De Blasio, Eugene Hold Affordable Housing Town Hall Tonight
City Council Member Mathieu Eugene (Flatbush, Lefferts Gardens) and Mayor Bill de Blasio, along with other local elected officials will hold a Town Hall Meeting tonight in Flatbush on the Mayor’s affordable housing plan.
Community Board 14, Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, Church Avenue Business Improvement District, CAMBA, Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Ditmas Park Rehab/Care Center, and the Flatbush Development Corporation will be co-sponsoring the event.
“Housing is a basic human right and it is our responsibility as a city to make sure that all our residents have a place to call home. I’m so pleased that Mayor de Blasio is taking the time to discuss the details of his affordable housing plan with our community, and I am confident that he will work to make sure our most vulnerable residents receive the housing they deserve,” said Eugene. “As we examine the affordable housing plan, it’s important to have a dialogue with the people that this will impact most–and we must work together to make sure the needs of all our neighbors are being met.”
The Town Hall Meeting is slated for 7 p.m. tonight at PS 6, 43 Snyder Avenue between Bedford and Flatbush avenues.
Velázquez, Menchaca On Brutal Sunset Park Sexual Assault
Sunset Park Lawmakers Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and City Council Member Carlos Menchaca yesterday issued a joint statement on the brutal sexual assault lat Saturday night that has shaken the neighborhood.
“We are shaken by the news of a brutal sexual assault of a young woman committed in Sunset Park just before midnight last night. The 66th precinct is diligently conducting an investigation on the attempted rape at knifepoint of a 29 year-old female inside the lobby of her residential apartment on 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenue in Sunset Park, the lawmakers said.
“The young woman was transported to a nearby hospital and later released in stable condition. Police investigators will be releasing an image of a male suspect captured from video surveillance and described as follows: light skin, 5’9″ to 5’10”, slim build, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, and blue jeans. We urge community members to report any suspicious activity and any information that may be helpful for police to locate the suspect.
“We also hope that this terrible crime presents an opportunity for our community members to continue to work together to build a safer, more harmonious environment where individuals of all backgrounds live together side by side, looking out for one another. This crime and others that threaten the integrity of our community will not go unpunished. We demand justice for the survivor and her family.”
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website atWWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COMor by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP57.
Harris Support Assembly MTA Money
Assembly Member Pam Harris (Coney Island, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights) this weekend applauded the Assembly’s recent proposal to include over $7 billion to help fund the MTA’s $29 billion multi-year capital plan.
Harris noted that some of this money should be allocated to better services in Southern Brooklyn.
“I’ve long been outspoken for better services for our seniors and residents. With a new five year capital plan in place, it makes sense that services like the F express line are restored. The F train at the Neptune Avenue station should also have an elevator – the ability of many seniors and disabled residents are limited without it. I stand strong in ensuring that repairs, along with restored services, remain at the top of my agenda and these funds are used to address our local transportation needs,” Harris said.
Adams Holds Alzheimer’s Conference
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams joined CaringKind —formerly known as Alzheimer’s Association, New York City Chapter — in co-hosting ed the Brooklyn Alzheimer’s Conference, a free educational gathering attended by more than 250 professionals and family members caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease on Friday at Borough Hall.
The chronic neurodegenerative brain disorder, the most common form of dementia, afflicted an estimated 5.3 million Americans in 2015, requires billions of hours in comprehensive treatment from dedicated caregivers as the individual’s condition worsens.
The conference, coordinated in partnership with the New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA), featured workshops on understanding dementia, enhancing communication, managing challenging behavior, and creating meaningful activities. Adams spoke about the responsibility to support caregivers of those facing Alzheimer’s disease, a population facing high rates of depression and emotional stress as well as substantial health care costs.
“Alzheimer’s disease harms not only the individual afflicted with the disease, but also the people who care for that individual — a son, a daughter, a grandchild,” said Adams. “As members of One Brooklyn, we share a responsibility to support older adults in our community by supporting the people who often care for them, particularly those people who have Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. We are here to tell the caregivers: ‘you are not alone.’”
“Today, more than 300,000 New Yorkers have Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders,” said DFTA Commissioner Donna Corrado. “This alarming indicator make this year’s Brooklyn Alzheimer’s Conference all the more essential in further understanding the disease, its societal consequences, and in supporting families and caregivers who care for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. The wide array of services available through the Department for the Aging complements those of our community partners, all working together to provide a better quality of life for the caregiving family.”
Alzheimer’s disease, for which a cure does not yet exist, has become the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Over 90 percent of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease are 65 years of age and older, and almost two-thirds are women.
Deutsch Holds Free Tax Prep Events
City Councilman Chaim Deutsch (Sheepshead Bay, Homecrest, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach) is hosting a series of free income tax preparation events on Sunday afternoons throughout March and April.
In partnership with Grow Brooklyn Inc. and the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, these events will be held at Deutsch’s District Office, at 2401 Avenue U. Any resident whose income is less than $54,000 annually is eligible for this free tax prep.
“I am pleased to partner with DCA Acting Commissioner Alba Pico and Grow Brooklyn to provide this much-needed service to my constituents,” said Deutsch. “Often, tax preparers can charge clients hundreds of dollars, money that could otherwise be utilized to pay rent, put food on the table, and care for our families. The volunteers that staff these events are professional, efficient, and caring individuals, and I encourage all qualifying constituents to call my office and schedule an appointment.”
Residents utilizing this service should bring with them the following documents: a government issued photo ID, a social security card or ITIN for anyone claimed on the return, all tax forms received (W-2s, 1099-R, etc.), any college bills paid, and bank account information for those receiving direct deposit.
To schedule an appointment with Councilman Deutsch’s free income tax prep volunteers, call his District Office at 718-368-9176 or email Councilman Deutsch at cdeutsch@council.nyc.gov.
Schumer Demands Extradition Of Alleged Murderer
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer today will hold a press conference to publicly call on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to ramp-up its efforts to extradite from Australia the alleged killer of a Brooklyn man murdered in a 2009 robbery.
Abakar Gadiyev allegedly murdered Vladimir Tolstykh in the robbery and fled to Australia after the crime. He now sits inside an Australian jail cell fighting U.S. extradition.
Schumer, alongside Tolstykh’s widow, Rita Tolstykh, will publicly call on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to ramp-up its efforts to extradite from Australia.
The press conference is slated for 12 noon today at Schumer’s Manhattan office, 780 3rd Avenue, 23rd Floor, (Between 48th and 49th Street).
