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

 

Dear Neighbor,

 

Thank you for joining us for another week in review. We hope everyone is enjoying the warmer temperatures with friends and family.

Last week, we welcomed over 100 girls from middle schools and high schools in districts 7-12 at Borough Hall to convene a meeting in partnership with Bronx School Districts and the My Brother`s Keeper/My Sister`s Keeper District Leads to announce efforts under the My Sister’s Keeper umbrella to anchor the initiative in the borough. The young women were able to network and ask questions during a career panel discussion featuring women in leadership positions in government (Council Member Pierina Sanchez), education (Dr. Roshone Ault Lee, Principal at South Bronx Academy for Applied Media and G.E.M.s Founder), entrepreneurship and media (TT Torrez Entrepreneur and Hot 97 Radio Personality), and the non-profit sector (Rina Madhani, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Start Lighthouse). The conversation was moderated by our Deputy Borough President, Janet Peguero. Thank you to everyone who joined us.

We would also like to congratulate our newly appointed BOEDC Board Members Nallely De Jesus, Phillip Grant, Winston Peters, Lourdes Zapata, and Julio Reyes who demonstrate exceptional leadership abilities and represent some of the best and brightest in our Borough. In their new positions, they will work with our business community to ensure our entrepreneurs receive the tools they need to succeed in this new economy.

Lastly, don't forget to nominate a Bronx educator to be recognized by the People's Choice Award during Bronx Week! Our application is live on ilovethebronx.com.

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

IN THE COMMUNITY

During our State of the Borough, we promised to make gender equity a priority. We welcomed over 100 girls from middle schools and high schools in the Bronx to convene a meeting on the Bronx’s My Sister’s Keeper initiative! As our young women move through middle school and high school, we want them to know their power. We want them to know all that they are capable of. My Sister’s Keeper is an investment in the future of our young girls and the future of our Borough. Thank you to our Deputy Borough President, Janet Peguero for moderating our panel discussion. Thank you also to our panelists who joined us today: Rina Madhani, Dr. Roshone Ault Lee, and TT Torrez for sharing their experiences with us. Thank you to everyone who joined our Irish Heritage Month Event at Rambling House in Woodlawn. It was an incredible evening celebrating our Irish American community and their many contributions to the Bronx. Congratulations to our honorees! Your work is vital to the growth of our Borough! Thank you to Rambling House for hosting us and thank you to our sponsors Montefiore, Waste Management, and Bronx Terminal Market for their support. Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Greek Heritage Month Celebration in partnership with the St. Peter the Apostle Greek Orthodox Church! During our celebration, we were proud to honor Greek American businesses and community leaders for their commitment and service to the Bronx. Congratulations to all of our honorees! I also want to thank Ponce Bank and Bronx Terminal Market for sponsoring this event, the St. Peter’s Afternoon School for their beautiful performance and St. Peter the Apostle Greek Orthodox Church for their collaboration on this celebration.

Community Events & Opportunities

Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul on Ongoing Budget Negotiations

 

"New Yorkers are concerned about public safety, the rising cost of housing, and ensuring high-quality schools for all our kids, and any budget deal must make progress on these core issues. I have been negotiating in good faith with the legislature, but it is clear there is more work to be done before we reach an agreement. For that reason, I am submitting a bill to the legislature that would extend the budget deadline to April 10th, giving us the time we need to deliver a final budget that is responsive to the urgent needs of New Yorkers. We must make real progress to make New York more affordable, more livable and safer."

Permits Filed For 40 Bruckner Boulevard In Mott Haven, The Bronx

Permits have been filed for a 12-story mixed-use building at 40 Bruckner Boulevard in Mott Haven, The Bronx. Located at the intersection of Alexander Avenue and Bruckner Boulevard, the corner lot is near the 3rd Avenue-138 Street subway station, serviced by the 6 train. Jacob Schwimmer of JCS Realty is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 124-foot-tall development will yield 266,211 square feet, with 248,484 square feet designated for residential space, 17,098 square feet for commercial space, and 629 square feet for community facility space. The building will have 365 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 680 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar and 146 enclosed parking spaces.

S9 Architecture and Engineering is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the lot is vacant. An estimated completion date has not been announced. 

BOROUGH PRESIDENT GIBSON’S STATEMENT ON OPENING DAY

 

“Today is Opening Day and we proudly welcome back the New York Yankees to the Bronx! Each Spring brings excitement for the new baseball season and the tremendous impact it will have on our small businesses and local merchants. Can Aaron Judge break his own home run record and win back-to-back MVPs? Will we see Anthony Volpe blossom into the next great shortstop? The Yankees are back and ready to go for their 28th championship ring! Let’s play ball!”

DOI RECOMMENDS REFORMS RELATING TO FIRE SAFETY AND PREVENTION IN NYCHA PROPERTIES, INCLUDING WITH RESPECT TO ELECTRIC MODES OF TRANSPORTATION, FOLLOWING THREE FIRES IN 2021

 

 Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”) Jocelyn E. Strauber, issued a report that examined fires in three New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) developments, one of which is overseen by a private management company, that occurred during the last two months of 2021: a trash chute fire on November 5th at Mitchel Houses in the Bronx that killed a six-year-old boy and injured his father; a fire caused by an explosion of a battery in an electric bike (“e-bike”) on December 16th at Jacob Riis Houses in Manhattan that led to the death of one resident and severely injured another; and a trash chute fire on December 28th at Wise Towers in Manhattan (the privately managed NYCHA development) that caused smoke inhalation injuries to two residents. DOI’s investigation into the fires at Mitchel Houses and Wise Towers exposed deficiencies in a range of fire safety protocols at NYCHA developments and the privately managed development, including with respect to the repair and maintenance of trash chute hopper doors and other relevant fire safety elements in the developments, as well as the auditing of fire safety and maintenance records. DOI also found that privately managed NYCHA developments, such as Wise Towers, should be required to incorporate NYCHA’s fire safety policies into their fire safety and prevention plans, as well as to perform regular audits of fire safety records to ensure compliance with NYCHA procedures. Regarding the e-bike fire at Jacob Riis Houses, DOI determined that electric bikes and other forms of electronic transportation pose a significant risk of fire when stored or charged in enclosed spaces, including within NYCHA apartments. 

Immediately after the fires, and at DOI’s recommendation in some cases, NYCHA made significant revisions to its fire safety and maintenance protocols. The report issued includes 11 recommendations to NYCHA, among them that NYCHA improve staff training so that staff can more readily identify and correct fire safety hazards, implement procedures to ensure prompt repairs that impact fire safety, audit fire suppression inspection and repair records, provide additional oversight of privately managed NYCHA developments, and ban the operation of any business involved in the repair, storage, and/or charging of electric modes of transportation anywhere on NYCHA property. A copy of this report is attached to this release and can be found here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/doi/newsroom/public-reports.page

DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said, “NYCHA operates and oversees 335 developments throughout New York City, and fire safety must be a top priority at each of them. Three fires in 2021 – two that tragically led to fatalities, including a six-year-old boy – showed that NYCHA needs to improve its fire safety procedures across the board and better protect its tenants. And while NYCHA made immediate improvements to fire safety and building maintenance protocols after these three fires, DOI’s recommendations further advance that important effort by calling for NYCHA to provide greater oversight of fire safety protocols, thereby adding protections for the residents who live in NYCHA housing.” 

DOI’s investigation found that the fires at Mitchel Houses and Wise Towers began in trash chutes. DOI’s investigation found that smoke spread from the chutes and into stairwells and hallways, and that the spread of smoke likely was due in part to NYCHA’s and private management’s failure to properly maintain building components relevant to fire safety, prioritize the prompt repairs or reinstallations of trash chute hopper doors and ensure staff is adequately trained for this work and properly document inspections of these critical building components.

DOI’s investigation also found that, with respect to one Mitchel Houses building, NYCHA failed to perform required inspections and repairs of the fire suppression system capable of extinguishing fires within the trash compactor box. 

DOI also found that the privately managed Wise Towers failed to have an adequate fire safety plan, and had deficient maintenance and fire safety protocols, and that because NYCHA is responsible for oversight of, and approval of, the management plan for Wise Towers, which should have included provisions relating to fire safety and maintenance, NYCHA failed to ensure the development had sufficient maintenance and fire safety protocols. 

With respect to the fire at the Jacob Riis Houses, the New York City Fire Department (“FDNY”) determined that the fire was caused by the explosion of a battery in an e-bike stored in the apartment where the death occurred. In late 2018, DOI recommended that NYCHA consider implementing a policy to regulate and/or ban e-bikes, hoverboards and scooters in NYCHA buildings. NYCHA accepted that recommendation and, as required, allowed public comment on the proposed ban. NYCHA encountered some resistance from various stakeholders, including NYCHA residents and community groups, as many residents rely on these forms of transportation for their livelihoods. To date, no regulations have been put in place. On March 20, 2023, NYCHA announced a collaboration with Con Edison on a pilot program to test viability of outdoor storage and charging stations for electric bikes and similar modes of transportation on NYCHA properties. While this pilot program ultimately may reduce or eliminate the storage of these devices within NYCHA properties, in light of the need to take immediate steps to reduce the risk posed by these modes of transportation, particularly in enclosed spaces, DOI recommends NYCHA establish protocols to limit the number of e-bikes allowed in NYCHA apartments and to ban the operation of businesses involved in the repair, storage or charging of electric modes of transportation anywhere on NYCHA property. 

DOI’s 11 recommendations include:

• NYCHA should revise its procedures to ensure that every shift includes at least one staff member properly trained to identify, report, and secure safety hazards, such as missing, loose, or damaged hopper doors, according to NYCHA’s amended standard procedures. 

• NYCHA should enforce its procedures concerning the inspection and repair process for fire suppression systems to improve efficiency by ensuring that the development forwards the inspection deficiency sheet to the Fire Safety Unit immediately to avoid needless delays in the repair process. 

• NYCHA should consider putting protocols in place to monitor contracts specifically concerning those related to inspection of safety hazards, including but not limited to those that involve fire safety and suppression, and lead and mold abatement, to ensure that contracts are either extended or renewed to avoid any service delays due to expired contracts.

• NYCHA should limit the number of electric modes of transportation that use lithium-ion batteries, including, but not limited to e-bikes, electric hoverboards, and electric scooters, that are allowed to be stored and/or charged in each apartment, and make compliance with the limitation a condition of the NYCHA lease. 

• NYCHA should consult with FDNY to create fire safety and prevention strategies that may allow for safe storage and maintenance of electric modes of transportation. NYCHA should then begin a campaign to inform tenants of the safest ways to store these devices inside NYCHA apartments. 

• NYCHA should ban the operation of any business involved in the repair, storage, and/or charging of electric modes of transportation, anywhere on NYCHA property.

The investigation was conducted by Chief Investigator Alfred Carletta and Deputy Counsel Lynette Wade of DOI’s Office of the Inspector General for NYCHA under the supervision of Deputy Inspector General Osa Omoigui, Inspector General Ralph Iannuzzi, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Dominick Zarrella and First Deputy Commissioner Daniel G. Cort. 

Governor Hochul Announces Heightened Monitoring in Response to Increase in False Threats to Schools

 

Governor Met With State Public Safety and Education Leaders to Reinforce Plans for Student Safety amid Increased 'Swatting' Calls

New York State Police and State Education Department Issue Letter to School Administrators Across New York State Instructing Them to Review Preparedness and Safety Measures

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced heightened monitoring in response to the recent increase in "swatting" calls, or the false reporting of a serious law enforcement emergency, such as a bomb threat, hostage situation, or homicide, across the state and country. Earlier today, Governor Hochul met with state public safety and education leaders to coordinate preparedness and safety measures to ensure all children remain safe in schools and that all school districts and local police have the latest guidance on school safety protocols.

"Every child in New York deserves to feel safe at school and every parent should trust that their child will return home at the end of every day," Governor Hochul said. "State and local law enforcement are conducting increased monitoring to make sure that all of our students are safe, and our first responders are always prepared in the event of an emergency. While these false threats of violence occur across the country, New York is taking proactive steps so that they do not become a reality."

New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli said, "Providing a safe and secure learning environment for our children and teachers is our number one priority. Rest assured, we proactively work with our agency partners on the School Safety Improvement Team as well as our local law enforcement partners to support their efforts, and we will continue to do so. Let me be clear, swatting incidents such as this, which disrupt our schools and divert valuable state resources, will not be tolerated and we are committed to finding those responsible."

New York State Education Department Commissioner Dr. Betty A. Rosa said, "The safety of our students and school-based staff is our top priority. Every threat to school communities, whether founded or unfounded, is a deterrent to learning and mental health. Proactive and ongoing communication with schools and providing supports to keep school safety plans up to date is critical to our mission of ensuring educators have the resources necessary to appropriately and adequately respond to these threats and that learning continues unabated. We will continue to work with Governor Hochul and our partners in law enforcement at the state and local levels to provide guidance through these challenges. The dedication and resilience of educators and students across New York to rise above and persevere is inspirational."

In addition to meeting with State public safety and education leaders, Governor Hochul collaborated with the New York State Police and the State Education Department to issue a letter to school leaders across New York State directing them to review preparedness and safety measures in the wake of Monday's school shooting in Nashville and increased "swatting" calls.

The full text of the letter is below:

Dear School Leaders,

The unthinkable happened in another school in the United States when three children and three staff members were shot and killed in Nashville this week. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the individuals and families impacted by the heinous and tragic shooting.

Just days later, the school day was disrupted for many of you by active shooter threats that were called in to more than three dozen schools in nearly every region of our state.

The threats are believed to be "swatting" incidents - or the false reporting of a serious law enforcement emergency, such as a bomb threat, hostage situation, or homicide. Law enforcement investigated the threats and determined them to be false, but nonetheless, they generated a great deal of stress, confusion and emotional trauma for children, parents and staff, and tied up valuable law enforcement resources. Police on the local, state and federal level are working to trace the threats and arrest those who are responsible.

It is important for school administrators and leadership teams to always be prepared for any possible incident, but in this time of heightened anxiety related to school safety, it is particularly important to facilitate a safe and calm culture of preparedness, as well as clear communication between law enforcement and school officials.

In the aftermath of a traumatizing event like the Nashville shooting and subsequent false threats of violence, school officials may wish to postpone any scheduled drills to reduce the risk of additional trauma to students and staff while maintaining awareness of processes and procedures to keep students and staff safe. Schools that conduct drills should do so with the utmost care and caution and always by informing all participants that it is a drill. After the conclusion, it is best practice to leave time to debrief with students and staff.

- In addition to conducting the above reviews, school leadership should immediately.

- Review your Building-Level Response Plan, which is required under NYS education law section 2801-A and ensure that you are following the guidance on the NY Emergency Response Card S.H.E.L.L

- Meet with staff assigned to critical Incident Command System (ICS) roles

- Follow annual drill requirements, which is the best way to train students and staff on emergency response procedures.

Please do not hesitate to reach out using the contact information below if you need resources or require additional training.in addition to the close relationships you have developed with your local law enforcement agencies. NYSED and State Police will continue to monitor this situation closely, and State Police School Community Outreach Coordinators will be following up directly with the school districts who received the threats to ensure they have all the information and to answer any questions.

As an additional precaution or reassurance, State and/or local law enforcement can often increase their school presence in the days and weeks after a threat or in response to a local or national violent incident.

In 2022, Governor Hochul strengthened the Red Flag Protection Law to expand the individuals who are able to seek extreme risk orders of protection (ERPOs). In addition to school administrators and certain people chosen by the school, such as teachers, guidance counselors, school psychologist, school nurse and coaches, this includes:

- Police officers

- District Attorneys

- Family or household members. This includes:

- people legally married or divorced

- people with a child in common, including adopted children

- people related by marriage, like in-laws

- people related by blood, like brothers, parents, cousins

- unrelated people who live, or have lived together for periods of time

- unrelated people who are in an intimate relationship (current or former), like same-sex couples and teens who are dating.

It is vitally important that schools ensure staff and leadership universally understand the law and how it protects the school community by removing guns from those who are a danger to themselves or others. If school personnel have concerns about a particular person, the New York State Court System's website also has detailed information about the ERPO process.

Included in review of district-level safety plans, schools should consider the use of panic alarm systems, which are inexpensive and commercially available and allow staff and administrators to quickly signal a life-threatening or emergency situation requiring a response from the closest law enforcement personnel. This requirement was put in place through passage of Alyssa's Law in 2022.

Emergency Response planning resources are available on New York State Center for School Safety's webpage, including a new video titled, "Seconds Count" that was developed by the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services in partnership with the NYS School Safety Improvement Team to describe school emergency S.H.E.L.L. response procedures. Note that the video is intended for adults and should not be viewed by students.

The State Education Department Office of Student Support Services, in partnership with other state agencies and the State Police will continue to provide guidance and resources in the coming days. If you have questions, please contact us at SafetyPlans@nysed.gov.

Providing a safe and secure learning environment for our children and teachers is our number one priority and we stand ready to help in any way we can.

THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ENCOURAGES NEW YORKERS TO SUBMIT FEEDBACK FOR TRANSGENDER EMPLOYMENT STUDY

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) today announced a call for New Yorkers to submit public comments for its transgender employment study in line with Transgender Day of Visibility. In August, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation directing NYSDOL to conduct a study on the employment rate of transgender New Yorkers. This study will explore disparities in employment experiences between transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals and other residents in New York State. Nationwide studies have found that transgender persons face higher rates of unemployment, workplace discrimination, harassment, and violations. To ensure the study is centered around the voices of the TGNC community, we are asking these New Yorkers to tell us about their employment experiences in New York State.

"I thank Governor Hochul and the New York State legislature for commissioning this report so we can get a better picture of the barriers that the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming community faces,” said New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. “It is essential we hear from those in the community. The feedback we receive through this process will help us better understand the unique challenges that TGNC employees face in the workplace and inform our efforts to ensure equal opportunities and protections for all workers.”

Comments submitted through the portal will provide essential anecdotal data to help NYSDOL assess barriers to full employment faced by TGNC individuals and propose policy solutions. These comments will be part of a larger effort to center TGNC voices in this report through qualitative data gathering.

Submitted comments will be anonymous. However, NYSDOL asks those who feel comfortable doing so to share their age, race, and county to help us collect important demographic data. The portal will provide a blank field for commenters to personalize their gender identity. All information shared is completely confidential and will only be used to inform the study, which will be released later this year.

The public comment portal will be available from March 31 through June 30. In the study, NYSDOL will put forward a set of policy recommendations specifically tailored to the employment needs of TGNC New Yorkers.

Sharing these types of experiences can be difficult and at times triggering. NYSDOL appreciates and values the experiences you share. If you are struggling and need support, there are resources available, including the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.

For LGBTQIA+ resources visit New York State’s Office of Mental Health’s LGBTQIA+ webpage. 

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF DAWN SMALLS TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE BOARD

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the appointment of Dawn Smalls to the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB). The CFB is a nonpartisan, independent city agency that administers one of the strongest, most effective campaign finance systems in the country. Through its rigorous oversight and enforcement efforts, the CFB holds candidates accountable for using public funds responsibly. The CFB publishes detailed public information about money raised and spent in city elections by candidates and independent spenders. The board consists of five members — two mayoral appointees, two appointees from the speaker of the New York City Council, and a chair who is appointed by the mayor in consultation with the speaker — each of whom is appointed to five-year terms.

 

“Dawn Smalls is an exceptional attorney with a track record that highlights her incredible expertise in both law and politics,” said Mayor Adams. “Her service in two presidential administrations gives her a unique insight into government, and her addition to the Campaign Finance Board will undoubtedly further the board’s noble efforts to strengthen accountability in our city’s campaign finance system. I am proud to announce Dawn’s appointment, and I am confident she will help bring integrity to our city’s elections.”

 

“Dawn has been a trusted advisor and lawyer to political campaigns, presidential administrations, and private-sector clients,” said City Hall Chief Counsel Brendan McGuire. “As a member of the Campaign Finance Board, she will call upon her vast public and private sector experience to strengthen the democratic process and to ensure that the board operates with integrity and fairness.”

 

“As big money continues to have an outsized influence on elections, I am honored to join the Campaign Finance Board to oversee one of the strongest public financing systems in the country,” said CFB Board Member Dawn Smalls. “I got to experience it firsthand as a candidate and know how the public financing of elections incentivizes candidates to spend more time speaking to people from the district they seek to represent and more time talking to a variety of constituents, rather than just those with deep pockets. This results in fairer, more democratic elections, and I am proud to bring that experience to the board. I also look forward to working with my fellow board members to engage and educate voters about city elections and candidates and advocate for legislative change to make voting what it should be: secure, efficient, and accessible to all.

 

“Dawn Smalls will be an exemplary member of the Campaign Finance Board, and we are looking forward to working together with her to continue to empower New Yorkers to make a greater impact in New York City’s elections,” said CFB Chair Fredrick Schaffer. “She is an accomplished legal professional with an impressive background in public service that will add great value to our board and the work that we do here at the CFB.”

 

“We are thrilled to have Dawn Smalls joining our team here at the Campaign Finance Board. Dawn’s professional accomplishments and her experience in our program make this appointment powerful in so many ways,” said CFB Executive Director Beth Rotman. “As a former program participant, I know that she will continue to seek out ways that we can improve our robust campaign finance program.”