Assembly members Blake, Pichardo, and State Senator Rivera: Teacher who stepped on students during lesson on slavery should be held accountable

  Assembly members Michael Blake, Victor Pichardo, and State Senator Gustavo Rivera demand accountability after reports surfaced that a teacher at MS 118 in the Bronx allegedly had African American students lie on the floor and stepped on their backs during a lesson on slavery. 

“As a graduate of MS 118, the allegations of a teacher’s savage act of putting her foot on children’s backs, deeply hurts me to my core.  This simulation of how a master would treat a slave is vile and racist.  It is appalling that a teacher would believe it is acceptable, especially during Black History Month, to teach racial history in this unconscionable manner. I strongly believe that this teacher should be fired immediately.  I do understand that due process and an investigation is occurring and so, if that is the reason for the delay, I do equally believe that this teacher should be suspended without pay, instead of being reassigned to another job within the education system.  Her racist and discriminatory actions are not just reprehensible against children; they are unacceptable for all of us who believe in humanity.  I call on the Mayor and Chancellor to immediately demonstrate that the lives of children are more important than the job of one,” said Assemblyman Michael Blake.

“I’m appalled that a middle school teacher, right here at M.S. 118 in the Bronx, developed a lesson on slavery where students, let alone black students, were allegedly told to lie on the floor while she stepped on their backs. This goes far beyond poor judgement. I implore the Department of Education to complete a thorough investigation and take swift action to ensure that all students are safe at school and such an egregious affront never happens again. Slavery was one of the worst atrocities in our nation’s history, and it’s important that students understand its severity and the repercussions it continues to have to this day. However, replicating such experiences, in any degree, and traumatizing students is not the way to teach this, or any other subject matter. I’m saddened to see such incidents take place in our community. These unacceptable actions should serve as a lesson to treat everyone with respect, tolerance and understanding. It’s our duty to learn from the mistakes of the past rather than repeat them,” said Assemblymember Victor Pichardo.

According to reports, MS 118 teacher Patricia Cummings was teaching a lesson on US slavery, specifically on the Middle Passage when the incident happened.

"It is ludicrous that a teacher would think that it is appropriate to teach students about slavery by having black students lie on the floor and step on their backs. Not only do the students and parents at MS 118 deserve answers as to why this happened in the first place, but it also calls into question whether teachers are receiving adequate cultural sensitivity training. In light of the reckless and disturbing lesson plan, the NYC Department of Education, MS 118 and the teacher in question need to explain how this teaching "technique" made its way into the classroom in the first place and it needs to be made clear that this type behavior is unacceptable," said State Senator Gustavo Rivera.

DOI INVESTIGATION FINDS NON-COMPLIANCE BY NYPD WITH NEW USE-OF-FORCE REPORTING REQUIREMENT

  The New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”) issued a Report today examining the New York City Police Department’s (“NYPD”) implementation of, and compliance with, NYPD’s new rules on use-of-force reporting. The Report revealed that while NYPD has made notable improvements in certain aspects of use-of-force reporting, officers are still not properly documenting all reportable use-of-force incidents, including an under-reporting of force incidents in arrest reports. In October 2015 DOI issued a report that focused on use of force by members of NYPD, which recommended, among other things, a comprehensive system for tracking force. The following year, NYPD implemented new policies on the tracking of use-of-force encounters. Considering the critical importance of the new reporting system implemented by NYPD, DOI investigated NYPD’s compliance with the new rules, finding gaps in the force-reporting process and practices, including a failure to consistently report the use of force in all required instances, the absence of a deadline for use-of-force documentation to be completed, insufficient training and guidance for officers, and lingering confusion at the precinct-level regarding the new policies.

 Commissioner Mark G. Peters said, “In 2015, DOI’s investigation pointed out demonstrable issues with NYPD’s policies on force, leading NYPD, for the first time, to begin comprehensively tracking incidents of force with the public. The Police Department pledged to do better and has made some progress, but as we start 2018, this Report demonstrates there is still more work to do towards making the NYPD fully accountable on this issue.”

 DOI’s Inspector General for the NYPD Philip K. Eure said, “A healthy relationship between the public and NYPD requires transparency and accountability—especially when it comes to police use of force. Failures to comprehensively and accurately document the use of force by police officers are not only missed opportunities to improve policing, but risk jeopardizing the trust NYPD has worked to build with communities across the City.”

 A central finding of DOI’s previous 2015 use-of-force report was NYPD’s inability to capture, track, and report on every force incident involving an officer. Instead, NYPD was using a patchwork set of forms that only captured a limited set of force incidents. NYPD largely accepted these findings and, consistent with DOI’s recommendations, in 2016 implemented new force-reporting policies and procedures, requiring any officer involved in force against a member of the public (or has forced used against the officer) to complete a “Threat, Resistance, or Injury” (T.R.I.) form. The T.R.I. form is then reviewed by a supervisor, and, if appropriate under the circumstances, referred for further investigation, corrective action, and/or discipline. If used properly, the T.R.I. will enhance departmental supervision and accountability of officer use of force, while also providing NYPD with a better understanding of why and under what conditions NYPD officers use force.

 For its 2018 follow-up Report, DOI reviewed incidents during two three-month periods (September through November of 2016, and again in May through July of 2017) in which an NYPD officer used force against a member of the public and failed to complete a T.R.I form. When officers affirmatively stated on arrest reports that they had used force, DOI’s review found that officers failed to submit required T.R.I. forms only 10% of the time in 2017, as compared to 36.2% in 2016 – a notable improvement. However, in some cases when officers stated on arrest reports that they did not use force, DOI found evidence of officers having used force without submitting a T.R.I. For example, DOI identified Medical Treatment of Prisoner forms in which an officer described using force, but did not complete the required T.R.I. or indicate on the arrest report that force was used. The investigation demonstrated that NYPD does not have sufficient controls in place to ensure that T.R.I. forms are being completed when arrest reports say that no force was used but the officers in fact used force.

 In addition to problems with T.R.I. compliance, DOI found that officers were not accurately stating whether force was used when completing arrest reports. In at least 30% of arrest reports with a resisting arrest charge, officers stated on arrest reports that they did not use force yet filed T.R.I. forms declaring that they had in fact used force. This represents a critical breakdown in NYPD’s force-reporting system because the Department relies on arrest report data to calculate its use-of-force statistics.

 The Report also found that NYPD has no established deadline for completing T.R.I. forms, creating potential accountability issues for officers who fail to document uses of force. Further, through interviews with precinct-level supervisors, DOI found that officers and supervisors remain confused by the new force-reporting system, including what types of incidents to report and how to report them. Additionally, the T.R.I. form contains no narrative field for officers to explain their force encounter, only checkboxes that do not allow for detail and could be considered vague.

 The Report makes a series of recommendations covering compliance, accountability, training, discipline, and public reporting, including proposals that:

 NYPD should enhance supervisory review of all arrest-related documentation by imposing a set of standardized, on-going quality-control procedures at the local command level. In high-volume commands, NYPD should assign specially-trained supervisors at the rank of sergeant or above to carefully review such documents during arrest processing to ensure that all uses of reportable force are properly documented. 

 NYPD should impose an “end of tour” deadline by which police officers must complete required T.R.I. forms, and impose appropriate discipline against officers who fail to meet the deadline. 

 NYPD should add a narrative section to the T.R.I. form and require officers to provide a full account of the force incident, including specific details on the force used by the officer and/or member of the public, as well as any injuries sustained by either. 

 NYPD should establish a clear written policy that requires arresting officers to select “Yes” on the arrest report in response to the “Force Used” section if any officer used force during the encounter. NYPD should impose, after proper training on this issue, discipline against arresting officers who fail to select “Yes” when reportable force is used. 

 NYPD should use data from T.R.I. forms to publish annual Use-of-Force reports that identify and analyze trends in all force categories. The report should contain all information currently mandated by law and include additional trend analyses such as demographic characteristics of members of the public involved in force incidents (age, gender, race, national origin, etc.).

The investigation was conducted by DOI’s Office of the Inspector General for NYPD.

A.G. Schneiderman Announces State Prison Sentence For Ringleader Of Multi-County Check Fraud Scheme

Kevin Singleton-Lee Will Serve 6 to 18 Years in State Prison for Issuing Bogus Checks as Part of a Scheme to Defraud Account Holders and Regional Credit Unions; Defendants Used Social Media to Target Vulnerable New Yorkers Like College Students and Young Single Parents

Singleton-Lee Ordered to Pay Over $125,000 to Victims

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that Kevin Singleton-Lee will serve 6 to 18 years in state prison on four felony convictions in Onondaga and Oneida Counties for his role in a multi-county check kiting scheme. Today, in Oneida County Court, the Honorable Robert L. Bauer sentenced Singleton-Lee to 1 1/3 to 4 years, which will run consecutive to his previous sentence of 4 2/3 to 14 years in Onondaga County. Additionally, Singleton-Lee was ordered to pay over $125,000 to victims.

These convictions are the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s office and the New York State Police. The investigation uncovered that Singleton-Lee and his co-conspirator Jerome Simpson, with the aid of Daniel Green, issued over $175,000 in fraudulent checks. To further their scheme, the defendants used social media to recruit financially vulnerable individuals to cash fake checks using their personal accounts, before emptying these accounts of all their assets. Between December 2015 and August 2017, the defendants targeted over a dozen different branches of local credit unions and banks throughout Central New York and the Capital Region, and recruited over 50 account holders to assist in their check-kiting scheme. During the almost two-year period, the defendants presented and cashed over 100 fraudulent checks, ranging in amounts from several hundred to several thousand dollars. 

“Preying on financially vulnerable New Yorkers is unconscionable,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “My office will remain vigilant in prosecuting those who exploit others for their personal benefit – and continue to protect consumers from economically-devastating schemes like these.”

State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said, “This individual used a devious scheme to victimize vulnerable people for his own gain. I commend our members and the Attorney General’s office for their work on this case. It’s because of our strong partnership that we were able to expose this fraud and hold this individual accountable for his crimes.”

To further their scheme, Singleton-Lee and Simpson first arranged for the creation of bank accounts corresponding with often-fictitious businesses, including “Jones Maintenance” and “Watkins Homecare.” Next, they issued fraudulent checks written in the name of those phony businesses. Then, Singleton-Lee, Simpson, and Green—relying heavily on Facebook and other social media outlets—targeted numerous college students, young single parents, and other vulnerable, unsuspecting young adults, and recruited them to cash forged checks in the name of those businesses. The fraudsters promised the account owners a portion of the check proceeds as a fee for either cashing the forged checks or depositing them into their personal accounts.

However, after the checks were deposited and funds became available, Singleton-Lee, Simpson, and Green drained the accounts of the available balances before the checks were returned and the financial institutions discovered them to be worthless. In some instances, the defendants even assumed the identities of the account holders without their knowledge and consent, accessed their accounts using personal information the defendants required for asserted security purposes, and withdrew funds through ATM transactions.

Ringleader Singleton-Lee was charged separately in Onondaga and Oneida Counties. On November 4, 2016, Singleton-Lee pleaded guilty before the Honorable Anthony F. Aloi in Onondaga County to two counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and one count of Identity Theft in the First Degree, all Class D felonies. On November 17, 2017, Singleton-Lee was sentenced by the Honorable Matthew J. Doran to 4 2/3 to 14 years in state prison, which consisted of consecutive terms of 2 1/3 to 7 years for his convictions for Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and a concurrent term of 1 to 3 years for his conviction for Identity Theft in the First Degree. On December 5, 2017, Singleton-Lee pleaded guilty in Oneida County Court before the Honorable Robert L. Bauer to one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, a Class E felony. Today, Singleton-Lee was sentenced to 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison to run consecutive to his Onondaga County sentence, for a combined sentence of 6 to 18 years in state prison. As part of his sentences, Singleton-Lee entered into confessions of judgment in favor of the victims, totaling over $125,000. 

Co-defendant Simpson was previously convicted of one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree in Schenectady County Court. On November 20, 2017, Simpson was sentenced to 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison by the Honorable Louise K. Sira and was ordered to repay $47,880.64 as imposed by confessions of judgment. 

Co-defendant Green was previously convicted of one count of Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class E felony, in Onondaga County Court before the Honorable Anthony F. Aloi. On October 3, 2017, Green was sentenced by the Honorable Matthew J. Doran to time served and four years’ probation, as well as ordered to repay $9,900 as imposed by confessions of judgment. 

The Attorney General’s office thanks the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit and Financial Crimes Unit, the Utica Police Department, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s office, and the Schenectady Police Department for their invaluable assistance on this case.

CITY ANNOUNCES FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES WITH LEASE ISSUES

Commercial Lease Assistance Program Will Help Tenants with Lease Negotiation, Landlord Issues, Lease Renewal, and Eviction Notices

  Today, the de Blasio administration announced the launch of a new program to help small business owners with issues related to a business lease. The Commercial Lease Assistance Program, offered by the NYC Department of Small Business Services, will allow small business owners to obtain free legal assistance on topics that include negotiating a lease, resolving landlord issues, responding to an eviction notice, breach of contract disputes, and lease renewal. Non-franchise businesses that meet income requirements are eligible for this service.

“Small businesses are the economic heart and soul of this city and they deserve every opportunity to succeed,” said Mayor de Blasio. “The Commercial Lease Assistance Program will give small business owners the help they need to resolve legal issues without driving them out of business.”

“Small businesses are the lifeline of our neighborhoods and a significant part of what makes our city so special – and in the era of big business, it has never been more important to this Council help ensure that small business owners can thrive,” said New York Council Speaker Corey Johnson. “Free legal assistance regarding lease or landlord issues can go a long way for small business owners, saving money and passing on savings to local residents. With Council Member Mark Gjonaj as Chair of the Small Business Committee, he will be a strong voice who will continue advocating for small businesses owners in New York City.”

This new program offers pre-litigation services to help small business owners resolve problems before they end up in court. This can include sending legal correspondence to a landlord, addressing issues related to tenant harassment, and resolving challenges when a building changes ownership. The program will not represent clients in matters that end up in court.

The Commercial Lease Assistance Program will receive $2.4 million in funding over two years and will provide an average of 40 hours of legal services per client and a dedicated attorney to work with each business owner. This program will help small business owners achieve successful outcomes while avoiding thousands of dollars in attorney fees. These services are being offered in partnership with Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation  A, Volunteers of Legal Services, and the Urban Justice Center.

“Small businesses don’t have legal teams like the big guys do, but we are making it clear that the City stands in their corner,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “Even basic legal help can be costly and out of reach for small business owners, but this free service will go a long way towards helping small business owners solve problems related to their lease.”

“New York City’s small businesses provide vital services and often serve as economic engines to their communities,” said NYC Councilmember Mark Gjonaj, Small Business Committee Chair. “This program will go a long way towards helping struggling small business owners manage the complicated and often expensive burden of dealing with commercial lease issues.”

Small business owners in need who cannot otherwise afford an attorney are eligible for this program. Examples of businesses that may be eligible:

• Are immigrant-, minority-, women-, or veteran-owned,
• Employ local low-income residents,
• Are located in a rezoned or high-poverty areas; Or
• Offer job training opportunities

Services are now available. Businesses should visit nyc.gov/commlease or call 311 to determine their eligibility and learn more. Services are available in ten languages, including: Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Bengali, Haitian Creole, Korean, Arabic, Urdu, French, and Polish.

Businesses can also access SBS’ Comprehensive Guide to Commercial Leasing.

“As President and CEO of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, I am excited to hear that SBS will be providing free legal services to small businesses in The Bronx and throughout the five boroughs of New York City,” said Nunzio Del Greco, President and CEO of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce. “The free legal services for small businesses are essential in leveling the playing field with issues involving landlords, contracts and a myriad of other legal issues that arise”.

About NYC Small Business Services (SBS)

SBS helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building vibrant neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information on all SBS services, go tonyc.gov/sbs, call 311, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

CONGRESSMAN ENGEL REMARKS ON RUSSIAN ELECTION MEDDLING & CYBERSECURITY

  Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today delivered the following remarks at a committee hearing on American cyber diplomacy:

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for convening this hearing.

“To our witnesses, welcome to the Foreign Affairs Committee. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on how the United States should improve its cybersecurity policy and address the cyberthreats we face from overseas.

“America’s adversaries are becoming bolder and more sophisticated as they pursue their aims in cyberspace. This is a challenge for our technology community, a new frontier for our diplomats, and a threat to our security. It’s also an economic hazard, with American businesses standing to lose out in the face of hostile and unscrupulous behavior in cyberspace.

“Iran’s cyberattacks on America’s infrastructure—including a dam near my district in New York—and North Korea’s attack on the entertainment sector underscored troubling vulnerabilities to this sort of tactic. We reached a 2015 agreement with China to prevent cyber theft of intellectual property, but Beijing still exerts more and more state control over the Internet, denying its citizens basic freedoms and hurting American business. The United States is not working closely enough with likeminded governments to deter adversaries from stealing secrets or undermining an open and interoperable Internet.

“And of course, Russia’s cyberattacks were the centerpiece of its attack on American democracy during the 2016 election. On this last point, frankly, I’m stunned by the Administration’s utter failure to respond to these attacks.

“More than a year has gone by since the Intelligence Community revealed the extent of Russian meddling. Congress overwhelmingly passed new sanctions—new legislation to give the White House tools to punish those responsible. The law singles out those responsible for cybercrimes. It goes after the military and intelligence sectors that drove this attack.

“Yet the Trump Administration has not imposed a single sanction related to election interference mandated by the law. The decision to completely ignore Congress’s intent and blow off last week’s deadline for new sanctions is made that much worse by what Administration officials themselves admit: and that is, Russia is at it again. The CIA Director, a former member of Congress, a former colleague, Mike Pompeo has said so repeatedly, which calls into question the State Department’s claim that the threat of sanctions alone will deter bad behavior.

“I’m at a loss. We’re talking about the bedrock of American democracy, and this Administration seems intent on signaling to Russia and the rest of the world that it’s open season. Between the President’s constant denial of Russia’s involvement and his constant attacks on our own justice system, you could almost conclude that he would be fine with a repeat of what we saw in 2016.

“Well I’m not fine with it. If the President won’t take steps to protect American democracy, it falls to us as lawmakers. Last year, I introduced a bill with Mr. Connolly, the SECURE Our Democracy Act, which would specifically go after those who interfere with an American election from overseas. When we passed the sanctions package last summer, we put this bill aside, because we thought the President would use the tools we gave him to push back against Russian aggression. He didn’t, so now I think it’s time to reconsider this measure or something similar.

“Responding to Russia is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to our cyber policy. I also think we need to reverse course on the Trump Administration’s relentless assault on our diplomacy and development.

“Mr. Painter, I’m sorry that you were one casualty of the Administration’s attempt to hollow out the State Department when you were forced out of your role as Coordinator for Cyber Issues. This was a major blow to American leadership at a time when your expertise was needed the most.

“I was speaking with Mr. Keating just before, and we were talking—we were lamenting—about the fact about how the Administration has really not sent us the witnesses that we really feel that we could use, so they could give us the perspective from the executive branch.

“So I was glad to join Chairman Royce to introduce the Cyber Diplomacy Act, which would reinstate and elevate the position—your position, Mr. Painter. It passed the House a few weeks ago, and I hope the Senate acts on it soon.

“And I hope it sends a message to the Administration that we need to ramp up our diplomacy on cyber, not scale it back. We need to engage with friendly governments facing the same threats. We need to push back against countries that will exploit these tools to pilfer our intellectual property, to hack into our country’s most sensitive information, and to derail international norms to keep the Internet open and accessible.

“So I hope that our witnesses can shed additional light on these concerns, and share with this Committee their views on how the United States can lead on this issue.

“So I thank you again, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.”

MAYOR DE BLASIO, BOROUGH PRESIDENT KATZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER MOYA ANNOUNCE CITY WILL GO ALL AFFORDABLE AT FIRST PHASE OF WILLETS POINT

Construction of 1,100 affordable apartments to begin in 2020, includes more homes for seniors and deeper affordability than originally planned; public retains ownership of land

  Mayor Bill de Blasio, Borough President Melinda Katz and Council Member Francisco Moya today announced an agreement to jumpstart construction of 1,100 affordable apartments on six acres of Willets Point – an increase of 225 affordable homes over the original development proposal. The new homes will be the first built on the wider Willets Point site which was approved for development by the City Council in 2008.

The new plan is for three, 100 percent affordable buildings including a standalone building with 220 homes for low-income seniors and also apartments for families at lower incomes than originally proposed. The plan also includes public open space and a new 450-seat public elementary school.

“This project delivers big on the number-one priority for people in Queens: finding an affordable place to live. It’s time to jumpstart Willets Point, and we are doing that by building more than a thousand homes for seniors and families struggling to make ends meet. I look forward to working with Borough President Katz and Council Member Moya to ensure these homes are delivered on time, and that we build even more affordable homes, schools and parks across Willets Point,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

“This agreement is about delivering affordable homes, and getting them built by date-certain. After years of false starts and controversies, this is a thoughtful way to get shovels in the ground, keep our promises to this community, and begin building an affordable neighborhood for seniors and working families. I look forward to our work over the coming year with Borough President Katz and Council Member Moya to shape a dynamic plan for the rest of this important site,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen.

“The City has immediate, desperate needs for affordable housing units and school seats, especially here in Queens. This agreement to build 100 percent affordable housing at Willets Point is the right plan at the right time. As the sponsor of the 2008 Urban Renewal Plan, I am encouraged that we are moving forward in putting a shovel in the ground, and that housing and a school are the first priorities. I look forward to working closely with the community to help steer the future of this highly coveted area to meet the needs of Queens’ growing families,” Queens Borough President Melinda Katz said.

“I’m proud of the work done to make phase one of Willets Point one that will benefit the community. Willets Point has been 12 years of bad politics and broken promises. With this deal, we can look to providing some great housing relief for a lot of people who need it. By securing school seats, deep affordability, and senior housing we have accomplished something none of the previous iterations have been able to, and now with the taskforce I will co-chair, we can ensure this same community minded development continues in future phases,” Council Member Francisco Moya said.

To identify community priorities and produce recommendations for the remainder of the 17 acres of the Willets Point development site, the mayor also announced the formation of a task force, chaired by Borough President Melinda Katz and Council Member Francisco Moya. The task force, initially proposed by Council Member Moya, is modeled on the steering committee that developed the framework for the Greater East Midtown Rezoning.

“As we need to keep on building strong communities and ensuring families and individuals stay in their neighborhoods, I am glad to see part of the project to rebuild Willets Point includes more than one thousand affordable housing units, some slated for seniors, and a new elementary school. Sadly, more and more of our hard-working class families and individuals are being driven out of their homes and the neighborhoods they built. It is my hope this project contributes to making our communities affordable,” ​ said State Senator Jose Peralta.

The new agreement with Queens Development Group increases the affordable homes to 1,100 across just six acres – compared to the 2013 agreement, which would have produced approximately 875 affordable homes across the entire 23-acre development site.

·         This agreement also provides more homes for individuals earning less than $17,190, or $25,770 for a family of three. Nearly 100 apartments will be reserved for formerly homeless families and 220 for seniors.

·         The one-million square foot project will also include a new 450-seat public elementary school, neighborhood retail and public open space. The city reiterated its commitment to pursue additional school seats should more residential units be built on the site.

·         Remediation, for which the developer is responsible, is expected to be complete by the end of 2020, with 500 units of the 1,100 homes to be completed by 2022.

·         The City will retain ownership of the property through a long-term ground lease for the six-acre site. The 2013 proposal would have sold a 23-acre property acquired by the City to the developer.

“Today marks a major milestone as the City moves forward on a plan for Willets Point that is anchored in greater and deeper affordability.  In an effort to meet the demand for more affordable housing at this site, we are working across agencies to ensure the pairing of quality affordable housing with the assets this neighborhood needs to thrive long into the future.  I want to thank the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, and all my colleagues across government for their partnership to unlock the potential of this critical site,” said Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer. 

“NYCEDC is committed to strengthening communities and creating economic opportunity for all New Yorkers,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO James Patchett. “This improved Willets Point plan will create more affordable homes, neighborhood amenities and quality jobs for residents in Northern Queens. We’re excited to continue working with community leaders and Queens Development Group to make this project a reality.”

“We are pleased to work with Mayor de Blasio and local elected officials to advance this initial phase of development, which will provide new affordable housing, a public school, neighborhood retail and public open space for the Queens community,” said Queens Development Group officials. “This is an important step forward in our longstanding mission to reverse 100 years of pollution at Willets Point, create good-paying jobs and turn vacant lots into a vibrant community. We look forward to working with the administration and local elected officials to advance additional phases of development at Willets Point.”

The development group has committed to a goal of 25% M/WBE participation, and will participate in HireNYC, a City program that connects local residents to potential jobs. They will seek to achieve the highest standards of environmental sustainability through either LEED Gold USGBC Certification or Enterprise Green Communities.

The agreement provides 100 percent affordable housing at the site with these mix of incomes:

TESTIMONY OF BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT RUBEN DIAZ JR. BEFORE THE NYC COUNCIL COMMITTEES ON PUBLIC HOUSING AND OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATION RE: NYCHA HEAT AND HOT WATER FAILURES

  The recent “bomb cyclone” that struck the northeast region caused dangerous drops in temperatures across the five boroughs. Nowhere was this extreme weather event felt more dramatically than within NYCHA developments, where nearly half of all boilers are beyond their useful life and many developments are forced to rely on ineffective temporary boilers to provide heat and hot water.

The hundreds of thousands of individuals and families who call public housing home should not be forced to suffer in the cold. Our office has received numerous complaints from residents of NYCHA developments across the borough. When seeking answers on when new boilers would be installed NYCHA advised my office in a meeting on January 18, 2018, that their hands were tied by the procurement process, contrary to recent statements by City Hall. That is no comfort to a family forced to live in a frigid apartment on the coldest days of the year.

I know that the chronic lack of heat and hot water in NYCHA housing is an emergency. Formally declaring a state of emergency is a common sense act and the morally correct action NYCHA can take to streamline the procurement process. Such a declaration would allow your agency to jump-start the procurement process and install much-needed, permanent boilers that are already in the pipeline at a swifter pace.

Further, if some aspect of Federal law hinders the emergency procurement process, it is incumbent upon City Hall, with all its resources at its disposal, to take action and build coalitions for change, not to throw up its hands.

The process to replace boilers in NYCHA developments takes far too long, and does not reflect the urgent need for these critical repairs. For example, the Patterson Houses in The Bronx have been forced to subsist using inadequate temporary boilers since 2011. NYCHA has not even begun the RFP process to replace these boilers, which means that even in a best-case scenario new boilers will be years away. The recent extreme weather event showed us just how vulnerable temporary boilers are to very low temperatures, and we have no reason not to expect similar extreme weather in the future. NYCHA tenants should not have to wait a decade for the basic human right of reliable heat and hot water.

We must act to cut red tape during this time of severe crisis. While the recent announcement of some new funding for boilers is a step in the right direction, the situation remains an emergency, and NYCHA has told our office that red tape ties their hands. An emergency must be declared.

We would not accept this kind of behavior from a private landlord. NYCHA tenants are entitled to warm apartments, just like anyone else.

Treating this situation as the true disaster it is will help provide heat to families faster, and your agency should declare an emergency immediately and show leadership in cutting the red tape at any and all levels of government, that NYCHA has stated deprives residents of adequate heat.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

COUNCIL MEMBER YDANIS RODRIGUEZ TO VISIT NYCHA MARBLE HILL HOUSES FOLLOWING REPORTS OF SEVERELY DILAPIDATED BOILER ROOM CONDITIONS

  TONIGHT Tuesday, February 6 at 6:00PM, Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez will visit the NYCHA Marble Hill Houses in Council District 10. Residents were outraged to learn the development was not included in the city's plan for $200 million in NYCHA boiler repairs and upgrades despite the decayed conditions of boiler rooms in that development have been caused by years of neglect.

In a letter sent to NYCHA last week, Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez called for the housing authority to reconsider the Marble Hill Houses to be included in the list of developments scheduled for upgrades and repairs. The development is home to over 3,300 low-income residents. They have had to endure the winter with no heat or hot water, including days with single-digit temperatures, resorting to incurring in additional expenses for electric heaters and unsafe methods for heating their homes. 

WHO: Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez; Tony Edwards, President of NYCHA Marble Hill Tenants Association, Community Advocates, and Residents.

 

WHAT: Tour NYCHA Marble Hill Houses following reports of poor boiler room conditions.

 

WHERE: NYCHA Marble Hill Houses. Management office. 5210 Broadway. Corner of 225th Street. Bronx, NY.

 

WHEN: TODAY Tuesday, February 6 at 6:00pm