Affordable Housing Lottery Launches For 1182 Ogden Avenue In Highbridge, The Bronx

 The affordable housing lottery has launched for 1182 Ogden Avenue, a seven-story residential building in Highbridge, The Bronx. Designed by Tan Architect and developed by Fabian Ramirez under the 1174 Ogden LLC, the structure yields 21 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are seven units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $73,715 to $165,230.

Amenities include rooftop terrace, laundry in the building, elevator, security cameras, and parking. Units come equipped with energy-efficient appliances and hardwood floors. Tenants are responsible for electricity.

At 130 percent of the AMI, there are seven one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $2,150 for incomes ranging from $73,715 to $165,230.

1182 Ogden Avenue in Highbridge, The Bronx via NYC Housing Connect

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than September 12, 2023.

Department of City Planning Announces Multiagency “Walkshops” Along the Cross Bronx Expressway

 

These public walking tours are the latest in the City’s ongoing collaboration to tackle negative impacts of the highway while promoting residents’ health and well-being. 

The events will take place in several Bronx neighborhoods throughout September and October. 

Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Dan Garodnick announced a series of “walkshops” with the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) as part of the community-driven study to reimagine the Cross Bronx Expressway. These walking tours will offer opportunities for the public to look at existing conditions around and underneath the highway as we study ways to reconnect communities divided by it and improve public health.  

“For too long, the Cross Bronx Expressway has been a destructive divider of communities. These walkshops will give New Yorkers an opportunity to witness and speak to the on-the-ground conditions and harmful impacts the Cross Bronx Expressway has on those who live and work nearby. I encourage everyone to join us for these tours and get involved in planning for a healthier, cleaner, and safer future for the Bronx,” said DCP Director and City Planning Commission Chair Dan Garodnick. 

“These walkshops are perfectly named opportunities for the communities along the Cross Bronx Expressway to directly observe the issues that contribute to our re-envisioning of the span,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “I encourage everyone to sign up for these events to be held in September and October as the City moves forward with the community-driven study to improve these neighborhoods in an equitable way.”  

“Working directly with New Yorkers to support healthier neighborhoods is the key to making our entire city a healthier place,” said Dr. Ashwin Vasan, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. “Walkshops are an opportunity to continue learning from the most credible experts we have – who are community members.  The health Department has been proud to work with partner agencies and community members on this important process and look forward to seeing how these initiatives shape a new Cross-Bronx Expressway corridor.” 

“The Cross-Bronx Expressway walkshops, led by the Department of City Planning, give Cross-Bronx corridor residents a say in how the city rethinks infrastructure,” said Victoria Cerullo, Acting Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice. “This project results from the tireless commitment of environmental justice advocates who have long called attention to the expressway’s health and safety impacts. These participatory walkshops will elevate solutions to improve both open space and public health, which are interconnected.” 

These walkshops all take place on Saturdays at 10 am in September and October, with each of them lasting around one-and-a-half hours and led by city agencies, community organizations, and elected officials. Covering multiple neighborhoods, the tours will examine conditions in the west, central, and east portions of the expressway.

RSVPs are required for each of these events. 

On Sept. 9, the walkshop will start at Bridge Playground and end where the expressway meets Jerome Avenue. Taking place in the west Bronx neighborhoods of Morris Heights, Highbridge, Mt. Eden, this tour will walk by playgrounds and bridges along the corridor.    

On Sept. 23, the walkshop will start at Prospect Playground and end at Webster Avenue, providing an opportunity to walk over a covered portion and under an elevated portion of the expressway. This tour will cover the central Bronx neighborhoods of Crotona and Claremont. 

On Oct. 7, the walkshop will start at Hugh J. Grant Circle and end at Devoe Avenue. Taking place in the east Bronx neighborhoods of Parkchester and Unionport, this tour will walk near the Bronx River intersection and Noble Playground. 

The outreach series will conclude with three simultaneous events on Oct. 14. These include a bicycle tour starting at the intersection of University Avenue and Ogden Avenue by Bridge Playground, a Spanish-language tour starting at the intersection of E 174th Street and Webster Avenue, and an event for those with limited mobility at Prospect Playground. 

Funded by a $2 million U.S. Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant submitted by DOT, DCP, DOHMH, and NYSDOT, this planning effort will identify strategies to lessen the negative health and safety impacts of expressway, explore opportunities for new open space, and reconnect communities north and south of the current highway. 

Constructed largely in the 1950s and 1960s, the Cross Bronx destroyed the homes of tens of thousands of residents in the borough. With an average of 300 diesel trucks using the roadway every hour and tens of thousands of cars per day traveling in each direction, the 220,000 New Yorkers who live near the highway are regularly exposed to elevated levels of noise and air pollution as well as excessive heat. Communities in the Bronx experience elevated rates of respiratory disease, including asthma, and other chronic disease. The Cross Bronx also has some of the highest crash and fatality rates. Between 2014 and 2018, an average of 159 injuries occurred each year on streets adjacent to the expressway. 

Riverdale Summer Social - RMSA & Frida Tacos

Your Are Invited to RMSA's Summer Social

Frida Tacos

5786 Mosholu Avenue

Thursday, August 24th

6p to 8p

We're proud of our local businesses & plan events to show our support for their vital contribution to Riverdale!

Find out more on Instagram @rmsabx 

RSVP here.

Help Us Beautify!

As an all volunteer organization, RMSA relies on 
community members.

Every other week until September, we need volunteers for watering, weeding, clean up and occasional planting.
Join our Streetscape Committee or volunteer when you can!

Justice Department Secures Title IX Agreement Addressing Campus Sexual Assault and Harassment with Case Western Reserve University

 

University Will Implement Major Reforms to Address Sex Discrimination

The Justice Department announced an agreement with Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio, to resolve a federal investigation under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 into the university’s response to complaints of student-on-student and employee-on-student sexual harassment. Under the agreement, CWRU will undertake campus-wide reforms so that students can attend school and participate in Greek life programming free from sex discrimination, including sexual assault, sex-based stalking and retaliation for filing complaints of sex discrimination.

“All students should be able to participate in college life without being subjected to sex discrimination. Far too often, students on our nation’s college and university campuses face stalking, harassment or sexual assault,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When sex discrimination rears its head, universities must respond appropriately to stop the misconduct and provide support so that the student can safely participate in school activities and complete their educational pursuits. This agreement would not have been possible without the many current and former student survivors who came forward and courageously shared their stories. We hope this agreement sends a message to the higher education community about the actions that must be taken to ensure that campuses are safe for all students.”

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office takes sex discrimination allegations such as these very seriously. The agreement provides not only for increased training but also for revised policies and procedures along with increased efforts at campus engagement and internal monitoring to address such matters proactively,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “This settlement sends a strong message that sexual harassment on college campuses will not be tolerated, and the measures in the agreement will help protect current and future students. We acknowledge and commend the students from CWRU whose efforts shined a light on this issue, and we look forward to working with CWRU to implement this important agreement.”

The department’s investigation, which was conducted jointly by the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, focused on CWRU’s response to student complaints and hundreds of social media reports alleging sexual harassment on campus and a hostile environment in Greek life. One quarter of CWRU’s undergraduate population participates in the university’s 10 sororities and 16 fraternities. The department’s investigation concluded that, among other things, CWRU did not respond appropriately to a well-known climate of sexual harassment in its Greek life program. Further, CWRU employees did not report sexual harassment complaints to the office tasked with responding to such allegations and providing students with support and resources. 

CWRU fully cooperated during this investigation. The agreement requires CWRU to undertake extensive reforms, including:

• Publicizing Title IX policies and protocols and developing user-friendly materials so the CWRU community knows how to report concerns regarding sex discrimination and access resources to address it;
• Delivering comprehensive annual training for all students and employees;
• Implementing new policies, protocols and well-designed trainings to reform the university’s Greek Life programming;
• Providing students who experience sex discrimination with resources to prevent disruptions to their education;
• Funding the women’s center, Office of Greek Life and University Health and Counseling Services, as needed, to support students affected by sex discrimination; and
• Conducting outreach and analyzing trends to strengthen prevention and response to sex discrimination on campus.

A summary of the agreement can be found here. 

Individuals with information related to CWRU’s compliance with Title IX are encouraged to contact the  Justice Department at 1-866-432-0339 or Outreach.CWRU@usdoj.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report/.

Protecting students from harassment and other discrimination is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the Educational Opportunities Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.

Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Ohio is available on its website at www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh.

Former Employee Of NFT Marketplace Sentenced To Prison In First-Ever Digital Asset Insider Trading Scheme

 

Nathanial Chastain Traded on Inside Information About NFTs That Were Scheduled to Be Featured on the Homepage of the Largest NFT Marketplace

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that NATHANIAL CHASTAIN, a former product manager at Ozone Networks, Inc. d/b/a OpenSea (“OpenSea”), was sentenced today to three months in prison in connection with a scheme to commit insider trading in Non-Fungible Tokens, or “NFTs,” by using confidential information about which NFTs were going to be featured on OpenSea’s homepage for his personal financial gain.  CHASTAIN was previously convicted at trial of wire fraud and money laundering.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Nathanial Chastain faced justice today for violating the trust that his employer placed in him by using OpenSea’s confidential information for his own profit.  Today’s sentence should serve as a warning to other corporate insiders that insider trading – in any marketplace – will not be tolerated.”

According to court filings and statements made in court:

As part of his employment, CHASTAIN was responsible for selecting NFTs to be featured on OpenSea’s homepage.  OpenSea kept confidential the identity of featured NFTs until they appeared on its homepage.  After an NFT was featured on OpenSea’s homepage, the price buyers were willing to pay for that NFT, and for other NFTs made by the same NFT creator, typically increased substantially.  In violation of the duties of trust and confidence he owed to his employer, OpenSea, CHASTAIN exploited his advanced knowledge of what NFTs would be featured on OpenSea’s homepage for his personal financial gain.

From approximately June to September 2021, CHASTAIN used OpenSea’s confidential business information about what NFTs were going to be featured on its homepage to secretly purchase dozens of NFTs shortly before they were featured.  After those NFTs were featured on OpenSea, CHASTAIN sold them at profits of two- to five-times his initial purchase price.  To conceal the fraud, CHASTAIN conducted these purchases and sales using anonymous digital currency wallets and anonymous accounts on OpenSea.

In addition to the prison term, CHASTAIN, 31, of New York, New York, was sentenced to three months of home confinement, three years of supervised release, a $50,000 fine, and ordered to forfeiture the Ethereum he made trading the featured NFTs. 

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

Congressman Adriano Espaillat - CONSTITUENT UPDATE: STUDENT DEBT RELIEF!

 

At the end of June, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s plan to cancel up to $20k in student loan debt for 43 million people. 97% of student loan borrowers are low- and middle-income Americans, and 90% of the total relief from this plan would have gone to those making under $75,000.

It was a terrible decision – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t options for relief. President Biden has announced that he will be using the Higher Education Act to try once again to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers, and I’m going to keep working in Congress to get this done. In fact, President Biden recently announced that the Department of Education would forgive loans for 804,000 borrowers who held a total of $39 BILLION in student debt.

Here's the good news: there are still opportunities to have some or all of your student debt cancelled.

There are four types of income-driven repayment plans that you may be eligible for: 

1) Revised Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan (REPAYE Plan)

2) Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan (PAYE Plan)

3) Income-Based Repayment Plan (IBR Plan). With this plan, your payments could be as low as $0/month depending on your income!

4) Income-Contingent Repayment Plan (ICR Plan)

You can figure out which of these plans is best for you by using this loan simulator.

President Biden has also finalized his new Saving on A Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. It makes sure that no borrower who makes less than $15 an hour will have to make any student loan payments. It will also make sure that interest doesn't pile up and increase your debt amount, and that your spouse's income can't be used to drive up your payment amount.

You'll be able to sign up for the SAVE Plan later this summer. If you need relief sooner, you can sign up for the REPAYE plan now, and the Department of Education will automatically move you over to the SAVE Plan once it's up and running. Learn more about the SAVE Plan here. 

I've heard so many stories from across our district about the weight of these student loans. They're keeping people from starting families, buying a home, building a business, or just being able to make ends meet. That's why I wanted to share the details about these plans with you — there are options available now to give you and your family more breathing room. If you have any questions or need help signing up for these programs, please reach out to my office at any time. 

I'm honored to be your representative in Congress, and I will continue fighting for full student debt cancellation for individuals and families who call New York's 13th congressional district home. 

Sincerely,

Adriano Espaillat
Member of Congress.

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

 

Dear Neighbor,

 

Thank you for joining us for another week in review. 

Yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a plan to advance transportation projects in the Bronx, in an effort to reduce congestion and improve public health in the Bronx. For decades, Bronxites have suffered the effects of congestion and poor air quality. We are grateful to have partners in Albany who prioritize the health and wellness of our borough.

Last week, we joined with Congressman Ritchie Torres, the Bronx Economic Development Corporation and Business Initiative Corporation of New York to announce a $10 million loan fund for our Bronx small businesses. The loans will range from $5,000 to $350,000 for payroll, inventory purchases, new equipment and other things that could be vital to our Bronx businesses. $5,000 to $350,000 could be the difference between a business staying open or permanently shutting its doors. Our Bronx is a borough of promise and opportunities but none of that is possible without our small businesses. For more information, click here.

Lastly, while Queens made history with the unveiling of Trinidad and Tobago Street in recognition of our Trinbagonian community, we also made history in the Bronx with the appointment of Adela Livingston as the thirteenth United States Postal Service (USPS) postmaster of the Bronx and the first Trinidadian woman to hold the position. Congratulations to Adela! We cannot wait to see all that she accomplishes. 

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

We joined with Congressman Ritchie Torres, BxEDC, BICNY and Empire State Development at Bronx Kreate Hub to announce a $10 Million loan program for our Bronx businesses!

Historically, the Bronx has been overlooked and suffered the consequences of decades of disinvestment; but fulfilling a promise from our State of the Borough, together we will ensure that the funds are distributed equitably amongst our Bronx small business owners. Our small businesses have shown up for us and now it’s time to show up for them.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible!

  

We celebrated 50 years of Roberto Clemente State Park!

Named after famed baseball player and the first Latino-American Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, the park has served the Bronx with a recreation building, swimming pool, a playground, ball fields, basketball courts, biking areas and a beautiful waterfront!

Thank you to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and parks advocates for all that you do to maintain and advocate for our state parks.

We would not be the borough that we are today without our amazing nonprofits. They work tirelessly each day to provide vital services for our communities and we are forever grateful for their partnership in supporting the residents and families of the Bronx.

Thank you, Councilmember Althea Stevens, The Bronx Community Foundation, New Settlement and SUYO Gastrofusion for your partnership in hosting this year's National Nonprofit Day event. I look forward to our continued work together supporting and advocating for our nonprofit workers.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Permanent Injunction and $650,000 Civil Penalty Imposed on Experian Consumer Services for Allegedly Sending Commercial Emails Without Providing Consumers the Ability to Opt Out of Future Emails, in Violation the CAN-SPAM Act

 

The Justice Department, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), today announced that ConsumerInfo.com, Inc. dba Experian Consumer Services (Experian), has agreed to a permanent injunction and a $650,000 civil penalty as part of a settlement to resolve alleged violations of the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN-SPAM Act), the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Rule (CAN-SPAM Rule), and the Federal Trade Commission Act. The CAN-SPAM Act and Rule require senders of commercial emails to notify the recipients of such emails of their right to opt-out of future emails and to provide an opt-out mechanism. Experian shares a parent company, Experian PLC, with Experian Information Solutions Inc., which offers credit information, analytical tools and marketing services.

The case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, involves emails Experian sent to consumers who had created free Experian accounts to control third-party access to their credit reports. Account holders may “freeze” their credit reports to make them inaccessible to identity thieves and legitimate potential creditors such as banks. They can also “unfreeze” their credit reports when they require a credit check, for example, to finance a expensive purchase. The complaint asserts that Experian sent its account holders millions of commercial emails promoting additional Experian services. These emails asked the consumer to confirm whether a car that Experian had associated with the user’s account was theirs, offered a service aimed at boosting the user’s credit score, and advertised a free scan of the dark web. The emails did not give the recipients notice that they could opt-out of future such emails or provide any opt-out mechanism, violating the CAN-SPAM Act and the CAN-SPAM Rule. The complaint alleges that these emails implied that they contained important information about the recipient’s account, even though they were commercial in nature. The government received many consumer complaints that these emails contained no opt-out mechanism.

The stipulated order, entered by the federal district court yesterday, enjoins Experian from sending commercial emails that do not provide notice that the recipient may opt-out of receiving such emails in the future or an opt-out mechanism. The order also enjoins Experian from otherwise violating the CAN-SPAM Act. Under the order, Experian is also subject to a civil penalty judgment of $650,000. 

“Consumers have the right to opt-out of email advertising that they do not want,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to enforcing the CAN-SPAM Act and preventing senders of commercial emails from falsely describing those emails as providing account updates or other transactional information in order to circumvent the opt-out requirements.”

“Signing up for a membership doesn’t mean you’re signing up for unwanted email, especially when all you’re trying to do is freeze your credit to protect your identity,” said Director Samuel Levine of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “You always have the right to unsubscribe from marketing messages, and the FTC takes enforcing that right seriously.”

“It is critical that consumers have the ability to opt-out of unwanted commercial emails, and such emails should not be misleading in any way,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “This permanent injunction and civil penalty will provide relief to consumers and help to prevent future violations of the CAN-SPAM Act.”

For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit www.FTC.gov