MAYOR ADAMS, HPD, AND NYPL CELEBRATE MILESTONE IN GRAND CONCOURSE LIBRARY PROJECT TO BUILD 100 PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, CREATE NEW, STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY

 

After Working with Local, Community Stakeholders, HPD and NYPL Release Request for Proposals to Advance Bold, Forward-Looking Vision to Build More Critically-Needed Affordable Housing 

  

First Announced in Mayor Adams’ Fourth State of the City Address, Today’s Milestone Builds on Adams Administration’s ‘City of Yes for Families’ Proposal to Make New York City Best, Most Affordable Place to Raise a Family +

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Adolfo Carrion Jr., and New York Public Library (NYPL) President and CEO Anthony W. Marx today announced their search for a development partner to create a brand-new state-of-the-art library with 100 percent affordable housing at the Grand Concourse Library in the Bronx. HPD and NYPL’s competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) marks a significant milestone in the project, as the Adams administration continues to work to explore any and all space to build critically needed affordable housing across the five boroughs. First announced in Mayor Adams’ fourth State of the City address earlier this month, today’s news builds on the Adams administration’s “City of Yes for Families” proposal to make New York City the best, most affordable place to raise a family.  

  

“To make New York City the best place to raise a family, we have to build affordable housing that surrounds families with everything they need to thrive in our city — and the Grand Concourse Library is that exact kind of project,” said Mayor Adams. “The Grand Concourse Library will provide 100-percent affordable housing and a newly-renovated, state-of-the-art facility that’s just blocks away from a public park and health care facility — a model for the kind of thoughtful, holistic housing project our city is capable of building. We aren’t stopping there. Our administration will continue to build even more affordable housing and ensure that we are a ‘City of Yes for Families.’” 

  

“NYPL and HPD’s call for a Grand Concourse ‘living library’ illustrates just what it means to bring a community-centered approach for planning for the future,” said New York City Executive Director for Housing Leila Bozorg. “I thank everyone who came out to lend their ideas during the extensive community visioning process for this competition, and I’m excited to see how respondents propose to turn those visions into a new beacon of education, safety, and community in the Bronx.” 

  

“We can solve the housing crisis and we can enrich neighborhoods — it just takes creativity, unwavering dedication to our communities, and more efforts like the Grand Concourse Library project," said HPD Commissioner Carrion Jr. "Together, with the New York Public Library and the Bronx community, we’re transforming a 65-year-old library branch into a modern, vibrant library alongside new affordable apartments. We’re not just here to stem a crisis, we’re here to create homes and make life better for all New Yorkers.” 

  

“The new Grand Concourse branch will provide patrons with a state-of-the-art library and the Bronx with more housing options amid a city-wide housing shortage,” said NYPL President and CEO Marx. “This corner of the Bronx is full of dedicated library patrons and the new branch will offer greater access to books, technology, and programs that help this neighborhood thrive. We are happy to continue our productive partnership with the city to improve branches and add to the city’s housing supply.” 

  

Within the City of Yes for Families proposal is the “Living Libraries” initiative. Living Libraries focuses on jointly developing new libraries and housing, such as the Grand Concourse Library project, to support families in New York City. The library is across the street from the Claremont BronxCare campus and near Claremont Park, a perfect location and set of amenities for New Yorkers trying to raise a family. The brand-new library will be located on the first and second floors of the new building with affordable housing built above. The RFP instructs development teams to assume a rezoning of the library site to maximize the number of affordable homes that can be built above the new library. 

  

The community engagement phase of the RFP was announced in 2024 as part of Mayor Adams’ 2024 State of the City “24 in 24” plan to advance 24 development projects on public sites to create or preserve over 12,000 units of housing, which the city ultimately ended up surpassing.   

  

When preparing their submissions, development teams are strongly encouraged to consult the Grand Concourse Community Visioning Report, which summarizes the engagement takeaways for both the library and affordable housing components of the project. Since the project was announced in April 2024, HPD’s Office of Neighborhood Strategies and NYPL have engaged the community to identify top priorities for the library and affordable housing portions of the new development, culminating in a report-back presentation delivered to Bronx Community Board 4. Engagement efforts included: 

  

• A project website and questionnaire which received 270 responses. 

• Bilingual promotional materials. 

• Several tabling events at the library and throughout the neighborhood in partnership with local schools and community-based organizations. 

• A community visioning workshop held at the Grand Concourse Library in June 2024. 

• Multiple meetings with Community Board 4 and local elected officials. 

• Email blasts to the HPD project email list of over 200 subscribers and the NYPL Grand Concourse Library patron list of over 5,900 subscribers. 

  

This RFP is open to all interested developers, from January 29th until May 2nd  For specific details on requirements, evaluation criteria, and how to participate, candidates should refer to the Grand Concourse Library and Affordable Housing RFP. RFP submissions will be evaluated based on the quality and feasibility of the proposals in addition to how well they respond to the community’s vision. The existing branch will remain open to serve the public until construction begins. 

  

The Grand Concourse Library project is the latest in a series of state-of-the-art library redevelopments with affordable housing in collaboration with the city’s library system. This follows the recently opened Inwood Library, which is part of a development with 174 affordable homes, and the new Sunset Park Library in a development with 49 affordable homes. Co-located libraries are an essential initiative within the Adams administration’s “Women Forward NYC: An Action Plan for Gender Equity” — a more than $43 million investment aimed at making New York City a national leader on gender equity — to support the needs of families. For more information on the Grand Concourse Library project, visit the project website. 

  

Mayor Adams had made historic investments toward creating affordable housing and ensuring more New Yorkers have a place to call home over the last three years. In June 2024, City Hall and the City Council agreed on an on-time, balanced, and fiscally-responsible $112.4 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Adopted Budget that invests $2 billion in capital funds across FY25 and FY26 to HPD and the New York City Housing Authority’s capital budgets. In total, the Adams administration has committed a record $26 billion in housing capital in the current 10-year plan as the city faces a generational housing crisis. In July 2024, Mayor Adams announced back-to-back record breaking years in both creating and connecting New Yorkers to affordable housing. This past spring, the city celebrated the largest 100 percent affordable housing project in 40 years with the Willets Point transformation.  

  

Further, the Adams administration is using every tool available to address the city’s housing crisis. Mayor Adams announced multiple new tools, including a $4 million state grant, to help New York City homeowners create accessory dwelling units that will not only help them to afford to remain in the communities they call home, but also to build generational wealth for their families. In August 2023, Mayor Adams announced the issuance of Executive Order 43, requiring city agencies to review their city owned and controlled land for potential housing development sites.  

  

Mayor Adams and members of his administration also successfully advocated for new tools in the 2024 New York state budget that will spur the creation of urgently-needed housing. These tools include a new tax incentive for multifamily rental construction, a tax incentive program to encourage office conversions to create more affordable units, lifting the arbitrary “floor-to-area ratio” cap that held back affordable housing production in certain high-demand areas of the city, and the ability to create a pilot program to legalize and make safe basement apartments.    

  

Additionally, under Mayor Adams’ leadership, the city is fulfilling its 2024 State of the City commitment to build more affordable housing, including by creating the Tenant Protection Cabinet to coordinate across agencies to better serve tenants. The city has also taken several steps to cut red tape and speed up the delivery of much-needed housing, including through the “Green Fast Track for Housing,” a streamlined environmental review process for qualifying small- and medium-sized housing projects; the “Office Conversion Accelerator,” an interagency effort to guide buildings that wish to convert through city bureaucracy; and other initiatives of the Building and Land Use Approval Streamlining Taskforce.   

 

State Labor Department Releases Preliminary December 2024 Area Unemployment Rates

 

The New York State Department of Labor today released preliminary local area unemployment rates for December 2024. Rates are calculated using methods prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The State’s area unemployment rates rely in part on the results of the Current Population Survey, which contacts approximately 3,100 households in New York State each month. To recap last week’s statewide press release, New York State’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held constant at 4.4% in December 2024.

Local Area Unemployment Rates* (%)

December 2023 and December 2024

(Not seasonally adjusted)

The data in the preceding table are not seasonally adjusted, which means they reflect seasonal influences (e.g., holiday and summer hires). Therefore, the most valid comparisons with this type of data are year-to-year comparisons of the same month, for example, December 2023 versus December 2024. Labor force data for the current month are preliminary and subject to revision as more information becomes available the following month. Revised estimates for prior months are available at: https://dol.ny.gov/local-area-unemployment-statistics Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, for New York and every other state are based on statistical regression models specified by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These are the most up-to-date estimates of persons employed and unemployed by place of residence. Estimates are available for New York State, labor market regions, metropolitan areas, counties and municipalities with population of at least 25,000.

Unemployment Rates By County,

New York State,

December 2024

Jobs and Unemployment Fact Sheet This fact sheet conveys important technical information that will contribute to a better understanding of labor force data (“household survey”), including resident employment/unemployment rates, and jobs by industry data (“business survey”), which are presented in the New York State Department of Labor’s monthly press release. State Unemployment Rates Based on Regression Model Beginning with data for January 1996, unemployment rates for New York State and all other states (as well as New York City and the City of Los Angeles) have been estimated using time-series regression statistical models developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Advantage of Regression Model Use of a time-series regression model reduces the month-to-month variation in unemployment rates and resident employment by reducing variation caused by sampling errors and other components of statistical noise (irregularities). Benchmarking of Estimates Once each year, labor force estimates, such as civilian labor force and the unemployment rate, are revised to reflect updated input data including new Census Bureau populations controls, newly revised establishment jobs data and new state-level annual average data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). As part of this procedure, all state figures are reviewed, revised as necessary and then re-estimated. This process is commonly referred to as “benchmarking.” Changes in Methodology Labor force estimates are now produced with an improved time-series regression model, which utilizes “real-time” benchmarking. “Real-time” benchmarking reduces end-of-year revisions, which also means that major economic events will be reflected in a more timely manner in state labor force estimates. In addition, the new methodology includes an updated way of estimating for sub-state areas (e.g. counties, metro areas) the number of unemployed who are new entrants or re-entrants into the labor force. This change in methodology will result in lower unemployment rates in some areas and increased rates in others. Unemployed and UI Beneficiaries The estimate of the number of unemployed includes all persons who had no employment during the reference week (the week including the 12th of the month), were available for work, except for temporary illness, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the reference week. Unemployment insurance (UI) beneficiaries include those who apply for and qualify for UI benefits. Consequently, the estimate of the number of unemployed and the number of UI beneficiaries do not necessarily move in tandem. Jobs Data Jobs data are obtained from a separate joint federal-state survey of business establishments. The survey, called the Current Employment Statistics of Establishments, samples establishments in New York State. It excludes self-employed workers, agricultural workers, unpaid family workers and domestic workers employed by private households. This data represents a count of jobs by place of work. Data for each month is revised the following month as more complete information becomes available. The New York State Department of Labor is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program.

Assemblymember John Zaccaro - FREE Food Giveaway Friday, February 7th

 

Friends, 

Join me Friday, February 7th, for a FREE food giveaway at Brady Court Community Center. See our flyer below for details. 

 

When: Friday, February 7, 2025

Time: 1:00PM

Where: Corner of Holland Ave and Antin Pl.  

 

Please remember supplies are limited and this is a first come, first serve basis. Looking forward to seeing everyone on Friday afternoon. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

John Zaccaro Jr. 

New York State Assembly 

80th Assembly District 

MAYOR ADAMS’ STATEMENT ON HOMELAND SECURITY OPERATION IN NYC LAST NIGHT

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams released the following statement on a federal criminal operation early this morning led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and supported by other federal agencies, as well as the New York City Police Department (NYPD) as authorized under law: 

  

“Early this morning — as it regularly does as part of a multi-agency task force — our city coordinated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on a federal criminal investigation involving a suspect hiding in New York City. Beforehand, I directed the NYPD to coordinate with DHS’ Homeland Security Investigations and other federal law enforcement agencies — as allowed by law — to conduct a targeted operation to arrest an individual connected with multiple violent crimes, both here in New York and in Aurora, Colorado, including burglary, kidnapping, extortion, firearms possession, menacing with a firearm, crime of violence, and other charges. As I have repeatedly said, we will not hesitate to partner with federal authorities to bring violent criminals to justice — just as we have done for years. Our commitment to protecting our city’s law-abiding residents, both citizens and immigrants, remains unwavering.” 

Kucoin Pleads Guilty To Unlicensed Money Transmission Charge And Agrees To Pay Penalties Totaling Nearly $300 Million

 

Danielle Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that PEKEN GLOBAL LIMITED (“PEKEN”), a Seychelles-based entity that, since at least September 2019, has operated KuCoin, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, pled guilty to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.  KuCoin flouted U.S. anti-money laundering laws by failing to implement effective anti-money laundering (“AML”) and know-your-customer (“KYC”) programs designed to prevent KuCoin from being used for money laundering and terrorist financing, failing to report suspicious transactions, and failing to register with the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”).  In connection with this guilty plea, PEKEN agreed to pay monetary penalties totaling more than $297 million.  PEKEN further agreed that KuCoin will exit the U.S. market for at least the next two years, and that two of KuCoin’s founders, Chun Gan, a/k/a “Michael,” and Ke Tang, a/k/a “Eric,” who were indicted along with Peken in March 2024, will no longer have any role in KuCoin’s management or operations. 

U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “For years, KuCoin avoided implementing required anti-money laundering policies designed to identify criminal actors and prevent illicit transactions. As a result, KuCoin was used to facilitate billions of dollars’ worth of suspicious transactions and to transmit potentially criminal proceeds, including proceeds from darknet markets and malware, ransomware, and fraud schemes.  This guilty plea and penalties show the cost of refusing to follow these laws and allowing unlawful activity to continue.” 

According to admissions and court documents, KuCoin was founded in or about September 2017. Since its founding in 2017, KuCoin has become one of the largest global cryptocurrency exchange platforms, with more than 30 million customers and billions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency in daily trading volume.  Between in or about September 2017 and in or about March 2024, the date of the Indictment, KuCoin served approximately 1.5 million registered users who were located in the U.S., and earned at least approximately $184.5 million in fees from those U.S. registered users.

KuCoin’s exchange platform allows registered users to place orders for spot trades in cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others, and orders for derivative products, including futures contracts, tied to the value of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.  As a result of its operation of this business, KuCoin has, at all relevant times, been a money transmitting business required to register with FinCEN and reported suspicious transactions.  As a money transmitting business, KuCoin was required to comply with applicable Bank Secrecy Act provisions requiring maintenance of an adequate AML program, including conducting KYC processes.  AML and KYC programs ensure that financial institutions, such as KuCoin, do not become havens for money laundering and other criminal actors.

Despite these obligations and its substantial presence in the U.S. market, KuCoin failed to implement an adequate KYC program.  Indeed, until at least July 2023, KuCoin did not require customers to provide any identifying information.  KuCoin employees repeatedly stated on public social media sites that KYC was not mandatory on KuCoin, including in response to posts from customers who had identified themselves as being in the U.S.  It was only in August 2023 that KuCoin adopted a mandatory KYC program for new customers and existing customers who wanted to continue to actively participate in KuCoin’s services.  However, KuCoin did not impose this necessary KYC process on existing customers that wanted to continue to use KuCoin’s services only to withdraw or close positions, which it was required to do.  KuCoin also never registered with FinCEN as a money transmitting business or filed any required suspicious activity reports.

As a result of KuCoin’s failure to maintain the required AML and KYC programs, KuCoin was used to transmit billions in suspicious transactions and potentially criminal proceeds, including proceeds from darknet markets and malware, ransomware, and fraud schemes.

The department also agreed to defer prosecution against KuCoin’s two indicted co-founders, Gan and Tang, for a period of two years.

In addition to the guilty plea, PEKEN, a Seychelles-based entity, also agreed to criminally forfeit $184.5 million and pay a criminal fine of approximately $112.9 million.  Additionally, Gan and Tang have each agreed to forfeit approximately $2.7 million in funds received as a result of KuCoin’s operations in the U.S.

Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding investigative work of the El Dorado Task Force in the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations and assistance provided by HSI Pretoria, South Africa.

Governor Hochul Announces Record Attendance at State Parks

2024 Statewide Attendance Hits 88.3 Million, Exceeding Previous Record Set in 2023 by 4 Million

Parks’ Centennial and Eclipse-Viewing Gatherings, Governor’s Free Swimming Initiatives Contributed to 12th Consecutive Year of Increased Attendance

Governor’s Unplug and Play Strategy Encourages Even More Healthy Recreation for New York Families

Park Attendance Data Available Here

Governor Kathy Hochul announced state parks, historic sites, campgrounds and trails operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) saw a record 88.3 million visits in 2024. Total visits statewide surged by over four million, which is a five percent increase compared to the previous record year in 2023. These numbers reflect Governor Hochul's commitment to expanding access to parks and outdoor recreation, including her investment in the park system’s 100th anniversary last year, the 2024 total solar eclipse viewing events that broke state tourism records, and her free swimming initiatives.

“This new attendance record is a result of our commitment to expanding opportunities for residents and visitors alike to enjoy safe, healthy recreation, whether it’s through swimming, hiking, camping, or gathering to take in our world-class vistas, beaches and waterfalls,” Governor Hochul said. “We are fortunate that our state parks offer a much-needed break from the addictive digital landscape many are exposed to, and with my “Unplug and Play” strategy, we are going to make sure even more New Yorkers and future generations have access to phenomenal recreational facilities in their state parks and in their own communities.”

Over the last two decades, State Parks’ attendance has climbed steadily, increasing 66 percent, with last year marking the 12th consecutive annual increase. Contributing to this surge in visitation was the New York State park and historic site system’s Centennial in 2024. The year-long celebration honored influential figures and milestone moments in State Parks’ development and gave the agency an opportunity to connect with local communities across the state by hosting dozens of Centennial-themed events.

On April 8, State Parks hosted a range of events and activities to celebrate the rare total solar eclipse that passed through western New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Adirondacks. Governor Hochul was one of 45,000 visitors who experienced the celestial event at Niagara Falls State Park. The eclipse brought record-setting tourism numbers in New York from April 6 to April 9 of last year.

Governor Hochul’s free swimming initiatives fortified the new record. Prior to the July 4 weekend last year, Governor Hochul removed swimming pool entry fees at State Parks for the entire summer. Through Labor Day, pool attendance increased 36 percent, with over 542,000 people visiting a State Park pool. Twenty-two facilities hosted free swimming lessons, tripling the number of facilities from previous years and teaching over 2,000 students how to swim.

Camping continued to be an in-demand offering at State Parks in 2024 with 2,206,986 campers pitching their tents at New York’s state park facilities. With more than 226,000 reservations, those campers spent a collective 753,731 nights under the stars while providing a boost to local economies.

The New York State Parks Wellness Challenge  was launched Jan. 1 to encourage both mental wellness and outdoor recreation while also educating residents and visitors on wellness-focused activities within State Parks in 2025. The challenge was designed to align with Governor Hochul’s efforts to encourage New Yorkers to get off their devices and enjoy the outdoors. The challenge includes 50 missions that can be completed at various State Parks. Once participants finish 25 of the available 50 missions, they will receive a commemorative sticker and postcard mailed to their address as a prize.

Governor Hochul’s Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget proposes $200 million for State Parks to invest in and aid the ongoing transformation of New York’s flagship parks and support critical infrastructure projects throughout the park system. The Governor’s new Unplug and Play initiative also earmarks $100 million for construction and renovation of community centers through the Build Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids and Seniors (NY BRICKS), $67.5 million for the Places for Learning, Activity and Youth Socialization (NY PLAYS) initiative helping New York communities construct new playgrounds and renovate existing playgrounds; and an additional $50 million for the Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) initiative supporting municipalities in the renovation and construction of swimming facilities.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 88 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit  parks.ny.gov, download the free  NY State Parks Explorer app  or call 518-474-0456. Connect with them on  Facebook,  Instagram,  X (formerly Twitter), the  OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

NYS GAMING COMMISSION NAMES MARION PHILLIPS, III AND GREG REIMERS TO GAMING FACILITY LOCATION BOARD

 

The New York State Gaming Commission (Commission) unanimously appointed Marion Phillips, III and Greg Reimers as members of the New York Gaming Facility Location Board (Board), which is overseeing the commercial casino siting process in the New York Metro region.

“We are proud to appoint these consummate professionals to the Gaming Facility Location Board,” said Commission Chair Brian O’Dwyer. “The Board’s important work of selecting up to three casino proposals will have a lasting impact on our state and Mr. Phillips and Mr. Reimers have the expertise and experience to conduct thorough evaluations of the projects. I thank them and the entire Gaming Facility Location Board for their ongoing work and service to New York State.”

Marion Phillips, III, serves as the Senior Vice President for Community Development and DEI at U.S. News & World Report. Prior to joining U.S. News, Phillips served as the Senior Vice President of Community Relations at New York State’s Empire State Development, managing development projects that included serving as the Chair of Queens West Development Corporation, President of the Atlantic Yards Community Development Corporation and Chief Administrative Officer of the New York Empowerment Zone Corporation. In addition, Phillips oversaw the Harlem Community Development Corporation as well as its Community Affairs department. Phillips earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mass Communications from Lamar University and a Master of Divinity from New York Theological Seminary.

Greg Reimers is a retired real estate finance executive who recently completed a long real estate banking career as a Managing Director and Market Manager at JPMorgan Chase.  He previously served as an Executive Vice President at The Bank of New York.  In each role he was responsible for managing large teams of real estate professionals who provided the Bank’s real estate clients with commercial banking services and real estate related credit. He is a 1983 graduate of Villanova University, holding a bachelor’s in economics.

Phillips and Reimers join Chair Vicki Been and Stuart Rabinowitz and Carlos Naudon on the Gaming Facility Location Board.

The Board is ultimately responsible for reviewing and evaluating casino applications and recommending up to three facilities for licensure. To learn more about the Board and the casino siting process, visit nycasinos.ny.gov