Saturday, February 18, 2023

Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Bronx Business News You Can Use


Upcoming Events, Legislative News, Grant Opportunities, & More
(Friday) Extra, Extra
Black History Celebration Recap
NYC Gets Chief Public Realm Officer
NYC Small Business Opportunity Fund Paused

Legislative & Advocacy Updates
52nd Annual NYS Legislative Caucus

Engagement Surveys
5 Borough Jobs Coalition
NYC Hospitality Alliance

Upcoming Events
Member Spotlight
New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show Opens for Season, 2/18/2023
Friday Extra February 17, 2023
BLACK HISTORY CELEBRATION RECAP
The Bronx Chamber of Commerce's Black History Month Celebration and Networking event took place on Wednesday, February 15 at the Residence Inn by Marriot and highlighted the historic achievements of the Black community on our Bronx and New York City economy.

Led by opening remarks from the Bronx Chamber team and our Chairperson Anthony Mormile, the evening recognized the impact of three notable Black owned businesses and leaders in our borough:

  • Michael Eagen, CEO & Founder - Sankofa Haus
  •   Ayanna Williams, Founder - Uptown Melody
  •   Chef Cornel Robinson, Owner - Cornel's Catering Company

Attendees enjoy delicious food and drinks and the opportunity to learn about Black history in our borough and the small business journey of entrepreneurs, start ups, and established businesses shaping the borough. The evening also allowed attendees to expand their network with Speed Networking to develop lasting business relationships.

The Bronx Chamber continues to amplify the diverse voices of the Bronx and in February raises profiles of Black business owners and leaders that shape our borough and Chamber. For more information, visit our social media: @thenewbxcc

In 2019, Black Entrepreneurs NYC (BE NYC) launched, a groundbreaking model for a major American city to help create equity of opportunity by advancing Black entrepreneurship. Now, BE NYC has launched the Shop Black NYC map (nyc.gov/shopblack) to find Black-owned businesses in the borough!
NYC GETS CHIEF PUBLIC REALM OFFICER
New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed Ya-Ting Liu as the city’s first-ever chief public realm officer, delivering on a key promise from his State of the City address.

In this newly created role, Liu will coordinate across city government, community organizations, and the private sector to create extraordinary public spaces across the entire city and continue to drive the city’s economic recovery. Mayor Adams also signed Executive Order 27, codifying the creation of the position and ensuring that New Yorkers continue to have a one-stop shop for all issues related to public space.

"After years of advocacy work with our partners in the NYC BID Association and with many business and transportation advocates, The Bronx Chamber of Commerce applauds Mayor Adams on creating this crucial position for the future of our City," said Michael BradySenior Vice President for Economic Development and Policy. "We congratulate and welcome Ya-Ting Liu and look forward to our partnership in advancing the future of the public realm in New York City."
NYC SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY FUND PAUSED
Due to robust community engagement, led by the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and program partners, the NYC Small Business Opportunity Fund reached businesses in need throughout the five boroughs through door-to-door outreach, webinars, events, one-on-one application support, and many other forms of communications. These efforts have led to more than 12,500 applications to the loan program in just three weeks.
 
Due to high interest, the portal is temporarily closed to allow lending partners to assess completed applications.
 
  •   New applicants can complete the inquiry form to be notified if the application reopens and learn about additional financing options and ways to receive free City-provided business support.   
  •   Businesses that have applied as of Sunday, February 12th at 11:59pm will receive an email from a lending partner with next steps.   
  •   Our NYC Small Business Resource Network is assisting in navigating government and working with businesses to more fully understand responses from lenders. If you have a question or challenge with your application, please email: SBRN@bronxchamber.org.   
 
Please note, due to the high volume of requests, businesses may experience delays in their application being processed.   
LEGISLATIVE & ADVOCACY UPDATES
The Bronx Chamber of Commerce is closely monitoring NYS minimum wage legislation, proposed increases in unemployment benefits, non-compete agreements, and the definition of contractors (1099) and employees (W-2). Additional focus is being given to Criminal Justice Reform, Anti Trust legislation, Alcohol Beverage Control agency Rule Making, Racing and Gaming, as well as broader areas in E-Buildings, transportation, infrastructure, and housing.

The leadership team travels to Albany, NY today for the NYSABPRHAL's 52nd Annual Legislative Conference. During our time, members of our delegation will share Bronx Chamber legislative priorities, meet with City and State representatives to discuss policy proposals, and work with relevant agencies to advocate for the economic development of the borough. Should you have any ideas or proposals you would like our team to address please email, mbrady@bronxchamber.org. 
ENGAGEMENT OPPORTNUITIES
Does Your Business Receive NYS Incentives? We need to hear from you!

The Bronx Chamber of Commerce is an active participant in the 5 Borough Jobs Coalition, a consortium of business organizations which advocate for business incentive programs which deeply impact New York City, notably, the Commercial Expansion Program (CEP), Energy Cost Savings Program (ECSP), Commercial Revitalization Program (CRP) / Commercial Rent Tax Special Reduction (CRT), Lower Manhattan Energy Program, and the Lower Manhattan State and Local Sales Tax Exemption. Our Legislative team has successfully advocated to have these programs included in the Governor's Executive Budget Proposal and will be working with the Legislature to ensure they are included in the NYS Budget.  Please complete this brief survey so we can learn how these programs impact your business.
Do You Own a Restaurant, Bar, Nightclub? Complete this survey.

The NYC Hospitality Alliance encourages restaurant, bar, and nightclub operators to complete this short survey on factors impacting their business(es) and expectations for 2023.

All submissions will be kept confidential and may be reported publicly in the aggregate to inform our advocacy and business insights.

*If you operate multiple establishments that have different answers to the questions, please complete a separate survey for those establishments. For the survey, Click Here
UPCOMING EVENTS


Tuesday, February 21 from 12:00am to 1:00pm

Virtual

The Bronx Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Bronx NYS Executive Budget Presentation by the Office of Governor Kathy Hochul. Hope KnightPresident, CEO, and Commissioner of Empire State Development will outline the Governor's budget and policy priorities and how they impact the Bronx, New York City and New York State.


 

Chair, New York City Council
Committee on Economic Development

Wednesday, February 22 at 10:00am


Virtual

Bronx Chamber President Lisa Sorin, and Legislative & Policy Chair, Michael Brady moderate a discussion with Councilmember Farias, on Bronx economic development, workforce development, women's health and wellness, and merchant organizing.




Housing Lottery Launches For The Bronx Grove At 261 East 202nd Street And 207 East 203rd Street In Bedford Park, The Bronx

 


The affordable housing lottery has launched for The Bronx Grove, two 11-story buildings at 261 East 202nd Street and 207 East 203rd Street in Bedford Park, The Bronx. Designed by Aufgang Architects and developed by Peter Fine, the structures yield 127 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are 127 units for residents at 30 to 80 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $0 to $132,400.

Amenities include a landscaped courtyard, 24/7 front desk security, elevators, computer room, resident teaching kitchen, a shared laundry room, and gyms. Residences come with air conditioning and energy-efficient light fixtures and appliances. Tenants are responsible for electricity.

At 30 percent of the AMI, there are 32 units with a monthly rent of $0 to $569 for incomes ranging from $0 to $43,230. At 40 percent of the AMI, there are 32 units with a monthly rent of $0 to $809 for incomes ranging from $0 to $57,640. At 50 percent of the AMI, there are 32 units with a monthly rent of $683 to $1,205 for incomes ranging from $26,366 to $82,750. At 70 percent of the AMI, there are 16 units with a monthly rent of $1,003 to $1,760 for incomes ranging from $37,338 to $115,850. At 80 percent of the AMI, there are 15 units with a monthly rent of $1,163 to $2,037 for incomes ranging from $42,823 to $132,400.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than April 11, 2023.

Permits Filed For 1665 Davidson Avenue In Morris Heights, The Bronx

 


Permits have been filed to expand a three-story residential building at 1665 Davidson Avenue in Morris Heights, The Bronx. Located at the intersection of West 174th Street and Davidson Avenue, the lot is near the Mount Eden Avenue subway station, serviced by the 4 train. Sam Lebovits is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 39-foot-tall development will yield 5,226 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have ten residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 522 square feet. The masonry-based structure will also have a basement and five enclosed parking spaces.

Sander Williams Architect is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the project calls for an expansion. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

Renderings Revealed For 4427 White Plains Road In Wakefield, The Bronx

 

Rendering of 4427 White Plains Road - Badaly Architects

SKF Development has revealed the first renderings of 4427 White Plains Road, a seven-story residential building in the Wakefield section of The Bronx. Designed by Badaly Architects, the building will comprise just under 40,000 square feet of residential space, 1,383 square feet of ground-floor retail space, and a 188-square-foot community facility.

Renderings of the building depict a simple brick façade that transitions from dark gray to red with decorative white cornices. The residential component will yield 59 rental units and unspecified amenity spaces.

The project is expected to debut by September 2023.

View of the site surrounding 4427 White Plains Road - RM Friedland

View of the site surrounding 4427 White Plains Road – RM Friedland.

MAYOR ADAMS, COMPTROLLER LANDER HAIL FITCH RATINGS UPGRADING NEW YORK CITY’S GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND RATING TO AA

 

Upgrade Affirms the Administration’s Strong Fiscal Management, City’s Strong Job Growth, Budget Oversight and Transparency, and Increased Ability to Withstand Economic and Fiscal Headwinds


New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander today hailed Fitch Ratings for upgrading the city’s bond rating to AA from AA-. The upward revision comes just one year into their terms and reflects the administration’s strong fiscal management, which has placed the city in a significantly stronger position to weather future economic storms. The rating agency also highlighted that the city has now recovered 90 percent of jobs lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by substantial growth in 2022, and that the city has resumed its role as a leading international and domestic tourist destination.

 

“Since day one, fiscal discipline has been a hallmark of our administration,” said Mayor Adams. “Last year, Fitch Ratings raised our General Obligation Bond credit outlook in recognition of our strong fiscal management and the record reserves we have set aside, and, today, we’re proud to be announcing that they’re raising the rating because of the hard, but necessary choices this administration was willing to make. We will continue to build an equitable recovery and use taxpayer dollars wisely as we continue to ‘Get Stuff Done’ for New Yorkers across the city.”

 

“New York City stands on solid financial footing coming out of the pandemic, thanks to the vibrancy and resiliency of our economy and the support of federal aid. Fitch Ratings’ upgrade of their credit rating on our General Obligation bonds recognizes the strong steps the City of New York has taken to shore up our reserves with the largest deposit yet in our rainy day fund, as well as our ‘exceptionally strong’ budget oversight and fiscal management. As we face uncertainty in the global economy in the coming months, the City of New York is well positioned to sustain services, invest in our infrastructure, and foster better shared economic opportunity for New Yorkers,” said Comptroller Lander.

 

Fitch praised the administration’s fiscal management, noting actions to increase reserves and achieve savings. Budget reserves are now a record $8.3 billion. Achieving savings is a priority of this administration, which is why the mayor implemented Program to Eliminate the Gap (PEG) initiatives in Fiscal Years 2022 (FY22) and 2023 (FY23), including a PEG initiative in the FY23 November Plan. Most recently, the Adams administration implemented savings measures in January’s Preliminary Budget which streamlined city operations and increased citywide savings since last June to more than $3 billion over FY23 and Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). Fitch also commended the city’s success in controlling employee headcount as means of managing spending and achieving savings.

 

Further, as rating agencies continue to elevate the importance of environmental sustainability and resiliency, Fitch noted the city’s substantial investment in environmental resiliency efforts, and having gone further than most coastal communities in its efforts to fight the impact of climate change. The Adams administration will reveal the expansion of its sustainability agenda in April 2023’s update to PlaNYC, which will include a new, first-of-its-kind climate budgeting process.

 

In January, Mayor Eric Adams released New York City’s $102.7 billion Preliminary Budget for FY24The budget reflects the mayor’s ongoing commitment to promoting an equitable recovery by making investments in affordable housing, keeping city streets clean, ensuring the safety of communities, and promoting a greener, healthier city. The Preliminary Budget also doubles down on Mayor Adams’ commitment to fiscal responsibility by spending limited city resources wisely amid the ongoing economic and fiscal challenges facing the city, state, and nation, and maintaining the city’s budget reserves at a record level of $8.3 billion.

 

The Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Comptroller’s Office jointly issue bonds to finance city infrastructure including the city’s roads and bridges, schools, water and sewer infrastructure, parks, libraries, and climate resiliency infrastructure. Since January 1, 2022, the city has sold $6.14 billion in refunding bonds, achieving $917 million in debt service savings in challenging bond markets. In October 2022, OMB and the Comptroller’s Office collaborated to issue New York City’s first social bonds, securing $400 million in financing for over 3,000 units of deeply affordable housing.

 

Friday, February 17, 2023

BRONX BROTHERS SENTENCED FOR FATALLY SHOOTING MAN IN NYCHA HOUSING COMPLEX

 

Jury Found Defendants Guilty of Second-Degree Murder

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that two Bronx men have been sentenced to prison for the 2017 fatal shooting of a man in the NYCHA Pelham Parkway Houses.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendants, acting in concert with each other, chased the 41-year-old victim and fired shots at him multiple times, causing his death. The incident happened in the NYCHA Pelham Parkway Houses, terrorizing the residents. We will not tolerate gun violence that harms our community.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendants, Nydrique Jones, 30, and Kameke Jones, 33, both last of 2455 Williamsbridge Road, were sentenced on February 10, 2023 by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Laurence Busching. Kameke Jones was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison and Nydrique Jones was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. The defendants were found guilty of second-degree Murder on October 5, 2022, after a jury trial.

 According to the investigation, on October 1, 2017 at approximately 10:52 p.m., in the vicinity of Waring Avenue and Williamsbridge Road, the defendants chased Gregory Washington, 41. As they chased the victim, Nydrique Jones shot at him four times, striking him once in the torso. The brothers then split up and returned to their building a block away from the shooting location. Washington died in surgery at Jacobi Hospital a few hours after the incident.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Michael Gersch of the 49th Precinct and NYPD Detective Chris Giannioudis of the Firearms Analysis Section for their work in the investigation.

Former NBA Players Keyon Dooling And Alan Anderson Sentenced To 30 And 24 Months In Prison For Defrauding NBA Players’ Health And Welfare Benefit Plan

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that KEYON DOOLING and ALAN ANDERSON were sentenced to 30 months and 24 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a scheme to defraud the National Basketball Association (“NBA”) Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit Plan (the “Plan”).  U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni sentenced DOOLING today and previously sentenced ANDERSON on February 10, 2023. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “These former players recruited others to take part in this widespread fraud scheme and went to great lengths to keep the scheme running smoothly, facilitating hundreds of thousands of dollars of fraudulent claims.  This Office will continue to aggressively prosecute those engaged in health care fraud schemes, no matter what their profession.  Those considering submitting false claims to health care plans should recognize that they will be subject to serious penalties.”   

According to the Indictments, public court filings, and statements made in court:

The Plan is a health care plan providing benefits to eligible active and former players of the NBA.  DOOLING and ANDERSON both played in the NBA and were eligible to receive reimbursements from the Plan for legitimate, qualifying medical expenses.

Co-defendant TERRENCE WILLIAMS orchestrated the scheme to defraud the Plan.[1]  DOOLING and ANDERSON also occupied managerial roles in the scheme.

WILLIAMS, DOOLING, and ANDERSON recruited other former NBA players to defraud the Plan, including by offering to provide them with false invoices to support their fraudulent claims.

WILLIAMS provided the other former NBA players fake invoices from a particular chiropractic office in California, run by co-defendant PATRICK KHAZIRAN,[2] which were created by individuals working with WILLIAMS.  In addition, WILLIAMS obtained fraudulent invoices from a dentist affiliated with dental offices in Beverly Hills, California, run by co-defendant AAMIR WAHAB, and from a doctor at a wellness office in Washington State.  The fraudulent invoices purported to document that ANDERSON, other co-defendants, and, in some cases, members of their families, had been recipients of expensive medical and dental services, but the defendants had not received the medical or dental services described in the invoices WILLIAMS provided them.  In many instances, the defendants were not even located in the vicinity of the service providers on the dates the invoices stated they received medical or dental services.  In particular, GPS location information and documentary evidence, such as flight records, show that the defendants were in locations other than the vicinity of the medical or dental offices falsely claimed as the providers of services.

DOOLING participated in the scheme from at least in or about 2017 through in or about 2019.  DOOLING traded on his reputation among current and former NBA players to refer other former NBA players to co-defendant KHAZIRAN and WAHAB.  DOOLING also recruited and attempted to recruit additional Plan-participants and medical professionals into the fraud scheme.  DOOLING himself submitted fraudulent invoices to the Plan, relating to services purportedly performed by co-defendants KHAZIRAN and WAHAB.  DOOLING received approximately $363,000 in fraudulent reimbursements, and he is responsible for facilitating the fraudulent claims filed by other defendants, who received approximately $194,295 in fraudulent proceeds from the plan.

ANDERSON also recruited multiple former NBA players to the fraud scheme.  When co-conspirators encountered difficulties in obtaining reimbursements for fraudulent claims, ANDERSON encouraged them to submit forged letters of medical necessity to substantiate those claims.  When those letters were unsuccessful, ANDERSON arranged for the co-conspirators to visit a Las Vegas doctor, after-hours, to further attempt to justify the fraudulent claims.  ANDERSON himself submitted approximately $121,000 in fraudulent claims to the Plan.  ANDERSON is also responsible for recruiting and facilitating the fraud of additional defendants who sought approximately $710,000 in fraudulent claims.

In addition to their prison terms, DOOLING, 42, of Orlando, Florida, was ordered to forfeit $449,250.50 and pay restitution of $547,495; and ANDERSON, 40, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was ordered to forfeit $121,000 and pay restitution of $121,000.

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

[1] WILLIAMS has pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and health care fraud and aggravated identity theft and is awaiting sentencing.

[2] On February 7, 2023, Judge Caproni sentenced KHAZIRAN to 30 months in prison.