MAYOR ADAMS, NYC HEALTH + HOSPITAL PRESIDENT AND CEO DR. KATZ, PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR AVILES-RAMOS CELEBRATE OPENING OF 16 NEW MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS IN NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

 

NYC Health + Hospitals-Staffed School-Based Clinics Serve More Than 6,000 New York City Public Schools Students Across Bronx and Central Brooklyn 

  

Builds on Adams Administration’s $5 Million Mental Health Continuum Partnership, Which Serves More Than 20,000 Students  

  

Part of Adams Administration’s “Mental Health Week,” Highlighting City’s Multi-Agency Efforts to Connect New Yorkers with Mental Health Services  

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Dr. Mitchell Katz, and New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos today continued “Mental Health Week ” by celebrating the opening of the 16th school-based mental health clinic, fulfilling a promise Mayor Adams made last year to help bring mental health services to more than 6,000 students in New York City Public Schools across the Bronx and Central Brooklyn. The NYC Health + Hospitals-staffed clinics offer students access to individual, family, and group therapy, with connections to outpatient clinics and telehealth services as needed. Additionally, teachers and school staff have access to mental health clinic staff for consultation, trainings, and workshops to ensure students are appropriately supported and referred to care. Schools also receive support so they can respond to mental health crises without contacting 911 unnecessarily and avoid needless emergency room visits and hospitalizations. This week, the Adams administration is celebrating “Mental Health Week,” highlighting the city’s multi-agency efforts to support New Yorkers in addressing mental health, ranging from serious mental illness to expanding resources to underserved communities, and advancing Mayor Adams’ 2025 State of the City commitment to make New York City the best place to raise a family. 

  

“Every day, we hear from New Yorkers that mental health is a major issue, especially for our city’s youth, which is why our administration continues to gather the resources that our young people need. As we mark ‘Mental Health Week’ and highlight the city’s multi-agency efforts to support New Yorkers,’ we’re celebrating the opening of our 16th school-based mental health clinic, which will bring in-person services to more than 6,000 students at public schools in the South Bronx and Brooklyn,” said Mayor Adams. “These clinics offer individual, family, and group therapy on a face-to-face level, and will enable teachers to get training to ensure students are fully supported. These are places where our children know they have a support system they can rely on, whether they need a little bit of support, or a lot of care.”  

  

“We know that improving access to care means we must go beyond our hospital walls and offer innovative mental health programs in our schools and in the community to effectively meet the mental health needs of our young people,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Dr. Katz. “We are proud of opening all 16 satellite clinics, which provide our students with timely access to clinical mental health services, both inside of schools and at outpatient clinics. Our goal is to provide youth with mental health services where they need them the most, and today’s announcement celebrates our progress as we continue to increase access to care.” 

  

“I am so honored to join the Bronx community as we celebrate the opening of our 16th school-based mental health clinic, a crucial step in expanding access to vital support for our students. Through this longstanding partnership with DOHMH and NYC Health + Hospitals, we are ensuring every that student has the resources they need to succeed,” said Public Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos. “This clinic adds to our growing network of over 200 mental health clinics, primary care services, and partnerships with more than 130 community organizations, all backed by our dedicated team of guidance counselors and social workers. We are committed to fostering an environment where mental health is truly prioritized alongside academic achievement and as a core pillar of student safety and wellbeing.” 

  

The 16 new satellite clinics expand on the five existing mental health clinics that NYC Health + Hospitals already utilizes in the city’s public schools. The new school-based mental health clinics are funded with $3.6 million from the Adams administration’s Mental Health Continuum, a $5 million partnership between NYC Health + Hospitals, New York City Public Schools, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and Advocates for Children announced as part of the Adams administration’s mental health agenda: “Care, Community, Action: A Mental Health Plan for New York City.” The clinics also received $700,000 in grants from the New York state Office of Mental Health through the Mental Health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitative Service Program. 

  

In addition to the 16 new school-based satellite clinics, an additional 34 schools have access to rapid referrals for evaluation and treatment directly into NYC Health + Hospitals’ outpatient mental health clinics. In total, this program serves over 20,000 students across 50 schools in the South Bronx and Central Brooklyn. 

  

New York City Public Schools prioritizes its mental health resources through a wide breadth of initiatives, hosting 215 school-based mental health clinics, with 20 more set to open this year, access to care through school-based primary care clinics, partnerships with more than 130 community-based organizations, and thousands of guidance counselors and social workers based in schools across the city. 

  

The 16 schools that now host mental health clinics were identified through an ongoing collaborative and data-driven effort to identify schools with the highest needs across the city, particularly schools without on-site mental health services or community partnerships with mental health clinics. This model aims to meet the needs of students with significant mental health needs in the schools and neighborhoods with the highest rates of school interventions, suspensions, and chronic absenteeism. 

  

NYC Health + Hospitals opened mental health satellite clinics in the following schools: 

 

The Bronx 

•   Mott Hall III 

•   Port Morris School of Community Leadership 

•   PS 035 Franz Siegel 

•   PS 063 – Author’s Academy 

•   PS 277X 

•   PS X140 The Eagle School 

•   South Bronx Preparatory 

  

 Brooklyn 

•   All City Leadership Secondary School 

•   Brighter Choice Community School 

•   The Brooklyn Green School 

•   Evergreen Middle School for Urban Exploration 

•   Kappa V: Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy 

•   MS K394 

•   Parkside Preparatory Academy 

•   PS 041 Francis White 

•   PS/IS 384 Frances E Carter 

  

The Adams administration has taken repeated actions to tackle the youth mental health crisis and has made it a key focus of his administration. New York City Public Schools has devoted significant resources to combatting students' addiction to social media and the many resulting harms, including by responding to cyberbullying occurring outside of class, providing counseling for anxiety and depression, and developing curricula about the effects of social media and how to stay safe online. 

  

In March 2023, the Adams administration launched “Care, Community, Action: A Mental Health Plan for New York City,” a mental health plan focused on improving the mental health of children and young people. Following the plan's release, the city convened more than 150 advocates, researchers, technologists, mental health providers, community-based organizations, and caregivers, in partnership with New York City youth, to lay out potential pathways for action to protect the mental health of children and youth. The convening provided the recommendations that built the foundation for the city’s Social Media Action Plan, announced in February 2023, that outlined New York City's commitment to protecting the mental health of young New Yorkers and empowered them to use these technologies in ways that are less harmful.  

  

In November 2023, Mayor Adams launched “NYC Teenspace,” a free tele-mental health service available to all New York City teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 years old at no cost. In the first six months after launching, 6,800 teenagers already signed up for the service with young people in underserved neighborhoods leading in utilizing the program and 80 percent of users identifying as Black, Hispanic, Asian American and Pacific Islander, bi-racial or Native American. The launch and early success of NYC Teenspace delivers on a key commitment from Care, Community, Action.  

  

Additionally, last year, Mayor Adams announced a lawsuit against companies that operate five social media platforms — TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube — for their roles in fueling a nationwide mental health crisis among young people, joining hundreds of school districts from across the country in filing litigation seeking to force tech giants to change their behavior and to recover the costs of addressing this public health threat. Mayor Adams also announced a Health Commissioner’s Advisory, identifying unfettered access to and use of social media as a public health hazard, just as past U.S. surgeons general have done with tobacco and firearms, and recommended parents delay initiation of social media for their child until at least age 14. 

  

Alongside the Adams administration’s focus on mental health, Mayor Adams also launched “HealthyNYC,” an ambitious plan to extend the average lifespan of all New Yorkers. HealthyNYC addresses the greatest drivers of premature death and sets bold targets to extend the average life expectancy of New Yorkers to 83 years by 2030, with gains across racial and ethnic groups. HealthyNYC aims to accomplish this by, among other initiatives, expanding access to culturally-responsive mental health care and social support services, including early intervention for communities of color and LGBTQIA+ youth, as well as addressing the impact of social media on youth mental health and suicidal ideation to reduce suicide deaths.

FOUR INDIVIDUALS INDICTED IN DEED FRAUD SCHEME

 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that four individuals and three companies were indicted on charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, conspiracy and other crimes for allegedly stealing three homes from their rightful owners in the neighborhoods of Kew Gardens Hills, Queens Village and Jamaica Estates. Carl Avinger, Autumn Valeri, Lawrence T. Ray and Torey Guice surrendered today and were arraigned for their alleged roles in the deed fraud scheme that included falsifying documents and filing false deeds with the City Register’s office from March to July 2023.

District Attorney Katz said: “Property ownership is a fundamental right and my office works to protect that right in this borough. As alleged, the defendants acted in concert to target properties for theft, forge documents, file false instruments and ultimately steal homes from the rightful owners. My Housing and Worker Protection Bureau investigates and prosecutes bad actors who often think they can get away with stealing the most valuable asset of Queens residents. Thank you to my prosecutors, detectives and analysists for their work on this case.”

Avinger, 42, of 202nd Street in St. Albans, Valeri, 41, of Commack, NY, and Ray, 38, of 127th Avenue in Jamaica, were arraigned today on a 47-count indictment charging them with grand larceny in the first degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the first degree, conspiracy in the fourth degree, criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, identity theft in the first degree, falsifying business records in the first degree, offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree, grand larceny in the second degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the second degree and scheme to defraud in the first degree.

Guice, 40, of Roselle, NJ, was arraigned on the same indictment charging him with grand larceny in the second degree, conspiracy in the fourth degree, criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, identity theft in the first degree, falsifying business records in the first degree and offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree.

Supreme Court Justice Leigh Cheng ordered the defendants to return to court on April 29. Defendants Ray and Valeri face a potential maximum sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison, if convicted of the top count. Defendant Avinger faces up to 12 1/2 to 25 years and defendant Guice faces up to five to 15 years.

DA Katz said that, according to the indictment and investigation, on or about April 10, 2023, Avinger and Valeri – who is a licensed real estate agent – acting in concert with two others, filed a false document with the New York City Department of Finance. It recorded the deed transfer of a home on 208th Street in Queens Village from a 76-year-old woman, who is the rightful owner, to Shuler Management LLC, owned by Ray. One of the purported signatures on the deed was of a former co-owner who died in 2016. The notary signature on the transfer was also found to be fraudulent.

On or about April 28, 2023, Avinger and Valeri, acting in concert with Ray, filed a false document with the New York City Department of Finance recording a deed transfer of a home on 61st Road Kew Gardens Hills from a mother and daughter, who are the rightful owners, to Kubick Ray Kubick LLC, which is owned by Ray. The signatures on the deed were forged to represent the signatures of both the mother and the daughter, who confirmed that they never signed the document. The notary signature on the transfer was also found to be fraudulent.

In May 2023, the 61st Road home was sold to a third party for $600,000 and a fraudulent marriage certificate with the name of one of the victims and driver’s license for the other victim, along with forged corporate documents, was provided by the defendants to the title company. Approximately $442,000 in sale proceeds was wired to a TD Bank account owned by Ray’s LLC.

The third party who purchased the property has since filed a civil suit against the victims claiming legal rights to the home. The District Attorney’s office successfully utilized RPAPL 756-A, signed into law in November 2023, to stay the civil proceeding to quiet title of a property that is the subject of a pending deed fraud investigation.

On or about May 4, 2023, the defendants, acting in concert with two others, filed a false document with the New York City Department of Finance recording a deed transfer of a home on Kendrick Place in Jamaica Estates from an 82-year-old woman, who is the rightful owner, to Castaneda Ray Family LLC, owned by Ray. The signature on the deed was forged to represent the signature of the owner, who confirmed that she never signed the document. The notary signature on the transfer was also found to be fraudulent.

The four defendants surrendered to the Queens District Attorney’s detectives earlier today.

The investigation was conducted by Assistant District Attorney Rachel Stein, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Housing and Worker Protection Bureau, with assistance from Detective Thomas Kaup of the District Attorney’s Detective Bureau, under the supervision of Sergeant Richard Lewis, under the overall supervision of Chief Investigator Robert LaPollo.

Former Long Island Business Owner Charged with Orchestrating $22 Million Health Care Fraud, Kickback and Money Laundering Scheme

 

Defendant Took Advantage of Elderly Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union to Solicit Bribes from Health Care Providers and Defraud Medicare of Millions of Dollars

At the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, today an indictment was unsealed charging Oleg Beretsky with conspiring to commit health care fraud, violating the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and money laundering conspiracy.  Beretsky was arrested this morning in Naples, Florida.  He will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.

John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York,  Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the arrest and charges.

“As alleged, elderly individuals trusted the defendant to help them with their health care decisions.  Rather than look out for the interests of some of the most vulnerable members of our community, he sold access to those who trusted him to the highest bidder,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “The defendant compounded his crimes by encouraging doctors and health care providers who became part of his scheme to cheat Medicare by billing for work that was not needed or never performed. My Office is committed to protecting both patients and taxpayers from this terrible form of greed.”

Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to HSI’s Fort Myers, Florida, office and the New York City Police Department for their assistance on the case.

“Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute can divert much-needed federal health care program funds and corrupt the medical decision-making process,” stated HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Gruchacz.  “HHS-OIG works diligently with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations that owners and other providers engage in fraud schemes that prioritize greed over the provision of appropriate health care services to patients.”

“The defendant and his co-conspirators are accused of pocketing more than $12 million while exploiting the unknowing, innocent public, including victims from immigrant communities,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.  “As alleged, he took advantage of people with whom he had forged relationships — only to manipulate them into using certain doctors and services for his lucrative benefit.  HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force is unmatched in its ability to draw from the strengths and equities of all partners involved, with one unified goal being the safety and security of Americans. I commend our partners, including HHS-OIG, IRS-CI, NYPD and HSI’s Fort Meyer’s personnel, for placing the wellbeing of the public above all else.”

“Millions of dollars were stolen from the American benefits system, and Oleg Beretsky is charged with the crime.  He's accused of taking advantage of a vulnerable population and funneling stolen Medicare money into his and his co-conspirators' pockets. IRS-CI is charged with securing trust in the American financial system and actively investigates anyone looking to make a quick buck by stealing from the American public,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Chavis.

As alleged in court filings, from January 2017 to April 2024, Beretsky and co-conspirators engaged in a health care fraud, kickback and money laundering scheme.  Beretsky was the owner of Obest, Inc., a company in Plainview, New York, that purported to provide health care professionals with billing, consulting and support services.  In reality, Obest’s principal business consisted of referring elderly Medicare patients to doctors and other health care professionals in exchange for kickbacks and bribes.  Many of these patients were immigrants from the former Soviet Union, who Beretsky identified through an employee of a nonprofit social service agency that provided housing and other services to senior citizens in Brooklyn and Queens. Beretsky cultivated relationships with many of these patients, which he used to gain control over decisions regarding their health care providers.  Beretsky then used that control to ensure that only doctors and other providers—including social workers, pain specialists and diagnostic companies—who were willing to pay him would have access to the patients.  On at least one occasion, Beretsky threatened a patient who wanted to continue seeing a provider who had stopped paying illegal kickbacks to the defendant.

The fee charged by Beretsky was typically based either on how many patients Beretsky referred to the provider or how much Medicare reimbursed the provider for services purportedly rendered to the patients.  To generate more fees for himself and his co-conspirators, Beretsky often encouraged or directed providers to bill Medicare for patients who did not need the services those providers rendered, and in some cases, services that were not rendered at all.  In total, doctors and providers who participated in Beretsky’s scheme billed more than $22 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare.  Of that more than $22 million, Medicare paid more than $12.4 million in claims, which was distributed to Beretsky and his co-conspirators.  To hide the illegal source of funds Beretsky received from the conspiracy, Beretsky frequently directed co-conspirators to pay his relatives in cash and transferred money to multiple accounts held in the names of his family members.

The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charges, Beretsky faces up to up to 20 years in prison on the money laundering conspiracy count; up to 10 years each on the health care fraud conspiracy and kickback counts; and up to five years on the kickback conspiracy count.

Release of Body Worn Camera Footage from an Officer Involved Shooting that Occurred on February 18, 2025 in the confines of the 111th Precinct

 

The NYPD is releasing body-worn camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that occurred on February 18, 2025, in the confines of the 111th Precinct.

The video includes available evidence leading up to the incident as well as during the incident. The NYPD is releasing this video for clear viewing of the totality of the incident.

All NYPD patrol officers are equipped with body-worn cameras. The benefits of cameras are clear: transparency into police activity, de-escalation of police encounters and accountability for police officers, through an independent account of interactions between the police and the citizens they serve. Body-worn cameras serve as a vital part of ongoing efforts to increase trust between the police and all New Yorkers.

You can find the video here

Release of Body Worn Camera Footage from an Officer Involved Shooting that Occurred on February 18, 2025 in the confines of the 7th Precinct

 

The NYPD is releasing body-worn camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that occurred on February 18, 2025, in the confines of the 7th Precinct.

The video includes available evidence leading up to the incident as well as during the incident. The NYPD is releasing this video for clear viewing of the totality of the incident.

All NYPD patrol officers are equipped with body-worn cameras. The benefits of cameras are clear: transparency into police activity, de-escalation of police encounters and accountability for police officers, through an independent account of interactions between the police and the citizens they serve. Body-worn cameras serve as a vital part of ongoing efforts to increase trust between the police and all New Yorkers.

You can find the video here

Governor Hochul and Congressman Tonko Announce More Than $270 Million in Funding to Build and Preserve More Than 1,800 Affordable Homes Across New York

Funding Will Support Construction and Preservation of 28 Affordable Housing Developments Statewide that Provide Supportive Services and Further Local Economic Development Initiatives

Governor Supports Passing Legislation in Washington To Expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit To Create More Housing  

Builds on Governor Hochul’s Commitment To Address New York’s Housing Crisis by Increasing the Housing Supply; 5-Year Plan to Build or Preserve 100,000 Affordable Units Statewide Continues Ahead of Schedule

Governor Kathy Hochul and Representative Paul Tonko today announced more than $270 million has been awarded through the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and subsidies to create or preserve more than 1,800 affordable, supportive, and sustainable homes in 28 separate developments across New York State. The awarded projects will expand or preserve the housing supply in every region, upgrade and modernize public housing, further local economic development initiatives, and include energy efficient features that advance the State's climate goals. The funding is part of Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year Housing Plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

“Solving New York’s housing crisis comes down to one simple strategy: building more housing,” Governor Hochul said. “These critical federal resources make it possible for us to provide New Yorkers with new opportunities to access affordable, modern, sustainable homes that also provide access to childcare, supportive services, and the amenities that individuals and families need to thrive.”

The federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is a powerful tool to incentivize the creation of housing and address a crisis that impacts people of all ages and phases of life throughout New York. That’s why Governor Hochul supports legislation in Washington to expand the program and make it even more effective. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act will potentially increase allocations to finance the development of two million new affordable units nationally over ten years and more than 100,000 units in New York State.

Financing for the projects is allocated by New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), which provided $61 million in Federal and State Low Income Housing Tax Credits and over $200 million in subsidy to support the 28 projects. When coupled with additional private funding and resources, the projects receiving funding are expected to create over $1 billion in total investment.

All awarded projects meet HCR’s sustainability standards, which promote healthier living environments and support the goals set by the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Several awarded projects will receive funding from the Clean Energy Initiative, a partnership with HCR and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, to achieve even higher levels of sustainability and carbon reduction.

In addition, each of the awarded developments offer free broadband internet services to residents, building on the Governor’s ConnectALL initiative, which has made historic investments to deliver high-speed internet in underserved communities and close the digital divide for lower-income New Yorkers. 

Awarded projects include:

Capital Region

• $9.5 million for Mill Street Lofts in the city of Hudson, Columbia County:A newly constructed 70-unit mixed-income infill development on city-owned land.

Central NY

• $10.1 million for Van Buren Apartments in the town of Van Buren, Onondaga County: A newly constructed, 70-unit affordable housing development in a well-resourced area that includes 14 apartments with supportive services for homeless veterans.
• $6.5 million for La Madre Landing in the village of Baldwinsville, Onondaga County: A newly constructed 52-unit affordable development, including eight units with supportive services for vulnerable populations.
• $7.8 million for River Street Senior Apartments in the city of Cortland, Cortland County: A newly constructed 53-unit development for seniors aged 62 and older, includes 12 units with supportive services for residents struggling with homelessness.

Finger Lakes

• $2.6 million for the Creekside Clearing Redevelopment in the village of Livonia, Livingston County: The redevelopment and expansion of an existing HCR-regulated 32-unit property originally constructed in 2005. An additional 16 units will be created, for a total of 48 units. Includes funding from HCR and NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Initiative.
• $6.2 million for Fine Arts Building Lofts in the city of Rochester, Monroe County: Adaptive reuse of the former Hotel Cadillac to create a 42-unit mixed-income, mixed-use and supportive housing project. Thirteen units will include supportive services for homeless young adults. The development is receiving funding from HCR and NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Initiative.
• $10.1 million for Fernwood Avenue Apartments in the city of Rochester, Monroe County: A newly constructed 65-unit affordable and supportive housing development that includes 17 units with supportive services for vulnerable populations. The development will include a new, 8,000 square foot branch of the Rochester Public Library.

Long Island

• $8.9 million for Port Jefferson Commons in the village of Port Jefferson, Suffolk County: A 53-unit transit-oriented and mixed-use workforce housing development located one block from the Long Island Rail Road's Port Jefferson station. The development, identified as a priority project by the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, includes supportive units and storefront commercial space.
• $15 million for One Carleton Green in the hamlet of Central Islip, Suffolk County: A 96-unit mixed-use and mixed-income housing development that features 15 units with supportive services for vulnerable residents, as well as storefront commercial space.

Mid-Hudson

• $8.1 million for Franklin Towers in the village of Tarrytown, Westchester County: Preservation of the 81-unit Franklin Towers aging public housing development. The project is located within a half mile of the Metro North train station and Westchester County Bee-line bus stops and is receiving funding from HCR and NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Initiative.
• $12.1 million for 30 West in the town of Haverstraw, Rockland County: A newly constructed 81-unit affordable and supportive housing development being constructed on an underutilized municipal parking lot. Includes 20 units with supportive services for homeless households.
• $18.1 million for Waltemade Residence in the city of Mount Vernon, Westchester County: Adaptive reuse of a vacant nursing facility to create a 102-unit development for seniors aged 62 and older. Includes 30 units with supportive services for seniors experiencing homelessness.

Mohawk Valley

• $11.4 million for Utica AMP 1 in the city of Utica, Oneida County: Two buildings within the ND Peters development providing 28 units built in the 1960s, and a nearby storage building, will be demolished to make way for a new 71-unit three-story affordable multi-family building.
• $12.1 million for Deerfield Apartments in the town of Deerfield, Oneida County: A newly constructed 65-unit mixed-use workforce housing development in a well-resourced area. Includes commercial space intended for a childcare facility.
• $9 million for Lofts At Littauer Park in the city of Gloversville, Fulton County: New construction of a 73-unit, mixed-use development. Includes seven units reserved for veterans experiencing homelessness.

New York City

• $13.9 million for Van Cortlandt Ave Apartments in the Bronx: New construction of a 12-story, 78-unit affordable and supportive housing development. Includes 47 units with supportive services for homeless and vulnerable populations.
• $15.4 million for Hillside Avenue Apartments in Queens: A newly constructed 92-unit mixed-use, affordable and supportive housing development with a New York State Office of Mental Health-licensed outpatient mental health clinic. Includes 56 units with supportive services for homeless and vulnerable populations.
• $9.9 million for Bartlett Crossing in Brooklyn: New construction of a 78-unit, two-building, mixed-use development on two vacant lots owned by the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Includes 1,200 square feet of retail space.
• $14.6 million for HOGAR Eagle Gardens in the Bronx: New construction of an 83-unit affordable and supportive housing development in the Morrisania neighborhood. Includes 50 units with subsidies for individuals experiencing homelessness.

North Country

• $5 million for Lewis and Lowville Apartments in the village of Lowville, Lewis County: Preservation and moderate rehabilitation of four occupied, adjacent apartment buildings that collectively include 40 affordable units. Includes funding from HCR and NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Initiative.
• $8.6 million for General Martin Apartments in the town of Martinsburg, Lewis County: Adaptive reuse of a former elementary school and new construction of an adjacent building to create 63 affordable apartments.

Southern Tier

• $7.1 million for Meadow on Seneca in the city of Ithaca, Tompkins County: New construction of a 70-unit mixed-income development that includes 35 units with supportive services for homeless and vulnerable populations.
• $6.3 million for the Gateway Revitalization Project in the city of Binghamton, Broome County: Substantial rehabilitation of 15 units in seven existing buildings and new construction of two mixed-use buildings containing 23 residential units and two commercial spaces. The development is receiving funding from HCR and NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Initiative.
• $3.7 million for Freese Road Apartments in the town of Dryden, Tompkins County: New construction of a 53-unit, mixed-income affordable and supportive development on vacant land. Freese Road will be close to a major bus line with easy access to downtown Ithaca and amenities.

Western NY

• $11.1 million for Homesteads at Dunkirk Landing in the city of Dunkirk, Chautauqua County: Demolition of two blighted commercial buildings and new construction of a 78-unit mixed-income, mixed-use and supportive development. Includes 16 units with supportive services for veterans with disabilities and commercial space intended for a childcare facility.
• $6.2 million for St. Paul's Apartments II in the town of Evans, Erie County: New construction of a 53-unit development for seniors aged 55 and older on vacant land, including 16 units with supportive services.
• $7.3 million for Hillview Commons in the city of Tonawanda, Erie County: A newly constructed 52-unit development for seniors aged 55 and older that will replace the obsolete Jacob J. Guzzetta Senior Citizens Buildings.
• $10.9 million for School 44 on Broadway in the city of Buffalo, Erie County: Preservation and adaptive reuse of a vacant, historic public school to create 65 units, as well as the development of 12, three-bedroom townhomes, for a total of 77 new affordable units. Includes 39 apartments reserved for homeless and vulnerable families.

Attorney General James Takes Action to Protect New Yorkers from Robocalls

AG James Joins Amicus Brief Supporting FCC Rule to Stop Telemarketers from Obtaining Consumers’ Phone Numbers without Their Consent

New York Attorney General Letitia James took action to protect New Yorkers from unwanted robocalls. Together with a bipartisan coalition of 27 other attorneys general, Attorney General James filed an amicus brief to support and defend a rule by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that stops telemarketers from obtaining and selling consumers’ phone numbers to robocallers without their consent. The coalition argues in their brief filed in Insurance Marketing Coalition v. Federal Communications Commission that the FCC was acting within its statutory authority when it promulgated the rule, and that the rule would help reduce the volume of robocalls made to consumers nationwide.

“New Yorkers and consumers nationwide are sick and tired of receiving unwanted robocalls,” said Attorney General James. “Robocalls are not only annoying but have also led to serious scams that robbed people of millions of dollars. The FCC’s rule would help stop some of these unwanted calls and could protect consumers from fraud. My office is joining attorneys general across the country to defend this rule and help protect consumers.”

Robocalls have been rampant and have led to scams and fraud. In 2023 alone, consumers reported losing more than $1.2 billion to scams perpetrated through robocalls and text messages, according to data collected by the Federal Trade Commission. To address this issue, the FCC issued a rule under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) that would require lead generators, companies that collect consumers’ information and sell it to third-party companies, to obtain consumers’ consent before sharing their phone number with third-party companies. 

In their brief filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the coalition argues that the FCC’s rule helps bolster efforts by states to stop robocalls. The coalition writes that the rule is effective by targeting robocalls at one of their sources: the point where consumer contact information is first obtained. In addition, they argue that the FCC’s rule protects consumers by providing them with clear and conspicuous disclosures when consenting to sharing their contact information with a seller, such as a website that they use to search for products or receive a quote on a service. 

Joining Attorney General James in filing this brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

For Immediate Release: State Labor Department Releases Preliminary January 2025 Area Unemployment Rates

 

The New York State Department of Labor today released preliminary local area unemployment rates for January 2025. 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 January 2025.

Local Area Unemployment Rates* (%)
January 2024 and January 2025
(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, January 2024 versus January 2025. 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, January 2025 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.