Comptroller Lander Releases Review of NYC Shelter System, Focusing on Both “Pathways In” & “Pathways Out”

New finding: Dept of Homeless Services denied 80% of family shelter applications in FY22.

Subsidized placements have a 95+% success rate but are increasingly expensive amidst rising housing costs 

The New York City Comptroller’s office undertook a comprehensive review of the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) to examine the challenges in supporting homeless single adults and families at a time when the shelter system is expanding rapidly due to the arrival of asylum seekers, and rents have skyrocketed making permanent housing placements more difficult.  

Far from being an “open door” system, the review found that only 1-in-5 families and only 1-in-10 single adults who presented themselves at one of DHS’ intake centers were deemed eligible for shelter in Fiscal Year 2022. 

During the period under review, the average length of stay in the shelter system far exceeded a year, or two years in the case of adult families, and increased from fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2022 (The review covers FY21 and FY 22, prior to the significant increase in the arrival of asylum seekers). 

The review found that subsidized placements in permanent housing were highly successful. 95% of single adults and 99% of families who secured a placement into supportive housing or NYCHA, or through CityFHEPS or other vouchers succeeded in not returning to the shelter system after a year. However, these placements became scarcer and more expensive as rents skyrocketed over the past year.

Auditors also found that in many cases, DHS failed to adequately track its engagements with chronically homeless people, its efforts to divert people out of the shelter system, the services provided to clients in shelter, and the people returning to shelter over a year later. 

“At a time when rents are skyrocketing and the shelter system is bursting at its seams, we need to focus on what works. That means redoubling our efforts to build affordable and supportive housing, providing subsidies to homeless families to reduce their time in the shelter system, scaling up effective ‘housing first’ programs for people who are sleeping on the street, and helping new arrivals apply for asylum and work authorization so they can move out of shelter on their own,” said Comptroller Brad Lander.  

DHS oversees a network of over 360 contracted shelters– of the contracted shelters: the largest number were in the Bronx and Brooklyn (109), Manhattan had 78, Queens had 62, and Staten Island with only two as of April 2023. DHS directly runs 1 shelter for families with children, 2 for adult families, and 7 for single adults. Single adults make up the largest share of the shelter system, representing 72% of the people in shelter. The average length of stay for adult families is over 28 months, families with children is over 17 months, and single adults is over 16 months. 

Pathways In 

The pathway into shelter is onerous for families, either with children or adults, who face a screening process. DHS only deemed 1-in-5 families with children eligible and 1-in-10 adult families eligible for shelter in FY2022. In February 2022, the New York City Comptroller’s Audit of DHS’ Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing (PATH) intake center found that personnel denied 42% out of 46,200 family applications without adequately investigating housing history.

The shelter system is increasing daily with the population in DHS shelters reaching 81,630 as of July 2023, including asylum seekers. Single adults filed 34.3% of shelter applications, the majority being families.

• While DHS conducted 99,421 outreach engagements and spent $61.4 million in calendar year 2022, DHS does not have a unified system for tracking engagements with street homeless people. 

• • In FY22, DHS placed people in Safe Haven beds 2069 times and in stabilization beds 1311 times.  
  • The average length of stay in Safe Haven was over 400 days, while stay in stabilization beds was 307 days in FY 2022.  
  • To help reduce street homelessness, DHS increased the number of clients in Safe Haven and stabilization beds by over 780 beds in 2022. 

• DHS screens adult families and families with children for shelter eligibility and in FY22: families with children filed 57.8% of applications. DHS deemed only 19% of families with children and 11% of adult families eligible for shelter placement. 

• • From March 2023 DHS Local Law 37 reporting, over 57% of families with children submitted more than 1 application, 7.2% submitted six or more applications; over 61% of adult families submitted more than one application, with 17% submitting six or more applications. 
  • DHS determined 28,014 family with children applications as ineligible; DHS found 23,903 (82%) applications due to an incomplete housing history, failed to cooperate, or did not meet family make up criteria. The rest were ineligible because they had other housing options available, like family, friends, or other means of housing.  
  • Of the 3,627 diversions for families (with children and adults) in FY22, 2907 (80%) occurred pre-application, while 720 (20%) occurred post-application. 

• • DHS does not break out types of diversion strategies or success rate, making it hard to determine positive or negative outcomes.  

Pathways Out 

The review found that 95% of single adults and 99% of families who secured a subsidized housing placement– supportive housing, NYCHA, CityFHEPS, or other vouchers– succeeded in not returning to the shelter system after a year. 

 Pathways out of shelter without any subsidy will become exceedingly more difficult as rent skyrockets, which is currently at a peak of $3,500 per month for a 1-bedroom as of June 2023. In the review, DHS officials pointed to the extremely low supply and high demand for units that are affordable to people currently in shelter as their biggest challenge placing people in permanent housing. 

• DHS placed 12,757 households into permanent housing in FY22, and 14,226 in FY21, a 1,469 decline.  

• • In FY21 and FY22, 76% of the total of 26,983 placements were subsidized. 

• Of those placed in permanent housing, 55% were single adults, who also counted for the highest rate of return. One-in-five single adults who received a housing placement without a subsidy later returned to shelter within a year.
   
• NYCHA placements made up only 8.1% of FY22 subsidized placements, with Emergency Housing Vouchers (either through NYCHA or Department of Housing Preservation) making up another 4.8%.  

• Of those who left shelter, more than half shelter residents (52%) exited the shelter system on their own in FY21.  

• • 68% of street homeless people exited low-entry beds. 
  • 28% of street homeless people exited with a subsidy. 

• Through December 2022, 5805 households received subsidized placement, 77% of them receiving CityFHEPS vouchers.
  
• Only 9% of street homeless people in Safe Haven or stabilization bed obtained supportive housing. 

• • The street homeless individuals with some subsidy, 605 people (75%) exited into supportive housing and 94 (12%) through CityFHEPS in FY21 and FY22. 

• In FY22, 1574 (12%) households found their way to supportive housing.

To read more about the Comptroller’s solution to reducing street homelessness, read the Housing First report released in June 2023.

Read the audit Review of the New York City Department of Homeless Services’ Programs and Services.

Gang Members Convicted of Murder, Federal Racketeering, and Firearms Charges

 

A federal jury in Macon, Georgia, convicted three members of the Gangster Disciples – a national gang with a long history of lawlessness and violence – on Aug. 17 in connection with the murder of three people, as well as various other offenses including drug trafficking, obstruction of justice, and firearm charges.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Philmon Deshawn Chambers, aka Dolla Phil, 34, of Atlanta, who was a Chief Enforcer for the State of Georgia; Andrea Paige Browner, aka Light Brite, aka Drea, aka Shawty, 28, of Athens, Georgia; and Lesley Chappell Green, aka Grip, 35, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, were responsible for three gang-related murders triggered by the murder of a Gangster Disciple member. After that murder, other Gangster Disciples allegedly sought to identify and retaliate against those responsible for the victim’s death. Chambers followed Rodriguez Apollo Rucker to his Athens residence where he shot and killed Rucker, who was a relative of a suspect of the first murder.

“These defendants placed the Gangster Disciples’ rule of revenge above the rule of law. Their days of violence in the name of the Gangster Disciples are now over,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As this case demonstrates, outstanding cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement is vital to dismantling violent criminal enterprises and keeping our communities safe. The Justice Department will not waiver in its commitment to protecting victims of violent crime.”

After learning that police suspected Chambers of Rucker’s murder, Chambers and Browner fled from Georgia to Texas. To cover up this crime and protect the gang, Chambers ordered that fellow gang members he suspected of cooperating with law enforcement, Derrick Ruff and Joshua Jackson, be killed. Green, along with Shabazz Larry Guidry, aka Lil L, aka L, aka Lil Bro, aka Lil Larry, 28, of Decatur, Georgia, and Robert Maurice Carlisle, aka Different, 34, of Lithonia, Georgia, shot and killed Ruff and Jackson and left their bodies in a storage unit in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where they were discovered four months later. 

“Philmon Chambers, Andrea Browner and Lesley Green were Gangster Disciples who engaged in a pattern of violent criminal activity for years, to include three heinous murders; now, justice has been served,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary for the Middle District of Georgia. “Violent gangs, intimidation and murder have no place in our lawful society, and I commend the federal, state and local partners who worked so closely to solve this case of exceptional complexity.”

“Chambers, Browner, and Green are responsible for gang-related acts of murder, retaliation, and other destructive crimes,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Forces are the front line of our efforts protecting communities across the country from violent gangs like the Gangster Disciples. I commend the members of the Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force led by the FBI Athens Resident Agency, as well as our partners in Athens and Gwinnett Counties, for ensuring these violent criminals are taken off the streets of Georgia.”

The jury convicted Chambers, Browner, and Green of racketeer influenced and corrupt organization (RICO) conspiracy. The jury also convicted Chambers and Browner of violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR) murder and federal firearm offenses related to murder. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Chamber and Browner face a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. Green faces a statutory penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Carlisle and Guidry previously pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy.

The FBI Atlanta Field Office, Athens Resident Agency Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, and Gwinnett County Police Department investigated the case.

These cases are being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Justice Department’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SEXUALLY ABUSING GIRL AT DAYCARE CENTER FOR FIVE YEARS, STARTING WHEN SHE WAS FIVE YEARS OLD

 

Jury Convicted Defendant of Course of Sexual Assault Against a Child

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison and 10 years post-release supervision for sexually assaulting a girl from the age of five until she was 11 years old.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant’s heinous acts caused irreversible harm to a little girl who will now suffer for a lifetime. The defendant used his wife’s home daycare business to gain access to the child. No one should ever have to endure such violence and my Office will make sure that anyone who commits such harm against a child will face many years in prison.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Alberto Hernandez, 64, of 2834 Heath Avenue, was sentenced Friday by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Steven Hornstein to 15 years in prison and 10 years post release supervision. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. He was found guilty after a six-week jury trial of first-degree Course of Sexual Assault Against a Child and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

 According to the investigation, between June 1, 2011, and June 30, 2016, Hernandez, whose wife ran the since-closed “Maria’s Daycare” out of their home, abused the now 18-year-old girl, in different areas of the home. The victim had been enrolled in the daycare at nine months old, and her demeanor began changing when she was 5 years old. She reported the abuse approximately three years after attending the daycare, after suffering years of anguish and damage to her mental health.

 District Attorney Clark thanked Detective Crystal Soto of the NYPD Bronx Special Victims Squad for her work on the investigation.

Governor Hochul Advances Transformative Clean Transportation Projects in the Bronx, Reducing Congestion and Improving Public Health

 

Phase Two of $1.7 Billion Hunts Point Access Improvement Project and Shared-Use Path To Be Completed Ahead of Schedule and Under Budget

Enhancements to Bruckner Expressway and Bruckner Boulevard Improve Access to Hunts Point Food Distribution Center and Reduce Congestion

$10 Million Commitment for Zero-Emission School Buses, All-Electric Mobility Options, and EV Charging Stations to Improve Air Quality in Underserved Communities

Unprecedented State Investment in the South Bronx to Support New York State’s Transition to Zero-Emissions Vehicle Infrastructure

Supports Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Goal to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 85 Percent by 2050

 Governor Kathy Hochul today advanced clean transportation and access improvements in the Bronx including a major milestone in the State's transformative, $1.7 billion Hunts Point Access Improvement Project. Phase Two of the project, which rehabilitated key sections of the Bruckner Expressway and Bruckner Boulevard to create a more direct route to the Hunts Point Market, will be completed ahead of schedule and under budget. Governor Hochul also announced a $10 million commitment for clean transportation initiatives in the Bronx. The investments in zero-emission school buses, all-electric mobility options, and electric vehicle charging stations will improve air quality and reduce pollution in an underserved congested area of New York City, which includes disadvantaged communities, historically overburdened by environmental pollution. Today’s announcement supports the State's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050 and the State’s transition to zero-emission vehicles and infrastructure with all new passenger cars, school buses, and trucks sold to be zero-emissions by 2035.

“Our transformative investments in the Bronx are changing the lives of New Yorkers for the better by reducing air pollution, excessive noise, truck traffic, and clogged roadways,” Governor Hochul said. "We’re creating easier and more direct access to Hunts Point while simultaneously investing in our clean transportation future. These combined efforts will enhance the safety and public health of the community and further the tremendous momentum for growth we are seeing in the South Bronx.”

The Bruckner Expressway and Bruckner Boulevard improvements will enhance safety, improve resiliency, and advance New York’s climate goals by easing congestion and reducing truck traffic on local streets. The second phase also added a new shared-use path along Bruckner Boulevard between 138th Street and Barretto Street, to increase recreational opportunities for cyclists and pedestrians. This announcement is part of an unprecedented state investment to enhance infrastructure in the South Bronx and supports the State's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act) goals.

Hunts Point Access Improvement Project

Overseen by the New York State Department of Transportation, the Hunts Point project will provide direct access to the Hunts Point Terminal Market from both the Bruckner Expressway and the new Sheridan Boulevard. The Hunts Point Terminal Market and other produce companies near the facility are a vital economic engine for the Bronx, generating more than $2 billion in annual economic activity. More than 78,000 vehicles travel to the Hunts Point Peninsula daily, including 13,000 trucks using local roads, which has contributed to poor air quality in the community.

Phase Two of the project began in the spring of 2021 and was originally scheduled to be complete in the fall of this year. This phase, which has cost less than the original $518 million contract award, rehabilitated 1.25 miles of the Bruckner Expressway between 141st Street and Barretto Street, widening the roadway and providing new entrance and exit ramps that connect westbound Bruckner Expressway to Leggett Avenue. The ramps provide a direct route between the highway network and the Hunts Point Peninsula, including the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center, reducing truck traffic on local streets.

Additionally, a 1.75-mile section of Bruckner Boulevard between Cypress Ave and Barretto Street was reconstructed, and 15 local intersections upgraded. Improvements include new or upgraded curbs, medians, sidewalks, crosswalks, and traffic signals. A new, 1.5-mile shared-use path provides a connection to the 138th Street bike path heading to Randall's Island, Manhattan, and Bronx River Greenway. Three New York City Park islands were also be improved, with trees planted and a new decorative steel fence added along Bruckner Boulevard.

Today’s announcement builds on Governor Hochul’s announcement last October that Phase One of the project was completed on time and under budget. Phase One provided new and improved access to Edgewater Road in the form of three new ramps: a two-way ramp to Edgewater Road from Sheridan Boulevard and a ramp from eastbound Bruckner Expressway to Edgewater Road. Edgewater Road was also resurfaced, and new traffic signals were installed at Seneca Avenue and Garrison Avenue.

Garrison Park was transformed with a new shared-use path, landscaping, viewing platforms overlooking the river and a formal entrance area with a signalized rail crossing and traffic signal, giving residents safer and more seamless access to the Bronx River. Additionally, a new shared-use path was constructed under the Bruckner Expressway to link the new Garrison Park with the existing Concrete Plant Park, with five security cameras installed along the new path to enhance safety for pedestrians and bicyclists while connecting to the Bronx River Greenway.

The Bronx River Avenue viaduct was also rehabilitated, and more than 15,000 square feet of community "Bronx River Open Space" was created under the viaduct. The project also replaced the eastern span of the Bryant Avenue pedestrian bridge over Amtrak/CSX rail lines. In addition, Phase One replaced four bridges that carry the Bruckner Expressway and Bruckner Boulevard over Amtrak/CSX rail lines.

The third and final phase, which is ongoing, will remove a notorious bottleneck by reconstructing the Bruckner Expressway/Sheridan Boulevard interchange and relocating the entrance ramp to northbound Sheridan Boulevard from the left side of the highway to the right side. The addition of a third lane in each direction of the Bruckner Expressway and the replacement of the Bryant Ave Pedestrian Bridge, both of which were started in earlier phases of the project, will also be completed. Additionally, the intersection of Hunts Point Avenue and Bruckner Boulevard will be reconstructed to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety. New signing and pavement markings will also be installed to better direct auto, truck and pedestrian traffic within the Hunts Point Peninsula.

Additionally, a new 117-spot parking lot with 24 electric vehicle charging stations, including four rapid charge spots to better accommodate electric vehicles, will be constructed under the Bruckner Expressway and help enhance air quality in the South Bronx. The project is on schedule to be completed in the fall of 2025.

$10 Million Commitment for Clean Transportation

Programs to fulfill today’s $10 million announcement will be implemented under current and future funding opportunities available later this year through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the New York Power Authority (NYPA), and the New York State Department of Public Service (DPS).

NYSERDA will allocate $3 million from Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) auction proceeds and the State's 10-year, $6 billion Clean Energy Fund to help implement all-electric mobility options that connect residents to transit by investing in innovative, community-identified solutions and demonstration projects. The programs will build on previous innovative transportation initiatives to build electrification and mobility options, such as the New York Clean Transportation Prizes funded through the Public Service Commission (PSC). The additional clean transportation funding opportunities for the Bronx and disadvantaged communities throughout New York State will be available through the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, which includes $500 million to help school districts transition to zero-emission buses.

NYPA will dedicate $2 million under its EVolveNY initiative, a high-speed, open-access charging network that has installed fast chargers in key locations along primary travel corridors and in urban areas to make it easier for more New Yorkers to drive EVs.

DPS anticipates $1 million in EV Make-Ready incentives could be leveraged to support a total of 1,400 kW of fast charging at two locations.

Building upon the clean transportation funding commitments, the state also announced the adoption of final regulations requiring all new passenger cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs sold in New York State to be zero emissions by 2035. The Advanced Clean Cars II rulemaking supports New York's ambitious efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels, as outlined in the Climate Act. The regulation requires an increasing percentage of new light-duty vehicle sales to be zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) each year, starting with 35 percent ZEV sales in model year 2026, leading to 100 percent ZEV sales by 2035. The rules also include revised pollutant standards for model year 2026 through model year 2034 passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles with internal combustion engines. In addition, Advanced Clean Cars II provides manufacturers with flexibility to meet the emission requirements and help advance a successful transition to cleaner vehicles.

New York was one of the first states to adopt Advanced Clean Cars II in 2022. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) implemented the rule through an emergency rulemaking while the regulations were available for public review and comment. DEC received more than 4,400 public comments and held a virtual public comment hearing in March. The final regulations for these requirements and the Heavy-Duty Low Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Omnibus and Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas standards will appear in the New York State register on Wednesday, Aug. 23.

New York State's $1 billion investment in electrifying its transportation sector is vital to meet the State's sweeping climate and clean energy plan. Reducing carbon emissions and pollution from vehicles creates cleaner air and healthier communities, particularly in underserved areas. A range of initiatives grow access to electric vehicles and improve clean transit for all New Yorkers including EV Make Ready, EVolve NY, the Drive Clean Rebate, the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program (NYTVIP), and federal funding under the NEVI Program.

News, updates and more from NYC Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr.

 

BRENDA K. STARR LIGHTS UP THE BRONX!
 

We Still Believe!

The Bronx turned out to see the legend herself Brenda K Starr headline the third night of our ‘52 Park Salsa Concert Series’!

Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy some Salsa in the Park with Team Salamanca, Freddy Perez, Jr., NY State Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, Acacia Network, Bronx Community Board 2, and Brenda K. Starr!

*****
 

¡BRENDA K. STARR ILUMINA EL BRONX!
 

¡Todavía creemos!

¡El Bronx vio a la leyenda misma Brenda K Starr encabezar la tercera noche de nuestra '52 Park Salsa Concert Series'!

Gracias a todos los que vinieron a disfrutar de un poco de Salsa in the Park con el Equipo Salamanca, Freddy Perez, Jr., el Senador del Estado de Nueva York Luis R. Sepúlveda, el Departamento de Parques y Recreación de la Ciudad de Nueva York, Acacia Network, Bronx Community Board 2, y Brenda K. Starr!

UPCOMING EVENTS '52 PARK SALSA CONCERT SERIES   I am proud to be partnering with the Acacia Network, Freddy Perez, Jr. and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to bring the 2023 ‘52 Park Salsa Concert Series’ to the Bronx this August. Our fourth concert will be this WEDNESDAY, August 23rd, featuring BORICUA LEGENDS. I hope to see you all there! *Please make a note of all dates listed on the flier for specific artist performance dates* ***** SERIE DE CONCIERTOS DE SALSA DEL '52 PARQUE    Me enorgullece asociarme con Acacia Network, Freddy Pérez, Jr. y el Departamento de Parques y Recreación de la Ciudad de Nueva York para traer la Serie de Conciertos de Salsa en  el Parque '52 en el Condado del Bronx este mes de Agosto del 2023. Nuestro cuarto (4to) concierto será este MIÉRCOLES 23 de Agosto con BORICUA LEGEND. ¡Espero verlos a todos ustedes allí! *Tome nota de todas las fechas enumeradas en el volante para las fechas de presentación de artistas específicos* Visit our District Office at:  1070 Southern Boulevard Bronx, New York 10459 (718) 402-6130 salamanca@council.nyc.gov

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES NEW EXPANSION OF POPULAR “BROADWAY VISION” PLAN

 

Building on Improvements Completed This Spring, Adams Administration’s Broadway Vision Will Extend South From East 21^st Street to Union Square

 

Public Outreach Starting Today to Design Pedestrian, Cyclist, Safety, Public Space Improvements for Stretch of Iconic Corridor

 

Project Delivers on Commitments in Mayor Adams’ “Working People’s Agenda” and “New” New York Action Plan

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced a new phase of the Adams administration’s popular Broadway Vision plan to connect Manhattan’s Flatiron District to Union Square. Today, DOT is launching public outreach to design pedestrian, cyclist, and public space improvements along Broadway from East 21^st Street down to Union Square at East 17^th Street. The new phase follows a project — announced in March and completed quickly in June — to deliver similar upgrades with expanded outdoor dining between Madison Square and Herald Square, just north of the new project area, with additional improvements coming from East 21^st Street up to East 33^rd Street.

 

The project, once again, builds on a key commitment in Mayor Adams’ “Working People’s Agenda,” which included a $375 million investment to create extraordinary new public spaces across the city and will help fund further improvements along Broadway from West 21^st Street to West 33^rd Street. The administration has marked milestones in other major public space projects through that investment this year, including Broadway Junction in Brooklyn and the Arches in Lower Manhattan. This phase of Broadway Vision also builds on “Making New York Work for Everyone,” the action plan put together by the “New” New York panel that Mayor Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul convened in 2022.

 

“Broadway Vision is more than a project — it’s a new way of looking at how this iconic street can serve New Yorkers and support our city’s comeback,” said Mayor Adams. “Just north of this new phase, New Yorkers are walking and biking safely, eating meals outside, and visiting local businesses, thanks to the work our team delivered in just three months. This next phase of Broadway Vision will provide the same kind of vibrant public spaces connecting Union Square and Flatiron, just like our administration is doing with incredible success across the entire city.”

 

“Broadway Vision has become the crown jewel of vibrant, attractive public space transformations in the city,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “We’re excited to start the next round of public engagement to continue the momentum for a pedestrian-forward Broadway from Union Square to Herald Square and beyond.”

 

“We are so proud of the work the Adams administration has already completed this past year as we transformed Broadway north of the Flatiron, where pedestrians, cyclists, and those who love outdoor dining together find a quieter, safer, and more welcoming street,” said DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “As we now begin to look south toward Union Square, we want all stakeholders in this vital community — residents, business owners, office workers, and other street users — to come out and provide feedback on the design changes they would like to see in this next phase.”

Broadway north of Madison Square, part of the Broadway Vision phase completed earlier this year.

Credit: New York City Department of Transportation

DOT will kick of engagement sessions along Broadway this week. Additional opportunities for input will be offered with Union Square Partnership and local partners to transform this portion of this iconic street with major improvements. As part of the process, DOT will explore the possibility of a new two-way bike boulevard to improve cyclist and pedestrian safety.

 

The Broadway Vision project seeks to reclaim and transform public spaces along the storied Manhattan boulevard — from Columbus Circle to Union Square. The project includes expanded outdoor dining, shortened crossings and wider crosswalks to enhance pedestrian safety, curb extensions and narrower turns to calm traffic, reconfigured curb lanes to facilitate loading and pickups/drop offs, and additional public space and cycling amenities like seating, planters, new Citi Bike stations, as well as additional bike parking. The project, once again, builds on a portion of Mayor Eric Adams’ $375 million commitment to create new public spaces, detailed in his 2023 State of the City address.

 

Initial Broadway Vision public survey sessions will take place as follows:

• Monday, August 21, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Broadway & East 20^th Street
• Wednesday, August 23, 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Union Square Greenmarket
• Friday, August 25, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Broadway & East 17^th Street 

DOT will host additional public sessions and community outreach in the coming months. Accessibility accommodations are available by contacting PublicSpace@dot.nyc.gov.

 

“Transforming the public realm into a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly environment is a key factor in supporting retailers, and we applaud the city’s efforts to prioritize the community’s needs as development on the Broadway Vision plan progresses,” said Julie Stein, executive director, Union Square Partnership. “The city’s investment in this next phase of Broadway is an important step towards realizing the USQNext Vision Plan to further enhance the quality of life for residents, workers, and visitors in Union Square, and we look forward to building off of the momentum from the Broadway Vision to bring these necessary public realm improvements to fruition.”

 

“DOT’s recent Broadway Vision treatments enhanced safety and created vibrant outdoor dining experiences in NoMad that have helped bolster our district’s economic vitality,” said James Mettham, president, Flatiron NoMad Partnership. “We look forward to engaging with residents, business and property owners, visitors, and other neighborhood stakeholders on Broadway Vision’s expansion southward to better connect Flatiron and Union Square.”

 

New Yorkers Encouraged to Attend Aug. 22 Bond Act Listening Session in the Bronx

 

Register for Event at La Central YMCA and Learn More at NY.GOV/BONDACT

New York State agency leadership and staff are hosting a Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act listening session in the Bronx on Tuesday, Aug. 22, from 6 to 8 p.m., at La Central YMCA Gymnasium, 434 Westchester Ave. The $4.2 billion Bond Act approved by voters last year was the largest environmental measure on the ballot nationwide in 2022 and marks the largest Bond Act in New York history and the first since 1996. The 10 in-person and virtual educational listening tour opportunities culminate on Aug. 24 on Long Island as part of the State's commitment to a collaborative and transparent process in the way Bond Act funds are delivered.

The Bronx listening session will provide an opportunity for the public and potential funding applicants to learn more about the Bond Act and for the community to weigh in on the draft eligibility guidelines being developed to identify potential projects. The session will feature a presentation on the Bond Act and an opportunity for one-on-one discussion with State experts. The meeting is open to the public.

State agencies, local governments, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders will be able to access Environmental Bond Act funding over a multi-year process. An inter-agency working group is currently identifying needs for environmental funding across the state and developing program logistics for Bond Act implementation. The educational listening tour engages stakeholders and other interested New Yorkers and provides an opportunity to learn about the types of projects the Bond Act can support, while beginning discussions about eligibility guidelines to create or enhance existing programs to advancing funding. All proposed eligibility guidelines are released for a public comment period, as noted in the current opportunity available to guide at least $500 million in funding for zero-emission school buses and infrastructure.

New Yorkers interested in learning more about the Bond Act can find general information about the $4.2 billion landmark initiative at the Bond Act website: www.ny.gov/BondAct. The site includes general information about state and federal funding programs, State funding opportunities currently available to assist with infrastructure improvements that complement the objectives of the Bond Act, and recordings of the two virtual listening sessions.

The State also created a new web-based survey as part of ongoing efforts to involve stakeholders and all New Yorkers during the Bond Act rollout. The survey is not a formal funding application, but instead helps users share potential project ideas and other feedback on the State's funding mechanisms to help collect feedback about the types of projects communities may be seeking to support with Bond Act resources. Entries will be collected until Sept. 15, 2023.

To register for this session or the Long Island session on Aug. 24, go to www.ny.gov/BondAct.

D.A. Bragg Announces Prison Sentence Of North Carolina Gun Trafficker Who Sold To Undercover Officer

 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., announced the sentencing of ZAQUAN GAILLARD, 34, to 7 1/2 years in state prison for trafficking more than 10 guns from North Carolina to New York City from December 2021 to June 2022. GAILLARD pleaded guilty to one count each of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree and Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Second Degree on June 6, 2023.   

“Zaquan Gaillard funneled firearms into our city, which could have fallen into the wrong hands had it not been for the brave work of undercover detectives,” said District Attorney Bragg. “It is far too easy to traffic guns through the iron pipeline. We will continue to aggressively prosecute traffickers, and I urge the federal government to take comprehensive action to cutdown on the availability and flow of firearms into our communities.”    

The Manhattan D.A.’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Unit and the NYPD’s joint investigation included obtaining a court-authorized eavesdropping warrant to intercept calls, along with examining GPS location data. 

As admitted in his guilty plea, the sales took place in broad daylight in the undercover agent’s car at either 149th Street and Convent Avenue or 149th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Eight of the guns recovered were “Taurus” or “SCCY” models, which are two of the most prevalent firearms used in New York City gun crimes. GAILLARD also sold two additional firearms to the undercover right before he was arrested. 

GAILLARD spoke to multiple suppliers, who acquired firearms in North Carolina and sold them to him. In addition, GAILLARD would travel to South Carolina to purchase firearms at pawnshops himself. Conversations picked up on the wiretap revealed that GAILLARD failed at least one background check when attempting to purchase firearms in South Carolina. 

Once in possession of the weapons, GAILLARD texted photos of the firearms to the undercover agent and then negotiated a price and date for the sale. Calls intercepted on the wiretap revealed that GAILLARD would often sell firearms for up to twice the price he paid to acquire them. 

GAILLARD drove the weapons up from North Carolina to the sale point. After completing the sale, he would almost immediately return to North Carolina. 

D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD and the Firearms Investigation Unit, including Chief Christopher McCormack, Inspector Brian Gill, Captain Jeffrey Heilig, Lieutenant Michael Raso, Sergeant Brian Manning, Sergeant James Lundy, Detective Juan Rodriguez, who investigated the case while battling cancer, Detective Adam Conlin, and the undercover detectives.