Comptroller Lander Unveils City’s Cost and Contracts on Asylum Seeker Services

 

Lander urges City to ramp up efforts to get New Yorkers out of shelter and support new arrivals to apply for work authorization

In a new analysis, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander detailed the City’s budget and contracts on services to date for asylum seekers who have arrived in large numbers over the past 11 months. At a City Council hearing, Lander will call on City officials to focus on scaling up efforts to transition New Yorkers out of shelter and into permanent housing, as well as coordinating efforts to help new arrivals apply for asylum and work authorization. The report provides the first transparent accounting of known contracts and makes new detailed data available for download.

“The City understandably focused the overwhelming share of its effort scaling up its shelter capacity since asylum seeking families began arriving in droves last spring,” said Comptroller Brad Lander. “As time goes on, we are reaching a critical juncture where the City must pivot to focusing on transitioning households, both long-time New Yorkers and new arrivals, out of shelter and into permanent housing. Immigrants have long brought economic and cultural vitality to New York City and to continue that tradition, the City must take steps to create pathways to economic stability.”

The new analysis, Accounting for Asylum Seekers, provides the first line-by-line breakdown of contracts for the provision of shelter and services for new arrivals. City agencies utilized both existing contracts and emergency procurement to meet these new needs. The Comptroller’s office gathered information from publicly available sources, in addition to information from City Hall, to provide an overview of the contracts and costs known thus far. Of the 83 known new contracts for providing services to asylum seekers, the Comptroller’s office has registered 29, 4 are pending review, and the remainder have yet to be submitted.

Summary of Known Contracts by Contracting Agency

City Agency	Number of Known Contracts	Number of Registered Contracts	Final Contract Amount
DCAS	4	2	$30,000,000
DDC	1	1	$669,350
DHS	55	20	$447,482,971
DSS	3	2	$14,950,000
H+H	13	0	$62,800,000
NYCEM	5	4	$138,615,100
OTI	2	0	N/A
Totals	83	29	$694,517,421

The Office of Management and Budget anticipates spending over $4 billion during Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024. The Comptroller’s office estimates that 99% of the expenses so far are going to the costs of providing shelter and related services, including food. The per diem cost of the newly-contracted emergency hotels, including rent, is approximately $339 for family shelters, considerably higher than the average cost per family shelter day reported in the January Mayor’s Management Report of $186. The per diem cost of the HERRCs is anticipated to be even higher. Prior to the arrival of large numbers of migrant families, the average stay in City-run shelters reached 500 days.

Comptroller Lander recommended a two-pronged approach to transitioning people out of shelter and into permanent housing and helping asylum seekers apply for status and work authorization, arguing that both are needed to provide economic stability for families and reduce the City’s shelter costs.

1. Rapidly scale up immigration and employment services, through a mix of pro bono legal representation and pro se assistance from volunteers to help migrants apply for asylum within the one year deadline from arrival and apply to receive work authorization six months later.
2. Expand rental assistance options and eligibility, including reforms to CityFHEPS, passage and implementation of the proposed New York State Housing Access Voucher Program, enforcement of source of income discrimination laws, additional support to long-time shelter residents, and utilizing warehoused units to help tens of thousands of people move into permanent housing.

Since last spring, nearly 50,000 people seeking asylum have arrived in New York City. For the first time at such a large scale, many of them sought shelter, pursuant to New York State’s unique legal “right to shelter.” As of March 6, the City is providing shelter to over 30,900 migrants. Ninety-two emergency hotel shelters, managed by the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), have been opened since April, making space for 21,745 asylum seekers in DHS shelters. New York City Health + Hospitals (H+H) also manages seven Humanitarian Emergency Referral and Response Centers (HERRCs) that currently provide temporary housing and services to 9,203 individuals.

The full analysis, recommendations, and list of known contracts is available here. A detailed breakdown of the contracts is available for download here.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATALLY BEATING, STABBING HIS GIRLFRIEND

 

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to First-Degree Manslaughter 

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for fatally beating and then stabbing his girlfriend multiple times in the face, after an argument in their apartment.

 District Attorney Clark said, “An argument between a couple escalated to brutality and a woman is dead. The defendant has been held accountable but the victim’s loved ones will continue to suffer. We must do all we can to prevent domestic violence, which traumatizes so many people beyond just the victim.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Kelvin Diaz, 33, was sentenced March 3, 2023 to 20 years in prison and five years post release supervision before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Marsha Michael. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree Manslaughter on February 16, 2023. 

 According to the investigation, on January 29, 2021 inside 1965 Lafayette Avenue, the defendant attacked Onelfy Then-Cordero with a broomstick, causing blunt force trauma to her head, which caused her death. He then stabbed multiple times in the face with a steak knife.

 A neighbor called police to report a woman screaming for help. When police arrived and entered the apartment, they found Then-Cordero mortally wounded. Diaz was arrested on scene and told officers he stabbed the victim.

 District Attorney Clark also thanked NYPD Detectives Jorge Mergeche and Brianna Constantino of the Bronx Homicide Squad for their work in the investigation.

Attorney General James Secures $420,000 for Affordable Housing in New York City from Fraudulent Landlords

 

Ray Huang and Bao Tang Operated an Illegal Single-Room Occupancy Rental Business 

Funds Will Be Used to Preserve and Expand Affordable Housing in NYC

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced she has secured nearly $420,000 from two Brooklyn landlords who ran an illegal single-room occupancy (SRO) rental business out of 881 Condominium, a building in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood. Attorney General James reached a settlement with Ray Qi Wang Huang, Bao Qing Tang, and their company 758 Realty LLC (758 Realty) for illegally renting condo units and single rooms to non-purchasers, often without leases and for less than 30 days, in violation of the New York State Multiple Dwelling Law, and repeatedly lying to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) in offering plans and related filings in violation of the Martin Act. As a result of the settlement announced today, Huang, Tang, and 758 Realty will correct all paperwork related to 881 Condominium, provide current tenants with rent-stabilized leases, and pay $420,000 to preserve affordable housing in New York City.

“While New Yorkers were struggling to find safe, stable, and affordable housing where they could thrive, Ray Huang and Bao Tang were looking for new ways to cheat the system, only looking out for themselves and their own bottom line,” said Attorney General James. “I have always fought for tenants’ best interests, and I will not allow delinquent property owners to take advantage of their neighbors. My office will continue to stand up for tenants and will ensure these individuals and any other bad actors are held accountable.” 

In April 2017, Huang and Tang submitted an offering plan to OAG for the sale of ten residential units, two commercial units, and three parking spaces in a newly constructed condo at 881 54th Street in Brooklyn. In the paperwork filed with OAG, Huang and Tang represented that the building was vacant, and units would be offered for sale as condo units. Instead, before the offering plan was accepted for filing, Huang and Tang began to receive rental payments from tenants occupying residential units in the building and tenants renting illegal SROs, or individual rooms within units in the building. These tenants paid rent in cash, were not provided written leases, and often rented for less than 30 days, constituting illegal short-term rentals. 

Huang and Tang never informed OAG that tenants were living in the building, instead they continued to represent that the building was vacant. They repeatedly provided false information to OAG and submitted multiple affidavits lying about the building’s occupancy status, claiming in 2020 that a squatter had moved in, and later that same year representing through their lawyer that only three tenants currently lived in the building. An investigation revealed that many more tenants had lived in the building at various times since 2018.

In addition to misrepresentations to OAG, Huang and Tang lied to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to secure a tax exemption. In their application for 421-a benefits to HPD, they claimed the building would be a condo. Once they started renting units in the building before the offering plan was accepted for filing, they were then required to update their application with HPD to characterize the building as a rent-stabilized rental building, as well as register the units with New York Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). Huang and Tang did not comply, nor did they offer the tenants the protections of rent stabilization. Huang and Tang continued to receive 421-a benefits under these false pretenses.

 As a result of today’s agreement, Huang and Tang will pay $355,000 in penalties and $64,500 in disgorgement of rent received since 2018, for a total payment of $419,500 to Attorney General James’ Affordable Housing Fund with HPD, which finances the preservation and creation of affordable housing in New York City. Huang and Tang must provide all current tenants at 881 Condominium with rent-stabilized leases and will not engage in any form of tenant harassment or intimidation, or efforts to force tenants to abandon their stabilized units.

 This settlement is the latest in Attorney General James’ ongoing efforts to protect tenants and hold property owners accountable. In November 2022, the Attorney General sued a fraudulent Brooklyn property owner for selling fake condo units and stealing more than $5 million from at least 20 Chinese immigrant families. In August 2022, she secured more than $4 million from landlords after uncovering an illegal kickback scheme to deregulate rent-stabilized apartments. 

United States Settles With United Alloys And Steel Corporation For The Release Of Mercury In The Village Of Rye Brook

 

Defendant Agrees to Pay $260,000 in Clean-up Costs and Accepts Responsibility in Consent Decree

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Lisa F. Garcia, the Regional Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), Region 2, announced today that the United States has filed a civil lawsuit against UNITED ALLOYS AND STEEL CORPORATION (“Defendant”) and has simultaneously filed a consent decree settling the lawsuit.  In the complaint, brought pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) – commonly known as the Superfund statute – the United States alleged that the Defendant arranged for the disposal or treatment of mercury by Port Refinery, Inc. (“Port Refinery”), a mercury refining business in the Village of Rye Brook, New York, which led to releases of mercury into the environment.  The consent decree provides for a payment of $260,000 by the Defendant for costs incurred by EPA in conducting clean-up activities at the Port Refinery site (the “Site”).

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “United Alloys and Steel Corporation played a part in causing contamination in a residential community by delivering 17,253 pounds of scrap mercury for re-smelting purposes to Port Refinery, and it is paying a share of the costs that EPA had to incur to clean up this site.  The parties responsible for this environmental contamination are now being held accountable.”

EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia said: “This company sent scrap mercury to the site operator, which handled mercury in a way that resulted in it being released into the environment and contaminating homes.  Even relatively small amounts of mercury can cause serious health problems.  EPA has addressed mercury vapors in people’s homes at the site, and now we are holding this company accountable for its part in putting people at risk.” 

As alleged in the complaint filed today in White Plains federal District Court:

The Defendant arranged for Port Refinery’s treatment or disposal of scrap mercury at the Site.  Port Refinery’s treatment and processing of mercury sent by the Defendant and other parties led to extensive releases of mercury into the environment, necessitating two separate clean-up actions by EPA.  In connection with the second clean-up, EPA incurred costs at the Site for investigative and removal activities, including, among other things, excavating and disposing of more than 9,300 tons of mercury-contaminated soil from the Site.

In the consent decree filed today, the Defendant admits and accepts responsibility for the following:

• EPA has determined that from the 1970s through the early 1990s, Port Refinery engaged in, among other things, the business of mercury reclaiming, refining, and processing;
• Port Refinery operated in the Village of Rye Brook out of a two-story garage bordered by private residences on its south, east, and west sides;
• EPA has determined that Port Refinery took virtually no environmental precautions or safety measures during its mercury refinement process;
• EPA has determined that Port Refinery released a significant amount of mercury into the environment, contaminating the Site;
• EPA has determined that mercury from the Defendants’ mercury-containing products was comingled at the Site and contributed to the mercury released into the environment; and
• United Alloys and Steel Corporation delivered 17,253 pounds of scrap mercury for re-smelting purposes to Port Refinery during its period of operations.

*                *                *

Pursuant to the consent decree, the Defendant will pay a total of $260,000 in costs incurred by EPA.   The payment amount was based on the Defendant’s documented inability to pay its full share of the costs incurred.

This lawsuit is the United States’ eighth lawsuit against responsible parties to recover clean-up costs for the second clean-up at the Site.  With this settlement, the United States has recovered a total of $3,079,392 from responsible parties. 

The consent decree will be lodged with the District Court for a period of at least 30 days before it is submitted for the Court’s approval to provide public notice and to afford members of the public the opportunity to comment on the consent decree.

Mr. Williams thanked the assigned EPA Region 2 Assistant Regional Counsel for his critical work on this matter.

Governor Hochul Urges New Yorkers to Take Steps to Protect Their Personal Tax Account Information During Tax Season

 

New Yorkers Encouraged To Educate Themselves Against Having their Private Information Compromised Online

State's Chief Privacy Officer and Chief Cyber Officer Partner with State Agencies To Raise Awareness on Guarding Against Data Breaches

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced steps New Yorkers can take to protect themselves from having their sensitive information compromised online during tax season. The State Office of Information Technology Services has teamed with other state agencies to promote tips to help New Yorkers protect their personal information during tax season, raising awareness of phishing schemes, using strong passwords, and exercising greater caution with information shared on social media.

"In an increasingly digital world, every New Yorker should take the basic steps needed to protect their sensitive data from online criminals," Governor Hochul said. "During tax season, we are raising greater awareness of these schemes and urging all New Yorkers to protect themselves and their personal information to avoid becoming a target of these unscrupulous actors."

Online activity generates immense trails of data. Websites, apps, and services collect information on behaviors, interests, and purchases as well as other sensitive data such as Social Security and driver's license numbers or health information. New Yorkers can keep their personal information private and secure, preventing identity theft and fraud by:

• Filing promptly using e-file and direct deposit of your tax refund. Filing your tax returns as soon as possible can reduce the likelihood that an identity thief will be able to claim a fraudulent tax refund using your stolen information. Filing electronically is also safer, faster, and more efficient than sending paper returns through the mail.
  • Eligible taxpayers can electronically complete and submit their federal and New York State income tax returns online at no cost. Free File software allows you to file from home, which eliminates the need to carry sensitive data outside a safe location.
  • Visit the Tax Department website, tax.ny.gov, to review different Free File options. Simply click Free File your income tax return on the Tax Department home page.
  • By choosing direct deposit for your tax refund, you'll receive it up to two weeks sooner rather than having it mailed as a paper check.
• Protecting data and documents used to prepare your return. Keep sensitive personal information and documents safe during and after the filing process and delete or shred once no longer needed.
• Being wary of phishing schemes, including texts, unsolicited emails and telephone calls asking for personal information. Never share personal information, such as your Social Security number, in response to an unsolicited email or telephone call. If the email or call claims to be from a company with which you do business, call it first to confirm the contact is legitimate. Scammers will also use scare tactics and threats related to tax debt to get you to share your personal and financial information.
  • Don't click on links, download files, or open attachments in emails from unknown senders. Open attachments only when they are expected, and the contents are known.
• Being cautious about the information shared on social media. Avoid posting birthdates, telephone numbers, home addresses, or images that identify employment or hobbies. This information may often reveal answers to security questions used to reset passwords and can be utilized by scammers looking to access accounts and personal information.
• Using strong passwords. Create different complex passwords for every account. Consider passphrases made of up multiple short words which are easy to remember but difficult for a computer to guess, like "Correct-Horse-Battery-Staple!". Consider using a password manager which can help generate and securely store passwords.

New York State Chief Cyber Officer Colin Ahern said, "New York is taking a leadership role in privacy and cybersecurity under Governor Hochul's direction. The recommendations provided can help New Yorkers protect their private data, especially during tax season.

"New York State Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez said, "New Yorkers must always be vigilant in protecting their personal information, but tax season presents a unique risk as scammers work to steal confidential information to pilfer tax refunds. Filing your tax return early not only secures an early refund but also reduces your chances of falling victim to the theft of your tax return and potentially, your identity. Be cautious and proactive by following these tips, it is the best way to protect yourself and your tax refund dollars."

Report It

If you're a victim or believe you may be a victim of tax-related identity theft, alert us immediately. We will track your information to help keep it private and protected. Visit the Tax Department's Report fraud, scams, and identity theft webpage.

Access more information and educational resources from ITS and NYS Chief Information Security Office newsletter.

For more taxpayer scam information, please also visit the Division of Consumer Protection's Taxpayer Scam webpage. For additional identity theft prevention and mitigation resources, call the Consumer Helpline at 800-697-1220 or visit the Division's Identity Theft Prevention and Mitigation Program webpage.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson - Community Resources & Updates

 

Dear Neighbor,

 

Thank you for joining us for another week in review.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our very first State of the Borough address. It was one for the books. We announced new initiatives in education, health, public safety, tourism, and other areas designed to move the borough forward in a new direction in 2023. For the full speech, click here. Thank you to our partners at Manhattan College for hosting us for this event and thank you to all of you for your support during this Bronx renaissance.

For the first time, we are introducing the People’s Choice Award for Bronx Week! We are asking residents to nominate a Bronx educator to be recognized among other Bronx Hall of Fame inductees. Our application is live on ilovethebronx.com.

Lastly, Tax Season is upon us. Single-filing New Yorkers who earned $56,000 or less in 2022, or families who earned $80,000 or less, are encouraged to file their taxes for free using NYC Free Tax Prep. NYC Free Tax Prep provides free, professional tax preparation that can help New Yorkers keep their full refund, including valuable tax credits, like the newly enhanced New York City Earned Income Tax Credit (NYC EITC). The new NYC Free Tax Prep for self-employed New Yorkers will also provide income tax services to freelance workers and small businesses.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 718-590-3500 or email us at webmail@bronxbp.nyc.gov.

 

In partnership,

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson

Check out our full State of the Borough speech here!

Permits Filed For 50 Clifford Place In Mount Hope, The Bronx

Permits have been filed to expand a two-story structure into a four-story residential building at 50 Clifford Place in Mount Hope, The Bronx. Located between Jerome and Walton Avenues, the lot is one block from the 174-175 Streets subway station, serviced by the B and D trains. Steven Westreich of West Orchard Management is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 54-foot-tall development will yield 7,822 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 19 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 411 square feet. The steel-based structure will also have a cellar and a 15-foot-long rear yard.

Al Fred Architecture is listed as the architect of record.

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

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES CITY HALL TO DISPLAY ARTIST ELENA DEL RIVERO’S HOME ADDRESS EXHIBIT ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Del Rivero’s ‘Home Address’ Series, Consisting of Flag-Like Banners Resembling Dish Towels, Was Launched in 2020 to Coincide With Centennial Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in U.S.  

Flags Have Since Been Displayed at Institutions Across Nation. 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today displayed artist Elena del Rivero’s participatory public artwork, “Home Address,” in the New York City Hall Rotunda in honor of International Women’s Day. After today, components of the work will remain on view in the Governors Room through the end of March. Home Address consists of large flags resembling stained dish towels, reflecting the artist’s commentary on the complex and shifting roles of women through history.

“This International Women’s Day, we are honoring women leaders throughout city government, highlighting how far we’ve advanced in the inclusion of women in positions of power, and recognizing all that there still remains to do to achieve greater equity,” said Mayor Adams. “Elena del Rivero’s ‘Home Address’ elevates the humble dishrag into a flag — the traditional emblem of power — and by highlighting this work here at City Hall, we are recognizing the complex and shifting roles of women through history. In this administration alone, we have not only set the precedent that ensures that women have a seat at the table, but that they also have a strong voice in our efforts to ‘Get Stuff Done’ for New Yorkers. This installation honors women everywhere, and I am grateful to Elena for allowing us to portray her incredible talent at the center of our city’s government.”

“In an administration led by dozens of brilliant women, I’m proud to stand alongside my sisters in government today to unveil Elena del Rivero’s powerful, thought-provoking installation here in City Hall,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “As we celebrate the passage of the 19^th Amendment over 100 years ago, this installation is a call for us to reflect on how far we’ve come, and the work that still lies ahead toward greater equity and inclusion for women of all backgrounds.”  

“Elena del Rivero’s Home Address is a powerful reminder and provocation for us to reflect on the struggle of women here and everywhere toward a fairer, more just society that supports us and uplifts our talents,” said New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “I’m proud to be a woman, a working mother, a cultural leader, and to join my fellow women leaders in celebrating our victories and charting our collective course forward. Del Rivero does what artists do best and holds up a mirror for us to examine ourselves. I thank her for bringing this profound installation to City Hall.”

“The transposition from the kitchen — for so long seen as a place to confine women — to the public space and seat of government in New York City, this installation with common dishtowels is a celebratory monument for the struggle of women in history and their conquests and hard-won advancements that we commemorate today on the anniversary of the passing of the 19th amendment to the US Constitution,” said artist Elena del Rivero.  

Three flags from the Home Address series will be displayed in the City Hall Rotunda today, and a fourth flag will be on display in City Hall’s Governors Room until the end of March. Through Home Address, del Rivero has installed flags at institutions across the United States, including at both the Hispanic Society Museum and Library and the Spanish Consulate in New York; the University of Massachusetts Boston; the Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana; and at Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana.

This marks the second installation of new artwork displayed in City Hall, following the display of photos from Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre during Black History Month. These are the first two installments of a new, citywide initiative to exhibit work by local artists and arts groups in city buildings across the five boroughs. Last month, the Public Design Commission also launched Epicenter, a virtual tour led and created by Black Gotham Experience’s Kamau Ware that celebrates the achievements, struggles, and the historical resonance of the African Diaspora's impact on New York City within the built environment of City Hall. 

Del Rivero’s Home Address is a nationwide, multi-platform installation of 19 flags. The installation pays homage to the suffrage movement, the long struggle for women’s rights, the politics of domestic labor, and all voting rights left unprotected by the historic legislation of 1920, as well as all those still currently under threat today. Home Address is an initiative, initially coinciding with the 2020 centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment. The installation will be displayed at 19 locations around the nation. Del Rivero is a multi-disciplinary artist with a focus on painting and works on paper.