State Senator Liz Krueger

State Senator Liz Krueger
Standing Up And Speaking Out
New York State Senate – 28th District
Community Bulletin – November 2015

Table of Contents

Message from Liz

Policy Spotlight

Supportive Housing

Community Update

Forum on the Media, the War on Women, and How to Fight Back 

Senator Krueger's Roundtable for Boomers & Seniors

Update on Efforts to Fight the Proposed Marine Transfer Station (MTS)

Public Workshop on Flatiron Plaza Design

Seminar on Food Allergies at Weill Cornell 

Tenants and Neighbors Annual Meeting on November 14th

Rent Controlled Tenants Rally at Maximum Base Rent (MBR) Hearing

Senior Resource Day Offers Tech Assistance
Reporting Illegal Hotel Activity 

Legal Assistance for Student Loan Debt Issues

Legal Advocacy Clinics From Lenox Hill Neighborhood House

Monthly Housing Clinics and Workshops

Affordable Housing Opportunities in Manhattan 

Metrocard Bus and Van Schedule

Heat Season Rules

Message from Liz...

Last month the MTA Board voted to approve the 2015-2019 Capital Plan, which removed $1 billion in funding for Phase II of the Second Avenue Subway Project. When it is completed, Phase II will run from 125th Street to 96th Street.  Removing this funding will result in even more delays in completion of Phase II. These funds must be restored.

 

Public transit is vital to our regional economy. It does much more than just move people

from point A to point B – it drives social mobility and economic empowerment. We need

a network that reaches all of our communities, particularly those like the far East Side and Harlem, where 80% of residents do not own cars and 70% use public transportation to get to their jobs. After more than a century, transit equity is finally within reach for these neighborhoods. Pulling support for Phase II of the Second Avenue Subway at this critical point is simply unacceptable. The MTA must correct this shortsighted and unjust mistake

 

Early this month, I joined many of my federal, state, and city elected colleagues and transportation advocates in  calling for restoration of the Phase II funds. With Phase I finally scheduled to open in December of 2016, there is no excuse for delaying the build-out through East Harlem. Â Governor Cuomo has indicated that improving New York City infrastructure is a key goal for his administration, and delaying this project flies in the face of that commitment.  He must use his influence with the MTA to revise its Capital Plan to avoid additional delays in this vital transportation infrastructure project.

 

I have made clear to the MTA that the current capital plan is not acceptable. The Legislature and Governor still have to approve the plan as part of the budget process, and  we expect the MTA to restore the funding and proceed with the original schedule for build-out of Phase II of the Second Avenue Subway.

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Policy Spotlight

Supportive Housing

 

With clear evidence that homelessness is again on the rise in New York City and State, it is critical that we make the necessary investments in anti-homelessness programs with a proven track record.  Last month I joined a broad range of policy experts, advocates, religious and community leaders, and elected officials at a forum organized by the Campaign 4 NY/NY, which supports the development of an additional 35,000 units of supportive housing over the next ten years.

 

Supportive housing has proved to be an essential model in the fight against Â homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse. It combines safe affordable housing with targeted health care and social services for at-risk populations, and saves taxpayer money in the process through lower shelter, hospital and prison costs.

 

Recognizing this, the state has previously funded the construction of supportive housing through a series of “NY/NY” programs.  NY/NY III, created in 2005, established over 9,000 supportive housing units through 2014, but has now expired.  

 

The statistics show that NY/NY III reduced use of shelters, hospitals, psychiatric centers, and incarceration, for an average net public savings of $10,100 per unit per year. It decreased chronic homelessness among single adults by 47% in the first five years of the NY/NY III agreement, and provided stability, as more than 85% of NY/NY III tenants remain housed after one year.

 

Unfortunately, the units created by NY/NY III were not enough to meet long-term needs, and further action is clearly needed. Homelessness in New York has nearly doubled in the last decade since NY/NY III was created. Every night, nearly 65,000 people in New York City and 10,000 in the rest of the state sleep in shelters. Thousands of others sleep on the streets, and those numbers will continue to grow if we do not provide the housing and support necessary for those most likely to face homelessness. 

 

I am working with the Supportive Housing Network, Coalition For The Homeless, and others to build support for inclusion of NY/NY IV in the next state budget, and am pleased that a bipartisan group of legislators has called on Governor Cuomo to provide for a new NY/NY program to address the housing needs of these particularly vulnerable New Yorkers.

 

Community Spotlight

 

Forum on the Media, the War on Women, and How to Fight Back:

Anti-woman sentiment in America keeps escalating, from Donald Trump's misogyny to Jeb Bush's claim that we spend too much on women's health care to Carly Fiorina's opposition to equal pay bills. We have been blocked from passing pro-woman laws like paid family leave while state-level abortion restrictions tighten and Congress sponsors witch hunts against Planned Parenthood.

 

I will be hosting a forum called "Counterattack: The Media, The War on Women, and How to Fight Back," to learn more about these issues and strategize about how we can take action to win the war against women. Guests include Micky Blum, distinguished lecturer and Director of Baruch College Survey Research; Ariel Chesler, lawyer and author, Good Men Project; Katie Halper, comedian and writer, host of The Katie Halper Show on WBAI; and Tanya Melich, political analyst and author of The Republican War Against Women: An Insider's Report from Behind The Lines.

 

The forum will take place on Monday, November 16th, from 6pm to 8pm at the Baruch College Newman Conference Center, Rackow Room 750, at 151 E. 25th St. Space is limited, so please RSVP by contacting my office at 212-490-9535, or via email at spasquan@nysenate.gov.

 

Senator Krueger's Roundtable for Boomers & Seniors:

This 5-part program provides an opportunity for neighbors to come together to explore life issues that are relevant across the age span. At each session you will hear from and engage with professionals who are knowledgeable on topics that are of concern to the growing population of older adults in New York City.

 

This year we will be looking at "Financial & Economic Issues" from various viewpoints. Sessions will be held on: Retirement Planning in the Modern Economy, Workplace Realities, Government's Impact on Finances, Defending Assets, and New Solutions for Workers & Families.

 

The program meets one Thursday morning per month in November, December, March, April, and May. Sessions are from 8:30am to 10:30am at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, 331 East 70th St.

 

Session 2: Workplace Responses: Wages and Opportunity for Aging Workers will meet on Thursday, December 3. It will feature presentations by Phyllis Weiss Haserot, Consulting/Coach to the Next Generation, and Maria C. Serrano, Director, Senior Employment Services at the New York City Dept. for the Aging. Please RSVP by contacting my office at 212-490-9535, or via email at liz@lizkrueger.com.

Update on Efforts to Fight the Proposed Marine Transfer Station (MTS):

I am profoundly disappointed that last week the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) renewed the Air Quality permit for the E 91st Street Marine Transfer Station. This is particularly disturbing given that late last month, on the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, DEC announced new sea- level projection regulations, acknowledging that future changes in sea level will have a pronounced impact on the coastal resiliency of the New York City/Lower Hudson region, and that these changes should be a consideration for what, and how, we construct certain facilities along our coastline. In the wake of these two announcements, I have written to DEC urging them to reevaluate the permit renewal and to not renew these permits given the new proposed sea-level projection regulations.

 

The announcement of the proposed regulation references 2011 and 2014 reports issued by DEC that highlight the danger sea level changes will pose to the coastal resiliency of New York City and specifically address the need for government agencies to consider physical risks caused by the rise in sea level in the process of project design, funding, and permit requirements. The announcement also cites the Community Risk and Resiliency Act, signed by Governor Cuomo last year, which would require applicants for certain permits to consider such negative implications in project planning.

 

In the testimony I submitted in July, I referenced the fact that the current MTS design does not satisfy the requirement of the Part 360 application for modification of the SWMP in 2007, specifically Part 360(a)(2), which would allow flood waters to enter the facility, posing significant danger to marine life, and the residents in the neighboring community. Any increase in sea level, let alone the drastic increases we can expect in coming years, would only exacerbate such concerns. Furthermore, you may recall that FEMA issued new flood maps following Hurricane Sandy indicating apparent danger to the MTS location and situation—the E 91st St. MTS platform will sit more than five feet below the estimated 100 year floodplain, placing it in Zone AE, known as an ‘area subject to inundation’. It is irrefutable that even the slightest change in sea level would pose a serious risk to the surrounding community if a facility holding enormous amounts of solid waste should be flooded.

 

If sea level increases are to be considered on future coastline projects, they should also be considered for the construction and operation permits for the E 91st Street MTS. In light of the announcement, and given the magnitude of this project, it is unacceptable to approve these permits.

Public Workshop on Flatiron Plaza Design:

On Tuesday, November 10, the Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership and the NYC Department of Transportation are hosting a workshop to allow the public to offer suggestions for the design of permanent public spaces at the Flatiron Plazas and Worth Square.  Currently implemented with temporary materials, these locations are slated to be redesigned to create permanent public spaces. The workshop will take place at 202 Fifth Avenue at 25th Street from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. with presentations given on a rolling basis throughout the evening. Â For more information contact Emily Weidenhof at 212-839-4325 or eweidenhof@dot.nyc.gov. To RSVP, visithttp://flatirondesignworkshop1.eventbrite.com.

Seminar on Food Allergies at Weill Cornell:

On Tuesday November 10th, the New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medicine Seminar Series is offering a seminar entitled “Food Allergies and Nutrition: Was it Something I Ate?” with Amina H. Abdeldaim, M.D., M.P.H. and  Alexandra L. Weinstein, R.D., C.D.N. For more information on the seminar series, visit www.weill.cornell.edu/seminars. All seminars will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Uris Auditorium, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue (at 69th St.). If you require a disability-related accommodation, or for weather-related cancellations, please call 212-821-0888 and leave a message on the recording.

Tenants and Neighbors Annual Meeting on November 14th:

Tenants and Neighbors Â is holding its Annual Membership Meeting on Saturday, November 14th. Join them for a day of workshops and panel discussions on the current state of affordable housing in New York. The meeting will take place from 10:00am- 4:30pm at Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, 40 Broad Street. RSVP to Miriam Serrano at MSerrano@tandn.org or 212-608-4320 ext. 314.

 

Rent Controlled Tenants Rally at Maximum Base Rent (MBR) Hearing:

The Maximum Base Rent (MBR) hearing to determine next year's rent increase for rent controlled tenants is scheduled for Thursday November 19th at 10am and will be held at the New York City Department of City Planning, Spector Hall, 22 Reade Street, (First Floor), New York, NY. Tenants and Neighbors is holding a rally outside of the hearing starting at 9 AM. Come and join them in telling New York State Homes and Community Renewal that a 7.5% rent increase is way too much! RSVP to Delsenia Glover at DGlover@tandn.org or 212-608-4320 ext. 308.  

Senior Resource Day Offers Tech Assistance:

The Church of the Incarnation at 209 Madison Avenue (between 35th and 36th Streets) is hosting a Senior Resource Day on Sunday, November 22, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Friendly and experienced volunteers will be available to provide free one-on-one tech assistance to help you navigate the Internet and email, video chat, Facebook, smart phones, and tablets (such as iPads). All levels are welcome! Computers will be provided, but feel free to bring your own if you wish. Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP by Nov. 13 to 347-866-6532 or to info@churchoftheincarnation.org for this free event. 

 

Reporting Illegal Hotel Activity:Last month, I submitted testimony to the city council supporting legislation (Intro. 826) sponsored by Councilmember Helen Rosenthal to increase fines for turning residential units into illegal hotels. The operation of illegal hotels across the city has caused serious safety hazards and the loss of thousands of residential apartments, a loss that our City can ill-afford given the affordable housing crisis we face.  My testimony is available at https://www.scribd.com/doc/288529078/Illegal-Hotels-Bad-for-Affordable-Housing-Residents-and-Tourists.  

 

If you suspect illegal hotel activity, please report it to 311 and then to my office at 212-490-9535.  When you call 311 it's important to specifically mention that you would like to file an "illegal hotel" complaint (complaint code 4A) so the operator knows how to properly document and forward the issue for inspection.  It is extremely helpful if you can provide any details you know about which specific units are being used as illegal hotels, who is listing those units, and where they are being listed.

If you have any questions about what constitutes an illegal vs. a legal short-term rental, this fact sheet outlines the law: http://tinyurl.com/pyo3pnk

Legal Assistance for Student Loan Debt Issues:

Legal Services NYC is offering legal assistance to New York City residents with issues regarding their student loans.  If you are struggling with student loan debt, your school failed to deliver promised education or placement services, or you need general legal advice about your loan or school, they may be able to help.  Call their Legal Assistance Hotline at 917-661-4500 if you would like to discuss your situation with them.  The hotline operates from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Legal Advocacy Clinics At Lenox Hill Neighborhood House:
The Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Legal Advocacy Center Offers assistance on a number of different issues. Here is a list of their ongoing programs and clinics:

• SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) Clinics: Wednesdays from 10am to 1pm at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, 331 East 70th Street. First come, first served. Bring proof of identity, income information, utility bill, proof of housing costs, information on any dependents and if you are 60 or over or on SSI/SSD, information on medical costs.  For more information, call 212-218-0431.
• SCRIE Clinics: call 212-218-0503 ext. 6 for assistance in applying or recertifying for the Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program. The SCRIE clinic is open to tenants city-wide. Please note that due to the volume of calls, it sometimes takes up to two weeks for staff to respond to messages.
• Eviction Prevention: Walk-in clinic, every third Monday of the month, from 10am to 1pm at 331 East 70th Street, for tenants who live, work, or go to school on Manhattan’s East Side above 59th Street and on Roosevelt Island. 
• Advance Directives: volunteer attorneys may be able to assist you with one-on-one counseling and individualized drafting of Advance Directives including Health Care Proxies, Living Wills, Powers of Attorney, and simple, low-asset Wills. If you are interested in being screened for a possible appointment,  call the intake hotline at 212-218-0503 ext 4.
• Health Care Access/Medicare/Medicaid: call 212-218-0503 ext 3. Find out about Medicare Savings Programs, Medicaid home care, Medicare Part D, Medicaid Spend-down, EPIC and if you are eligible for Medicaid. 

And, just across the Park on the Westside: Monthly Housing Clinics and Workshops:
Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Goddard Riverside’s SRO Law Project, and the Urban Justice Center co-sponsor monthly housing clinics and workshops at the Goddard Riverside Community Center, 593 Columbus Avenue (between 88th and 89th Streets). On the first Wednesday of each month, from 6pm – 8pm, the clinic offers a presentation on a variety of topics, followed by a question and answer session. Each evening, at least one staff attorney will meet with individuals who are seeking specific legal advice. 

 

For questions, contact the Office of Council Member Rosenthal at (212) 873-0282 ext. 206 or Helen@helenrosenthal.com. Sign-up sheet starting at 6pm each evening.

 

December 2, 2015: HPs, Repairs, Bedbugs & Cockroaches

January 6, 2016:Non-primary residence

February 3, 2016: Harassment & City-Wide Housing Related Campaigns

March 2, 2016: DHCR Overview, including MCIs and IAIs, Preferential Rent, Reduction in Services

April 6, 2016: Housing Court 101

May 4, 2016: SCRIE and DRIE

June 1, 2016: Succession Rights

Affordable Housing Opportunities in Manhattan:
535W43 is now accepting applications for 62 affordable studio, 1- and 2-bedroom apartments newly constructed at 535 West 43rd Street in the Clinton neighborhood in Manhattan. Rents for these apartments range from $833 to $1458 depending on income and unit size. To be eligible, applicants must have incomes between $29,932 and $69,050, depending on unit and family size. Preference will be given to Community Board 4 residents for 50% of units, mobility-impaired persons for 5% of units, visual- and/or hearing-impaired persons for 2% of units, and City of New York municipal employees for 5% of units. A full description of the building and application process is available at https://a806-housingconnect.nyc.gov/nyclottery/AdvertisementPdf/193.pdf.

 

Households may elect to submit an application by one of two methods: EITHER online OR by mail. To submit your application online now, please visit NYC Housing Connect atwww.nyc.gov/housingconnect and select “Apply for Housing.” To request an Â application by mail, mail a self-addressed envelope to: 535W43 c/o Common Ground, PO Box 3620937, New York, NY 10129.

Completed applications must be submitted online or returned by regular mail only to the post office box that will be listed on the application.Applications must be submitted online or postmarked by November 10, 2015. Applicants who submit more than one application will be disqualified.

 

21 West End Avenue Aptsis now accepting applications for 127 affordable studio, 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments newly constructed at 21 West End Avenue in the Lincoln Square neighborhood in Manhattan. Rents for these apartments range from $565 to $1067 depending on income and unit size. To be eligible, applicants must have incomes between $20,743 and $50,100, depending on unit and family size. Preference will be given to Community Board 7 residents for 50% of units, mobility-impaired persons for 5% of units, visual- and/or hearing-impaired persons for 2% of units, and City of New York municipal employees for 5% of units. A full description of the building and application process is available at 

https://a806-housingconnect.nyc.gov/nyclottery/AdvertisementPdf/194.pdf

 

Households may elect to submit an application by one of two methods: EITHER online OR by mail. To submit your application online now, please visit NYC Housing Connect atwww.nyc.gov/housingconnect and select “Apply for Housing.” To request an Â application by mail, mail a self-addressed envelope to: 21 West End Avenue Apts, 243 5th  Avenue, Box 425, New York, NY 10016.

Completed applications must be submitted online or returned by regular mail only to the post office box that will be listed on the application.Applications must be submitted online or postmarked by November 12, 2015. Applicants who submit more than one application will be disqualified.

 

Randolph Housesis now accepting applications for 20 affordable studio and 1-bedroom apartments newly constructed at 202-246 West 114th Street in Central Harlem neighborhood in Manhattan. Rents for these apartments range from $788 to $847 depending on unit size. To be eligible, applicants must have incomes between $28,389 and $41,460, depending on unit and family size. Preference will be given to Community Board 10 residents for 50% of units, NYCHA residents for 20% of units, mobility-impaired persons for 5% of units, visual- and/or hearing-impaired persons for 2% of units, and City of New York municipal employees for 5% of units. A full description of the building and application process is available at 

https://a806-housingconnect.nyc.gov/nyclottery/AdvertisementPdf/201.pdf.

 

Households may elect to submit an application by one of two methods: EITHER online OR by mail. To submit your application online now, please visit NYC Housing Connect at www.nyc.gov/housingconnect and select “Apply for Housing.” To request an Â application by mail, mail a self-addressed envelope to: Wavecrest Management Team, LTD., c/o Randolph Houses, 87-14 116th Street, Richmond Hill, New York 11418. Completed applications must be submitted online or returned by regular mail only to the post office box that will be listed on the application.Applications must be submitted online or postmarked by December 11, 2015. Applicants who submit more than one application may be disqualified.

 

Bridge Land West LLCis now accepting applications for 22 affordable studio, 1-, and 2-bedroom apartments newly constructed at 456 Washington Street in the Tribeca neighborhood in Manhattan. Rents for these apartments range from $800 to $1041 depending on unit size. To be eligible, applicants must have incomes between $28,800 and $51,780, depending on unit and family size. Preference will be given to Community Board 1 residents for 50% of units, mobility-impaired persons for 5% of units, visual- and/or hearing-impaired persons for 2% of units, and City of New York municipal employees for 5% of units. A full description of the building and application process is available at https://a806-housingconnect.nyc.gov/nyclottery/AdvertisementPdf/202.pdf.

 

Households may elect to submit an application by one of two methods: EITHER online OR by mail. To submit your application online now, please visit NYC Housing Connect at www.nyc.gov/housingconnect and select “Apply for Housing.” To request an  application by mail, mail a self-addressed envelope to: Bridge Land West LLC, 1357 Broadway, Box 438, New York, NY 10018.

 

Completed applications must be submitted online or returned by regular mail only to the post office box that will be listed on the application.Applications must be submitted online or postmarked by December 14, 2015. Applicants who submit more than one application may be disqualified.

 

Metrocard Bus and Van Schedule:
The MTA offers MetroCard-related services throughout New York City through mobile buses and vans. Buses provide a full range of services, including applying for or refilling a Reduced-Fare MetroCard, buying or refilling a regular MetroCard, or getting answers to a MetroCard-related question. Vans sell Unlimited Ride MetroCards and Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards, and they refill MetroCards and Reduced-Fare MetroCards. Buses and vans will be in my district on the following dates and locations:

 

November 10, 10:30 am, 92 Street & Lexington Avenue – Bus

November 10, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm., 86 Street & Lexington Avenue – Bus

November 10, 1:30 - 2:30 pm, 68 Street & Lexington Avenue – Bus

November 18, 9 - 10:30 am, 79 Street & 3 Avenue – Bus 

November 18, 11 am - 1 pm, 79 Street & York Avenue – Bus 

November 18, 1:30 - 2:30 pm, 72 Street & York Avenue – Bus

November 19, 8:30 - 10:30 am, 47 Street & 2 Avenue – Van

November 19, 1:30 - 3:30 pm, 28 Street & 2 Avenue – Van 

November 24, 10:30 am, 92 Street & Lexington Avenue – Bus

November 24, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm., 86 Street & Lexington Avenue – Bus

November 24, 1:30 - 2:30 pm, 68 Street & Lexington Avenue – Bus

December 2, 9 - 10:30 am, 79 Street & 3 Avenue – Bus 

December 2, 11 am - 1 pm, 79 Street & York Avenue – Bus 

December 2, 1:30 - 2:30 pm, 72 Street & York Avenue – Bus

December 3, 7 – 9 am, 90 Street and York Avenue - Van

December 3, 8:30 - 10:30 am, 47 Street & 2 Avenue – Van

December 3, 1:30 - 3:30 pm, 28 Street & 2 Avenue – Van 

December 4, 9 - 10 am, 57 Street and 1 Avenue – Van

December 4, 10:30 - 11:30 am, 57 Street and 3 Avenue – Van

December 4, 12:30 - 2:30 pm, 68 Street and 1 Avenue – Van

The full mobile MetroCard schedule is available at http://mta.info/metrocard/mms.htm. Please note that MetroCard buses and vans do not take credit cards.

Heat Season Rules: 
The City Housing Maintenance Code and State Multiple Dwelling Law require building owners to provide heat and hot water to all tenants. Building owners are required to provide hot water 365 days a year at a constant minimum temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Between October 1st and May 31st, a period designated as “Heat Season,” building owners are also required to provide tenants with heat under the following conditions:

• Between the hours of 6AM and 10PM, if the outside temperature falls below 55 degrees, the inside temperature is required to be at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Between the hours of 10PM and 6AM, if the temperature outside falls below 40 degrees, the inside temperature is required to be at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Tenants who are cold in their apartments should first attempt to notify the building owner, managing agent or superintendent. If heat is not restored, the tenant should call the City’s Citizen Service Center at 311. For the hearing-impaired, the TTY number is (212) 504-4115. The Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Complaints can also be submitted online at http://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/service/1813/heat-or-hot-water-complaint.