Bronx Metro-North Station Area Study - Monthly Update

 

Monthly Bronx Metro-North Study Update
March 2023

MTA Station Construction Kicks Off

In early 2023, the MTA held an official groundbreaking for the construction necessary to bring new Metro-North service to the East Bronx. 

Visitors to the location of the future Parkchester/Van Nest station (pictured below) will today see early signs of construction work as the MTA adds additional tracks to ensure that the Metro-North service is ready to run starting in late 2027 (projected).

The City is proud to continue its partnership with the MTA as it continues planning work around each of the four stations. This is a unique opportunity to thoughtfully integrate new service into the fabric of our Bronx communities and to add much needed housing -- including affordable housing --  commercial space, community-serving retail, and community facility space adjacent to new planned Metro-North service.

Rendering of the main entrance to the future Parkchester/Van Nest station. Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Plan Highlight of the Month: Jobs Planning Work

An important aspect of the City's Bronx Metro-North Study planning work touches on the importance of jobs and workforce development. This includes:

• Working to help grow jobs centers in the Bronx, including the important job center at Morris Park (one of the City's 10 largest jobs centers!)
• Working to identify gaps to connecting Bronxites to jobs in the Borough, the City, and the region

DCP recently completed updating its workforce and labor market analysis as part of this work. A couple of notable facts:

• Local health services accounts for the largest share of jobs in the study area centered around Morris Park and Parkchester/Van Nest
• Local government services and local education and training were the two fastest growing jobs sectors

Stay Up-to-date on Planning Work:

Please visit the Bronx Metro-North webpage to see a summary of recommendations and past planning work. 

Stay up to date: 

• Mailing List: To make sure you’re up-to-date on planning work, please sign up for our mailing list at bmns@planning.nyc.gov.

• Remote Office Hours: Have additional questions or thoughts you’d like to share with us? We’d love to hear from you. Sign up for one-on-one remote office hours with the study team here: Sign up!  
• Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @nycplanning

MAYOR ADAMS’ STATEMENT ON ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF “REBUILD, RENEW, REINVENT” ECONOMIC BLUEPRINT AND RESULTING STRONG JOB NUMBERS

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams released the following statement marking one year since the release of “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery” and the resulting new data from the New York State Department of Labor showing that the city has recovered 99 percent of jobs lost during the pandemic:

“One year ago, our administration released “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent,” our blueprint for an equitable, inclusive economic recovery for New York City. And every day since, we have been laser-focused on getting New Yorkers back to work.

“I’m proud to share that our efforts are working. The results are clear: We have recovered nearly all jobs lost during the pandemic, more New Yorkers are entering or returning to the workforce, and the city’s economy is returning to full strength. According to newly released data from the New York State Department of Labor, we are 99 percent of the way back to pre-pandemic job levels, which were at the highest levels in New York City history.

“We will always have more work to do and we won’t stop until every New Yorker has access to a quality, family-sustaining job, but it’s clear New York City is back. We are moving full speed ahead in the right direction, and our administration will continue working day in and day out to create economic opportunities for all New Yorkers.”

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Executive Budget Report

 

Comptroller Supports Deposits to Rainy Day Reserves; Calls for Rejection of Unfavorable Debt Proposals and Provisions that Block Transparency and Independent Oversight

Despite the state’s economic recovery since the pandemic first hit three years ago, significant headwinds will present challenges to ongoing economic growth and fiscal stability. The state faces prolonged inflation, rising federal interest rates and the end of federal relief aid that was instrumental in balancing the past two budgets, according to a report by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli on the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2023-24 Executive Budget.  

The Executive Budget proposes $227 billion in All Funds spending in SFY 2023-24, an increase of $5.4 billion, or 2.5%, from the prior year. The Division of the Budget (DOB) projects outyear gaps of $5.7 billion in SFY 2024-25, $9 billion in SFY 2025-26, and $7.5 billion in SFY 2026-27. The gaps result from reduced estimates of tax collections due to a forecasted economic downturn and increases in recurring spending, principally in school aid and Medicaid.

“With economic risks and the impending loss of federal financial assistance ahead, now is the time for New York to carefully prepare for the short- and long-term,” DiNapoli said. “The budget proposals to increase state reserves and strengthen the state’s rainy-day reserves should be supported. At the same time, there are several concerning proposals that exempt approximately $12.8 billion from competitive bidding and oversight requirements, leaving too much in the dark. The budget also advances debt proposals that reinforce concerns about the affordability of debt levels and the transparency and accountability of current debt practices. I urge lawmakers to reject these proposals.”

DiNapoli’s assessment of the Executive Budget identified several economic, revenue and spending risks and other concerns.

Economic and Revenue Risks

Risks associated with the economic environment include continued inflation, the impact of interest rate hikes and disruptions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Increased interest rates by the Federal Reserve have resulted in increased borrowing costs for consumers and businesses. With inflation expected to remain elevated and additional rate hikes expected in 2023, consumer and business spending could be further constrained.

With the Executive Budget Financial Plan forecasting a recession, DOB reduced its projections of tax revenues for the upcoming fiscal year by $2.1 billion and a total of $10.3 billion over the life of the Plan. Should a recession be more severe or be longer in duration, revenues could decline more than currently forecasted. The changes in the labor market are also a risk to the state economy. New York’s job recovery from the pandemic has lagged the nation’s, there are fewer workers in the labor force and the labor force participation rate is among the lowest in the nation.

Structural Balance and Use of Federal Funds

State budgets often include provisions that cause recurring spending to grow more quickly than recurring revenue, creating a structural imbalance and budget gaps. Such gaps are often closed with short-term solutions. The Executive Budget includes $14.9 billion in SFY 2023-24 resources that DiNapoli’s office identifies as either temporary (more than one year but not permanent) or non-recurring (one year). About 98% of that funding results from temporary federal assistance related to the pandemic (69%) and tax increases enacted in SFY 2021-22 (28%). 

The American Rescue Plan provided the state with $12.7 billion of funding from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery program that could be used for a broad range of purposes, including replacement of lost tax revenue due to the pandemic. The Financial Plan continues to assume these funds will be used through SFY 2024-25, including $2.25 billion in SFY 2023-24 and $3.64 billion in SFY 2024-25. Little information is available to determine whether the funding has been used equitably, efficiently and with the proper balancing of short-term need with long-term sustainability. Increased transparency on the planned use of the funds is needed.

There are also significant spending risks. In June 2023, the state will begin redetermining eligibility for all enrollees in Medicaid, the Essential Plan and Child Health Plus programs that are projected to reduce coverage by 10.3% to 8.3 million individuals by April 2024. In the Medicaid program, the Financial Plan projects a decline of almost 888,000 individuals in a single year. If enrollment exceeds current projections, significant unbudgeted costs will occur. For example, if only half of the assumed decline is realized, there could be an additional $6.2 billion in total costs, including $2.2 billion in state costs in SFY 2023-24.

Reserve Funds

For years, DiNapoli has warned of the state’s underfunding of its statutory rainy-day reserves. The Executive Budget proposal increases the balance of statutory rainy-day reserves to $6.5 billion at the end of the current fiscal year and includes legislation to further increase the maximum annual deposits to 10% of State Operating Funds (SOF) spending and the maximum fund balance to up to 20% of SOF spending. If enacted, these measures would provide tools to manage economic or other challenges ahead and ensure fiscal stability. DiNapoli urges lawmakers to support these actions.

The Financial Plan also indicates unrestricted fund balances designated for “economic uncertainties” would grow to $13.5 billion at the end of the fiscal year. DiNapoli urges greater priority should be placed on building statutory rainy-day reserves rather than relying on informal, unrestricted reserves.

Debt Practices

The Executive Budget proposes to continue circumventing the state’s debt cap by utilizing a loophole in the Debt Reform Act for structuring the Gateway Plan debt. The Executive Budget would further reduce transparency and accountability by classifying the Gateway loan in a manner that is inconsistent with past practice and fails the most basic standards of transparency by continuing to not count this debt in projections of any debt outstanding. These actions result in a misleading picture of the size of the state’s debt burden.

The Executive Budget again proposes “backdoor borrowing” authorizations for up to $5 billion in short-term cash flow borrowings during SFY 2023-24 that are redundant to the existing ability to issue more cost-effective Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes (TRANs). Given the state’s current strong cash balances, it is unclear why this more costly form of borrowing is proposed.

Collectively, these and other actions in recent budgets have rendered the state’s current debt limits functionally meaningless. DiNapoli recently issued a report highlighting how caps and other debt restrictions set in statute have not worked to rein in state debt or stop inappropriate borrowing practices, and recommended several reform measures to address these problems.

Transparency

The SFY 2023-24 Executive Budget continues a problematic pattern from past budgets that include eliminating the Comptroller’s contract pre-review oversight and waiving competitive bidding requirements for certain contracts, including the proposal related to selection of certain Managed Long Term Care plans. In addition, the budget includes an appropriation that would unduly and inappropriately impair the Office of the State Comptroller’s duty to conduct independent audits of the New York State Health Insurance Program. 

This report details provisions of the SFY 2023-24 Executive Budget proposal submitted on February 1. The report does not reflect 30-day amendments released on March 3 or the amended Financial Plan released on March 8

Report

New York State Fiscal Year 2022-23 Executive Budget Review

Debt Report

MANHATTAN MAN INDICTED FOR EXECUTION-STYLE MURDER OF TWO PEOPLE; VICTIMS WERE SHOT AND LEFT IN BURNING CAR

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Manhattan man has been indicted for Kidnapping, Murder and other charges for shooting two people in a car and setting it on fire, incinerating them.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The deaths of these two young people allegedly culminated a chain of violent events in Manhattan and Queens. A defendant has been brought to justice and we will hold accountable any others involved in this horrific crime. I hope this indictment brings some solace to the victims’ parents; they suffer the loss of their children who were burned beyond recognition.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Jahmel Sanders, 30, of 105 Baruch Drive, Manhattan, is charged with five counts of first-degree Murder, six counts of second-degree Murder, two counts of first-degree Manslaughter, two counts of first-degree Arson, two counts of second-degree Arson, two counts of third-degree Arson, two counts of first-degree Kidnapping, two counts of second-degree Kidnapping, two counts of first-degree Criminal Use of a Firearm, three counts of second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, two counts of firstdegree Robbery, third-degree Grand Larceny and fourth-degree Grand Larceny. Sanders was arraigned today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas. The defendant was remanded and is due back in court on June 21, 2023.  

 According to the investigation, on May 16, 2022, the defendant, and others allegedly kidnapped Nikki Huang, 22, and Jesse Parrilla, 22, transported them to Shore Road near Pelham Bay Park, and shot them execution-style. They allegedly set fire to the car with the victims inside of it. Huang suffered bullet wounds to her head and neck. Parilla suffered bullet wounds to his head and chest. Their bodies were burned almost to ash.

 According to the investigation, on May 15, 2022, at 9:30 p.m., Huang told friends who are alleged gang members that she was robbed of a purse in Manhattan, and two hours later, a man was fatally shot in Manhattan.

 At approximately 1:20 a.m. on May 16, 2022, Parrilla drove his mother’s Honda Accord and dropped Huang off near her home on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Defendant’s accomplices allegedly approached Parrilla, moved him to another vehicle and took the Accord. Approximately 20 minutes later Huang was lured to come outside her building and was taken using the same Honda Accord. Shortly after, the defendant along with others were involved in a shooting in Queens with the victims present. Then they travelled to the Bronx. At approximately 4:16 a.m. Parilla’s mother’s Accord was discovered in flames near 870 Shore Road.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detectives Sheldon Smith of Bronx Homicide, Pedro Gomez of the Violent Felony Squad, and John Soto of the 45th Precinct for their work on the case. 

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt

Governor Hochul Announces $10 Million Available to Improve Mental Health Services for Youth and Families

 

Funding to Establish Statewide Networks to Offer Resources and Information for Families and Youth

Networks to Also Support Advancement of Peer Advocates; Provide Input to Advise Future Policies and Programs

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $10 million in state funding is available to create a pair of statewide networks that youth and families will be able to rely on for behavioral health information, support, and services. Administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health, the funding will help establish two separate networks, including one dedicated to helping youth and another aimed at assisting families.

"New Yorkers who struggle with mental illness deserve a system of care that is suited for and responsive to their needs," Governor Hochul said. "These statewide networks will provide young people, parents, caregivers, and the peer advocates who serve them with the resources, expertise and support they need to address behavioral health concerns."

New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, "Youth Peer Advocates and Family Peer Advocates provide valuable input into the development of mental healthcare policy and programs. Their own personal and professional experiences with the healthcare system give them a unique perspective that can help us to improve the delivery of services and the development of programs serving children with mental health concerns and their families.

Each statewide network will be funded with $5 million over five years in an effort to foster networking, advancement support, and the workforce pipeline of peer advocates, which play an integral and growing role in the delivery of mental healthcare. These advocates also help implement programs and policies to best serve children and families with behavioral health issues.

The Statewide Network for Youth Peer Support and Advocacy will help empower young people towards personal recovery and resiliency in their treatment. The statewide network will connect young people and youth peer advocates, engaging them in activities that will inform state-level policies and the development of programs and support the integration of youth-guided practices into organizations and services.

In addition, this network will help guide providers, local governments, and organizations in empowering youth to become active participants in their own treatment. The network will also ensure youth are provided a voice in informing agency policies and practices, and to promote the youth peer advocate workforce and availability of these services.

The Statewide Structure and Network for Family Support and Advocacy will provide resources and information to family peers, advocates, and the parents and caregivers of children with mental health needs. This network will also help connect families to education, training, and resources and to establish connections to others facing similar challenges.

These networks will also help to advise healthcare providers, local governments and the New York State Office of Mental Health on policies and programs by providing them input from the youth and families they serve. Both networks will also help to grow and advance the work of youth peer advocates and family peer advocates.

Once established the two networks will complement Governor Hochul's comprehensive $1 billion multi-year plan to overhaul the continuum of mental health care and drastically reduce the number of individuals with unmet mental health needs throughout the state. A key component of her FY 2024 Budget proposal, the plan aims to dramatically expand access to mental health care, reduce wait times and ensure appropriate levels of care to correct a mental health care system that has suffered from chronic underinvestment.