You should know that my son, Bronx Borough President, Rubén Diaz, Jr.s, decision to withdrew his candidacy for NYC Mayor, has impacted no one more than me. His aspirations to become the first Hispanic mayor of the city of New York was something that I and many in the Latino community were anxiously looking forward to.
You should know that I am so grateful to God for having blessed me with three (3) children who have dedicated their lives to public service. They have dedicated their lives, and served with integrity, honesty, and devotion as public servants of this great city of New York.
Damaris, my firstborn, served as a police officer for 20 years of her life in the protection and safety of New York City’s residents, retiring with the rank of Sergeant. These twenty (20) years were filled with anguish, sleepless nights and much prayers, asking God to protect her so that she would return home safely.
Samuel, my first son, has dedicated more than 27 years working in Public Housing in the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). He started working in maintenance, care taker mopping, sweeping, cleaning the stairways and hallways of NYCHA buildings. Samuel, now serves as a supervisor within NYCHA. Samuel like Damaris, never had an appetite for politics. They chose to live private, quiet lives with their families.
Rubencito, is my youngest son. Since the tender age of 19 he served in public office. He started out as a messenger in the City Council where his duties included delivering documents and letters from desk to desk. Then at 23 years of age he was elected as district leader then as a young New York State Assemblyman. Now for the past 10 years he has served the people with distinction as the President of the County of the Bronx.
Rubencito, like Damaris and Samuel, have made me very happy, and proud to call them my children. As my children, regardless of their age, when they see me, whether it be in public or private they always greet me with a kiss, and they audibly ask me to bless them with a “bendición Papi”. A beautiful tradition which translated means, “Bless me Dad." That to me is quite an honor! What a privilege! To have my adult children receive me with this awesome greeting and of course it’s my pleasure to respond with a blessing “Dios te bendiga”.
As you well know, my dear reader, there are thousands of people in New York City and in Puerto Rico who had set their sights and hopes on seeing Rubencito become the first Hispanic ,Latino Mayor of this great city. I admit that I was the first among the thousands who had this great hope. Not only because he is my son, but because he is well qualified, and is of great character. He is disciplined, experienced, intelligent, has integrity, he loves this city, its diversity, and its people.
Believe me, in my many years in public life, I can honestly say that there are very few public officials who possess the qualities of Rubén Diaz, Jr. Again, I don't say this because he is my son. But because he is one of the best human beings that I know and despite all the circumstances that have surrounded him he has never changed his character as a good son, good husband, good father, good friend and excellent public servant.
Before making his decision public, he graciously invited me to Sabrosura Restaurant in Bronx County, to let me know of his decision. We spoke for approximately (2) hours. I tried to talk him out of it. Did my best to change his mind, which may have been a selfish thing to do. But he was adamant about his decision. He decided that it’s what’s best for him, his wife and children, and that decision must be respected. I wish my son the best for his future, his vision, and all those endeavors that he seeks!
As a father, Pastor of a congregation and President of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization, I ask everyone to join me in thanking Ruben Diaz Jr., for his dedication and service. I also ask that you keep him in your prayers, that God will keep and guide his path. I ask the same for my other children Damaris and Samuel.
I am Councilman Rev. Rubén Diaz and this is what you should know.
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Friday, January 31, 2020
Council Member Ruben Diaz Sr. - A PROUD FATHER
HEALTH CARE FOR ALL: NYC CARE LAUNCHES IN BROOKLYN AND STATEN ISLAND
NYC Care will be available in every borough by the end of 2020.
The de Blasio Administration today launched NYC Care in Brooklyn and Staten Island, building on the Administration’s commitment to guaranteeing health care for all New Yorkers. The program will seek to enroll 15,000 members in Brooklyn and Staten Island within the first six months of launching. Over 13,000 New Yorkers have enrolled in NYC Care since its initial launch in the Bronx in August 2019, surpassing the program’s original goal of 10,000 in the first six months.
“In New York City, we believe that healthcare is a human right,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Already, NYC Care has brought 13,000 people in the Bronx access to quality, affordable health care. By expanding to Staten Island and Brooklyn, we can help even more New Yorkers get the care they need.”
NYC Care is the new health care access program operated by NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) for New Yorkers who are not eligible for insurance or who cannot afford it. Since its launch in the Bronx, NYC Care has already begun to dramatically change the way the City’s public health system connects people to primary, preventive and specialty care. To date, NYC Care’s 13,000 members have had over 27,000 provider visits, with over 20,000 prescriptions filled during new, extended pharmacy hours.
Beginning today, NYC Care membership will now be open to anyone who has lived in the city for at least six months, lives or wants to seek care in Brooklyn or Staten Island, and is currently uninsured. All new NYC Care members will be offered a primary care appointment within two weeks from enrollment. H+H patient care locations in Brooklyn and Staten have added new evening and weekend hours to accommodate members. NYC Care applicants and members also have access to a 24/7 customer assistance line where they can ask questions about NYC Care and speak to an on-call clinician for all of their needs, including prescription refills.
In an effort to reach more New Yorkers eligible for NYC Care, nine community-based organizations (CBOs) will receive seven-month contracts through a partnership between NYC H+H, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City to conduct culturally appropriate outreach to prospective NYC Care members in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
The nine community-based organizations - African Refuge, Brighton Neighborhood Association, Arab-American Family Support Center, Council of Peoples Organization (COPO), Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island, Make the Road New York, Mixteca Organization, Project Hospitality, and Single Stop - were selected through a request for proposal process. A total of 23 full-time outreach workers will conduct grassroots outreach in order to identify, engage, and refer uninsured New Yorkers for screening and enrollment in NYC Care. Beginning today, these CBOS will begin outreach efforts in 20 languages, such as Spanish, Russian, Haitian Creole, Polish, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Arabic.
In addition, H+H is conducting a borough-wide multilingual public awareness campaign, including public transportation, the Staten Island Ferry and train, in-store posters, radio and street outreach in top targeted communities. There will also be significant multilingual digital advertisements and ethnic and community media engagement to reach those eligible for NYC Care. As part of the campaign, New Yorkers can also learn more about the program by calling 646-NYC-CARE as well as through a dedicated website at nyccare.nyc where they can download brochures and other materials available in multiples languages.
“NYC Care is a pillar of the de Blasio administration’s commitment to health care for all New Yorkers, and today, we are unlocking access to health care for thousands of people in Brooklyn and Staten Island,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Raul Perea-Henze. “With more than 13,000 members enrolled in the Bronx, NYC Care is making an impact for New Yorkers who need high-quality and affordable care, especially our immigrant communities. Everyone eligible in Brooklyn and Staten Island is urged to enroll today, and to tell their families, friends and neighbors about NYC Care. I thank NYC Health + Hospitals, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, and all our community partners for the ongoing success of NYC Care as we work to bring the program to every borough by the end of this year.”
“Starting today, New Yorkers in both Brooklyn and Staten Island will have much-needed access to high-quality, affordable, preventive care,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals. “This furthers our vision to fundamentally change the way our health care system connects those who are not eligible for health insurance to the high-quality health care we deliver to thousands of New Yorkers every day.”
“The launch of NYC Care in Brooklyn and Staten Island invites members regardless of their immigration status or ability to pay to use our system in a different way. All New Yorkers are entitled to receive primary and preventive and specialty care before it is too late and they must use the emergency department,” said NYC Care Executive Director Marielle Kress. “I am excited to continue our work with trusted organizations to reach thousands of New Yorkers who need access to care in Brooklyn and Staten Island.”
Wave Hill events February 13-February 20
Fri, February 14
Valentine’s Day High Tea & Conservatory Tour
Invite a loved one to share a specially curated high tea in elegant Mark Twain Room, an intimate tour of the Conservatory and a lively talk about the language of flowers. All participants receive the special gift of 10% off in The Shop at Wave Hill and a stunning selection of gifts to choose from. Space is limited. $170 per couple; Wave Hill Members save 10%. Advance registration required online at wavehill.org. Start a new tradition this Valentine’s Day that will go on for many years to come!
Wave Hill House and On the Grounds, 1–4PM
Sat, February 15
Family Art Project: Biomimicry Boutique
Slip on those scales, tailor your tails, and design your perfect creature couture. Then get in vogue and hop, crawl, or slither your way down the catwalk. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM
Sat, February 15
Winter Workspace Session 1 Open Studios
This winter, Glyndor Gallery is transformed again into studio spaces for artists to develop new work and offer opportunities for public interaction in the context of the garden. Individual artists share their studio practice with the public on this open studio day. This year’s session 1 artists are Stephanie Alvarado, Ezra Benus, Environmental Performance Agency, LoVid, Linda Lauro-Lazin and Kymia Nawabi. Free with admission to the grounds.
Glyndor Gallery, NOON–3:30PM
Sat, February 15
Valentine’s Day High Tea & Conservatory Tour
Invite a loved one to share a specially curated high tea in elegant Mark Twain Room, an intimate tour of the Conservatory and a lively talk about the language of flowers. All participants receive the special gift of 10% off in The Shop at Wave Hill and a stunning selection of gifts to choose from. Space is limited. $170 per couple; Wave Hill Members save 10%. Advance registration required online at wavehill.org. Start a new tradition this Valentine’s Day that will go on for many years to come!
Wave Hill House and On the Grounds, 1–4PM
Sun, February 16
Family Art Project: Biomimicry Boutique
Slip on those scales, tailor your tails, and design your perfect creature couture. Then get in vogue and hop, crawl, or slither your way down the catwalk. Free with admission to the grounds.
Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM
Sun, February 16
Valentine’s Day High Tea & Conservatory Tour
Invite a loved one to share a specially curated high tea in elegant Mark Twain Room, an intimate tour of the Conservatory and a lively talk about the language of flowers. All participants receive the special gift of 10% off in The Shop at Wave Hill and a stunning selection of gifts to choose from. Space is limited. $170 per couple; Wave Hill Members save 10%. Advance registration required online at wavehill.org. Start a new tradition this Valentine’s Day that will go on for many years to come!
Wave Hill House and On the Grounds, 1–4PM
Sun, February 16
Garden and Conservatory Highlights Walk
Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 2PM
Mon, February 17
Wave Hill is closed.
Wed, February 19
To Look at Things in Bloom—Photographing Gardens: A Horticultural Lecture by Ngoc Minh Ngo
A self-taught photographer whose work explores the intrinsic beauty of plants and nature, Ngoc Minh Ngo is especially interested in the ways flowers have been used in different cultures and times in history. Her lecture explores the various meanings of gardens, illustrated by some of her favorite images of private and public gardens in England, America and Morocco. Her photographs of interiors and gardens have been published in Vogue, T Magazine, Architectural Digest, House & Garden UK and Cabana. She has published three books, Bringing Nature Home, In Bloom and, this year, Eden Revisited. Wave Hill’s annual horticultural lecture series is held at the New York School of Interior Design. Individual tickets: $30, with a 10% discount for Wave Hill Members and students. Seating is limited, and advance reservations are recommended, online at wavehill.org, starting November 13. Student tickets available lecture evening only, at the door, space permitting and with a valid student ID. The final lecture of the series takes place on March 25, when Uziel Crescenzi speaks of “Chance Encounters of a Young Gardener.”
New York School of Interior Design, 6–7:30PM
A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.
HOURS – Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–4:30PM, November 1–March 14. Closes 5:30PM, starting March 15.
ADMISSION – $10 adults, $6 students and seniors 65+, $4 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.
PROGRAM FEES – Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.
Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/
DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
$7 MILLION WORTH OF “FIRE” BRANDED HEROIN/FENTANYL SEIZED IN BRONX PACKAGING MILL: SIX INDIVIDUALS CHARGED
Narcotics destined for distribution in New York City and New England
Bridget G. Brennan, New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor, Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New York Division, New York City Police Commissioner Dermot F. Shea, New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett and Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced the arrests of six individuals in connection with a large-scale alleged narcotics packaging and distribution network operating in the Kingsbridge neighborhood of the Bronx.
A long-term investigation into narcotics trafficking in New York City and Massachusetts culminated in the seizure of approximately 750,000 glassine envelopes of suspected heroin/fentanyl from an apartment at 2559 Sedgwick Avenue during a court authorized search. As a result of intelligence developed during a long-term investigation, members of the DEA’s New York Drug Enforcement Task Force (NYDETF), Group T-12, and investigators with the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor (SNP) conducted several days of intensive physical and video surveillance at the seven-story residential building. Over the course of the weekend, agents and investigators observed a total of eight individuals coming to and from 2559 Sedgwick Avenue, Apt. 6A, the suspected narcotics packaging mill. Agents and officers recognized multiple suspects from prior surveillance operations entering Apt. 6A.
Beginning on Friday, January 24, 2020, agents and investigators observed these eight individuals enter 2559 Sedgwick Ave., Apt. 6A carrying furnishings and equipment that are typically used in packaging heroin and fentanyl, including a glass table, plastic containers, desk lamps and folding chairs. On Saturday, January, 25, 2020, individuals were observed carrying weighted black plastic garbage bags into Apt. 6A. A female carried 15 bags of groceries into the building and into the apartment.
On Monday, January 27, 2020, members of NYDETF and the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor obtained a court authorized search warrant for 2559 Sedgwick Avenue, Apt. 6A. When agents and officers entered the apartment at approximately 7:25 p.m., they discovered six individuals in the midst of packaging powder-filled glassine envelopes stamped with the brand “Fire” into bundles. Hundreds of thousands of glassine envelopes covered two table tops and overflowed from plastic bins and cardboard boxes on the floor and a bed. Equipment and paraphernalia typical of a heroin/fentanyl mill were present in the room, including a glass table, desk lamps, a scale, grinders, empty glassine envelopes, small spoons, an ink bottle, ink pads and stamps.
Defendants LIVO VALDEZ, JASLIN BALDERA, FREDERICK BALDERA, FRANDI LEDEMA DIEGO TEJADA and PAFRAIMY ANTONIO are charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Third Degrees and Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree. The defendants are scheduled for arraignment this evening in Manhattan Criminal Court.
The DEA estimates the black market value of the suspected heroin/fentanyl at approximately $7million. Results of laboratory analysis of the seized narcotics are pending. The narcotics are believed to have been destined for New York City and Massachusetts.
Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan thanked Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and commended SNP’s Special Investigations Bureau and Investigators Unit and the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, including members of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the New York City Police Department and the New York State Police, for their work on the case. The DEA’s New England Division assisted in the investigation.
“The sheer volume of heroin and fentanyl packages assembled in a small apartment just off the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx is shocking. Even veteran narcotics investigators were surprised by the output of this packaging operation, which was run out of a nondescript apartment in the borough afflicted by the city’s highest rate of overdose death,” said Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan. “The arrests of six individuals, and seizure of 750,000 drug filled envelopes destined for distribution here and in New England, underscore New York City’s role as a hub for mass distribution of deadly drugs. I thank the Drug Enforcement Task Force and the investigators and prosecutors from the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for their dedication and commitment to preventing lethal drugs from ever reaching our communities.”
“This enforcement operation shows that heroin is still the neighborhood stalker bringing danger and death to our doorsteps,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan. “This seizure is incredibly significant because it has saved hundreds of thousands of people from starting a cycle of opioid addiction by removing three quarters of a million heroin filled glassines from a one-bedroom apartment in the Bronx. Great police work and a common goal go a long way in keeping our city safe from the dangers of illegal drugs.”
“I want to commend our NYPD officers and partners in the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for their dedicated work together to make these arrests and take these dangerous drugs off the streets,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea.
New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett said, “The hard work of our members and partners on the Drug Enforcement Task Force has led to the arrests of six subjects and the seizure of a significant amount of heroin and fentanyl, which would have ended up on our streets. There is zero tolerance for those who sell these deadly, illegal drugs, and we will continue to aggressively target and disrupt these trafficking organizations, and put those responsible behind bars.”
The charges and allegations are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
| Defendants | Charges |
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Former Partner Of Manhattan Accounting Firm Sentenced For Two Fraud Schemes
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that STEVEN L. HENNING, a certified public accountant (“CPA”) who was a partner at a Manhattan accounting firm, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for participating in two wire fraud schemes. In the first, he falsely claimed to have entered into multimillion-dollar intellectual property deals and defrauded investors out of $2 million. In the second, he falsely claimed to have entered into client engagements and defrauded an employer out of over $240,000. HENNING was sentenced by United States District Judge Cathy Seibel.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Over several years, Steven Henning committed brazen frauds, exploiting his stature and career accomplishments to defraud people who trusted and relied on him. Today he has received a significant prison sentence for his crimes.”
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Seibel said that HENNING is a “thief,” he committed “blatant fraud,” and his conduct was “extremely serious.”
According to the allegations in the Information to which HENNING pled guilty, as well as other public information:
HENNING, a CPA at a Manhattan accounting firm, established his own firm called OpportunIP, which he allegedly told victims was a company specializing in assisting other entities in taking intellectual property to the market. HENNING induced victims to invest in OpportunIP by providing them with fraudulent documents showing OpportunIP’s involvement in multimillion-dollar transactions that would reap millions of dollars in future profits. Ultimately, the victims learned that the deals did not exist, the documents were false and forged, and they were victims of an alleged scheme to defraud them out of millions of dollars.
As further alleged in the information, after leaving the Manhattan accounting firm, HENNING sought employment with a firm in Chicago, Illinois (the “Chicago Firm”). He induced the Chicago Firm to hire him and provide him with $240,000 in draw payments based on false and fraudulent statements about business he would bring to the Chicago Firm, including by sending the Chicago Firm fraudulent contracts.
In addition to his prison term, HENNING was ordered to serve three years of supervised release, pay $938,246 in restitution and forfeit $938,246.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the U. S. Postal Inspection Service and the SEC Office of Inspector General.
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Building on Neighborhood Policing, Commissioner Shea Outlines New Strategy to Prevent and Address Youth Crime
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, during the State of the NYPD address today, announced the Department's strategy to take Neighborhood Policing to the next level through new initiatives to protect and serve all kids. This includes proactively intervening with youth before they engage in criminal activity, and also reaching young people and connecting them to resources so they can pursue a path to opportunities to reach their full potential.
The core of this strategy includes the establishment of Youth Coordination Officers, leveraging the School Safety Division, launching YouthStat and working to leverage underutilized spaces across New York City to engage youth. This approach draws on talented, committed NYPD personnel, and their accumulated previous encounters with young people to make a lasting and positive difference in their lives. The NYPD is also establishing and institutionalizing closer coordination with law enforcement partners and community-based service organizations to identify opportunities for intervention with young people. By fostering meaningful connections with teenagers and equipping our officers with the resources to connect them with critical services, NYPD police officers will work towards preventing young New Yorkers from being led on a downward trajectory of crime, and work towards our common goal of keeping all kids safe.
Excerpts from Commissioner Shea's State of the NYPD speech:
"We can do far better, both within the NYPD and in coordination with a range of city agencies and community-based organizations. That's what the NYPD's new youth strategy is all about: Drawing on our talented, committed personnel, and on the accumulated previous encounters with these young people to make a lasting and positive difference in their lives. At the same time, we will establish and institutionalize far closer cooperation with our law-enforcement partners and community-based service organizations to identify the opportunities for intervention with young people early in the progression that risks turning them into criminals."
"The first step is to redefine what our NYPD youth officers do. We're establishing a new role in all of our precincts and Housing Bureau police service areas on the model of our Neighborhood Coordination Officers called the Youth Coordination Officer, or YCO. As the title implies, YCOs will play a critical coordinating role, maintaining awareness of troubled youth and connecting better and sooner with them. They also will coordinate with the other cops in the precinct, and with city agencies and local community-service groups that have a stake in improved youth outcomes, which, I would say, is everyone.
"And our new Youth Coordination Officers will be the force multipliers who bring people together, citywide. We must bring everyone to the table to lock arms. The NYPD, as you know, already tracks crime and detects crime patterns in ways that are second-to-none among the other police departments on Earth. And we know that our new youth strategy is a real step forward that will allow us to measure – in some manner – crime prevention. To measure assists, if you will. Crimes that did not happen, lives that did not end, families that were kept intact because young people were helped every step of the way.
"Thank you, Commissioner Shea and the entire NYPD, for all the work you do 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to keep New Yorkers safe," said Susan Birnbaum President and CEO of the New York City Police Foundation. "Public safety is more than reducing and preventing crime, it is fundamental to building strong, cohesive, and vibrant communities. Through innovative neighborhood policing programs, we have made tremendous strides in the past year. We look forward to building on these gains in the coming year with new programs that further engage youths and local communities."
Below are the key components of this initiative:
- Youth Coordination Officers: The creation of a Youth Coordination Officer (YCO) role in every precinct, modeled after the Neighborhood Coordination Officer. YCOs will be precinct experts and force multipliers for all youth-related matters. They will partner with city agencies and local community-service groups that have a stake in improved youth outcomes.
- Leveraging School Safety Division: The youth strategy incorporates the 5,500 school safety officers into command-level strategy meetings to enhance information sharing and connect young people to essential resources
- YouthStat: Monthly "YouthStat" meetings will be held with key agency partners to methodically address the issues and identify opportunities to better protect and serve young people across the city.
- Activate Spaces: The "activation" of underutilized fields, gyms, and classrooms citywide with productive and engaging activities geared toward young people.
The new youth strategy was announced at the Police Commissioner's annual State of the NYPD address. This event is supported by the New York City Police Foundation, whose collaboration with the NYPD has proven effective for nearly half a century. It is partnerships like these that set an example for the NYPD's new youth strategy. With the Police Foundation's support of essential programs such as the Options Program, which uses virtual reality technology to build relationships between police officers and young people, the Department will continue to meaningfully engage young people across the city. Additional programs funded by the Foundation, including Explosive Detection K9 training and Crime Stoppers, have helped usher in an era of unprecedented public safety in New York City. Just last month, the Foundation helped roll-out 550 lightweight ballistic vests to ensure undercover officers and members of our Detective Bureau can comfortably wear this live-saving protection while in plainclothes.
BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS IN PRISON IN STRANGLING DEATH OF GIRLFRIEND IN THEIR MORRIS HEIGHTS APARTMENT
Defendant Pleaded Guilty to First-Degree Manslaughter
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been
sentenced to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree Manslaughter for strangling
his 21-year-old girlfriend.
District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant murdered his girlfriend, with whom he had
been in a relationship with for approximately seven years, during an argument. He stayed in the
apartment with her body for 48 hours then went to police and confessed to the killing. We must
address the significant domestic violence problem in the Bronx to prevent such homicides.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Angel Esteban Feliz Rodriguez, 24, of 1628
Nelson Avenue, was sentenced today to 17 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision
by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ethan Greenberg. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree
Manslaughter on December 11, 2019.
According to the investigation, on April 8, 2019, in the apartment the couple shared, the
defendant argued with the victim, Indira Ramirez Rivera, 21. Rodriguez strangled her, causing
her death. On April 10, 2019, the defendant went to the 48th Precinct station and told police he
had a fight with his girlfriend and that she was dead in their apartment. The Police Officer’s body
camera captured the defendant’s confession. Police went to the apartment and found the victim.
District Attorney Clark also thanked NYPD Detective
Francis Orlando of Bronx Homicide and NYPD Officer Johanna Vega of the 48th Precinct.
Comptroller Stringer Proposes Sweeping ‘Universal Affordable Housing’ Requirement for All New Construction in the City
Universal Affordable Housing would require 25% permanently low-income affordable housing in all new development with ten or more units
Five-borough housing strategy would end the $1.6 billion 421-a tax subsidy to developers
Urges focusing all City housing capital investment on affordable housing for extremely and very low-income households to pull New Yorkers back from brink of homelessness
Outlines agenda to expand moderate and middle-income homeownership across the five boroughs
New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer announced ‘Housing We Need,’ a five-borough housing strategy to fundamentally realign New York City’s failed approach to our housing crisis – including a universal requirement for 25% permanently low-income affordable housing in all new as-of-right development with ten or more units.
Comptroller Stringer also proposed an end to the longstanding 421-a tax subsidy program for developers, which costs the city more than $1.6 billion per year and has proven highly inefficient in its production of affordable housing. Comptroller Stringer’s plan further calls for the expansion of affordable homeownership programs, the redirection of existing capital dollars to extremely and very low-income housing construction, and the creation of a New York City land bank that would facilitate the transformation of vacant city-owned properties into affordable housing.
These are the cornerstones of a comprehensive housing strategy that follows six years of analyses, audits and reports on City initiatives that leave behind as many as 435,000 of New York’s lowest-income households, on housing plans that fail to create enough truly affordable housing for working families, on billions of dollars in wasted spending on inscrutable tax subsidies to real estate, on ineffective approaches to homelessness prevention, and on unrealizable paths to homeownership.
Universal Affordable Housing (UAH)
Comptroller Stringer: “The power in this approach lies in its simplicity: if you’re going to build in New York City, you will provide affordability that is sustainable.
“You will be part of the solution. No longer will developers be able to use affordable housing as a bargaining chip with communities.”
The City’s inclusionary zoning program, Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH), has centered the creation of affordable housing in specific neighborhoods and offers developers additional height and/or density in exchange for the construction of a certain percentage of affordable units. However, much of this housing is not affordable to local residents; most of the housing built under the City’s ‘Housing New York’ plan is set at 80% of HUD-defined Area Median Income (AMI), or households making up to approximately $77,000 a year, or higher.
Comptroller Stringer’s proposal for Universal Affordable Housing:
- Every new as-of-right development with ten or more units across New York City will be legally required to set aside a baseline of 25% of its units or the floor area, whichever is greater, for permanent low-income affordable housing.
- All units created under UAH would be set at an average of 60% of Area Median Income (household income of $58,000 a year for a family of three), or two parents making minimum wage and raising a child.
Housing for Extremely Low and Very Low-Income New Yorkers
Comptroller Stringer: “This is the housing that helps families that are one paycheck away from losing their homes. This is the housing that gets New Yorkers out of shelters. This is the housing that empowers folks to climb the economic ladder to security and stability.
“This is the housing we need.”
An analysis by the Comptroller’s Office found that the “affordable” housing created by the Administration’s “Housing New York” is too expensive for as many as 435,000 of the city’s most severely rent-burdened households. Just one third of the newly-constructed housing units through the end of Fiscal Year 2019 were within the reach of extremely low and very low- income households (defined as households making 30 percent and 50 percent respectively of AMI, or $28,830 and $48,050 respectively for a family of three). The Comptroller’s analysis found that nearly 565,000 New York households pay over half of their income for rent, are severely overcrowded, or have been in homeless shelter for over a year.
As New York City’s homelessness crisis grows, Comptroller Stringer called on the City to direct all current housing capital investment to benefit the households most affected by the crisis of housing affordability, including:
- Starting immediately, focusing current City capital dollars for new construction on the production of units for extremely and very low-income households.
- Creating a non-profit New York City Land Bank to partner with community-based organizations to build 100 percent permanently affordable housing on nearly 1,000 vacant lots currently owned by the City; these sites can generate tens of thousands of affordable housing units for the lowest-income New Yorkers making 30 percent to 50 percent of AMI.
Ending 421-a
Comptroller Stringer: “We need to fundamentally change the bargain between the city and the real estate industry. We can’t keep spending billions and billions and getting so little in return.”
The as-of-right 421-a program, also known as Affordable Housing New York, is the largest current subsidy to generate affordable housing, at an annual cost of $1.6 billion in foregone property tax revenues, according to the Department of Finance’s 2019 Tax Expenditure Report. However, the ‘affordable’ units created by the program are not permanently affordable and can rent for as much as $3,100 a month – which is well above market rate in many neighborhoods. The Independent Budget Office estimated that from 2005-2015, the city wasted between $2.5 and $2.8 billion in revenue through the 421-a program by providing more benefit than needed. Furthermore, a report by ProPublica found that two-thirds of the 6,000 rental properties with 421-a abatements did not have approved applications on file, nor were they registered with rent stabilization.
Comptroller Stringer proposed ending the ineffectual 421-a program and instead:
- Providing subsidies only on a discretionary basis strictly to plug financing gaps where there is demonstrated, documented need in order to meet the new mandate for affordability, deepen the affordability levels, increase the amount of affordability or provide good-paying jobs.
- Giving more discretion to the City to tailor subsidies including property tax abatements and capital subsidies.
- Mandating that all affordable housing supported through subsidies must be permanently affordable and ensuring accountability and enforceability by transparently reporting all affordable housing units created through this program.
Making Homeownership an Achievable Dream
Comptroller Stringer: “We also have to do more to make home ownership an achievable dream in New York City, because right now it has become the impossible dream for too many working New Yorkers.
“If New York City becomes a place where only the wealthy can afford to put down roots and own a home, where all we do is build glass towers in the sky that sit half empty – then we should all be ashamed.”
The homeownership rate in New York City is half of what it is in the rest of the country; approximately 32 percent of New Yorkers own their own homes compared to 64 percent nationwide. Black and Hispanic borrowers receive less than 16 percent of home loans citywide, despite constituting a majority of the population.
In response, Comptroller Stringer proposes to expand homeownership across the city by:
- Expanding the Department of Housing Preservation & Development’s Homefirst and Homefix programs to provide qualified moderate- and middle-income homeowners with up to $40,000 toward down payments and loans for home repairs.
- Waiving real property transfer and mortgage recording taxes for qualified first-time homebuyers.
- Giving tenants the right of first refusal to buy their buildings when their building goes up for sale or foreclosure.
- Leveraging Community Land Banks and Land Trusts to build affordable co-ops and condominiums on City-owned land, and building more limited equity housing for middle class families.