City

 

 Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, touted investments in child care, education, job training, and child nutrition advanced through the Committee’s section of the Build Back Better Act. The historic investments will lower costs for families, secure good-paying jobs for American workers, and set a strong foundation of America’s children.

"It's simple, the Build Back Better Act is a monumental investment in America's working families. With the our portion alone, we're injecting over $700 billion into our communities that need it most - delivering for Main Street, not Wall Street," said Rep. Espaillat.

"We can't mince words: this past year and a half has taken an unfathomable toll on our children, families, and their communities - and they need our support. By lowering child care costs, reducing barriers to entry for higher education, bolstering our public school systems, preventing child hunger, and helping workers get good-paying jobs, we're taking strides to ensure our working families can build back better, and stronger than ever before.

"Levelling the playing field is how we rebuild, rebound, and revitalize – and this once-in-a-generation investment is a down payment for us to rebuild from the middle out. The time is now for us to deliver for our working families – and the Education and Labor committee has delivered on that promise," Espaillat concluded.

The investments advanced through the Committee last week will: 

• Lower the cost of child care and secure universal pre-K for three- and four-year-olds,
• Lower the cost of higher education by funding two years of tuition-free community college and increasing the value Pell Grants,
• Strengthen our public schools by helping school districts repair, modernize, or rebuild crumbling and outdated school buildings,
• Help workers secure good-paying jobs by expanding job training programs, and
• Help prevent child hunger by expanding our most effective child nutrition programs.

The Build Back Better Act also includes several of Rep. Espaillat's priorities, including:

• Funding to ensure childcare providers – including home-based providers – are paid a living wage and achieve parity with elementary school teachers who have similar credentials and experience, and childcare subsidies to cover the true cost of providing high-quality care,
  
  
• $400 million for Teachers Quality Partnership (TQP; Title II of the Higher Education Act) to train and retain educators prepared to teach students with disabilities, to teach English language learners, and to teach literacy strategies,

• increased funding for Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSI) for subsidies for low income students, to improve research capabilities, and better prepare their teachers and professors.

For a summary on the Committee on Education and Labor’s portion of the Build Back Better Act, click  here. 

HPD and Development Partners Announce Plans for 40 Affordable Homeownership Opportunities in the Southeast Bronx

 

Habitat NYC and Westchester, Camber Property Group and Almat Urban developers will lead homeownership project and transfer ownership to Interboro Community Land Trust

 

Transformation of Anthony Avenue site advances key commitment of the Jerome Avenue rezoning

 The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) today announced plans to bring 40 new homeownership opportunities for low-income families to the Bronx. This announcement with Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County, Camber Property Group, Almat Urban and Interboro Community Land Trust (CLT) advances a key commitment of the Jerome Avenue Rezoning to transform the vacant city-owned Anthony Avenue site into permanent affordable housing.

 

This project represents the first time HPD selected a team proposing the CLT model for homeownership in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP) to create affordable housing on vacant, City-owned land. This milestone delivers on the Administration’s commitment to advance new housing models designed to expand community and collective ownership. Transferring the project’s land to the Interboro CLT will facilitate ongoing home sales to lower-income households, ensuring that future generations of first-time home buyers benefit from the project’s long-term affordability.

 

“With this plan, we make a dent in the unjust circumstances that, by design, have prevented homeownership opportunities for low-income families,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. “I commend Habitat for Humanity NYC, Camber Property Group, and Almat Urban for their tireless work to make homeownership opportunities open to all.”

 

“Thanks to this plan, forty families will get the opportunity to buy a home and live the American dream. We know that affordable homeownership is an important vehicle for building family wealth and giving communities a greater stake in their neighborhoods,” said HPD Commissioner Carroll. “Through the transformation of the Anthony Avenue site into affordable housing, we are making good on our commitments to the community in the Jerome Avenue Neighborhood Plan. I’m thankful to Council Member Vanessa Gibson for her ongoing partnership and want to congratulate Habitat NYC, Camber Property Group, and Almat Urban for this dynamic, forward-looking proposal.”

 

“This plan to bring 40 low-income homeownership opportunities to the Bronx is a huge win for our city and the residents that will benefit from having affordable housing options in our borough,” said Council Member Vanessa Gibson. “The development on 1640-1642 Anthony Avenue was one of several commitments made as a result of the Jerome Avenue Neighborhood Plan that will help combat growing housing insecurity and bring 100 percent affordable housing to the Bronx. I am extremely proud to see this project come into fruition and I want to thank the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Community Land Trust, Habitat NYC, Camber Property and Almat Urban for their work on this vital project that will give land ownership back to our community.”

 

The project will result in an 8-story, 100 percent affordable residential building to include a mix of 20 one-bedroom, 16 two-bedroom, and four three-bedroom apartments. Each home will be affordable to households earning up to $93,000 for a family of three and all are fitted with a balcony and installation for washer and dryer units. Communal amenities for residents include a rear yard, community room, wellness gym, and hydroponic center. Additionally, as a part of the development, homeownership education and assistance will be provided to first-time home buyers and residents whose applications have been denied.

 

“We are honored to partner with the City and an incredible development team in creating new homeownership opportunities for hard-working New Yorkers in the Bronx,” said Karen Haycox, CEO, Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County. “Claremont House exemplifies the power of permanently affordable homeownership to transform lives and communities by enabling New York City families to build equity and by ensuring low- and moderate-income New Yorkers have access to owning a piece of their neighborhood for generations to come.”

 

“Affordable homeownership not only provides low and moderate income New Yorkers with quality homes, but also the opportunity to build wealth and equity in their neighborhoods,” said Rick Gropper, Principal of Camber Property Group. “Our project will create 40 low- and middle-income apartments for sale in the west Bronx, fulfilling a key promise of the Jerome Avenue Neighborhood Plan. We look forward to working with our partners at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Interboro Community Land Trust, Habitat NYC and Almat Urban to deliver on that promise.”

 

“Almat Urban looks forward to developing Claremont House with our partners, Camber, Habitat for Humanity, SoBro and our architect Robert AM Stern’s office,” said Almat Urban Principal Donald Matheson. “We strive to continue developing the gold standard of affordable housing in the Bronx and New York City as a whole.”

 

"Interboro is proud and excited to partner with Camber, Almat Urban, and Habitat NYC and Westchester – one of our founding organizations and partners – in the creation of 40 affordable homeownership units in the borough with the most dire need for such opportunities,” said John Edward Dallas, Coordinator of the Interboro Community Land Trust. “By placing these new homes on the Interboro CLT, the development team is contributing to growing the citywide stock of permanently affordable homeownership units for current and future lower-income New Yorkers, ensuring the investment collectively made to build Claremont House is an investment in equity-building opportunities for generations of working-class families.”

 

Located on 1640-1642 Anthony Avenue across from Claremont Park, the City-owned vacant site’s transformation into affordable housing advances a key commitment of the Jerome Avenue rezoning. The rezoning is bringing more than $189 million in capital projects and services to the Bronx neighborhood in new and improved parks and playgrounds, pedestrian safety improvements near the Cross Bronx Expressway, business assistance and new schools. Covering a 2-mile stretch of Jerome Avenue, roughly from 167th Street to 184th Street, the rezoning promotes housing, including permanently affordable housing.

 

The City is continuing to make significant investments in affordable housing in the area, preserving 750 homes since the plan was adopted on top of 5,500 units that were preserved during the planning process, and advancing new affordable developments on City-owned sites.

The project is being financed through HPD’s Open Door program, which funds the new construction of affordable cooperative and condominium buildings, as well as, new one to three-family homes. The architect, Robert A.M. Stern Architects, designed the building to connect to the Bronx’s rich architectural history with most homes exceeding the HPD Design Guidelines for unit size. Additionally, the development team will partner with community organizations on a jobs outreach plan to employ local residents on the construction site.

 

A complete rundown of the Jerome-Anthony RFP, including the Jerome Avenue Neighborhood Plan, can be found on the Jerome-Anthony RFP webpage.

 

 

Out of the Pool Back to School Rally - September 18, 2021.