Golden Hosts 16th Annual September 11th Memorial Ceremony
Senator Martin Golden (R-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach) will host his 16th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Ceremony today in two separate locations across his district.
The ceremony will be held in honor of all those who lost their lives during the terror attacks 16 years ago. The remembrance ceremony will feature patriotic music, a candle lighting ceremony, a 21-gun salute and a moment of silence.
The first event is slated for 6 p.m., today, Sept, 11, at 3000 Fillmore Avenue (by the Flagpole) in Marine Park.
The second ceremony is slated for 7:30 p.m., today, Sept. 11, at American Veterans Pier (corner of Bay Ridge Avenue & Shore Road) in Bay Ridge.
Cuomo Announces $11.4 Million In Supportive Housing
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced more than $11.4 million in state funding for three supportive housing developments in Buffalo and Brooklyn last week.
The projects will create or preserve 80 units of housing for homeless New Yorkers supported by funding from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s Homeless Housing and Assistance Program. The funding will be divided amongst three organizations including CAMBA Housing Ventures Inc. in Brooklyn which will receive $5.5 million for the new construction of an eight-story building that will create 71 unites of permanent housing with 42 units of supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals.
The three projects are part of Cuomo’s $20 billion Homelessness and Affordable Housing Action Plan, which includes $10 billion dedicated to creating and preserving 100,000 units of affordable housing and $10 billion devoted to tackling homelessness by developing 6,000 new, permanent supportive housing units. The supportive housing projects will also provide residents will easy access to social services including case management, mental health care, education, substance abuse treatment and vocational support, among others.
“From Brooklyn to Buffalo, we are building new affordable and supportive housing to give the most vulnerable New Yorkers a place to call home. These three projects will help to revitalize the neighborhoods where they are located, offering clean, safe and affordable housing and supporting the transformation and growth of the communities,” said Cuomo.
“Tackling our housing crisis requires concerted action across government. That’s why I welcome Governor Cuomo’s announcement today of $11.4 million in state funding of supportive housing, including a $5.5 million investment here in Brooklyn. We need to seek out opportunities to deliver assistance to the most vulnerable communities across Brooklyn, and across our State, attempting to overcome this housing crisis. This investment represents an additional, important step in that direction,” said State Senator Jesse Hamilton (D-Central Brooklyn)
Schumer Pushes For New Cell Tower Law For Emergency Disasters
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-Brooklyn) announced that he will be making a major push to pass the Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act (SANDy Act; S.102) last week in the wake of Hurricane season.
The SANDY Act would ensure that during an emergency consumer cell phones work on other carriers’ networks even if their own network becomes inoperable; assign priority calling to 9-1-1 services and emergency communications from networks and local emergency services; begin a process to provide 9-1-1 services over Wi-Fi hotspots during emergencies; make sure all communication providers—TV, land line, radio—can fix outages faster, even across state lines; and have the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to play an even larger role during the reconnecting stage of storm recovery.
The new law would formally recognize that the majority of U.S. households rely on cellphones as their primary method of communication. As a result, Schumer has pushed communications providers to consider backup generators, alternate power sources, temporary towers and mobile trucks. The Senator has also suggested they investigate ways to “harden” cell infrastructure, making it less susceptible to damage.
“Dependable and redundant cell phone service is a necessity for emergency workers and a lifeline for residents left without power. After Sandy hit, far too many impacted residents struggled to get service because far too many cell towers were rendered inoperable and we have seen these impacts with so many other storms,” said Schumer.
“That’s why in an age where many people only have cell phones, we must make sure they can use them. While providers have worked to ensure backup power to towers and agreed to other methods that help to keep Americans connected, what we need is a law on the books that is fit for the times, and that is what the SANDY Act very clearly provides,” added Schumer.
Donovan Applauds Extension of the National Flood Insurance Program
Congressman Dan Donovan (R-South Brooklyn, Staten Island) applauded President Trump’s 3-moth extension of the National Flood Insurance Program last week.
The emergency plan, which also passed the House, provides funding for hurricane relief as well as other damage assistance. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the program “aims to reduce the impact of flooding on private and public structures. It does so by providing affordable insurance to property owners and by encouraging communities to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations.”
The program which is authorized by FEMA was set to expire on Sept. 30, however the 90-day extension has given Congress an increased deadline for finding a permanent financial solution to the program. The program will now expire on Dec. 8.
“For the past several months, I’ve been in direct negotiations with my colleagues on the House Financial Services Committee to extend and reform the National Flood Insurance Program. My top priority has and will continue to be the hardworking, taxpaying Staten Island and Brooklyn homeowners who made the biggest investment of their lives based on a certain set of flood insurance rules. Congress cannot pull the rug out from under them with massive increases that make their homes unaffordable,” said Donovan.
“As Hurricane Harvey and now Irma spur flood insurance claims from tens of thousands of homeowners, now is clearly not the time to make changes. I voted to pass a 3-month extension to the National Flood Insurance Program so hurricane victims have certainty when filing their claims,” added Donovan.
Menchaca Applauds City’s DACA ‘Day of Action’
City Council member Carlos Menchaca (D-Red Hook, Sunset Park) applauded the City’s Day of Action on the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA) last week.
The event, which was held last Friday, provided information and resources to the city’s 30,000 Dreamers. The event included the work of over 200 volunteers in 31 neighborhoods with high-density immigrant populations including the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, the NYC Commission on Human Rights, the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Volunteers distributed thousands of pieces of literature on the DACA announcement and City resources that are available to New Yorkers regardless of immigration status. DACA information was also available at all 26 IDNYC enrollment centers across the five boroughs.
“This DACA Day of Action demonstrates New York City’s unwavering commitment to over 30,000 Dreamers. Direct outreach in immigrant communities is a fast and effective way to support Dreamers with information, legal services, and City resources. I stand ready to work alongside over 200 volunteers and advocates showing how much Dreamers mean to the city of immigrants and how hard we’ll work to protect them,” said Menchaca.
