Dear John,
First, your headlines:
September Stated Recap
This Wednesday, 9/14, was our first Stated meeting of the Fall as we have now officially ended our Summer session and are back to our twice-a-month Stated meeting schedule. This means that City Council business will start to pick back up again with more legislation being introduced and more hearings. We have some exciting new bill introductions, and potentially some legislation passing this Fall, so stay tuned for more news.
In regard to legislation passing this week, I was proud to see two important bills passed. The first, Intro 602, introduced by myself and Speaker Adams, was a follow-up to the disastrous Supreme Court ruling that gutted our State’s strong gun laws. Albany worked quickly to react to the Court ruling, defining sensitive locations where guns could not be carried. The legislation also left a few designations up to the Council, and my legislation defined the area of Times Square to ban guns from a large swath of Midtown. The second bill, Intro 605, championed by Council Member Ossé, will provide Narcan, free of charge, to nightlife establishments across the City. This essential bill will ensure every bar and nightlife venue has life-saving medication to easily reverse an overdose. This bill will change lives.
There are several other pieces of legislation I signed on to address pressing needs in our City that I want to share with you:
- Resolution from Council Member Avilés calling on the State to grant the Council more oversight authority over NYCHA.
- A bill with Council Member Cabán requiring District Attorneys to report on seized properties and assets by the NYPD. This will create a necessary paper trail to help people victimized by the NYPD recover their property in a timely manner.
- A resolution with Council Member Brewer demanding USCIS expedite work permits for the thousands of new asylum seekers that now call New York City home. I was also proud to work alongside Council Member Brewer and Speaker Adams this week to send a letter to Senator Schumer and Gillibrand urging them to help on the matter.
- A bill from Council Member Joseph requiring traffic calming upgrades around senior centers.
- A bill from Council Member Powers to expand the eligibility of the Senior and Disability Rent Increase Exemption programs.
- A bill with Council Member Nurse to eliminate permitting fees for new green buildings.
More to come at our next Stated later this month!
Abortion Access Fund Initiative
This week, I was proud to stand on the steps of City Hall alongside the Women’s Caucus to announce the new Abortion Access Fund Initiative. This $1 million fund will be evenly split between the New York Abortion Access Fund (NYAAF) and the Brigid Alliance to provide practical abortion support for New Yorkers and people traveling to our City for critical reproductive care. Prior to Roe in 1973, New York City was a destination for abortion care, with nearly half of all people traveling over 500 miles. In the post-Roe world, we need to be ready to offer this support again. This new fund will cover abortion costs for low-income individuals as well as travel costs for those who need to come to New York City to access reproductive care. When we say travel costs we mean everything associated with travel, from food to lodging and even childcare!
This fund wouldn’t be possible without the incredible work of NYAAF and the Brigid Alliance, the leadership of Speaker Adams, and the determination of Council Member Rivera. When the SCOTUS opinion leaked in May, I worked hand-in-hand with Council Member Rivera and her team to secure this funding and make this initiative a reality. This money will save lives, and I am so proud of all the work that went into making this possible.
COVID-19
Short update today. Case numbers remain low in the City, but we’re potentially beginning to see the start of the annual Fall/Winter uptick. As COVID-19 has set in, we must be cognizant of annual trends, and this season is where we usually begin to see cases rise. This is a good time to get your updated booster, which should be available at your local pharmacy and at all Health & Hospitals sites.
Community Bulletin
- As of this week, ferry prices are now $4 a ride! Discounted pricing is available to older adults, people with disabilities, and anyone eligible for MTA fair fares. Check out the ferry website for more information on how to sign up.
- Calling all Educators, Librarians, and School Administrators! The LGBTQ Writers in Schools program, in partnership with the NYC DOE, is accepting applications to bring engaging LGBTQ+ authors and their books into classrooms, book clubs, and libraries virtually or in person. They are also offering 1-hour mini poetry workshops and 6-week high school LGBTQ+ writing workshops. Find out more about application guidelines here and by using the password TEACHER.
- The Department of Sanitation will be hosting a SAFE Disposal (Solvents, Automotive, Flammables, and Electronics) Event for all Brooklynites at Floyd Bennett Field by Flatbush Ave/Marine Pkwy on Sunday, September 25th to give city residents an easy way to safely dispose of potentially harmful household products.
- The Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery has extended their deadline for the Hurricane Ida Supplemental Funding Program. If you’re a homeowner, impacted by Hurricane Ida, you may be eligible for assistance for up to $72,000. Email [email protected] to apply.
- The MTA will be holding their second virtual public town hall meeting on the Interborough Express (IBX) this Thursday at 6 PM. Community members will be provided a general overview of the project and an opportunity to ask subject matter experts questions.
- Beginning Friday, 9/23 until early 2023, passengers should expect that from Friday at 11:45 PM until Monday at 5 AM, there will be no F train service between Coney Island-Stillwell Av and Church Ave due to the installation of CBTC signal modernization.
- The District Council of Carpenters is accepting applications for pile driver, dock builder, floor coverer, cabinet maker, and millwright apprenticeship openings, now through Aug. 9, 2023. Applications must be picked up in person at their Training Center at 395 Hudson Street on the second Wednesday of each month from 7:00-7:30 AM. You can find more information on their website or by calling the NYC DCC Training Center at 212-727-2224.
- A limited number of specially discounted $5 tickets (regular price is $22) are available for the October 15th program of “Balanchine for Beginners” at the NYC Ballet. To purchase tickets, visit their website and click on Buy Tickets and enter the promo code: GOVFAM23.
- Take the DYCD Community Needs survey today to help determine what services and programs get funded in your neighborhood.
- Meet Little Amal at Greenwood Cemetery on Friday, September 23rd. Little Amal is a 12-foot-tall Syrian refugee puppet who has traveled over 9,000km from the Syria-Turkey border with her story and message of hope for all displaced in the world.
In Solidarity,
Shahana
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