Sunday, December 12, 2021

Permits Filed For 1268 Shakespeare Avenue In Highbridge, Bronx -

 

1268 Shakespeare Avenue in Highbridge, Bronx NY.

Permits have been filed for an 11-story mixed-use building at 1268 Shakespeare Avenue in Highbridge, The Bronx. Located between Jerome Avenue and West 169th Street, the lot is near the 170th Street subway station, serviced by the 4 train. Zev Mayer of Skyrock NYC Development is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 50-foot-tall development will yield 29,946 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 50 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 598 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a 35-foot-long rear yard and 25 open parking spaces.

Nikolai Katz Architect is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits have not been filed yet. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

There is a misprint in this article in which an 11 story building can not be built 50 feet high. It is most likely a 5 story building at 50 feet with 50 residences of ten units per floor at five stories. 

Myanmar Citizen Pleads Guilty In Plot To Injure Or Kill Myanmar’s Ambassador To The United Nations

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the guilty plea of YE HEIN ZAW, a citizen of Myanmar, for his role in a conspiracy to assault and make a violent attack upon Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.  ZAW pled guilty today in White Plains federal court before U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As he admitted in court today, Ye Hein Zaw participated in a plot to injure or kill Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations in a planned attack that was to take place on American soil.  Zaw now awaits sentencing for his crime.  I commend the tireless efforts of our law enforcement partners at all levels of government to ensure the safety of foreign diplomats and officials in the United States and bring the perpetrators of this plot to justice.”

According to the Information to which ZAW pled guilty, the complaint that was filed in this case, and statements made during court proceedings:

Between at least in or about July 2021 through at least on or about August 5, 2021, ZAW, a citizen of Myanmar residing in New York, conspired with others to injure or kill Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (the “Ambassador”).  During the conspiracy, a co-conspirator communicated with an arms dealer in Thailand (the “Arms Dealer”) who sells weapons to the Burmese military, which overthrew Myanmar’s civilian government in or about February 2021.  In the course of those conversations, the co-conspirator and the Arms Dealer agreed on a plan in which the co-conspirator would hire attackers to hurt the Ambassador in an attempt to force the Ambassador to step down from his post.  If the Ambassador did not step down, then the Arms Dealer proposed that the attackers hired by the co-conspirator would kill the Ambassador.

Shortly after agreeing on the plan, ZAW contacted the co-conspirator by cellphone and, using a money transfer app, transferred approximately $4,000 to the co-conspirator as an advance payment on the plot to attack the Ambassador.  Later, during a recorded phone conversation, ZAW and the co-conspirator discussed how the planned attackers would require an additional $1,000 to conduct the attack on the Ambassador in Westchester County, and, for an additional payment, the attackers could, in substance, kill the Ambassador.  In response, ZAW agreed, in substance, to pay the additional $1,000 and to try to obtain the additional money.

ZAW pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to assault and make a violent attack upon a foreign official, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

ZAW is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Halpern on May 10, 2022.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises special agents and task force officers from the FBI, NYPD, United States Probation Office, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Westchester County Department of Public Safety, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, and the police departments of Yonkers, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Greenburgh, White Plains, Peekskill, Ramapo, and Clarkstown.  Mr. Williams also thanked the Pelham Manor Police Department and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service for their assistance in the investigation.

Mr. Williams said that the investigation is ongoing, and asked any individuals with relevant information to contact the FBI at (800)-CALL-FBI.

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - DECEMBER 12, 2021

 coronavirus cell

112,716 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours     

60 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday 


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

"The COVID-19 winter surge has significantly limited hospital bed capacity in many parts of the state, which is why it is more important than ever that we utilize the tools we have at our disposal to keep ourselves and our families safe and healthy this season," Governor Hochul said. "The vaccine is effective at reducing the risk of hospitalization from COVID-19, and I encourage every New Yorker to get theirs, or their booster, as soon as possible. Wear a mask, wash your hands, and remember we are not powerless. Do everything you can to protect your community." 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:   

  • Test Results Reported - 249,793
  • Total Positive - 11,577
  • Percent Positive - 4.63%
  • 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 4.61%
  • Patient Hospitalization - 3,574 (-29)
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 451
  • Patients in ICU - 693 (+5)
  • Patients in ICU with Intubation - 388 (+9)
  • Total Discharges - 220,194 (+484)
  • New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 60
  • Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 47,135

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 - 59,784

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 - 31,298,772
  • Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 112,716 
  • Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 863,384
  • Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 86.8%
  • Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 79.0%
  • Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 93.3%
  • Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 81.9%
  • Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 75.4%
  • Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 67.8%
  • Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 80.8%
  • Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 70.3% 

MAYOR DE BLASIO APPEARS ON FOX NEWS SUNDAY WITH CHRIS WALLACE

 

Chris Wallace: Joining us now is the Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio. Mayor, welcome back to Fox News Sunday.   

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Thanks so much, Chris.  

 

Wallace: I want to start with something you said this week, here you are – 

 

Mayor: Even looking back on the difficult year 2020, and was one of the most difficult years ever for this city – still, New York City, the safest of the top 20 big cities in this country.  

 

Wallace: But according to the New York Police Department, through last Sunday, six of the seven so-called index crimes are up this year, including murder, robbery and felony assault. The only one that's down is burglaries. Mayor, you know what Disraeli said about lies, damned lies and statistics. In fact, doesn't your city have a serious crime problem? 

 

Mayor: Chris, we've got a lot to do. There's no question about it. But let me tell you, first of all, in eight years I've been mayor, index crime, major crimes in New York City down 11 percent over eight years. And we did it bringing police and community closer together. So, the key is to overcome this horrible patch we've had in the COVID era all over this country, and re-bond police and community, get those guns off the street. And the NYPD has been doing a fantastic job, the most gun arrests we've seen in over two decades. So yeah, there's been problems for sure, and more to do, particularly in certain parts of the city. But I will guarantee you this – and our Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said this this week, very clearly – we are going to go back to where we were pre-pandemic and then get safer still. And we have been the safest big city of America and we will remain. 

 

Wallace: But, again, we get to statistics. Murderers are up 45 percent over the last two years. Robberies are up 4.5 percent just in the last year. And I want to take a look, I want you to respond to your Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, and what he said just this week about people who are arrested being allowed without even having to post bail. Here he is. 

 

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea: When you have mass amounts of people put back on the streets that have traditionally been held in jail, you're seeing some of that permeate here as well. 

 

Wallace: When you say that New York is the safest big city in America, and I'm sure you can find statistics to back it up, don't you risk looking out of touch? I think there are an awful lot of New Yorkers who don't feel that. 

 

Mayor: Chris, look, we've got to make sure that not only are we safe, but people feel safe. There's no question both are important. But look, look around this city right now, this city is thriving. We've come back strong from COVID. And the bottom line is that there is – today, in New York City, a much safer city than we were eight years ago. There's no question about that. The two years of COVID have created immense problems. And I agree with Commissioner Shea, there's some changes that we need in the laws in Albany. We need our court system back and running, which it hasn't been over these last two years. But the NYPD is doing their job and they're doing it with the community. And this is crucial, Chris, that bond between police and community got really a hurt deeply last year. But that's being fixed and healed now and it's making a difference. We're getting guns off the street. We are going to turn this situation around. I have confidence and the NYPD has confidence that we're going to get back to the pre-pandemic levels soon, and then surpass, and become even safer. And the statistics show it in most of the city, there are a few places where we're struggling. There's no question we have more work to do, for example, in the Bronx. But in most of New York City, the statistics show we're getting back to the pre-pandemic levels and then going better and farther.  

 

Wallace: But Eric Adams who takes over as Mayor on January 1st, ran on a tough-on-crime platform. And one of his main tenants was, he said that he's going to restore an anti-crime unit that you disbanded. Here is Mr. Adams. 

 

Mayor-elect Eric Adams: This is going to be a city where we are going to be safe. We're going to have effective policing that's not heavy handed. We're going to have the backs of our police officers, but we're going to hold them accountable to do their jobs.  

 

Wallace: When voters elected Eric Adams – I mean, of all the candidates running for mayor, weren't they, in a sense, rejecting you?  

 

Mayor: Eric Adams is someone I've worked really closely with, Chris. And it's pretty well known in New York City, I supported him and helped him in every way I could to get him elected. And I think he's going to continue what we started and build upon it. He was a police reformer as a police officer. This is well known. And he believes that we need to improve the relationship between police and community as key to safety. That's what we did with the strategy of neighborhood policing. So, no, I think there's a tremendous amount of continuity. You know, Commissioner Dermot Shea believed we needed to change that plainclothes unit. And I agree with him, those officers are now in uniform and they're taking more guns the street this year than we've seen in decades. So, I want to say, Commissioner Shea had a view strategically – would it work – and he proved it, and I backed him on it, and I believe that was the right way to go. But I'll tell you, I think Eric Adams is going to take everything that has been done and take it to the next level of safety for the city. I have a lot of faith in him. 

 

Wallace: Let's turn to COVID. You just imposed a new mandate that all private businesses must have all of their employees vaccinated by December 27th. No exception for – well, if you're not vaccinated, you can get tested regularly instead. Why impose what may well be the most dramatic and sweeping COVID vaccine mandate in the country just four days before you're going to leave office? 

 

Mayor: Because my job is to protect New Yorkers. And, look, the bottom line is we've gone through the worst crisis in our history. We've lost tens of thousands of people in this city. It's been incredibly painful. I've talked to a lot of New Yorkers who lost a grandparent, a parent, someone they loved, and I have to keep them safe and every time – 

 

Wallace: But why not – excuse me, sir, why not allow the new mayor who's going to come in four days later to impose that mandate if he's going to do it. You're sticking him with it. 

 

Mayor: No, every time we have put a mandate in place, Chris, it has worked. We're at 71 percent right now of all New Yorkers – all New Yorkers, 71 percent fully vaccinated. We're leading the country. And that's because we used incentives and mandates. And every single mandate we put in place has greatly increased the number of people vaccinate. Since the first mandates back in all August, we've had over million more doses. And that's why the city is open and thriving. Chris, really, vaccination equals freedom, because it allows people to get back to work, get back to their lives, be safe wherever they are – school, a workplace. It works and that's why we're continuing to deepen it. 

 

Wallace: This week, New York City became the biggest city in the country to allow non-citizens – people that are in this country legally for as little as 30 days – to vote in municipal elections. Non-citizens to vote, for instance, for Mayor of New York City, going forward – you expressed some concerns about the legality of this law, but you said you're not going to veto it. Why not? 

 

Mayor: I have mixed feelings. I've been very open about it on this law. And I think there are big legal questions. But I also respect the City Council. They made a decision. Look, the bottom line here is, we've got a lot of – this is an important issue, of course. But what we just talked about is a central issue, defeating the Omicron variant, defeating COVID, so we can go back to life in the city. That's where my focus is. 

 

Wallace: Well, let's talk about your focus, going forward. There is some talk – and you are apparently openly considering running for Governor next year. I want to take a look at this recent poll. Let's put up the numbers. Governor Kathy Hochul, who replaced Andrew Cuomo, now has 36 percent support. You're way back in the field at six percent. And when voters statewide were asked about you, 28 percent had a favorable opinion, 55 percent unfavorable. Mayor, do you really have a shot? 

 

Mayor: Chris, that poll you showed, that horse race, that reminds me of pretty much every election I've ever been in. I've been an underdog many, many times. It's not where you start, it's where you finish. And elections are a chance to tell people your vision and what you've done. My vision is that we've got to change a lot of things in this state, including helping families. Working families are so struggling in the State of New York, they need a lot more help. Parents need a much better situation for their kids than they have right now. The school day does not account for parents. Schedules at work, summer is tough for parents. I've proposed a plan to change that by asking those who've done very well to pay a little bit more so families can have a decent life in New York State. So, I think people respond to ideas, and vision, and accomplishment, and I'll be going all over the State of New York talking to people about just that. 

 

Wallace: So, in 10 seconds, you sound like you're running. 

 

Mayor: Well, I have more to say on that soon. Right now, for the next few weeks, finishing my term as Mayor. My goal and my focus, keeping this city safe from the Omicron variant, turning us – you know, getting away from the COVID era. And again, this is why a tough, strong approach with mandates is what has kept us safe. This is one of the safest places in America when it comes to COVID and we intend to keep it that way.  

 

Wallace: Mayor de Blasio, thank you. Thanks for your time this Sunday. Good to talk with you, sir.  

 

Mayor: Same here, Chris. Thank you.


WESTCHESTER BALLET COMPANY DEDICATES NUTCRACKER PERFORMANCE

TO HEALTHCARE HEROES AT MONTEFIORE HEALTH SYSTEM

Employees of Montefiore Health System and Einstein Invited to Complimentary

Performance at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

Guest Performers Announced 

Ossining-based Westchester Ballet Company (WBC), one of the oldest independent, regional nonprofit youth ballet companies in the United States, whose mission is to build community through the arts, announced today it will dedicate a performance of this season’s Nutcracker to healthcare workers from Montefiore Health System on Friday, December 17, 2021 at 6 pm. More than 2,000 associates from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and across Montefiore’s NY-metro locations, who have been tirelessly caring for the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, will join WBC for a complimentary performance at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts. An additional four performances are open to the public on Saturday, December 18, and Sunday, December 19, with tickets ranging from $24 - $49 each.

WBC is also honored to welcome seven world-class professional guest artists to this season’s Nutcracker, including Elisa Toro Franky, Dannys Gonzalez, Jean Logrea, Nick Logrea, Corley Lovett, Jr., Philip Gabriel Perez, and Erina Tanaka. Bio and Nutcracker role information for each dancer can be found below. 

Amy Harte, Board President, Westchester Ballet Company, remarked, “WBC is committed to its mission to provide access to the arts in our community and what an honor it will be to perform for those who have provided critical, life-saving support over the last 21 months. We are thankful to Dr. Judy Yee, Montefiore’s Chair of Radiology who helped to make this happen, and we are so pleased that the leadership of Montefiore have welcomed our offer with open arms. We are so looking forward to December 17.” 

Currently celebrating its 70th year serving Westchester County (and now the Bronx), WBC’s mission centers on the belief that communal arts experiences are essential, and that by providing dance education and performance experiences for its young dancers, along with affordable access for its audience members, it is helping to strengthen our shared community. Additionally, WBC partners with other nonprofit organizations serving vulnerable and under-resourced individuals and groups in the community to provide low cost/no-cost access to its performances.

Tickets are available and special discounts are offered for groups. Tickets can be purchased at www.lehmancenter.org, by phone at (718) 960-8833, or at Lehman Center Box Office located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY, 10468.

COVID-19 Protocols

In order to keep audiences, performers, and staff safe, Lehman Center for the Performing Arts requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all individuals over the age of 12 who enter the venue. Dancers under the age of 12 must be masked and accompanied by a fully vaccinated, masked adult. Attendees are required to wear a mask in the venue at all times. Visit www.lehmancenter.org for further information.

Guest Dancer Biographies

ELISA TORO FRANKY (Snow Queen, Coffee from Arabia) is a professional dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in New York City. Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Elisa trained with Cuban mentors and traveled twice to Cuba for international ballet intensives and competitions. She came to the United States in 2004 to train at the Miami City Ballet School. She later danced with the Washington Ballet Studio Company, the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble, and the New Jersey Ballet. Elisa currently performs with FJK Dance and works as Program Director of Accent Dance NYC, an education and performance organization that provides access to dance in underserved communities.

DANNYS GONZALEZ (The Nutcracker) is a native of Cuba. He trained and graduated from the prestigious Cuban National Ballet School in Havana. There he took master classes with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Royal Danish Ballet artistic director and dancer Frank Andersen. He began his professional career in the Cuban National Ballet and participated in the International Ballet Festival in Havana. In 2009 Gonzalez became a soloist in Ballet de Cuba company. His classical repertoire includes major roles in Swan Lake, Coppélia, Don Quixote, La Bayadère, La Sylphide, Paquita, and The Nutcracker. Gonzalez is also a teacher of classical ballet, and he has toured the world with the show Ballet Revolución. After moving to New York, he trained at the Alvin Ailey School. Currently he is a guest dancer in several ballet companies,including FJK Dance.

JEAN LOGREA (Uncle Drosselmeyer) was trained at the Scoala Speciala in Cluj, Romania, in classical ballet, character, and folk dance. He was principal dancer at the Opera House Cluj, as well as a teacher at the affiliated school for nine years. He toured extensively throughout Europe and the USSR, dancing such major roles as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, the Jester in Swan Lake, the Pas de Deux from Le Corsaire, the Peasant Pas de Deux from Giselle and The Rocker in The Miraculous Mandarin. Following seven years as principal dancer at Opernhaus Graz, Austria, he moved to the United States to serve as co-artistic director of the Westchester Ballet Company and co-director of the Logrea Dance Academy.

NICK LOGREA (The Butler, Mouse King, Coffee from Arabia) has performed in WBC’s Nutcracker for 30 years. He has performed as a soloist in WBC productions of Les Patineurs, La Bayadère, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Peter and the Wolf, La Boutique Fantasque, Tales of Vienna, and A Glenn Miller Nutcracker. Nick is a Zumba Education Specialist and has taught Master Classes in the U.S. and Europe. He has had the privilege of dancing with Beto Perez, creator of the Zumba program, as well as being featured in two Zumba Fitness video games, Zumba Fitness Core and Zumba Fitness World Party. Nick has performed many Nutcracker roles over the years. He appears as The Butler, Mouse King, and Coffee from Arabia in this year's production. Nick was recently named Associate Artisitc Director of WBC.

CORLEY LOVETT, JR. (Caviar from Russia) was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He trained at the Texas Ballet Academy and later graduated from The American Musical Dramatic Arts Academy. He has studied at many prestigious summer intensives, including Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Corley has taught contemporary ballet at The Gallery in Motion in Dallas, Texas. He has performed in West Side Story, The Wiz, and Cats, as well as performed in ice skating shows around the country. Corely has guested with Westchester Ballet Company for many years, always thrilling the audiences with his spectacular acrobatics and high-intensity performance as Caviar from Russian.

PHILIP GABRIEL PEREZ (Cavalier) was born in Medellín, Colombia. At the age of seven he began attending ballet classes in New York City at the JKO School of American Ballet Theatre. He continued training there for nine years under Franco De Vita and Raymond Lukens. While in New York, he danced in numerous ABT productions at The Metropolitan Opera House. In 2010, Alexei Ratmansky cast him as the young prince in the company’s new production of The Nutcracker; a role he reprised for three years dancing opposite ABT principals. In 2015, Philip continued his training at Boston Ballet School under Peter Stark and Margaret Tracey. The following season, he joined Nashville Ballet II. In 2017, he became a member of Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company, where he performed in Michael Pink’s Dracula, The Nutrcracker, and Derek Deane’s Romeo & Juliet, as well as learned corps roles in Twyla Tharp’s Brief Fling, and Antony Tudor’s Pillar of Fire. Philip joined Boulder Ballet in 2018. In 2019, he was awarded the 2nd place, silver medal at Miami IBC. In 2020, he danced Paul Taylor’s Airs and Christopher Wheeldon's Five Movements and Three Repeats. Philip teaches and guests with local schools and companies across the country.

ERINA TANAKA (Sugarplum Fairy) began her training at age 8 in New York, with Logrea Dance Academy and Westchester Ballet Company. At the age of 15, she was accepted into SLK Ballet School, under the direction of Sara Knight. During her training, Erina was selected for an exchange program with the English National Ballet School in London in the spring of both 2015 and 2016. She has also spent summers training at ABT, Bolshoi Ballet, and Cincinnati Ballet. Upon graduating SLK Ballet, Erina spent two years as an apprentice with Eugene Ballet. There, she had the opportunity to perform the Spanish and the Arabian pas de deux in Toni Pimble’s The Nutcracker as well as Cygnets in Swan Lake. She was also featured in Val Caniparoli’s Tutto Eccetto Il Lavendino, Stephen Mills’ Hamlet, and Gerald Arpino’s Italian Suite. After spending two years at Eugene Ballet, Erina moved to Canada to join Canada’s Ballet Jorgen as a company dancer. With Canada’s Ballet Jorgen, Erina danced featured roles such as the Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker and Josie Pye in Bengt Jorgen’s production of Anne of Green Gables-The Ballet. This fall, she moved back to the United States and had the opportunity to perform with Zikr Dance Ensemble for their fall tour. Erina currently works as a freelance dancer based out of Denver, Colorado.

About Westchester Ballet Company

WBC is made up of 100 young dancers from across 17 towns and villages in and around Westchester. WBC’s Nutcracker has been a family tradition in Westchester for 70 years. For the past 25 years (with the exception of 2020), Westchester County Center in White Plains has hosted the Company. WBC’s Nutcracker has attracted an aggregate audience of 155,000+ since 1996.

21 Days and Counting

 


Here I am on a Zoom call with the Bronx Democratic Party Leader State Senator Jamaal Bailey. I forgot to mention the Letitia James withdrawal from the governor's race. I'm trying to see if my friends at the Bronx Democratic Party like Senator Bailey, Speaker Heastie, and Assemblyman Dinowitz would endorse me for governor, now that their first choice has withdrawn from the governor's race. 


I saw that Ace political reporter Robert Press asked you at a turkey giveaway with Governor David Patterson, I mean Kathy Hochul a question if you were going to endorse her for Governor. Your response was "Not Now Bob". Robert always does that to me, he asks me great questions that I really don't want to answer. So Jamaal how about endorsing me for Governor, since Carl and Ruben were not at the turkey giveaway, but with you about an hour later at a school groundbreaking nearby. You should of called me to come to the groundbreaking. 

Senator Biaggi's Week in Review: 12/6/21-12/10/21

 

Senator Alessandra Biaggi

Dear Community,

Earlier this week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the creation of the New York State Homeowner Assistance Fund. The Homeowner Assistance Fund is a federally funded program dedicated to assisting homeowners who are at risk of default, foreclosure or displacement as result of a financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible homeowners are able to receive up to $50,000 in aid from the fund. Funds may be used for, but are not limited to, relief for homeowners relating to:

  • Mortgage arrears
  • Mortgage principal reductions
  • Property tax arrears
  • Insurance and utility arrears
  • Homeowner association fees
  • Maintenance fee arrears for Condos and Co-ops

The program application will go live on January 3rd, 2022 and remain open until February 4th. Applicants will be able to apply for assistance through an online web portal, with processing priority being given to homeowners who are currently in litigation, and then being processed on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, visit https://www.nyhomeownerfund.org/

I strongly encourage those eligible to apply once the application opens!

I will also be hosting a Town Hall on Monday, December 13th at 5:30 PM via Zoom on the proposed homeless shelter on 6661 Broadway in Riverdale. Join me to learn more about the proposed shelter in Riverdale and discuss any questions or concerns you may have. Use this form to RSVP and submit questions. I look forward to speaking with you all there!

With Gratitude,

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi

 

Dear Friends,

I hope you and your families are doing well and in light of the Covid-19 new variants and new rules and regulations asking everyone to get vaccinated, wear a face mask while indoors and in public, to help our city beat this virus once and for all.

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas as we have been sponsoring many tree lighting ceremonies in our District surrounded by carolers, Santa Claus, hot chocolate, cookies and above all the spirit of Christmas. 

In the spirit of giving back and celebrating the joy of Christmas starting tomorrow we will begin a marathon toy giveaway in our neighborhoods, hospitals, school, churches and all those in need.

It was a privilege to Chair our last Committee on Small Business hearing of the year and session. We ended where we started: evaluating opportunities for the city to unshackle small businesses from red tape and usher them towards recovery. It has been an honor to champion the cause of our small businesses for the last four years. We have done a lot, between successful legislation to reduce regulation and make the business environment fairer, to holding city agencies accountable for their duty to small businesses.

Between clean ups and graffiti removals, hand sanitizer and mask giveaways, nightly meetings, budget work, legislation, case work and events, Team Gjonaj has been serving you throughout these difficult times.

Please contact my office with any issues or concerns at 718-931-1721 or email at MGjonaj@council.nyc.gov.

Sincerely,

NYC Councilman Mark Gjonaj
District 13, Bronx