What's Inside:

• Message from Jo Anne
• Older Adult Resource Fair: Friday, May 30
• My New Deed Theft Bill
• Improving Mental Health 
• Budget Highlights
• Town Hall: Impacts of Proposed Federal Cuts: June 7th
• Temporary Library Services in Carroll Gardens
• EmPIRE Act to Protect Workers
• Student Loan Borrowers: Protect Your Credit
• NY HEAT Act: Lowering Your Utility Bills
• Brooklyn Marine Terminal Update 
• Borough Based Jail Construction
• Pedestrian Safety - Van Voorhees Park
• CSW Concrete Facility Update 
• Dyslexia & Literacy Advocacy
• Preventing Retaliation after Harassment
• DSNY Composting Fines on Pause
• HEAP Cooling Help is Open
• Community Events & News 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

If you have been following the news, you know that this year’s state budget was 6 weeks late as the Governor negotiated several items. Not only does a 6-week-late budget produce frustration at the time, but it compresses the remaining days of the legislative session leaving much less time to pass all the other bills New Yorkers want and need.

Among the bills I am trying to pass is a bill to reduce your utility bills (NY HEAT Act), the EmPIRE Worker Protection Act to prevent wage theft, a bill to suspend the statute of limitations for a year so people can pursue claims for deed theft, a bill to establish a wholesale drug importation program so New Yorkers can access lower cost drugs such as insulin, and a bill improve street safety.

We are also closely monitoring the potential federal cuts in Washington, DC and how they will impact New York. The federal administration has proposed devastatingly cruel and massive cuts in benefit programs, such as SNAP and Medicaid as well as Social Security. An estimated 1 million New Yorkers are in danger of losing their health insurance if the budget bill that was passed by the House of Representatives passes the Senate and is enacted.  Cuts to the Department of Education will impact our schools’ ability to provide a free and appropriate education to our schoolchildren, among other educational programs and services. Hospitals will lose Medicaid funds, limiting their ability to care for New Yorkers and even limit the number of medical residents they can hire, thus impacting the future of healthcare in this state and our country. 

As a result of the actions of DOGE, many federal workers have lost their jobs and of course, New Yorkers who have lost their federal jobs will put additional strain on our unemployment insurance resources. The losses are likely to be great and many are as yet unknown. We are trying our best to protect New Yorkers from these actions and will be vigilant in analyzing what may yet come down the pike. Please join us for a town hall next Saturday, June 7th as we review the federal cuts and impacts to New York State and City (more details below).

Sincerely, 

Jo Anne Simon

Older Adult Resource Fair: Friday, May 30, 2025, 10am – 2pm. Please join us for the return of my annual older adult resource fair! The fair will take place at St. Francis College’s NEW location at 179 Livingston Street in Downtown Brooklyn. Non-profit groups and government agencies will be able to provide you with information on cultural events, legal services, health care, housing resources, social activities, and more. We will also have a Town Hall at 12:30pm on how to stay connected to one another and to activities that bring us joy.

There will also be dental, hearing and prostate screenings. The resource fair will also feature groups that can provide you with information about public benefits to help you buy groceries, freeze your rent, or reduce your Medicare costs. Too often, older adults miss opportunities to receive public benefits simply because they are unaware of their eligibility. I want to ensure that you know about the benefits you have earned throughout your life.

My New Deed Theft Bill to Protect New Yorkers: Deed theft is a cruel and calculated crime robbing New Yorkers, especially communities of color, of their homes. It can take a variety of forms, including the scammer befriending the owner of a home to gain their trust and access their records. Too many New Yorkers have lost their homes to deed theft and didn’t realize it until it was too late. I’ve partnered with Senator Jabari Brisport to introduce a bill A8222, that would provide a 1-year lookback window so victims can seek justice and have a chance to fight back and reclaim what’s rightfully theirs. It’s time to hold bad actors accountable.

Having lived in his Brooklyn home for 56 years, 90-year-old Ray Cortez faced eviction after being the victim of deed theft by a con man. This scheme was so convoluted that the original action is beyond the statute of limitations, and hence his case is the inspiration for this bill. We have held rallies with Ray, his family, and neighbors to raise awareness about deed theft, as no one should lose their home to fraud and greed. 

Improving Mental Health: With this recently enacted budget, we have taken meaningful steps towards a mental health system that connects New Yorkers to the care they need. This was not an easy fight, nor one that felt victorious, but I am proud of all the hard work, the countless letters, calls, and advocacy efforts. The budget included critical investments, which move us closer to a stronger, more supportive mental health system.

Among the improvements are incident review panels to help us learn from tragedies, as well as stronger discharge plans to ensure better follow-up care. A pilot program, inspired by Daniel’s Law, will improve how we respond to people in crisis and ensure that people with training in mental health can assist people in need.

There is still more to be done; the budget falls short in providing fair pay for workers, supportive housing, and preventive programs. The mental health budget isn’t perfect, but it's a step forward. I remain committed to building a mental health system rooted in dignity, compassion, and community support. Thanks to the advocates pushing for change, as we pursue the investments New Yorkers need. 

State Budget Highlights. This year’s budget provided record funds for education and mental health, and in a very important, but un-sexy provision, we paid off our $8 billion unemployment debt with the US Treasury so we will no longer carry the debt service on that.  NY had borrowed significant unemployment funds from the federal government to meet the needs of the million NY workers who were unable to work during the COVID pandemic. Now, we will no longer owe Washington that money! 

We invested in more child care and passed an income tax reduction to workers earning under $323,000/year. We put $50 million to establish the Housing Access Voucher Program (HVAP), a rental assistance program to help individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to secure permanent housing and transition out of shelters or unsustainable housing situations.

We expanded access to food programs for school children, including $340 million for universal free breakfast and lunch so no child will have to try to learn while hungry. We also extended and expanded the weigh-in-motion pilot program that keeps illegally overweight trucks off our vulnerable bridges and roadways, such as the triple cantilever of the BQE.

Federal Funding Cuts: Light the Way BK Town Hall, June 7th.  The event will take place at 11am at M.S. 51 Auditorium, 350 5th Ave. Please join me, Senator Gounardes, and Council Member Hanif for a town hall on the impacts of federal cuts and federal policy on the state and city budget. We will be joined by a panel of experts and advocates, including the Comptroller's office, Advocates for Children, and more to come. After the panel discussion, there will be an audience Q&A. Please RSVP here.

Temporary Library Services Back in Carroll Gardens. Library services are returning to Carroll Gardens this summer! I'm proud to partner with Brooklyn Community Board 6, Brooklyn Public Library, Senator Andrew Gounardes, Council Member Shahana Hanif, and our community to bring a pop-up library to 250 Baltic Street while the Carroll Gardens Library undergoes needed renovations. I was able to secure $10,000 in state funds for the temporary operations to occur, along with financial support from my colleagues. 

Libraries are one of our greatest democratic institutions, and we're proud to help restore access for families, students, and neighbors who've missed this vital resource.

The pop-up library will open up in July, and you’ll be able to visit on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 1-5pm and Fridays 10am-2pm. Services will include book borrowing, signing up for library cards and reference help.

The EmPIRE Worker Protection Act. The EmPIRE Act, A4278, is New York's defense against Trump’s attack on labor. This piece of legislation aims to tackle the rampant wage theft crisis and strengthen protections for workers. By empowering workers, whistleblowers, and unions to enforce existing labor laws, the bill provides a mechanism to combat employer abuse and will generate over $100 million annually, enabling the NY State Department of Labor to enforce a variety of labor laws more effectively. It is based off a highly successful law in California.

The bill seeks to hold lawbreaking employers accountable while leveling the playing field for honest businesses. With the federal government retreating from protecting workers’ rights, the EmPIRE Act becomes more important than ever for states like New York to lead in the fight for workers and their rights. 

• Missed payments of 90+ days are now being reported to credit bureaus, and on May 5, 2025, the pause on collections for defaulted federal loans ended.
•  If you’re struggling with repayment, you may still be eligible for an Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan.
•  Free, one-on-one help is available: 1-888-614-5004 or at www.edcapny.org

NY Home Energy Affordable Transition Act (HEAT). I’m thrilled to be the lead sponsor on NY HEAT - a bill to lower your monthly energy bills, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and provide New Yorkers with modern cooling and heating and cooking options that work better.

New Yorkers are being squeezed by exorbitant utility costs, and it's about to get even worse. National Grid’s latest rate hike is going into effect and ConEd has just requested another, as well, adding to the financial strain on hardworking families. Utility companies are investing in outdated fossil fuel infrastructure—instead of embracing cleaner, more cost-effective alternatives—and they expect customers to foot the bill. The NY HEAT Act will change that.

Currently, utility customers are forced to subsidize the expansion of the fracked gas system, spending over $200 million each year because of a law called the "100-foot rule" that allows new customers to pay little or nothing for all the pipes and equipment and labor required to connect them to the system. Much of the rate hikes that customers pay for are used to pay for repairs to leaky, old pipes. Every new mile of gas pipeline costs an average of $3 to $6 million — $60,000 per customer on that line — all subsidized by existing ratepayers.

Utility customers are also on the hook for $150 billion in coming years to replace leak-prone gas pipes, an average of $35,000 for every gas customer in the state, installing infrastructure that must be phased out in less than 30 years. Con Ed’s recent rate increase requests nearly a billion dollars per year in ratepayer funds for maintaining the gas system, with nearly half of it earmarked for replacing leak-prone pipes with new ones. NY HEAT will end this wasteful spending.

The NY HEAT Act would require utilities to provide easy access to the most affordable and healthier heating options for New York families. It is not a ban on gas. Rather, it allows the utilities to explore other options besides gas, such as thermal energy networks (TENS) and electrification, and heat pumps. It works the same way that companies bill customers right now - except instead of billing many customers in a region over time to pay to fix leaky pipes, the utility can use that same money to invest in TENS, or other more affordable, healthier projects. If the utility can show that gas is the cheaper option, an area can continue to use gas.

The status quo is both unaffordable—and bad for our health & the climate. I am committed to advancing this bold plan to cut costs, modernize our energy infrastructure, and ensure a more sustainable future.

Please read my op-ed with Sen. Liz Krueger, which explains why we need NY HEAT. 

Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT) Update. Last year, the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) took control of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal from the Port Authority of NY/NJ to modernize the maritime facility and create a mixed-use community asset.

Earlier this month, I was in conversation with the City Club, where we unpacked the planning process that will be used to push this project forward. You can watch a recording of the conversation here.

There are three upcoming meetings on the BMT that you can join. Senator Gourndardes and community Board 6 are hosting a community meeting on the BMT on June 2 from 6:30 - 8pm at PS 15, 71 Sullivan Street. RSVP here to attend. On June 4 from 6 - 8:30pm there will be a BMT one-on-one with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and EDC at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street. You can RSVP and submit written questions here. On June 12, the NYC Council Committee on Economic Development Hearing “Oversight: Brooklyn Marine Terminal Development” will take place at 1pm. You can watch the hearing live here, and you can submit public comments here.

Borough-Based Jail Construction Updates. The around-the-clock construction of the Brooklyn borough-based jail has made life unbearable for our neighbors, robbing them of sleep, peace, and safety. Together with my colleagues and Council Member Restler, we sent a letter urging the City to act and demanded immediate changes to protect residents’ quality of life. I am pleased that the administration listened and has ceased overnight construction activities; we will keep pushing for other improvements. Neighbors near to this site deserve peace. 

Pedestrian Safety Issues Near Van Voorhees Park. The community has long noted the unsafe crossings and dangerous street-scape in Cobble Hill around Van Voorhees Park near the BQE on-ramp.  My office joined colleagues and reached out to NYC DOT urging them to make improvements.

After conducting a walk through with Sen. Gounardes and other electeds, community members, and DOT, I am pleased that DOT has agreed to making both short term and long term fixes. DOT is working in partnership with the State DOT and Federal Highway Administration on an environmental review of the city owned portion of the BQE, which will include a traffic study in this area. In the meantime, they have agreed to implement a street improvement project at Atlantic and Columbia streets which will build out painted pedestrian space in concrete and shorten crossing distances for pedestrians, upgrade a stop sign to a traffic signal at northbound Columbia Street and the BQE exit slip lane, and work with the NYPD to deploy regular, targeted, truck enforcement at Atlantic Avenue and Hicks Street, as well as along Columbia Street.

DOT is continuing to work with the community on other improvements raised during our walk through. I thank everyone who organized around this issue to ensure people can get to and from the park and around the community safely.

Dyslexia & Literacy Advocacy. Students, parents, and lawmakers filled the Capitol for Dyslexia Advocacy Day, raising their voices for a future where all kids learn to read. This year, we marked our 10th Anniversary of Dyslexia & Literacy Education & Advocacy events. Ten years of advocacy shows us that change is possible. We have shifted the conversation around literacy by raising awareness and changing laws, but too many children are still being left behind.

Students from Stephen Gaynor School said it best: “Dyslexia doesn’t mean I’m not smart, it means I learn differently.” 

You can find links to photos and videos below:

• Photos of the Dyslexia Advocacy Day at the Capitol can be found here.
• Videos from our rally at the Million Dollar Staircase can be found here. 
• A recording of our webinar, "The Path Forward,” can be found here.

Thank you to our partners: Stephen Gaynor School, The Windward School, Bridge Preparatory Charter School, and Literacy Academy Collective.

In other literacy news, after the success of the Bronx Literacy Academy founded by the Literacy Academy Collective,  a brand new, literacy-focused school is coming to Brooklyn! Central Brooklyn Literacy Academy will open this fall with a focus on evidence-based reading instruction. Their work is a great example of how we can transform literacy outcomes for all students. 

Stop Workplace Harassment Retaliation:  As an employment lawyer, I know that people who report harassment are often punished for speaking out. That’s why I introduced legislation, A1310, to protect survivors from intimidation and retaliation. This legislation ensures that those accused of harassment cannot weaponize the legal system by suing victims before their claims are fully resolved. It’s a critical step towards justice, accountability, and a safer workplace for all.

DSNY Composting Fines on Pause: NYC DSNY has temporarily paused composting fines for buildings with fewer than 30 units. Buildings with 30+ units are subject to fines but pay less for repeat offenses. Learn more here. Summonses that were already issued are still valid. However, you can choose to fight the summons at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) by following the directions on the summons.

HEAP Cooling Assistance Benefit is Open. If you are eligible, you may receive one Cooling Assistance benefit per applicant household for the purchase and installation of an air conditioner or a fan to help your home stay cool. In circumstances where an air conditioner cannot be safely installed, a fan will be provided. Only one air conditioner or fan, not to exceed $800 with installation for a window, portable air conditioner, or fan and not to exceed $1,000 for an existing wall sleeve unit, will be provided per applicant household. No additional HEAP cash benefits are available. You can see if you are eligible and apply for the benefit here. 

• Pick Up a free Compost Bin: My office has a small number of kitchen counter compost bins available. Please email us in advance at [email protected] to arrange a pick-up time. 

• Bike Day in Prospect Park on Saturday, May 31 from 2-5pm. Join Prospect Park Alliance, Park Slope Civic Council, Bike New York, Kissena Cycling Club, New York Cycling Club, Council Member Shahana  Hanif, the Workers Justice Project, 78th Precinct, NYPD, Good Neighbors of Park Slope, Transportation Alternatives, and NewYork-Presbyterian Methodist Hospital for a family-friendly and educational afternoon of fun at our Community Day of Cycling in Prospect Park! Whether you're new to cycling, a delivery worker, a parent, or a seasoned commuter—this event has something for everyone, from Learn-to-Rides to guided beginner rides, to bike light giveaways and much more! RSVP.

• BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Free Opening Night at the Prospect Bark Bandshell on Friday, June 13. Celebrate the rich musical traditions of Haiti with three powerhouse singer-songwriters. Mélissa Laveaux fuses folk, blues, jazz, and Brazilian tropicália with Haitian rhythms spanning two centuries. Nathalie ‘TALIE’ Cerin’s warm vocals and acoustic sound draw on Haitian folk and soul. Opener Riva Nyri Précil mixes traditional Haitian music with R&B, soul, jazz, and African influences. RSVP and more info here.

• Brooklyn Pride Twilight Parade on Saturday, June 14 at 7:30pm. Join me at the annual Brooklyn Pride Parade kicking off at Lincoln Pl on Fifth Ave in Park Slope and ending at 9th St. See the full line-up of Brooklyn Pride events here.

• Brooklyn Bridge Park Survey: Brooklyn Bridge Park is exploring a new indoor recreation center under the Manhattan Bridge and would love your input! Please take this brief survey to share your thoughts and feedback. The survey is open from April 24 to May 31. 

• New Package Lockers: LockerNYC has installed two new package lockers, located at 632 Vanderbilt Avenue. LockerNYC is a pilot program that aims to cut down on package thefts and reduce delivery truck trips.  

• Police Precinct Meetings: If you would like to learn more about public safety and enforcement in your neighborhood, I suggest that you look into attending your local police precinct community council meeting. You can look up which precinct you live in using your address here. The upcoming dates and times for meetings of the precincts in my district can be found below:

  • 76th Precinct Community Council Meeting: Wednesday, June 4, 7PM, Sacred Heart & St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church, 125 Summit St, Brooklyn 

  • 84th Precinct Community Council Meeting: Tuesday, June 17, 7PM, Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon St, Brooklyn

  • 78th Precinct Community Council Meeting:  Tuesday, June 24, 7:30PM, 65 6th Ave, Brooklyn, 4th floor. 

• Blood Donations. New York Blood Center has issued an emergency plea for blood donors following a significant drop in blood donations after a holiday season of alarmingly low donor turnout. Please consider donating. Find a location here.