Dear Neighbors,
We are just three weeks into the New Year and 2020 is already in full force. As we all know, this year will be a decisive one for the direction of our country.
Taking care of New York City is more important than ever, and as always, I'm writing to report on all that we were able to accomplish at the City Council last year -- legislatively, through the City budget, and in direct services for our constituents.
My focus is, and will remain, three-fold: making government work better for all New Yorkers; standing with the most vulnerable of our city; and ensuring that gender equity is a priority for every aspect of city life.
This focus guides my work on the City budget, my funding allocations for our district, and my legislative agenda. Among my bills passed in 2019 were ones that require tracking of vacant storefronts, a ban on deadly "ghost guns" in New York City, close monitoring of City services for survivors of domestic violence, and accountability from the Dept of Education for students with disabilities and their families.
In 2020, I will continue to build on these efforts and push other key pieces of legislation for our city -- including bills that improve our environment (reducing air and noise pollution); increase accessibility for persons with disabilities; increase funding (especially for staff salaries) for the organizations serving the most vulnerable New Yorkers; continue to address sexual harassment in the workplace; and reduce City spending by fixing our contracting process once and for all.
Together with Borough President Gale Brewer and student leaders from CUNY, I urged New Yorkers to join the Global Climate Strike this past September.
It's also important to stress that 2019 was a momentous year for the City Council overall. My colleagues and I passed the Climate Mobilization Act, which will help to slash the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in New York City; as well as legislation requiring residential developers who receive financial assistance from the City to allocate 15 percent of their units for homeless New Yorkers. We also approved the land-use component of the City's plan to close the deadly, abusive, and decrepit jail facilities on Rikers Island by 2026.
Please read below for highlights from our work in the community and down at City Hall in 2019. I have been honored to serve you for the last six years, and look forward to continuing to build a better Upper West Side, and New York City, with you.
As always, don't hesitate to contact my District Office at (212) 873-0282 or my City Hall office at (212) 788-6975 with any questions.
Wishing all of you a very healthy and peaceful 2020,
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2019
2019-20 CITY BUDGET: A Win for NYC & the Upper West Side
As a member of the City Council’s Budget Negotiating Team, I was very pleased to join my colleagues in approving the 2019-20 (FY20) City budget this past summer.
The City’s $93 billion budget can be seen as a moral document that lays out our collective priorities. Every year, I am laser focused on helping to craft an equitable and fiscally responsible budget, one that truly serves all New Yorkers.
Some of the public policy priorities I fought for in 2019 include:
- Full funding for overhead for NYC’s essential social services providers. For the first time, the City has committed to paying the actual overhead costs for all contracted human service organizations, which collectively serve 2.5 million New Yorkers. This historic agreement reflects our commitment to those most in need: seniors, children, people with disabilities and mental health conditions, and the homeless.
- Pay parity for all Universal Pre-K providers. Pay parity will end the disruption from staff turnover at daycare centers that provide universal Pre-K but have historically been paid less than their NYC Dept of Education counterparts. This will ensure consistent, high-quality services for all families.
- Increased investment in our youth. Funding for 200 new social workers in our public schools (including additional social workers for schools with the highest number of homeless and at-risk children), more afterschool programming, and additional support for the Summer Youth Employment Program.
- Funding for seven new Title IX coordinators in the city’s school system, to combat gender-based discrimination, abuse, and harassment, and ensure a fair and safe learning environment for all students.
- Additional investment in our city’s young women, including leadership programs, domestic violence services, sexual health education, and other critical programming.
The Council also successfully advocated to increase the City’s reserves by $250 million, for a total of $6 billion, which brings us closer to the best practices standard of 12% in reserves.
At the same time, the level of City investment in District 6 continues to increase. This year's budget features key priorities raised by D6 constituents:
- Additional litter basket pick-ups ($8.6 million)
- Funding for additional parks workers, such as gardeners and forest rangers ($43 million)
- Longer operating hours at our libraries ($33 million)
- Additional funds for senior center meals ($11.6 million), and
- Rebuilt curbside pedestrian ramps across the city, already underway on the Upper West Side
I directed my discretionary and initiative funds –$5 million for capital improvements, and $1.95 million for programming and services– toward critical needs across our district. ($1 million of my capital budget was allocated via community vote / Participatory Budgeting.)
Local Schools & Youth Programs – $2.4 million towards necessary capital improvements, and over $600,000 for a wide variety of academic enrichment, cultural, and expanded afterschool programming. Through my advocacy, the Council and Mayor have also allocated capital funds to PS 87 ($400,000 for the gym’s HVAC system); West End Secondary School ($250,000 for the library); and PS 9 ($250,000 for the auditorium).
On May 24th I was thrilled to help celebrate the grand opening of PS 84 / Lillian Weber School of the Arts' rooftop garden, which was made possible in part through discretionary funding from my office.
Parks & Playgrounds – $950,000 toward physical improvements for parks and playgrounds across District 6, including upgrades and new equipment for Matthew Sapolin Playground and the Gertrude Ederle Recreation Center; and almost $110,000 for expanded free programming in our public parks – sports activities, senior fitness, concerts and more.
Seniors – $284,000 toward cultural programming, healthy aging programs, and food pantry supplies for all our senior centers.
Clean Streets & Neighborhood Beautification – $220,000 for the Goddard Green Keepers program to provide supplemental sanitation and landscaping services throughout the Upper West Side, as well as rat mitigation and beautification of outdoor areas at public housing (NYCHA) developments. Goddard Green Keepers employs and provides on-the-job training for New Yorkers living with mental illness, some of them formerly homeless, who are now in supportive housing. I have also directed funding toward supplemental sanitation services for NYCHA properties between 86th and 96th streets.
Finally, through my advocacy, the City Council and Mayor have allocated funds for renovation work and other physical upgrades to the American Museum of Natural History, the Delacorte Theatre, the NY Historical Society, Symphony Space, the Vivian Beaumont Theatre, City Parks Foundation / Summer Stage, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
I have been proud to support the work of the Goddard Green Keepers for the last six years. They are wonderful community partners and have helped to transform many parts of the Upper West Side.
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In 2019, my staff served the needs of District 6 constituents in approximately 4,000 separate cases. We worked on issues such as street safety, sanitation, housing, problems with Con Edison and other utilities, and many others. If you have a question or a problem, or are not sure whom to ask about an issue in our city, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
Over 300 residents attended our first Community Resource Fair, co-sponsored with Speaker Johnson’s office, at John Jay College last February. Upper West Siders connected with programs for seniors, youth, and disabled persons; cultural and educational activities; and services pertaining to healthcare, housing, legal issues, job placement, and more.
Helping UWSers Stay In Their Homes
New York City continues to struggle through an affordable housing crisis and historic levels of homelessness. Ensuring that New Yorkers are able to remain in their homes is a top priority for my office.
My legislation creating an Office of the Tenant Advocate (OTA) within the Dept of Buildings has been put into effect. Tenants experiencing construction as harassment now have a resource within city government. The OTA is tasked with ensuring that construction projects are reviewed from a tenant safety perspective, monitoring “Tenant Protection Plans,” and responding to tenant complaints and questions. Contact the OTA at (212) 393-2949 or [email protected].
In 2019, my staff and I:
- Assisted hundreds of seniors and persons with disabilities in obtaining rent freezes through the SCRIE and DRIE programs.
- Advocated strongly against any increase to rent-stabilized leases. Over the years we have worked with thousands of tenants who are struggling to hold on to their stabilized apartments, many of them senior citizens.
- Together with the Goddard Riverside Law Project and Take Root Justice, offered Monthly Housing Clinics, providing free legal advice and information on topics such as how to advocate for yourself in housing court, succession rights, and getting repairs done.
- With the Center for Independence of the Disabled, assisted residents with disabilities in learning about public benefits such as rental assistance, SNAP, and reduced-fare MetroCards.
- Hosted constituent office hours with the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. HPD assisted tenants and owners with filing complaints, handling open violations, finding affordable housing, and dealing with a foreclosure or harassment.
- Hosted weekly office hours with the Department of Finance to assist Senior and Disabled homeowners who were eligible for a break in their property taxes.
- Brought the NY Legal Assistance Group's Mobile Help Center to District 6 to provide free legal assistance to residents on important issues such as: housing; public, disability and healthcare benefits; identity theft; debt management and consumer credit; immigration; domestic violence; divorce and custody; employment; and advance planning.
- Collaborated with the Public Utility Law Project (PULP) to provide residents with resources and information about common utility-related problems, such as gas shut-offs, increased charges, issues with the Lifeline program, and consumer scams.
We had a packed house for our Town Hall about Homelessness at B’nai Jeshurun last June. Families now make up three-quarters of New York City’s homeless shelter population. Since the Town Hall, some of the attendees have formed the Upper West Side Hospitality Project, which works to support and build community with residents of our local shelters. We are thrilled to see our neighbors moving this forward. Read our fact sheet on homelessness here.
Serving Our Seniors
Together with Borough President Gale Brewer's office, we provided an estimated 3,000 bags of low-cost, locally-sourced fruits and vegetables to seniors via our Fresh Food for Seniors Program this past summer and fall. I want to thank our wonderful and tireless volunteers who packed all the bags, organized orders, and ensured all the food was properly delivered.
In 2019 our office organized two resource fairs (at Goddard Riverside Senior Center and Clinton Neighborhood Center) so that seniors, their family members, and caregivers could learn about senior-focused benefits, programs, and services available from a wide variety of City agencies and non-profit organizations.
Seniors were able to connect with legal assistance, health and mental health support, transportation and disability services, case management, housing and home care assistance, long term care, LGBTQ services, government benefits, and more. We also provided vision, hearing, memory and blood pressure screenings, and flu shots. Over 450 seniors attended, and we are planning more fairs for 2020.
Public Schools
Funding: Local schools receive more of my discretionary programming and capital dollars than any other community need. Almost half ($2.4 million) of my capital budget this year was allocated to physical improvements for our schools. And an additional $600,000 went toward a wide variety of academic enrichment, cultural, and expanded afterschool programming for students in our district.
Equity: At the same time, school District 3 continues to make progress towards desegregation and educational equity via its elementary school rezoning and middle school admissions reform. You can read more about these efforts across New York City in the School Diversity Advisory Group's second report. The SDAG report -- whose goals I support -- makes recommendations to the Mayor and Chancellor on a number of key policy areas related to equity and integration in our public schools. I look forward to working with the CEC and our District Superintendent as they review these recommendations for school District 3.
Fighting for Responsible Development on the Upper West Side
We continue to await a decision from the Board of Standards & Appeals on the community's application to revoke the building permit for the 50 W. 66th Street tower. It is important to reiterate that despite its enormous scale (775 feet in height), this project does not achieve any of our public policy goals -- like bringing affordable housing to the Upper West Side.
Our opposition to Extell's project and its proposed use of mechanical void space (totaling to 239 feet, almost 24 "typical stories") led to the approval of a citywide zoning text amendment which caps mechanical voids at 25 feet, and requires that voids be no less than 75 feet apart. Unfortunately, the City’s negotiated settlement with Extell flies in the face of both this text amendment and the 1993 height guidelines for the Lincoln Square Special District.
I was proud to testify at the Board of Standards & Appeals this August in strong support of the application filed by Landmark West to revoke the building permit for 50 W. 66th Street. The permit was granted by the Dept of Buildings in April. I strongly urged the BSA to recognize that true leadership requires that they not hide behind "what is usually done," and instead side with the overwhelming sentiment of the local community board, elected officials, and the building’s neighbors.
We are also awaiting a decision on a lawsuit currently in front of NY County Supreme Court, which pertains to the legality of the 200 Amsterdam tower. The judge issuing the decision has already ruled that the gerrymandered zoning lot on which 200 Amsterdam is constructed is not in compliance with the New York City Zoning Resolution. At the end of 2019, Borough President Brewer, other local electeds, and I wrote to the Buildings Commissioner, requesting that DOB refrain from issuing any Certificates of Occupancy for 200 Amsterdam (temporary or permanent) until a decision is issued on the suit. Read the letter here.
We hear from many residents about after hours street and building construction -- this means activity before 7am and after 6pm during the week, and anytime on the weekends, without a special permit. Our office strongly opposes after hours construction, except in very special circumstances, and we fight against these permits at every development site. The DOB's response to residents’ concerns and quality of life complaints due to after hours work has been disappointing. I bring this issue up with the Buildings Commissioner at every opportunity, and I support legislation to restrict after hours permits.
This fall my legislation went into effect which creates an opt-in email alert system for residents, keeping them aware of any change in the status of a construction permit, including stop work orders. Residents can sign up for DOB email alerts regarding multiple buildings. Status updates are available for both new buildings under construction and existing structures undergoing renovation. Learn how to sign-up here.
***Please report quality of life issues to 311, and feel free to share the complaint number with our office.***
NYCHA in Our District
One of the most significant developments in 2019 for our NYCHA residents was the transfer of responsibility for the rehabilitation and management of Wise Towers to three private companies. This was done as part of NYCHA’s Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program. NYCHA is retaining ownership of the buildings and land, and Wise is shifting to project-based Section 8 funding.
I met with residents this summer to discuss the plan, and so far the conversion is going well. Apartments and common areas will receive badly needed upgrades, including new kitchens and bathrooms. The new management companies have also promised critical improvements for elevator, security, and heating systems, along with enhanced social services and other needs identified by residents.
In February 2019 I reviewed infrastructure issues at Wise Towers. I support efforts to secure additional funding and improve living conditions for NYCHA tenants, but I absolutely hear their concerns about privatization and displacement. I will be watching the conversion process closely to ensure that all commitments made to residents are met, and that they are not negatively impacted by private sector involvement. NYCHA must remain 100% affordable to low-income New Yorkers.
In addition to having a staff member who is devoted exclusively to NYCHA issues, our office regularly attends NYCHA tenant association meetings throughout District 6. In 2019 we also coordinated two Housing Know Your Rights workshops for residents at Amsterdam Houses/Amsterdam Addition and Wise Towers. Led by legal staff from the Urban Justice Center, the workshops covered repairs, rent increases, succession rights, and other important topics. Residents from Amsterdam Houses/Amsterdam Addition met separately with a representative from the NYCHA Federal Monitor’s Office to discuss concerns about mold and lead.
My office is thrilled to be a part of NYCHA celebrations throughout the year -- we help to support summertime Family Days, outings to the Big Apple Circus, Thanksgiving turkey distribution, a Holiday Toy Drive, and more.
A Better Future for Our Small Businesses
Over the past decades we have all seen the increased number of vacant storefronts dotting the Upper West Side and other neighborhoods. There are myriad reasons why local businesses are moving, or closing down altogether. Rents of course have been an issue, as have building demolitions, lack of succession planning for aging business owners, and the growing impact of on-line commerce.
Small businesses remain a meaningful economic engine for the entire city-- employing over 600,000 New Yorkers in 50,000+ retail shops and restaurants alone. They are an economic multiplier, recirculating their revenues within our local economy, are a crucial vehicle for entrepreneurship, provide critical neighborhood services, and are a vital part of our cultural fabric.
Last July the Council overwhelmingly passed two of my bills that will be the basis for solutions to the ongoing loss of small businesses. My “Storefront Tracker” legislation requires citywide registration of commercial storefront and 2nd floor spaces for the first time. It also mandates an online, searchable database with the occupancy status of every commercial space in the five boroughs. We will finally have comprehensive data on both current vacancies and commercial strips at risk, critical to developing a more effective government response.
 
In December, neighbor-organized "UWS Save Our Stores" partnered with the NY Society for Ethical Culture to host a standing room only forum with local elected officials about the loss of our independently owned retail stores. We were also joined by some of our local business owners.
Participatory Budgeting
The 2019 District 6 Participatory Budgeting project competition was our most successful to date! 5,278 residents (almost 1,700 more than last year!) voted for their favorite PB projects.
A huge thank you to all who came out to vote. I especially want to thank all of the volunteers who worked so hard on community outreach, developing the projects, and staffing the voting sites. The 2019 winning projects were:
- Technology Upgrade for 4 U.W.S. Schools (2,852 votes) Purchase of needed technology -- computers, smart boards, and other equipment -- for P.S. 199, P.S. 84, M.S. 245/The Computer School, and P.S. 87. Cost: $400,000 (each school will receive $100,000)
- Bathroom Upgrades at 2 U.W.S. Elementary Schools (2,530 votes) Upgrades to four bathrooms in P.S. 452 and P.S. 199 that are in serious disrepair and no longer fully usable by students. Cost: $400,000
- New Waste Management System for NYCHA Buildings (2,266 votes) Purchase of compactors and rat proof garbage bins for NYCHA buildings in the northern part of District 6. Cost: $150,000
- Neighborhood Tree Planting and Tree Guards (2,072 votes) Planting of new trees and installation of tree guards in eligible areas throughout District 6. Cost: $110,000
Last fall, we were thrilled to see the completion of a previous District 6 PB project, a new fitness/recreation area in Riverside Park at 76th St. The new area includes 5 fitness units, a junior basketball court, benches, and a bottle filler/drinking fountain.
 
After extensive renovation, the Parks Department has also re-opened the Joan of Arc stairs and paths. They will be restoring the lawn nearby as well. For more info on PB, click here.
Banning Non-essential Helicopter Traffic from City Airspace
Last summer I was proud to join Council Members Mark Levine and Margaret Chin in introducing a resolution which calls for an FAA ban on all non-essential helicopter travel over New York City and the closure of our helipads to private operators. Members of New York City’s congressional delegation sent a letter to the FAA and Mayor de Blasio calling for similar action after a deadly helicopter crash in midtown. See our resolution here.
Despite a 2016 agreement between the City and the tourist helicopter industry which reduced the number and routes of tourist flights taking off from NYC, we are still seeing an increase in helicopter traffic. This increase comes from out-of-state tourist helicopter operators and NYC-based commuter flight traffic. Our community continues to face safety, quality of life, noise, and air pollution issues. This is unacceptable—and my colleagues and I are committed to delivering real relief for New Yorkers.
Cyclist & Pedestrian Safety
I have heard from so many of you about safety issues involving cyclists and pedestrians, and have been pushing for solutions since I entered office.
- In 2015 I funded a completely separate pathway for cyclists in Riverside Park, between 72nd and 83rd streets, in order to protect pedestrians. After years of pressure from my office, the Parks Department completed the path in 2019. I am working with the Department to make additional improvements, and extend separated bike paths throughout the park.
- In June the Dept of Transportation moved forward with the construction of a protected bike lane and other planned safety improvements on 10th Avenue / Amsterdam Avenue, from W. 52nd to W. 72nd Streets. Learn more here. The DOT also began implementation of improvements designed to enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety and connectivity along 8th Avenue, from W. 56th Street to Columbus Circle. Learn more here.
- Work continues on a one-way, protected bike lane along Central Park West, from 59th to 110th Streets. DOT's plan will provide significant protection for cyclists heading northbound on Central Park West. It will also impact the management of traffic flow along CPW and remove 400 parking spaces. Read the plan here.
- Several hundred Upper West Siders came out for our annual Bike Helmet Fitting & Distribution Event on June 1st!
Thank you to all the Upper West Side businesses we visited on October 24th as part of our day of action for Go Purple NYC. Businesses throughout District 6 have agreed to help distribute information about domestic violence resources and support. Awareness is the greatest tool we have in combating domestic violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing DV, visit nyc.gov/NYCHOPE, or call 1-800-621-4673 (HOPE), to find out how you can get help.
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In the last year, I introduced (and the Council passed) several pieces of legislation which seek to address some of the most pressing issues in our community.
The following bills have been signed into law by the Mayor:
While New York City stands out for its common sense gun laws and declining homicide rate, a critical loophole in gun safety emerged in the form of “ghost guns,” unfinished receivers which are completed with parts easily bought at a hardware store. These guns have no serial numbers and are virtually untraceable by law enforcement. In September, the Council passed my legislation (with Council Member I. Daneek Miller) banning the possession of unfinished frames and receivers, closing this loophole, and setting an important precedent for other cities and states to follow.
Other bills I authored that are still working their way through the legislative process:I am very proud to chair the Committee on Women & Gender Equity. Highlights of our work in 2019 include:
- Joint hearings with other Council committees examining critical issues such as the growing number of women in New York City at risk of aging into poverty, sex/gender-based harassment & discrimination in city schools, and childcare for CUNY students
- Two hearings (October 2018 & September 2019) --and the enactment of legislation-- closely monitoring City services for domestic violence survivors
- Introduction of legislation to study and address gender pay disparity and the lack of economic security among segments of NYC’s labor force
- Introduction and passage of legislation establishing a Board of Correction task force to review the treatment and housing of transgender and gender non-conforming people in City jails
- Continued focus on improved treatment for persons who report a sexual assault to the NYPD’s Special Victims Division
- First ever City Council oversight hearing about access, resources, and support for transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary—or TGNC/NB—New Yorkers. This hearing was an important step toward improving the City’s ability to hear all voices and serve all of its diverse populations, regardless of gender identity.
- Introduction of legislation which tracks how well City run domestic violence shelters are serving the TGNC/NB and LGBQ communities
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