Felder Combats Prejudice with Understanding
The staff of State Sen. Simcha Felder (Boro Park, Midwood) yesterday gave a group of college-age young adults from Washington DC a grand tour of the orthodox Jewish enclave of Boro Park.
The tour was organized by Operation Understanding, a nonprofits, whose mission is to build a generation of African American and Jewish community leaders who promote respect, understanding and cooperation while working to eradicate racism, anti-Semitism, and all forms of discrimination.
The Felder staffers that gave the tour were Judah Wohlgelernter and Herzka Grunfeld.
“Operation Understanding is doing important work and I’m happy that they include Boro Park each year in their quest for knowledge of diversity,” said Felder. “This is a delightful group of open-minded young people eager to learn and we explained the unique identity of the Boro Park neighborhood, how Orthodox businesses work, and how the community works with government toward everyone’s mutual benefit.”
Treyger Sees Through Money For Warbasse Houses
City Council Member Mark Treyger (Coeny Island, Bensonhurst, Gravesend) along with the city’s Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Vicki Been yesterday announced that Amalgamated Warbasse Houses, in Brooklyn’s Coney Island and West Brighton areas, was awarded a $2.4 million HPD grant to help fund the cost of emergency repairs and resiliency work the complex required in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, but which was not covered by insurance benefits.
“Since I first took office in 2014, we have worked incredibly hard to make sure that Warbasse would be made whole for the significant repair and resiliency upgrades required in the wake of Sandy,” said Treyger. “This grant means Warbasse can continue to be home to the residents who built it, and that those residents are safe in the face of future storms. This was a challenging process and I’d like to thank Michael Silverman, the president of the board, and Thomas Auletti, the manager. Their tireless effort and their commitment to their fellow residents were evident throughout this entire process.”
Treyger, chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Recovery and Resiliency, worked tirelessly to help the city respond to the needs of Warbasse and has worked closely with HPD helping 15 multifamily developments, and more than 3,000 households, secure funding for needed resiliency upgrades and repairs since the storm.
Schneiderman Addresses Tennant Harassment & Other Housing Issues
State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman yesterday announced new plans to address tenant harassment and other housing issues facing New Yorkers.
The plans include strengthening legal enforcement efforts through the creation of a new team team to enhance and streamline his office’s resources to combat tenant harassment, deceptive lending practices, deed theft, bank fraud, and other housing issues facing constituents.
“Affordable housing is a fundamental need that should be accessible to all New Yorkers,” said Schneiderman. “Unfortunately, unscrupulous landlords and scofflaws in the housing industry take advantage of too many New Yorkers. The new measures being taken today by my office will ensure that we are using every legal tool at our disposal to best protect tenants and homeowners against abuse.”
Under the initiative, the Attorney General’s Real Estate Finance Bureau will expand to address complaints of civil frauds such as tenant harassment. Additionally, Schneiderman will appoint Special Counsel John Spagna to head a new unit within the office’s Criminal Division called the Real Estate Enforcement Unit. This new unit will investigate complaints involving bank fraud, deceptive lending practices, deed theft, tenant harassment, and frauds committed upon city and state agencies by unscrupulous real estate developers and other opportunists.
In addition to the expanded and new unit, Director of Community Impact and Innovation Dina Levy will continue to work on an array of the office’s leading housing policy initiatives including spearheading the Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP), facilitating joint efforts with the state’s land banks, and coordinating other tenant relief efforts.
New Yorkers who would like to obtain additional information about their housing rights, to file a complaint, or seek assistance with a housing-related matter may visit www.ag.ny.gov.
Donovan Bill To Reform Mental Health Programs Passes House
Congressman Dan Donovan (Southern Brooklyn, Staten Island) this week voted to support legislation he cosponsored to reform the country’s mental health programs.
The Helping Families In Mental Health Crisis Act targets funding to effective treatment programs while also focusing resources on developing innovative alternatives. The bill:
- Authorizes $450 million in block grant funding to states to serve adults and children with serious mental illness;
- Creates a mental health policy laboratory to track mental health statistics and identify the most effective treatment methods;
- Creates a new Assistant Secretary of Mental Health to coordinate federal activity and oversee the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs;
- Authorizes funding to train police officers to properly handle altercations with the mentally ill;
- Authorizes funding for Assisted Outpatient Treatment and Assertive Community Treatment, both of which aim to reduce hospitalization and arrests.
“I spent most of my career as a prosecutor, and many of our cases involved mentally ill individuals. The criminal justice system cannot treat this population – jails are not de facto mental health clinics. The legislation passed today takes the right approach: it dedicates funding to programs that work, and focuses attention on developing new treatment strategies,” said Donovan.
Even though the federal government dedicates $130 billion each year to mental health services, there is a nationwide shortage of 100,000 psychiatric beds. In fact, three of the largest mental health “hospitals” are criminal incarceration facilities (LA County, Cook County, and Rikers Island jails), said Donovan.
The bill passed the House by a margin of 422-2. It will now move to the Senate for consideration.
Light the World Foundation Arts & Music Festival Tomorrow
State Sen. Jesse Hamilton is expected to once again be on hand tomorrow for the Light the World Foundation’s 6th Annual Arts and Music Festival.
This year’s event features a fantastic new lineup of Haitian American performers, including singer /songwriter David Metayer and One Accord, gospel singer Debbie Rayme, the Berean Community Drumline of Crown Heights, Christian Cultural Center -CCC step teams Nubien Gents and Feminie Fire, and many more.
Our Foundation’s annual concerts have become an integral part of Brooklyn’s summer festivities. It is a staple in the Haitian Community and is guaranteed to broaden your range of gospel music and expressive art. All backgrounds, race, ethnicities, religions and nationalities are welcome to participate as we offer entertainment, food, social activities, and merchandise.
Funds from the organization’s fundraising activities are directed towards two distinct programs: The first being a mentorship program providing participants with practical life skills and tools that are usually not taught as a part of their academic curriculums. The second is are scholarship programs offered both in Haiti and in the United States based on merit as measured by financial need, academic performance, and extracurricular activities.
The event is slated for 6 p.m., tomorrow, July 9 at the Waverly School of the Arts, P.S. 156 at 104 Sutter Avenue Brooklyn NY (Corner of Legion Street).
Seddio Calls Out The Cavalry In Upcoming Primary Races
Kings County Democratic Party Chair Frank Seddio met with Thomas Jefferson Democratic Club members yesterday to let them know that Canarsie-based pols including Senator Roxanne Persaud, Assemblywoman Jaime Williams as well as female Democratic District leader Roberta Sherman and his male Democratic District leader position will all have primary challengers.
“Make no mistake every challenge must be taken seriously. I need you now,” Seddio said in an email to TJ Club members.
