Brooklyn Lawmakers On The Move March 29, 2017

Williams Hails Court Decision Upholding Rent Freeze

City Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood) hailed yesterday’s New York State Supreme Court ruling that upheld the City’s Rent Guidelines Board’s rent freeze for all tenants in rent stabilized housing.

The ruling affects some 2.5 million New Yorkers and about a million apartments in buildings with over six units. Under rent stabilization laws, landlords offer one- and two-year leases with the RGB’ setting annual increases on these leases. Under the de Blasio Administration, which controls the majority appointments on the board, it has given zero rent increase for the first time in its history for several years in a row.

“Today is a victory for the tenants of New York. When you’re allowed to get a fair assessment, these are the kind of results that you get. For decades the Board has been skipping over the question whether or not we have an increase before they get to the question of how much. They finally decided to look at the entire system, which includes tenants, not just the owners. This is not about denying those in business from making money. This is about pushing back, to a degree, the idea of making as much money as possible off of the backs of people who really can’t afford it,” said Williams.

“This goes to show how far power and greed will go to maintain itself. For nearly five decades landlords have gotten their way, then used their access to money to go to court after one taste of how tenants have felt for so long. Thankfully they have now helped set a great legal precedent. It’s a good ruling and we continue moving forward.”

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• On Saturday, we’ll be at the Old Stone House, Prospect Park, and PS 230.

• On Sunday, at the Carroll Park House and the Park Slope Armory.

• Or vote in our office any day this week.

All the deatails on voting in person are here.

And if you can’t make it person, for the first time ever, you can vote online.

Cumbo, Residents Launch Campaign for PBNYC Votes

City Council Member Laurie Cumbo (Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights) will join district students and seniors tonight to host a mobile vote site for participatory budgeting.

District 35 residents ages 14 and older will decide how to spend $1 million in their community by voting for up to five projects ranging from technology and structural upgrades in public schools, city streets, and a NYCHA housing development.

“In a divisive political climate, participatory budgeting demonstrates our city’s commitment to inclusivity – empowering residents of all backgrounds to vote without discrimination,” said Cumbo in a release.

The mobile vote site is Public School 67 Charles A. Dorsey School, formerly known as Colored School # 1, the first independently led Brooklyn school for African-American students established in 1827.

The mobile vote will start at 3 p.m., today, March 29 at P.S. 67 – Charles A. Dorsey School Auditorium, 51 Saint Edwards Street in Fort Greene.

Harris Delivers New appliances To Residents Impacted by Superstorm Sandy

Assemblymember Pamela Harris (D-Coney Island, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights) visited Surfside Gardens in Coney Island last Friday for the delivery of new appliances to homes that were impacted by Superstorm Sandy.

Harris helped secure funding for new appliances for five Brooklyn communities through the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), which included delivery and installation.

“Superstorm Sandy devastated Brooklyn neighborhoods, leaving families scrambling to pick up the pieces,” said Harris.“By providing these families with the appliances we take for granted every day – things like refrigerators and ovens – we’re able to restore some of what was lost and help them get back to normalcy.”

Harris, whose own home was severely damaged by the storm, has been touring the affected neighborhoods to ensure residents have reasonable living conditions and has also fought for critical funding to support NYCHA. In total, over 4,000 residents in the Coney Island community will receive new appliances to help improve their quality of life.”

Surfside Gardens received $226,320 toward the purchase, delivery and installation of gas ranges for 515 units. Deliveries are expected to be completed by the end of the month. Deliveries for Coney Island began in mid-February and deliveries for the other communities are being scheduled.

The total allocations are as follows:

• Carey Gardens – $645,015
• O’Dwyer Gardens – $597,346
• Gravesend Houses – $259,940
• Coney Island (1B) – $194,804

Malliotakis Hails Funding For Direct Care Worker Raises

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-Bay Ridge, Staten Island) yesterday hailed the inclusion in the state budget of funding for raises to the state’s direct care workers.

These workers, who work in caring for disabled and exceptional children, have been working with substandard wages and without raises for sometime. The issue has drawn support across the aisle in Albany.

“I am proud to stand with the Governor and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle today to announce a tentative deal to include $55 million in the final budget to support those who care for our most vulnerable New Yorkers. These direct care workers, who are skilled, compassionate and do very difficult work, are long-overdue for a cost of living adjustment they truly deserve, and I’m glad the Governor finally realized it,” said Malliotakis.

“Many of us in the legislature have fought tirelessly, alongside service providers, direct care workers and families for this since the beginning, and today we were victorious in getting direct care professionals the support they truly deserve. This means nonprofit organizations will have fewer turnovers, and our most vulnerable citizens will get the quality care they need.”