Council Member Marjorie Velázquez - What's Happening in District 13

 

Dear Neighbor,

When it comes to our community, there is much to be grateful for, especially in the new year. In 2022, my office supported 1,100 constituents with varying matters, ranging from housing assistance (rental applications, flooding, and wrongful eviction), traffic surveys, abandoned cars, and so much more. We closed 784 cases last year and look forward to closing out even more by the end of 2023.

As we enter the first weekend of the year, I want to share the importance of balance. Our community offers a variety of resources and supportive services, and it is my job to ensure you have access to them. The balance in our daily lives and among our needs is imperative, and I invite you all to take advantage of the resources available.

In this week’s email, you will find critical information regarding two hearings relating to Admin Code 12-126 and the Proliferation of Smoke Shops. Information about these hearings can be found in the ‘Legislative Updates’ section, along with a link to register or submit personal testimony. If you need assistance registering, contact my office, and a member of my staff will be happy to help you.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like to request an appointment with one of our Constituent Services Liaisons, please call us at (718) 931-1721 or email us at District13@council.nyc.gov.

Sincerely,

Council Member Marjorie Velázquez

COMMERCE

New York State Opens First Adult-Use Cannabis Dispensary

On Thursday, New York State opened its first official, adult-use cannabis dispensary in Manhattan, with more to follow in the coming year. With the support of the NYS Office of Cannabis Management, the regulation of cannabis and cannabis-based products are underway to ensure bad actors are held accountable. For far too long, cannabis has prohibited marginalized communities, particularly communities of color, from operating lawful businesses to make an honest living.

The introduction of cannabis across our nation has stimulated economies of several municipalities, and it’s time New York reaps the same benefits. As such, we will be holding a hearing on January 18, 2023; please refer to ‘Legislative Updates’ for additional information. I look forward to working with our city, state and federal partners to ensure cannabis retailers in our comunities are held to the highest standard, eliminating the chance of another K2 epidemic. Consumers deserve legal, quality products without the concern of whether or not their cannabis is synthetic.

If you see a cannabis dispensary, please check for a decal or poster indicating they are a ‘New York State Licensed Cannabis Dispensary.’ There is a scannable QR code on the decal, which can verify their CAURD status; when scanned, their business information will appear on the official cannabis.ny.gov website. If the QR code does not take you to this site or if a business is selling cannabis without the proper license, you may file a report by emailing OCM at licensing@ocm.ny.gov and our office at District13@council.nyc.gov with the subject line: Illegal Cannabis Sales. Please include the name and address of the business in the body of your email.

Bronx Chamber of Commerce: Legal Structures for Your Business

Join the Bronx Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, January 11 at 10 AM for a virtual workshop that will focus on the pros and cons of various types of legal forms available for small business owners. You will also learn about other considerations to help determine how to set up your business. This event is free and open to the public.

Register Here COMMUNITY RESOURCES CUNY Citizenship Now On Saturday, January 21, CUNY Citizenship Now will host their next Saturday Citizenship Event in Queens at York College (Academic Core Building Atrium). Appointments are available to NYC residents who wish to determine their citizenship eligibility and complete applications. Appointments are required for this event and can be made by calling 646-664-9400 or 212-652-2071. Community Needs Assessment The Department of Youth and Community Development is collecting feedback from New York City residents and institutional leaders on the service needs and gaps within their communities. To participate in this survey, click below. DYCD Survey Winter Safety Tips Did you know electrical fires are common in the winter, especially during the holidays? Below are five (5) few tips to help you prevent an electircal fire this holiday season. Use extension cords sparingly and only on a temporary basis; overheated wires start one of every sixe home fires. Don’t mend frayed power cords - replace them. Home repairs like this are a common source of fires. Avoid running extension cords under rugs or near walkways. This can prevent fires and are a safety hazard for all ages. Never remove a third-prong from a plug to make it fit into a two-prong outlet. You can experience an electrical shock. Cover unused outlets so children can’t play with them.

Our mailing address is: 3040 E Tremont, Bronx, NY 10461

Office of the Brooklyn Borough President - Join Us: State of the Borough on Tuesday, January 10

 

Good afternoon, Brooklyn!   This Tuesday, January 10, 2023, I will be giving my first State of the Borough address, not only highlighting all of our wins and triumphs of 2022, but also letting you in on what you should expect from my administration this year. When I became Borough President of the greatest borough in NYC, I promised my unwavering commitment to its future – one that helps provide opportunities, sustainability, safety, and a stronger foundation for individuals and families who have lived here for generations, or who might’ve recently made Brooklyn their new home.   We hope you can join us in person at the New York City College of Technology (275 Jay St.). Doors open at 6:00 PM, with the program beginning at 6:45 PM. RSVPs are open through Monday, January 9 at 9:00 AM, but walk-ins are welcomed.   Please note, in-person audience members must show identification at check-in. In addition, proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test performed no more than 7 days prior to the event is also required.   We are proud to have partnered with BRIC as our official media partner for the evening. If you’re unable to attend in person, BRIC will be livestreaming the event over their broadcast channels, as well as on YouTube.   I look forward to continuing to work for every Brooklynite I have the distinct privilege of serving! Antonio Reynoso Brooklyn Borough President

Governor Hochul Delivers Remarks and Marches in 46th Annual Three Kings Day Parade and Celebration MEDIA

 

Governor Hochul: "I'm proud to serve you. So proud to represent you. And I'll keep fighting for you every single day of my life. And I say right now, let's celebrate the Three Kings. Let's get out there and talk about this beautiful, diverse culture that we embrace that is the identity of New York State."

Hochul: "The Three Kings went on a journey, and it was not an easy journey...We're on a journey together as New Yorkers to lift up the voices that have been suppressed and silent for too long."

 ¡Buenos días! So happy to be here this morning. What an extraordinary event. The first parade of 2023, I'm looking forward to marching. We're going to do this all the way through the year, and I have some extraordinary leaders here with me today, and I know you just heard from our borough president, but he has been such a strong ally, and I thank him for all he has done to lift up the voices of the people he represents and will be looking forward to working very closely in the future.

Adrienne Adams is here, and the word is partner. You didn't always hear that in the past. And I have brought in a new era of collaboration to government to let people know that we represent the same people, and they expect us to work together. And that is something that's important to me particularly. But on this day, and I'm so happy to be back here. I have been here so many times. Yes, I have. We've been here a lot. We were here with Adriano Espaillat's Hispanic Heritage Month just in October. We were here for a bigger announcement, we announced in September our Institute for Immigration, which was really important. We did some announcements here. As you know, our congressman can't be here for a very important reason. It's extraordinary to think of what is happening in Washington. I was once a member of Congress. I'm much happier to be your Governor.

But you know, the Museo del Barrio is one of our, really crown jewels. I mean, this is a place that people can come and understand history and culture and what it feels like to embrace the story of people who fought so hard and came here to build a better life. And that is what this purpose is of this event, but also this place. And I want to remind everybody they should come and see all the attractions. I want to thank Patrick for his leadership of this great organization. And also, I do want to give a shout out to our Kings. Is this considered a queen too, or are we all Kings? We're all Kings? How are we handling this? I'm a little sensitive about, you know, okay. Non-binary group of leaders. Okay. That's who we have here today. We're going to do it politically correct. Right. Alright. 

Well thank you for being here today, but you know, we're also entre familia. This does mean we're a family and we come together as a family, and you think about what we can continue to do together as a family and lift up voices who have been suppressed for far too long. Far too long. Where people who have been put down, not given opportunity, not getting the healthcare and the education and the housing and the positions in power that they have deserved for a long time. And I'm referring to the beautiful Latino community. It's long time, been a long time, and I, as Governor set out my very first day to make sure that I had the most diverse administration in the history of our state. I'm very proud of the leaders that have joined my administration, my incredible Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, our Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, the head of the Department of Transportation for the entire state of New York, who has battled more storms and floods and blizzards than anybody probably in the history of the state. Our great leader, Marie Therese Dominguez. But when it comes to protecting people's human rights, the leader of our Division of Human Rights is Maria Imperial. And I want to thank Maria for all she does, Maria.

But also, when it comes to protecting justice, something that's, to my core, is one of the most important things we do is protect justice, our head of Criminal Justice Services is Rossana Rosado, and I want to thank Rossana for all she does for us as well. Higher education, Guillermo Linares. I want to thank Guillermo for all he does to make sure that we have that pathway to better education for our young people. Denise Miranda, the Executive Director of protecting people with special needs. I want to thank Denise for all Denise does. Julissa Gutierrez, our Chief Diversity Officer to make sure that we don't miss any opportunity to lift people up. Julissa, thank you.

And there's also another opportunity that lies before us to do something that has never occurred in the history of the great State of New York, and that is to put a distinguished individual on the highest court in our land. An individual who has a stellar record. A record of accomplishment, a record of bringing people together, a record that supports fairness and justice - core values that are so important to me as a leader. And that's why I was so proud to nominate, and expect to have the process unfold with hearings, with a vote on the Senate floor to confirm our next Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, Hector LaSalle.

Because I believe, and what we're talking about here today, is a journey. The Three Kings went on a journey, and it was not an easy journey. Oh, it took months. But when you think about the Three Kings, they're also known as the wise men, right? The wise men. Well, one would think the wise men had all the answers - that they knew everything. But it turns out they knew that they needed to seek the truth. And the truth sometimes takes work, a journey, a path toward understanding and having an open mind to get you to the right place - to eventually get to our savior. And that's the journey they undertook, and one that we are all called to do in our positions. So, I'm looking forward to the journey. We're on a journey, we're a journey together as New Yorkers to lift up the voices that have been suppressed and silent for too long.

That is what I intend to do as the Governor of the State of New York. I'm proud to serve you. So proud to represent you. And I'll keep fighting for you every single day of my life. And I say right now, let's celebrate the Three Kings. Let's get out there and talk about this beautiful, diverse culture that we embrace that is the identity of New York State, and let's have a fabulous parade. Thank you everybody.

Representative Adriano Espaillat Sworn-In to U.S. House of Representatives During the 118th Congress

Commits to Putting People Over Politics, Delivering for Families of New York’s 13th Congressional District

Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) was officially sworn in as United States Representative for New York’s 13th Congressional District today in the 118th Congress.

“I am honored that the people of New York’s 13th Congressional District have entrusted me with the responsibility of representing them in Congress. My House Democratic colleagues and I are united and ready to get to work for everyday Americans,” Representative Espaillat said. “Together, we will build on our track record of getting things done. We will put people over politics, working to lower costs, create better-paying jobs, and make our communities safer.”

Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill, and the north-west Bronx. 

First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat was sworn into office on January 3, 2017, during the 115th Congress and is serving his fourth term in Congress. 

Representative Espaillat is Deputy Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) and Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). He is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, where he serves as Deputy Whip and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus.

Through his committee assignments and caucus leadership positions, Representative Espaillat vows to continue his work to help advance and amplify legislative priorities and accomplishments that aim to improve the lives of families around the nation during his tenure in the 118th Congress. 

Permits Filed For 785 Fairmount Place In Crotona, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a four-story residential building at 785 Fairmount Place in Crotona, The Bronx. Located between Prospect Avenue and Marmion Avenue, the lot is closest to the West Farms Square-East Tremont Avenue subway station, serviced by the 2 and 5 trains. Leo Greenfield is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 52-foot-tall development will yield 11,248 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 25 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 449 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a penthouse, a 30-foot-long rear yard, five open parking spaces, and three enclosed parking spaces.

Sander Williams Architect is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits were filed in September 2021 for the two-story building on the site. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

Attorney General James to Hold Public Hearing on Mental Health Access in Western New York

 

Hearing Scheduled for Wednesday, January 18, at 11 AM in Buffalo 

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that her office will hold its second in-person public hearing concerning the provision of mental health care for people with serious mental illness in the Western New York region. The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, January 18, at 11 AM at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, and members of the public, advocacy groups, and healthcare providers are encouraged to testify. Individuals who wish to provide oral testimony at the hearing must submit their testimony online in writing by 5 PM on Wednesday, January 11, and written testimony will be accepted online through January 18.

“New York is battling a mental health crisis in every town, in every county, and in every region. Any solution must address the concerns of all New Yorkers, from Buffalo to Brooklyn,” said Attorney General James. “As we continue to grapple with the impacts of COVID-19 and the immense tragedy facing Western New Yorkers, it is imperative that complete mental health services are available to our communities. Hearing from those with first-hand experience navigating our mental health care systems will better inform recommended solutions for New Yorkers in need.”

This will be Attorney General James’ second public hearing on mental health. The first public hearing was held in June 2022 in New York City, and primarily focused on issues impacting the downstate region.

Through these hearings, Attorney General James aims to gain insight from the public regarding the problems people suffering mental health crises or chronic severe mental illness experience in accessing mental health services and use that information for legislative and enforcement solutions.

The hearing will be held in the Mason O. Damon auditorium at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY, 14203. Individuals who wish to provide oral testimony at the hearing must submit their testimony in writing by 5 PM on Wednesday, January 11. Written testimony submissions will be accepted through January 18. Testimony may be submitted online. This is a regional hearing, and testimony will be limited to discussion of access to mental health care in Western New York.

The hearing will be viewable to the public via livestream.

Italian Citizen Pleads Guilty To Multi-Year Manuscript Theft And Impersonation Scheme

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that FILIPPO BERNARDINI pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in connection with a multi-year scheme to impersonate individuals involved in the publishing industry in order to fraudulently obtain more than one thousand prepublication manuscripts of novels and other forthcoming books.  The defendant pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn.  The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on April 5, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Filippo Bernardini used his insider knowledge of the publishing industry to create a scheme that stole precious works from authors and menaced the publishing industry.  Through impersonation and phishing schemes, Bernardini was able to obtain more than a thousand manuscripts fraudulently.  I commend the career prosecutors of this Office as well as our law enforcement partners for writing the final chapter to Bernardini’s manuscript theft scheme.” 

According to statements and filings in federal court:

Beginning in at least August 2016 and continuing through his January 2022 arrest, BERNARDINI, who was based in London and worked in the publishing industry, impersonated agents, editors, and other individuals involved in publishing to fraudulently obtain prepublication manuscripts.  In carrying out this scheme, BERNARDINI created fake email accounts that were designed to impersonate real people employed in the publishing industry, including literary talent agencies, publishing houses, literary scouts, and others.  BERNARDINI created these accounts by registering more than 160 internet domains that were crafted to be confusingly similar to the real entities that they were impersonating, including only minor typographical errors that would be difficult for the average recipient to identify during a cursory review.  Over the course of this scheme, BERNARDINI impersonated hundreds of distinct people and engaged in hundreds of unique efforts to fraudulently obtain electronic copies of manuscripts that he was not entitled to.  BERNARDINI obtained more than a thousand manuscripts through fraud.

In addition, BERNARDINI engaged in a phishing scheme to surreptitiously gain access to a database maintained by a New York City-based literary scouting company (“Scouting Company-1”).  BERNARDINI created a webpage that impersonated Scouting Company-1’s website.  Then, in or about July 2020, BERNARDINI impersonated a Scouting Company-1 employee and emailed two individuals, directing them to BERNARDINI’s look-alike webpage and prompting the users to provide their usernames and passwords.  BERNARDINI’s webpage was programmed to automatically forward the input usernames and passwords to an email account controlled by BERNARDINI.  BERNARDINI obtained the login information of approximately 20 users.

FILIPPO BERNARDINI, 30, of London, United Kingdom, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  As part of his guilty plea, BERNARDINI agreed to pay restitution of $88,000. 

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.

Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

New Law Restores Oversight Authority of the State Comptroller’s Office

 

For more than 100 years, the State Comptroller's office has reviewed and approved contracts to ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected. A decade ago, important aspects of this oversight were removed for certain contracts within the Office of General Services, the State University of New York and the City University of New York, which collectively spend billions of dollars each year. After fighting to regain this critical oversight, State Comptroller DiNapoli is proud to report that a new law restores the office's contract review authority. By reviewing contracts before they are awarded, the Comptroller’s office helps ensure the integrity of the procurement process and protects taxpayers, agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations and other vendors by uncovering significant fiscal and integrity issues. “This is a win for taxpayers, transparency and good government,” DiNapoli said. Spend Your Holiday Gift Cards In 2022, $48 million dollars worth of unused gift card balances were turned over to Comptroller DiNapoli’s Office of Unclaimed Funds. In total, DiNapoli’s office is currently holding more than $17.5 billion in unclaimed funds. He urges New Yorkers to visit https://ouf.osc.state.ny.us/ouf to see if they are owed money and recommends they register any gift cards they may have received this holiday season with the retailer. State Comptroller DiNapoli Calls on Corporations to Disclose Political Spending On the second anniversary of the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol, New York State Comptroller DiNapoli announced the filing of shareholder proposals that call on seven corporations in the New York State Common Retirement Fund’s portfolio to disclose their direct and indirect spending on political causes and on two others to adopt a new policy before contributing to the political activities of third-party organizations. State Comptroller DiNapoli's Statement on the Second Anniversary of the January 6 Attack State Comptroller DiNapoli said, “We must never minimize or become complacent about what happened on January 6. The attack on our Capitol was a fanatical attempt to prevent the orderly transition of power. It threatened the heart of our democracy, free and fair elections. Let us remember those who put their lives on the line that day defending our Capitol and work to ensure our democracy is protected against threats in the future.” State Comptroller DiNapoli and Brooklyn DA Gonzalez Announce Arrest in Check Theft Scheme State Comptroller DiNapoli, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and the United States Postal Inspection Service announced the arrest of Gennady Galker for allegedly stealing checks from Brooklynites and using a stolen identity to further his scheme. Galker is accused of thefts totaling $31,149, including a $1,148 check from DiNapoli’s Office of Unclaimed Funds, and various checks from the Jewish Communal Fund intended for area charities. State Contract and Payment Actions in November In November, the Office of State Comptroller DiNapoli approved 1,514 contracts for State agencies and public authorities valued at $1.8 billion and approved nearly 2 million payments worth more than $11.1 billion. The office rejected 135 contracts and related transactions valued at $286 million and nearly 1,600 payments valued at nearly $19.5 million, primarily for mistakes, insufficient support for charges and improper payments. More information on these contracts and payments is available at Open Book New York.