Williams, Menchaca Hold Joint Hearing On Three Proposed Bills
City Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood), chair of Housing and Buildings Committee, and City Council Member Carlos Menchaca (D-sunset Park, Red Hook) chair of the immigration Committee, yesterday held a joint hearing on three proposed bills related to tenant harassment and community land trusts.
The first, Intro. 1269 – that a number of council members sponsored, would allow Community Land Trusts (CLTs) to enter into regulatory agreements with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development for the development of affordable housing.
The second and third address issues of tenant harassment. Intro. 1678-A, expands the definition of harassment to include discriminatory threats and requests for proof of citizenship status.
Intro 1721, that Williams and City Council Member Brad Lander (D-Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington) introduced, expands that definition to include repeated violations of the construction code, or providing false information regarding construction and the safety of a unit. Intros 1678-A and 1721 are part of the New York City Council’s ongoing efforts to combat tenant harassment in all its forms.
“The struggle for housing in New York does not end when you move in,” said Williams. “Today’s bills not only help to develop more affordable housing with community land trusts, but to protect tenants from harassment by unscrupulous landlords. We will continue to work to not only provide housing opportunities for New Yorkers, but to help them stay in their homes free of this harassment.”
“Every New Yorker has the right to live free from harassment and threats by their landlord,” said Menchaca. “That is why this session, the Council has passed multiple bills addressing tenant harassment and intended to send a clear message to unscrupulous landlords – we will not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any New Yorker. These bills enhance the protections available to New Yorkers and raise the penalties for landlords who violate the law.”
Cumbo Raises Awareness Around Domestic Violence
City Council Members Laurie A. Cumbo (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights) and Helen Rosenthal (D-Manhattan), co-chairs of the New York City Council Women’s Caucus, yesterday led a citywide Day of Action to raise awareness around domestic violence in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM).
As part of the initiative, city council members and their staff positioned throughout the five boroughs were joined by survivors and advocates for a fourth consecutive year to disseminate thousands of palm cards and pamphlets on resources available citywide for survivors of domestic violence to commuters.
“For most New Yorkers, it is often a challenge to find ways to engage a loved one, friend, or colleague in an abusive relationship and connect them to the vital resources available through the vast network of Family Justice Centers. #NYCGoPurple is an opportunity to initiate a citywide conversation on how to end the silence and break the cycle of violence that adversely affects communities of color. We are proud to live in a city of UpStanders who are committed to empowering survivors with the supportive services that will enable them to start anew and thrive,” said Cumbo and Rosenthal in a joint statement.
Through increases in Domestic Violence and Empowerment (DoVE) Initiative funding and the establishment of a centrally-located Family Justice Center in all five boroughs, the City Council and de Blasio Administration have expanded access to year-round supportive services for families looking to break the cycle of domestic and intimate partner violence.
Schneiderman Files Brief To Ban Possession Of Large Capacity Ammunition Magazines For Guns
New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman (D) yesterday announced that a coalition of 13 Attorneys General filed a friend-of-the-court brief urging the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to uphold a California ban on the possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines for guns.
The brief urges the court to overturn a lower court’s order preliminarily enjoining the law, and argues that nothing about the Second Amendment, under Supreme Court precedent, prevents states and the District of Columbia from enacting reasonable gun regulations.
“Common sense gun laws are vital to keeping families safe – and states have every right to enact them to protect their communities,” said Schneiderman. “We’ll continue to do what it takes to keep New Yorkers safe from gun violence through our comprehensive approach.”
The California law bans magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. These large-capacity magazines, or LCMs, are disproportionately used by mass shooters to kill and injure large numbers of people quickly, including law enforcement officers.
“Both common sense and empirical evidence suggest that prohibiting LCMs will reduce the number of crimes in which LCMs are used and reduce the lethality and devastation of gun crime when it does occur,” the brief notes. “At the same time, there is no proof that LCMs are necessary—or even commonly used—for self-defense.”
Gentile Hosts Patrolman David Guttenberg Way street co-naming
City Council Member Vincent J. Gentile (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach, Bensonhust) and the New York City Police Department, elected officials, Community Board 10, and members of the Guttenberg family, some coming all the way from the state of Alaska, will be in attendance for the “Patrolman David Guttenberg Way” street co-naming ceremony tomorrow.
Guttenberg was shot and killed in the line of duty in 1978 after walking into a robbery in progress at an auto body shop near the corner of 86th Street and Seventh Avenue to check on a double-parked vehicle. Unbeknownst to the officer there was a man inside the location robbing the shop.
Both the shooter and his accomplice were apprehended and convicted of murder. They were both sentenced to life in prison. The shooter died in prison and his lookout was paroled in July of 2014.
“I am pleased to have introduced legislation in the City Council to co-name this street and have this bill signed into law by the Mayor to right a wrong that has gone on for far too long and to publicly recognize Patrolman David Guttenberg, who was murdered while in the line of duty in 1978,” said Gentile.
The street co-naming is slated for 11 a.m. tomorrow, Oct. 21 on the corner of 86th Street and Battery Avenue in Bay Ridge.
