In the District Archives
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Garodnick to Rent Board: Food, Gas Prices Adding to Tenants' Struggles
Rising household costs, combined with the accelerated pace of apartments leaving rent protection, are putting a significant strain on tenants, Council Member Dan Garodnick told the Rent Guidelines Board.
At the Board’s annual public hearing to determine the allowable rent increases for stabilized units, Council Member Garodnick said, “Renters in this City are struggling. I ask that you take into serious consideration the millions of New Yorkers who will be facing higher food, transportation and all-around costs this year.”
Council Member Garodnick added that the economic effect of rapid destabilization is felt not only by individual tenants, but by the City as a whole. "Tenants who lose rent stabilized apartments will move further and further out of the City’s core, adding to costs, inconvenience, and environmental harm — and business activity will surely move with them,” he said.
Read Council Member Garodnick's testimony to the Rent Guidelines Board
June 16, 2008
Garodnick Responds to Department of Education's Blueprint on Overcrowding
Council Member Garodnick said the Department of Education must be more aggressive in creating additional classroom space in School District 2, and reiterated the need for enrollment projections on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis.
Responding to the DOE’s newly released “blueprint” to relieve overcrowding in District 2, Council Member Garodnick also said that art rooms, libraries, auditoriums and other “cluster spaces” must be preserved for their intended uses and not considered under-utilized classroom space. He added that while rezoning may need to be explored, the DOE should neither shift students from one overcrowded school to another, nor bus students from their home school to another with more space.
Regarding the need for neighborhood-level enrollment projections, Council Member Garodnick pointed to a survey of new construction in the PS 116 catchment zone, which shows 3,374 units of housing newly built, under construction, or approved by the City. By the City’s own zoning formula, this translates to 337 new students — nearly half of PS 116’s existing capacity. “It is critical that the DOE look at housing starts and other data in neighborhoods with overcrowded schools,” he said. “Taking steps to mitigate overcrowding based on today’s numbers will not be adequate if tomorrow’s growth is even greater.”
Read Council Member Garodnick's analysis of the DOE blueprint
June 4, 2008
Garodnick Calls for Greater Action to Eliminate Illegal Hotels
Citing a newly released report that identifies up to 10,000 residential apartments citywide that are being used as hotel rooms, Council Member Garodnick called for greater action to protect tenants and the city’s housing stock.
“Landlords are pushing out rent-stabilized tenants because they can make more money by illegally renting out their rooms to tourists," he said. "Tenants are being victimized, we are losing affordable housing, and this needs to stop.”
While the tenant harassment law that Council Member Garodnick authored will allow residents to fight back against abuse, the City needs to explore other legal tools to fight illegal hotels, including zoning restrictions and fines that won’t just be treated as another cost of doing business.
June 1, 2008
Garodnick Proposes Change to Boost Number of Crossing Guards
Council Member Garodnick proposed a common-sense ways to increase the pool of candidates for crossing guard positions, and thus improve the safety of East Side students as they head to and from school. The number of crossing guards has been steadily decreasing, due in part to the difficulty in hiring an adequate number of guards. This situation is possibly hindered by the requirement that all crossing guards work both in the morning when students arrive, and in the afternoon, when students are dismissed. Council Member Garodnick proposed “split shifts,” whereby a crossing guard could work either a morning or afternoon shift, but not be obligated to work both. "If the position were more flexible, I expect that we would be able to attract more applicants," he said.
Read a letter from Council Member Garodnick about the crossing guard shortage
May 22, 2008
Garodnick Probes City's Vulnerability to Catastrophic Floods
With the recent experience of New Orleans in mind, Council Member Garodnick summoned climate change experts to share their findings about the City’s vulnerability to a major storm, and the possible infrastructure investments the City could make to protect itself.
“The sea level is rising, and we are a city of water,” said Council Member Garodnick. “Some may consider this New York’s ‘inconvenient truth.’ We know that we will have to adapt to climate change, so what we must do now is understand how vulnerable we may be, and explore preventative measures to ensure our long-term prosperity.”
Speaking before the City Council’s Infrastructure Task Force, which Garodnick co-chairs, scientists and engineers offered their best estimates to the risks faced by New York, and the actions taken by other coastal cities. Garodnick said the wide range of options is all the more reason that the City begin a discussion on planning for the effects of climate change. “Preparations for natural disasters usually take place after the disaster,” he said. “Perhaps the last person to be prepared for a flood was Noah — and he was tipped off. We need to make sure that we take the appropriate steps to safeguard the City.”
May 6, 2008
Educators, Arts Groups Join Garodnick for Second Annual Cultural Forum
Over 20 of the city’s cultural institutions introduced their educational programs to East Side public school principals at Council Member Garodnick’s second annual Cultural Education Forum. Principals and representatives from the arts groups began to form partnerships so that the schools can take advantage of the programs available to them. Council Members Rosie Mendez and Jessica Lappin also participated in the event, whose reach was broadened to include more of the schools that serve students on the East Side.
May 6, 2008
Garodnick Shares Concerns About Proposals to Overhaul Senior Centers, Meals on Wheels
Council Member Garodnick took part in a forum at the Stein Senior Center, where he discussed his concern about proposals from the Department for the Aging to overhaul senior centers and the Meals on Wheels program.
“I strongly object to the closing of any senior center as a part of the restructuring of senior center services,” he said. “Additionally, it is vital that seniors be able to continue to choose frozen or hot meals as part of Meals on Wheels. Seniors in my District are appropriately concerned that they will eventually be forced to take a frozen meal even if they prefer a hot meal.”
May 2, 2008
Garodnick Announces Senior Housing Forum
On May 5, Council Member Garodnick will bring together over a dozen City agencies and community organizations for a Senior Housing Forum.
Attendees will be able to take advantage of a one-hour panel discussion, and one-on-one consultations on all subjects related to senior housing, including rights and benefits specific to seniors, mental health issues as they relate to housing and services for low-income residents.
The forum will take place at the Hunter College School of Social Work, 129 East 79th, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
April 15, 2008
Garodnick Proposes Budget Reforms
In light of the recent revelation that taxpayer dollars were being held in the City budget under the names of fictitious organizations (a process kept secret even from members of the Council), Council Member Garodnick and Council Member David Yassky immediately introduced a four-point plan to begin shining more sunlight on the budget process.
Their proposals — including the creation of a publicly searchable database with more extensive information about the groups receiving City funding, and heightened requirements to disclose conflicts of interest — were adopted by Speaker Christine Quinn, in her package of reforms to further improve the budget’s transparency.
April 11, 2008
Garodnick, Stringer Host Forum for Stuyvesant Town Residents
Borough President Scott Stringer and Council Member Garodnick fielded questions on everything from congestion and quality of life concerns to Major Capital Improvements and tenants rights, at a town hall for residents of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village. Over 300 tenants attended to get up-to-date answers about the issues affecting the community.
Key among those issues has been management’s pursuit of tenants. As Council Member Garodnick said in a letter of March 24 to Rob Speyer, the president of Tishman Speyer, “Too many legal tenants have been swept up in Tishman Speyer’s attempt to ‘catch’ residents who may be there illegally, and this needs to stop.”
Each month, approximately 15 percent of all rent-stabilized tenants whose leases are up for renewal are told that they are not being renewed. Often, management alleges that the tenants are not using their apartment as their primary residence. As of October 2007, one-third of those cases were dropped, and tenants gave up their apartment in only half of cases.
As a result, Council Member Garodnick has asked for a moratorium on the pursuit of tenants through the end of 2008.
Visit www.garodnick.com/press to read the New York Observer's account about Council Member Garodnick's efforts.
Read Council Member Garodnick's letter to Tishman Speyer
April 3, 2008
Garodnick Honored by P.S. 116 Parents
At the annual silent auction fundraiser to benefit P.S. 116, Council Member Garodnick was honored by the Parents’ Association with the PRIDE Award, for “Promoting Responsibility, Interest and Direction in Education.” Council Member Garodnick credited the work of the school’s leaders, staff and parents for the continued success at P.S. 116, and spoke of his ongoing efforts to press the Department of Education to create a long-term plan to deal with overcrowding at P.S. 116 and throughout the East Side.
March 31, 2008
Garodnick Announces Agreement on East River Development
After weeks of discussions and years of hard work, Council Member Garodnick announced an agreement with the East River Realty Company (ERRC) on the rezoning of over nine acres of First Avenue from 35th to 41st Streets.
The City Council has amended ERRC's plan in a way that:
—reduces the overall project to address density concerns;
—reduces the heights of buildings to protect our local parks from shadows;
—provides incentives for affordable housing, including housing for those at middle and moderate incomes; and
—guarantees public space that is truly open and cannot be shut off from the public.
The Council also secured the necessary easement from the developer to build a waterfront park in the future, and a commitment of $10 million toward that goal.
This development will be a vibrant, mixed-use community, with ground-level retail, ample public space and a 630-seat public school. The changes that we made are significant and valuable improvements to the plan that will make a huge difference in the life of the neighborhood and the City.
March 12, 2008
Council Passes Garodnick Bill to Curb Tenant Harassment
The City Council unanimously passed a bill sponsored by Council Member Dan Garodnick that allows tenants to sue their landlords for harassment in Housing Court. The bill was co-sponsored by Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito.
“With our vote today, we sent a message that the abuse stops here,” said Council Member Garodnick. “We sent a message to tenants that they are no longer alone, and by giving them new powers in Housing Court, we are giving them new tools to defend themselves.”
February 27, 2008
Elected Officials, Civic Groups Launch Campaign for Riverfront Park
Council Member Garodnick, along with a coalition of elected officials and civic groups, kicked off a campaign for a much-needed waterfront park on the East Side.
"We are starved for parkland," said Council Member Garodnick. "But we have a vision for a four-acre, waterfront park that would be an enormous amenity for the City of New York — and this is the time to take a serious look at how to make that vision a reality."
Council Member Garodnick added that the East River Realty Company's development proposal for the former Con Edison Waterside properties, along with State plans to rebuild the FDR Drive in this area, present an opportunity to "bring the different government agencies together to plan for a park where we elevate people over cars, and open up the waterfront to all residents."
The plan for the park was created through a charrette in June of 2007. It featured six leading landscape architects and ultimately focused on three main elements, including a dramatic curvilinear deck over the FDR Drive (where today there is a raised, highway overpass) that would draw pedestrians to the water.
February 21, 2008
Garodnick, Speaker Quinn Win Compensation From Con Ed
In the aftermath of the Con Edison steam pipe blast on July 18, when streets were cordoned off and businesses were closed for weeks, the stores and offices affected by the explosion continued to be charged by Con Ed for their utility usage. No one could gain access to turn off the lights and appliances that were left on when they fled, but Con Edison still demanded payment for the power that was used during this time.
Along with Speaker Christine Quinn, Council Member Garodnick demanded that Con Edison drop these unfair charges. After months of discussions, at their request, Con Edison finally agreed to reimburse local businesses for the energy they used when their buildings were inaccessible.
Council Member Garodnick said, "This was an important concession — these mom-and-pop establishments suffered enough through lost business.
February 15, 2008
City Council Infrastructure Task Force Holds First Forum
On February 15, Council Member Garodnick co-chaired the first public meeting of the City Council’s Infrastructure Task Force. Speaker Christine Quinn created the Task Force to ensure that our infrastructure keeps pace with our development, and in this forum, the Task Force will examine the City’s anticipated population growth and how the City budget can accommodate it.
By hearing from experts on sustainability and on the City budget, the Task Force began to learn whether the City is adequately prepared for what lies ahead. Growth will undoubtedly put additional strain on our existing infrastructure, but by prioritizing the most necessary projects and thinking creatively about how we use the information available to us, the Task Force will help guide our growth so that it improves the quality of life for City residents.
February 15, 2008
Garodnick Calls for Changes to G&T Plan
Council Member Garodnick called on Chancellor Joel Klein to make changes to the Department of Education’s proposed new admission standards for Gifted & Talented (G&T) programs — particularly requiring students to score in the 95th percentile of a national test in order to be accepted.
“I do not believe that pitting our children against students from across the country in order to determine admission into our own programs meets the objectives of broadening access or making the admissions system fairer,” he said.
Additionally, Garodnick asked that parents be notified of G&T acceptances earlier so that they can make the necessary educational decisions for their children, and requested that the Chancellor institute a reasonable policy to keep gifted children and their siblings in the same school.
Read Council Member Garodnick's letter to Chancellor Klein
February 14, 2008
Garodnick Reaches Out to Tenants Affected by Building Fire
In response to the three-alarm fire at a high-rise building at 200 East 72nd Street, Council Member Garodnick immediately reached out to each of the tenants, and called on the building’s management for answers.
Tenants were confused and frustrated that they had heard no alarms and received no instructions on what to do, even as smoke filled their apartments. Council Member Garodnick contacted the building’s management to express his concern that tenants were left vulnerable, and to ensure that systems are in place to protect residents returning to their apartments.
Along with Borough President Scott Stringer, Council Member Garodnick is now connecting residents in the building with the Fire Department to discuss the necessary procedures going forward.
February 7, 2008
Garodnick Questions Con Edison on Steam Pipe Inspection and Repair Procedures
After a second City Council oversight hearing into the Con Edison steam pipe explosion, Council Member Garodnick said he is still concerned that Con Ed is not doing enough to maintain its steam system. It is now clear that Con Ed was aware of problems at the site and neglected to take the appropriate action. The State Public Service Commission has mandated a number of changes to Con Ed’s maintenance and repair procedures, and Council Member Garodnick will be watching closely to make sure that they are followed.
January 22, 2008
Garodnick Advocates for Changes to Congestion Pricing Plan
In testimony before the New York City Traffic Congestion Mitigation Committee, Council Member Garodnick offered changes that would relieve some of the burden on residents who live within the fee zone. Specifically, he called for:
--eliminating a charge on residents who drive within, or leave, the fee zone;
--crafting a plan that will make the City and State eligible for $354 million in federal funds;
--ensuring that funds raised are dedicated to mass transit improvements;
--including a comprehensive approach to the issuance of government parking placards.
To read his full testimony, click here.
January 16, 2008
Garodnick, Elected Officials Launch "Shop Second Avenue" Campaign to Support Local Businesses During Subway Construction
A coalition of Second Avenue business owners, along with Council Member Dan Garodnick, Assembly Member Jonathan Bing and fellow East Side elected officials, have launched a grass-roots “Shop Second Avenue” campaign to assist businesses affected by the construction of the Second Avenue Subway.
Second Avenue Subway construction has been occurring between 91st and 96th Streets since April 2007. The loss of sidewalks and curbside parking, along with the relocation of several stores’ entrances, is taking its toll on businesses. The “Shop Second Avenue” campaign combines community outreach, a partnership with the MTA, and State legislation to ease the burden for businesses along Second Avenue from 91st to 96th Streets — where subway construction is limiting foot traffic to the storefronts and causing other disruptions for merchants.
“These businesses are taking a hit for all of us,” said Council Member Dan Garodnick. “If you support the Second Avenue Subway, you should support these merchants who are struggling now. Join us in eating, drinking and shopping in this neighborhood — they need our help.”
January 10, 2008
Garodnick Applauds Mayor for Parking Placard Proposal
Council Member Garodnick praised Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to account for all City-issued parking placards, to reduce their number by 20 percent and to improve enforcement of placard abuse.
“With privilege comes responsibility — and Mayor Bloomberg has taken a very positive step toward making sure that parking privileges are handled responsibly,” said Council Member Garodnick. “At a time when we are carefully considering solutions to congestion, we need to take a look at the role of placards in encouraging people to drive.”
The Mayor’s proposal mirrors a call for accountability that Garodnick laid out in Intro 504, a bill he introduced last year, as well as Garodnick’s support for reasonable measures to reduce congestion.
January 8, 2008
Garodnick to Con Ed: Steam Pipe Blast Report Offers More Questions Than Answers
Two months after its expected release, Con Edison released a report on the cause of the July 18 steam pipe blast in midtown Manhattan — a report that Council Member Garodnick said raised more questions than answers.
According to the report, the explosion, which killed one person and badly injured others, was apparently caused by a clump of sealant that clogged a valve and allowed pressure to build. However, Council Member Garodnick said, “I’m not even slightly satisfied with what we know today, and no New Yorker should be.
“Con Ed supposedly inspects steam traps every two months, but this faulty repair was made four months before the explosion — so why wasn’t it caught earlier?” Council Member Garodnick continued: “Con Ed says it has replaced the 1,654 similar valves in the system — but that doesn’t happen overnight. What took Con Ed so long to level with the City about how this tragedy happened and what action they are taking to ensure that the system is safe?”
A second City Council oversight hearing to investigate the steam pipe blast will be held on January 22.
December 28, 2007
Garodnick Bill Targets Unlicensed Debt Collectors
With the holiday shopping season in full swing, Council Member Garodnick introduced new legislation to improve the supervision of debt collectors. As many as 42 percent of consumer debt cases tried in New York City Civil Court are brought by unlicensed collection agencies, which are frequently third-party debt buyers with no prior relationship to the New Yorkers they are suing. Residents who are sued by unlicensed debt collectors often find themselves answering baseless claims made by companies they do not know and cannot even contact. Council Member Garodnick’s bill is targeted at giving the Department of Consumer Affairs jurisdiction over those debt collectors.
"Too many residents today find themselves pursued by unknown entities over debts that they may not even have," said Council Member Garodnick. "New Yorkers are defaulting on these claims in record numbers, and this is having a disturbing impact on our working poor. This spiral of debt not only impacts individual families, but the overall economic health of the City."
December 11, 2007
Garodnick Appointed Co-Chair of Infrastructure Task Force
As the City Council begins to take a closer look at the impact of major expansion projects on the existing infrastructure, Speaker Christine Quinn appointed Council Member Garodnick co-Chair of the Council's new Infrastructure Task Force.
Projects like Eastside Access, the Second Avenue Subway, Moynihan Station and the World Trade Center Redevelopment, which are being undertaken by a wide range of non-City entities, currently have no coordinating entity operating on the city level that can weigh the implications of their development on the city as a whole. As New York City continues to grow and evolve, we need to take the long view, and make sure that our infrastructure keeps pace with our development plans. As we all learned from last summer's steam pipe explosion and the Queens blackout of 2006 — not to mention the recent bridge collapse in Minnesota — aging infrastructure that is not kept in a state of good repair can have a devastating impact.
The reliability of our energy, transportation and water systems depends on making responsible commitments now. The goal of the Infrastructure Task Force will be to ensure that these commitments are in place so that as we grow we do not become victims of our own success.
November 25, 2007
Garodnick Continues to Push Community's Priorities at Development Site
At a public hearing held by the Borough President, Council Member Garodnick reiterated his reservations about the East River Realty Company's proposed rezoning of the former Con Edison Waterside site on First Avenue. Despite commitments by the developer to create affordable housing and dedicate space at the site for a new public school, Council Member Garodnick remains concerned about the height and density of ERRC's proposed towers, the availability of open space, and the shadows that the towers will throw on neighborhood parks.
As Council Member Garodnick said in his testimony, "Regardless of any concessions the developer has already made, or the developer's own devotion to his vision, this Uniform Land Use Review Procedure is not a rubber-stamp. It is neither a coronation nor a pre-determination. The community will have a say in this process, and its voice will be heard."
November 15, 2007
Garodnick Announces Commitment for Affordable Housing, New School at Proposed Development Site
Council Member Garodnick, along with fellow East Side Elected Officials, announced commitments from the East River Realty Corporation that will provide for the inclusion of permanently affordable housing, as well as dedicated space for a new public school at the company’s proposed development on the site of the former Con Edison Waterside plant on First Avenue.
The elected officials had put affordable housing and a new school high on their list of conditions before they would begin considering the developer’s proposal to rezone his properties from low-scale manufacturing zoning to high-density mixed-use.
At a press conference to announce the commitments, Council Member Garodnick sent a message that this is the first step in a very long process: “Without this commitment, we could not have had any serious conversation about rezoning this area. Today, we are sending the right message – along with new development, we need to have the necessary infrastructure to support it," he said.
November 5, 2007
Upper East Side Electeds Applaud Buildings Dept. for Revoking Church Catering Permit
East Side elected officials won relief for residents near the Third Church of Christ Scientist at 583 Park Avenue when the Department of Buildings took steps to revoke permission for the church to hold catered events. Council Member Garodnick, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, State Senator Liz Krueger, and Assembly Member Jonathan Bing had repeatedly asked the DOB for a review of the permit granted to the church last year which allowed it to convert to a 7-day-a-week party venue for events up to 1,500 people. The DOB’s review found that the events violate zoning rules because they are not “clearly incidental to and customarily found” in connection with a church. “It is clear that the church was becoming the secondary use in this situation,” said Council Member Garodnick. “There should never be a commercial catering facility in a zoned residential area."
October 29, 2007
Garodnick Cuts Ribbon on New Library at Wagner Middle School
Council Member Garodnick joined parents and staff of Robert F. Wagner Middle School for a ribbon-cutting at the school’s new, state-of-the-art library. Council Member Garodnick helped secure funds to renovate and expand the library, but his commitment didn’t stop there. Over the summer, Council Member Garodnick organized a book drive that brought in over 4,000 books which will help fill the library’s shelves.
October 26, 2007
Garodnick Introduces Tenant Harassment Bill
Council Member Garodnick, along with Speaker Christine Quinn and Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito, introduced important new legislation that gives tenants the power to sue their landlords for harassment.
Under existing law, if a landlord repeatedly cuts off a tenant's heat or hot water, that tenant would have to take their landlord to Housing Court for each offense. Even where there is violence or the threat of violence directed toward a tenant, or where landlords pursue tenants through frivolous court proceedings, there is currently no legal cause of action for tenants to claim that they are being harassed out of their homes.
Intro 627 sets this right. It gives tenants a fair chance to fight back — by using the power of the courts to counter the tools of intimidation. On the East Side, there has been a startling rise in the number of legal challenges on rent-stabilized tenants' very right to occupy their apartments. Under Intro 627, a Housing Court judge would have the right to rule whether this practice rises to the level of harassment, fine the landlord and stop a pattern of abuse.
Tenants have a right to more than just basic services; they have a right to peace, dignity and respect. This bill creates consequences for those landlords who make victims out of their tenants, and it will provide a deterrent against future harassment in all its forms.
October 17, 2007
Garodnick Testifies Against 91st Street Marine Transfer Station
Last year, the City of New York passed a 20-year Solid Waste Management Plan to evenly distribute the burdens of waste management across the boroughs, and to move to a greener and more efficient method of transporting our garbage. Council Member Garodnick voted against the plan in the Council because it included reopening and expanding the Marine Transfer Station (MTS) at East 91st Street — a facility in the heart of a residential neighborhood, and in the middle of a park.
This month, Council Member Garodnick testified before the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to raise his strong concerns with this plan. Not only is the 91st Street neighborhood inappropriate for a waste-handling facility, but the MTS will add idling garbage trucks to our already-congested streets. He suggested other more appropriate locations that the City should consider, instead of this thriving neighborhood.
October 9, 2007
Garodnick Funds After-School Programs to Keep Arts in Schools
This year, Council Member Garodnick is funding four top-quality cultural programs in local public schools through the Council’s Cultural After School Adventure (CASA) initiative. With the help of the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, Ballet Hispanico and Inside Broadway, hundreds of students will round out their educational experience through an exploration of the fine arts, dance, and theater — the kids will create their own works, and even put on their own play. This funding builds on Council Member Garodnick’s efforts to connect local public schools with cultural institutions that incorporate arts into the study of other academic subjects.
October 1, 2007
Garodnick Participates in Vendor Enforcement Sweep
Council Member Garodnick, along with the Mayor's Community Assistance Unit, the 19th Precinct, the Department of Consumer Affairs, and the Department of Health, conducted a vendor enforcement sweep on the 86th Street corridor. Vendor violations have been a continual problem in this area, and more enforcement like this is needed until we have additional legislative tools to address this issue.
September 27, 2007
Neighbors Unite at Garodnick’s Public Safety Forum
In response to a daytime shooting on 93rd Street and First Avenue on September 10, Council Member Garodnick quickly organized a public safety forum for residents of the area. Deputy Inspector James Murtagh, the commanding officer of the 19th Precinct, took questions from the community, explained what the NYPD is doing to ensure safety, and distributed “Wanted” posters for the shooting suspect. Neighbors came together in a way they never had before, and six days after the forum — following a tip from the community about the suspected shooter’s whereabouts — police arrested the suspect.
Two weeks later, the seven people from the area were charged with narcotics offenses. The police recognized the efforts of Council Member Garodnick’s office in helping to raise awareness of local crime issues.
September 18, 2007
Garodnick, Maloney Demand Compensation for Businesses Hit by Blast
Council Member Garodnick joined Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney in standing up for the local businesses that suffered lost economic activity due to the Con Ed steam pipe blast. A survey by Congresswoman Maloney's office found losses totaling $1.3 million from 71 street-level businesses — and Council Member Garodnick said that Con Ed has a responsibility to compensate them.
"The losses caused by this event cannot just be treated as a cost of doing business," said Council Member Garodnick. "The mom-and-pop establishments near the blast site did not assume any risk by locating on Lexington Avenue, and they should not bear the burden of this catastrophe. Con Ed needs to do better."
Council Member Garodnick pledged to continue working with the Department of Small Business Services to ensure that local merchants have all the City's resources available to them.
August 9, 2007
Garodnick Calls for Answers, Compensation from Con Edison
On August 7, the City Council convened an oversight hearing that Council Member Garodnick had requested on July's Con Edison steam pipe explosion. Unfortunately, the aftermath of the explosion was made worse by Con Ed's arrogance and unwillingness to provide answers to basic questions. CEO Kevin Burke was a no-show at the hearing, and his representative gave no clues about the cause of the blast.
Council Member Garodnick and his colleagues in government have vowed to continue to demand answers and to ensure that the City take all steps necessary to ensure the safety of the infrastructure.
August 7, 2007
Garodnick Delivers Message on Sidewalk Cycling to Local Businesses
On July 26, a new City law went into effect requiring restaurants and other bicycle delivery businesses to post signs that remind their employees about the rules of the road. To make sure that area businesses follow the rules — and make pedestrian safety a priority — Council Member Garodnick went door-to-door to several restaurants on the Upper East Side to help them put up the City-approved posters. Council Member Garodnick plans to expand that effort across the district to educate local merchants on the law.
August 3, 2007
Mayor Bloomberg Signs Garodnick's Facade Inspection Bill
Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a bill authored by Council Member Dan Garodnick that would streamline the process for mandatory building facade inspections. Intro 550-A staggers the five-year cycles for building façade inspections, relieving the owners of some 12,000 buildings Citywide from having to compete for a limited number of architects and scaffolds, and from having to pay a premium for the high-demand services.
In praise of Garodnick’s legislation, Mayor Bloomberg said, “Intro 550-A will ease the burden on both owners and the Department of Buildings. It will enhance enforcement by allowing the Department of Buildings to avoid the surge in filings that occurs every five years, and to spread out the review of filings and inspections of buildings more evenly over each cycle.”
August 2, 2007
Garodnick Congratulates Restaurant, Workers on Labor Agreement
Council Member Garodnick recently helped negotiate a settlement between the restaurant Daniel and a group of its workers who had filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the owners. Over a number of months, Council Member Garodnick helped to find common ground and an equitable solution for both the workers and Daniel's ownership. In this and other cases — like solving noise disputes between residents and neighboring business — Council Member Garodnick has embraced mediation for its effectiveness, even where there is no formal role for the City.
Read more about the Daniel settlement in the New York Times
July 30, 2007
Garodnick Announces Council Oversight Hearing on Steampipe Explosion
Reacting immediately to the explosion of a steampipe in the heart of the midtown business district, Council Member Garodnick announced that on August 7, the City Council will hold an oversight hearing on the explosion and on the safety of our infrastructure. In a statement, Council Member Garodnick said:
"The rupture of a 24-inch steam pipe in the heart of Manhattan’s business district raises real questions about the safety and security of our infrastructure. It goes without saying that pipes and streets simply should not be exploding in midtown Manhattan, or anywhere in New York City. Accordingly, the City Council will be holding an oversight hearing in early August to get answers to the many concerns raised by yesterday’s explosion.
Among the questions:
(1) Why were the pipes so vulnerable to heavy rain?
(2) How was the area above the pipes inspected earlier in the day, but no vulnerability found?
(3) What exactly did Con Edison find during the inspection of the pipes?
(4) What could they have found that would have indicated immediate danger?
(5) Is a six-week inspection schedule sufficient for old pipes?
(6) This Council District contains an area with a very high density of steam pipes; what other pipes may be similarly at risk?
(7) What more could Con Edison have done to prevent this explosion?
(8) What will it take to ensure that this does not happen again?
(9) Why should New Yorkers feel assured that the air quality around the blast site is safe?
I will be working aggressively to secure the answers to these questions, and to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers. I look forward to testimony directly from Con Edison, and thank Speaker Christine Quinn for her willingness to hold a hearing on this matter."
July 19, 2007
Garodnick Presses Rent Guidelines Board to Protect Stabilized Tenants
Council Member Garodnick warned the Rent Guidelines Board that rent increases for stabilized units would pose additional challenges to tenants already facing a housing squeeze. At a public hearing of the RGB on June 19, Garodnick pointed out that between 1996 and 2005, moderate income tenants saw their share of income that went towards their rent increase from 34 to 40 percent — even while median incomes have fallen.
"The Rent Guidelines Board has a critical role in ensuring low and middle income New Yorkers can continue living in the neighborhoods where they have raised their families, created businesses and built a community," said Garodnick. "The loss of affordable housing not only means an even higher demand for rent stabilized units, but also will have long term effects on the diversity and stability of our city."
June 28, 2007
M23 Bus Stops to Be Restored
Council Member Dan Garodnick, along with Senator Tom Duane and Council Member Rosie Mendez, announced that the MTA has agreed to restore two stops along the M23 bus route, in response to their requests. The M23 will once again make eastbound stops on the southwest corner of 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue, and westbound stops at the northeast corner of 23rd Street and Broadway, adjacent to Madison Square Park.
Transit officials removed those stops last summer in an attempt to improve the speed of the crosstown route. As Garodnick, Duane and Mendez pointed out, though eliminating the stops was especially challenging for senior and disabled passengers who transfer from the M23 to Fifth Avenue buses or to the R and W subway lines. Transfer options that were formerly just a few feet away had become separated by a long block and a double-wide bowtie intersection.
"We thank the MTA for hearing our concerns," said Council Member Garodnick. "We need to improve the speed of the M23, but removing these stops separated the bus from other important transit connections."
June 12, 2007
Garodnick Convenes Architects to Design New Vision for East Side Waterfront
Council Member Garodnick, along with the Municipal Art Society, Community Board 6 and East Side elected officials, brought together six of the world's leading landscape architects to design a new vision for the East Side waterfront at the Con Edison Waterside site. The architects’ collaboration — a revolutionary approach to planning in the City — was based closely on input from the various stakeholders in the neighborhood, including local residents, government agencies and land developers.
Council Member Garodnick's district ranks last in the City for public open space, and the City now has a rare opportunity to reclaim the waterfront for local residents. By teaming with each other and all of the stakeholders, the designers created a workable, realistic plan for public access to the river — a plan that Council Member Garodnick hopes will serve as the blueprint that guides the future of this area.
June 10, 2007
Garodnick Voices Support for Anti-Congestion Measures
At a press conference in the middle of Times Square, Council Member Garodnick backed measures proposed by Mayor Bloomberg to combat congestion by making it easier for traffic enforcement agents to write tickets for blocking intersections, or "blocking the box."
Council Member Garodnick is supporting Bloomberg's call for a new state law that would reclassify blocking the box from a moving violation to a non-moving violation, like a parking ticket. Doing so would allow more traffic enforcement agents to write tickets for the offense — currently, only a fraction of traffic agents are qualified to write moving violations — and would make for quicker ticket writing, as agents could simply enter a driver's license plate number rather than pull the driver over. "Drivers who block intersections and turn our boulevards into parking lots should get parking tickets," Garodnick said.
May 24, 2007
Thousands Rally at Stuyvesant Town for Affordable Housing
Thousands of New Yorkers from across the boroughs made a human chain around Stuyvesant Town to demand stronger laws to protect tenants and the preservation of affordable housing. Calling Stuyvesant Town a real and symbolic battleground for affordable housing, Council Member Garodnick told the rallying crowd that the complex's new owners had created a "culture of fear" among rent-stabilized tenants. Council Member Garodnick said he has seen a sharp rise in the number of calls to his office from residents facing legal challenges to their tenancy. In response, he organized a series of free legal clinics to advise rent-stabilized residents of their protections under the law. "The overwhelming demand for these clinics shows that tenants have a lot of concerns," said Council Member Garodnick.
May 23, 2007
Garodnick Calls for Increased Protections From Tenant Harassment
Council Member Garodnick joined a lesbian couple who are suing on the grounds of housing discrimination in order to speak out for greater protections from harassment by landlords. The case — in which the couple's landlord allegedly threatened them, cut off their heat and hot water, and committed assault in order to get them and their 3-year-old daughter to move out — serves as a striking example of the need for additional tenant protections, Garodnick said. Council Member Garodnick and Council Speaker Christine Quinn are eyeing legislation that would make it easier for tenants to bring a harassment case in housing court.
May 21, 2007
Garodnick Turns City Hall Into Student Art Gallery
Council Member Garodnick transformed City Council chambers into an art gallery for a show of student art by East Side kids on the subject of “New York City in the Year 2030.” Over 150 parents and children viewed 82 pieces created by elementary and middle school students, who shared their visions of the City’s future growth, transportation and environment.
Following Mayor Bloomberg’s announcement of the PlaNYC 2030 report for sustainability in the City, Council Member Garodnick asked students in his Council district to envision life in the future. “As a city, we will need bold ideas to meet the challenges that we’re certain to face in 2030 — congestion relief, finding affordable housing, reducing our pollution and improving our transportation even as we grow,” he said. “Children don’t consider the words ‘impossible’ or ‘impractical,’ and that helped make this art exhibit so much fun.”
May 16, 2007
Garodnick Goes to Starrett City to Show Solidarity
Council Member Garodnick went to Starrett City to show solidarity between the tenants there and those in Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village. Testifying at a public hearing of the State Assembly at Brooklyn’s Starrett City housing complex, Council Member Garodnick offered his support for legislation that would extend rent protections to apartments leaving the Mitchell-Lama program, and drew comparisons between Starrett City — a 46-tower 5,800-unit Mitchell-Lama complex was offered for sale earlier this year — and the sale of ST/PCV. “These two large communities have long been known for their affordability, their stability, and the fact that they were accessible to working families," Council Member Garodnick said. "Today, the residents of those two communities are joined in a struggle that is both real and symbolic to the cause of preserving affordable housing in this City.”
Read Council Member Garodnick's complete testimony
May 11, 2007
Garodnick, Elected Officials Score Victory for Tenants
Council Member Garodnick, Council Speaker Christine Quinn and other elected officials scored a victory for tenants in their appeal to the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) to change the time of its public hearings in order to allow for greater input from renters. The RGB — the body that determines the allowable increases for rent-stabilized leases — originally scheduled both its preliminary and final votes in the middle of the day, when many tenants would be at work and unable to attend. After considering the argument presented by Garodnick and the elected officials in a letter, the board decided to change the time of the meetings to suit the majority of working people. “Timing is everything,” Garodnick said. “If you schedule a meeting when nobody can attend, it’s not much of a meeting.” The new date and time for the preliminary vote and the final vote is May 7 and June 22, respectively, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
April 27, 2007
Garodnick Introduces Energy Code Legislation
Following Mayor Bloomberg’s PLANYC 2030 sustainability announcement, Council Member Garodnick introduced legislation that would formally require the New York City Department of Buildings to implement the State Energy Code of 2002 and require greater efficiency from new and remodeled buildings.
A full 79 percent of the city’s carbon dioxide emissions come from buildings, but to date, the energy code has gone unenforced.
”We already have the legislative tools at our disposal to demand greater energy efficiency from city buildings — now we just have to use them,” said Council Member Garodnick. “Putting the State Energy Code into effect will allow us to literally construct a greener environment, without placing an undue burden on new development.”
While Mayor Bloomberg made enforcement of the energy code one of the goals of his sustainability plan, Garodnick’s bill, Intro 564, would turn that goal into law, and expand the reach of the existing code to cover a greater number of building projects.
April 23, 2007
Garodnick Cuts Ribbon on New Greenstreet at 20th St. and First Ave.
At an event that marked the culmination of a year-long effort to redesign the intersection of 20th Street and First Avenue with improved pedestrian safety in mind, Council Member Garodnick cut the ribbon on a new Greenstreet at the northeast corner of that intersection. The Greenstreet arose directly from the safety improvements, which included realigning a crosswalk to make pedestrians more visible to drivers, and lengthening the time for pedestrians to cross First Avenue — making it the longest crossing time in the entire City of New York.
“This intersection today is both safer and greener, and much more friendly to pedestrians,” said Council Member Garodnick. “It has for too long been an extremely dangerous crossing, but we have taken steps to address that situation and to reclaim green park space in an area that is starved for it.”
April 11, 2007
Garodnick Introduces Bill to Improve Compliance with City Facade Rules
Citing the high cost imposed by rules that require mass simultaneous building inspections citywide, Council Member Garodnick introduced a bill that would stagger the mandated inspections of building facades. Local Law 11 of 1982 forces every building over six stories to undergo a “critical examination” of its facade every five years. Buildings constructed prior to 1982 are all on the same five-year cycle for those examinations — which are due again this year — causing a run on scaffolds, architects and construction companies.
“The existing law creates an artificially high demand for the limited supply of scaffolds, sidewalk sheds and contractors — and that means unnecessary costs for building owners and co-op shareholders,” said Garodnick. By staggering the dates for inspection, Garodnick says his legislation will save money and make compliance with City building safety laws less burdensome.
March 28, 2007
Garodnick Testifies in Support of West 50s Landmarks
Testifying before the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), Council Member Garodnick encouraged the landmarking of 10 and 30 West 56th Street, and urged the LPC to take a stronger stand against the demolition of notable structures in the West 50s. Council Member Garodnick pointed out that a booming market for luxury residential and commercial development is encroaching on the Special Midtown Preservation Subdistrict created by the City in 1982 — where, in fact, four historic townhouses have been lost since last fall. "Though the City's zoning regulations fall outside of your formal responsibilities," Garodnick told the commission, "I do ask that you take this particular situation into account as you prioritize landmark hearings in the future."
Read Council Member Garodnick's full testimony
March 13, 2007
Schools, Arts Groups Connect at Garodnick’s Cultural Forum
Council Member Garodnick brought 22 cultural institutions together with East Side public school principals to build dynamic relationships in arts education. The first-of-its-kind Cultural Education Forum was designed to make City-funded cultural groups better aware of the local schools that are the best fit for their educational programming — while helping principals realize the full range of cultural education options available to energize their students.
Representatives from nine museums, plus theatre, music and dance groups, as well as community development organizations such as Chess in the Schools and Friends of James Joyce, explained what they can offer to enhance studies in the arts and across multiple subject areas. Council Member Garodnick said, “I hope this pilot program will serve as a model for building a bridge between our great cultural organizations and City schools.”
March 8, 2007
Garodnick Calls for Increased Transparency from Chancellor
In his State of the City address in January, Mayor Bloomberg outlined a major expansion of his Children First school reforms that involves dismantling the current school system and rebuilding it within six months. These changes will affect the fundamental ways that principals run their schools, and the resources they have available to them. Yet the Department of Education has offered principals few if any specifics about the plan — which is scheduled to go into effect on July 1.
Council Member Garodnick communicated to DOE Chancellor Joel Klein in detail the concerns that he shares with educators:
· Principals are being forced to make critical choices without adequate information;
· The condensed timeframe risks disrupting summer school;
· New funding formulas must not punish high-performing schools; and
· A coherent plan for special education must be established.
Council Member Garodnick has committed to doing everything in his power to equip educators with the information and support that they need as these reforms move forward.
Read Council Member Garodnick's letter to Chancellor Klein
February 28, 2007
Council Passes Legislation to Improve Nightlife Security
The City Council overwhelmingly passed legislation that Council Member Garodnick co-sponsored to strengthen nightlife security and to crack down on negligent clubs and bars. The first of these bills allows the City to require an independent monitor for cabarets and public dance halls with serious or repeat violations. The second bill allows the City to shut down businesses selling or making fake IDs, in an effort to target underage drinking. The nightlife industry has always made New York unique, and has added significantly to the City economy, but we need these laws in order to properly monitor clubs with repeat violations and to cut down on underage drinking.
February 28, 2007
Garodnick Introduces Legislation to Bring Transparency to Government Parking Placards
Council Member Garodnick introduced legislation that would, for the first time, shed sunlight on the distribution of free-parking placards to City employees. Intro 504 would require City agencies to report the number of placards they issue.
A recent article in the New York Times reported that 35 percent of government employees who work in Manhattan drive to work each day — double the all-industry average for this borough — which puts a burden on traffic, quality of life, and the environment. As the Partnership for New York City has put the cost of traffic congestion on the City's regional economy at $13 billion per year, Council Member Garodnick seeks, through this legislation, to get a handle on the number of placards in order to gauge their role in the congestion of our roadways.
Intro 504 will also serve as the first step in gaining an accurate picture of placard distribution and in ensuring the responsible use of government parking privileges.
February 1, 2007
Garodnick Announces Opening of 59th and Lexington Subway Entrance
Two years after the construction of a subway entrance at the base of the Bloomberg Tower at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue, Council Member Garodnick announced that it would finally open for the first time. The entrance — at a critical station on an already over-burdened subway line — had remained closed due to a dispute between New York City Transit and Vornado Realty Trust, which owns the tower. As the two sides neared an understanding, Council Member Garodnick urged them to come to an agreement by the end of January. Now, commuters on the 4, 5, and 6, as well as the N, R, and W subway lines in the heart of Midtown will finally have increased access to this important station.
January 30, 2007
Garodnick Questions Schools Chancellor on Latest Proposed Reforms
Stating his concern that changes to school funding formulas could have adverse effects on high-performing schools on the East Side, Council Member Garodnick pressed Chancellor Joel Klein for specifics on the Chancellor's proposed reforms, at a hearing of the City Council's Education Committee. Garodnick will continue to monitor the implementation of the reforms to ensure that essential services currently provided to schools by the Regional offices will not be jeopardized in the Department of Education's restructuring.
January 25, 2007
Garodnick Urges Sweeping Regulations on Pedicabs
At a public hearing of Community Board 5 on the subject of pedicab regulations, Council Member Garodnick called for new City laws to ensure personal safety and consumer protection. Council Member Garodnick encouraged the requirement of road tests similar to those mandated for taxi drivers, physical safety inspections of pedicabs — to include seatbelts — and insurance and licensing for pedicab owners and drivers. "Only through proper oversight and regulation should pedicabs continue offering services to residents and tourists," said Garodnick.
Read Council Member Garodnick's Testimony on Pedicab Regulations
January 3, 2007
Garodnick Testifies Against DHCR Proposals that Would Unfairly Favor Landlords
Council Member Garodnick testified against five proposals from the State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) that would stack the deck against tenants, voicing special opposition to a plan that would expand the pool of apartments subject to luxury decontrol. The DHCR proposals would double the security deposits required from new tenants, ease eviction proceedings, permit rent increases based on lead paint abatement, and allow luxury decontrol in buildings currently receiving 421a or J51 tax benefits — leading Council Member Garodnick to state, "Each of these amendments unfairly shifts the balance of power to landlords over tenants." Regarding the proposal on luxury decontrol, Council Member Garodnick said it would be a "usurpation of the authority of the City Council."
He added, "Even if it were legal, the proposed amendment would be unfair to tenants and to the City. Property owners who applied for and received these benefits knew that, in exchange for the benefits, they were subjecting themselves to restrictions on deregulation. To suddenly free them from those restrictions, without any corresponding benefits for tenants the City, would constitute a windfall."
Read Council Member Garodnick's Testimony to the DHCR
December 4, 2006
Garodnick Honors Seniors Involved in Community Advocacy
Council Member Garodnick addressed the 25th graduating class of the Institute for Senior Action, praising them for taking an active advocacy role in their communities and describing firsthand the successes that seniors in his district had achieved in the fight to preserve Stuyvesant Town and in advocating for important programs in the City budget. The IFSA is a program of the Joint Public Affairs Committee for Older Adults that trains seniors on federal, state and city legislative processes and on how thy can influence those processes through effective advocacy.
November 30, 2006
Garodnick to NYPD: Parade Rules Are Too Restrictive to Protect Right of Assembly
In testimony to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, Council Member Garodnick called NYPD's proposed parade rules "vague, overbroad and not narrowly tailored enough to achieve their objectives." The proposed rules state that a "recognizable group" of 30 or more vehicles or bicycles would require a permit to use City streets — even if they follow all applicable traffic rules. Likewise, a group of 10 or more pedestrians or vehicles who do not follow all traffic rules for more than two blocks, would constitute a parade and require a permit.
Council Member Garodnick wrote that these rules "will inevitably create confusion and will unreasonably restrict the public's right to assemble." He also raised a concern that the rules could affect everyday, legal activities like funerals, weddings and small group bicycle rides, adding, "We must caution against creating rules that have the broader effect of infringing on the civil rights of all New Yorkers."
Read Council Member Garodnick's Testimony to Commissioner Kelly
November 28, 2006
Garodnick Meets with Residents to Address Concerns from 2nd Avenue Subway Construction
Council Member Garodnick brokered a meeting between officials from the MTA and residents of Astor Terrace, at East 93rd Street and Second Avenue, in order to mitigate those residents' concerns about the impact that Second Avenue Subway construction might have on their building. Council Member Garodnick requested a detailed explanation from the MTA regarding the siting of a station entrance in the building and other issues raised by the residents.
November 28, 2006
Garodnick Keeps Heat on Stuy Town Management and Visits Chilly Apartments
In response to complaints about heat, Council Member Garodnick visited a number of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village apartments to spot check heating levels around the community. With digital thermometer in hand, Council Member Garodnick has been moving around the complex to check temperature readings. "My office is taking steps to confirm that heat is not only at a comfortable level throughout the community but that it is also evenly distributed — apartment by apartment, room by room," Garodnick said. "With winter just beginning, this will be an ongoing effort."
November 22, 2006
Hundreds of Seniors Receive Flu Shots at Garodnick-Sponsored Events
Some 200 residents of Isaacs / Holmes and another 120 seniors from across the East Side were able to receive free flu shots at events sponsored by Council Member Garodnick. The shots, dispensed by Weill Cornell Medical Center and the Visiting Nurse Service, were arranged by Council Member Garodnick in order to bring preventative medicine to underserved communities.
November 10, 2006
Garodnick Recognized for Perfect Attendance at Council Meetings
Council Member Garodnick was recognized as one of just four City Council members with a perfect attendance record at committee hearings and meetings of the full Council. Speaker Christine Quinn has made attendance a priority for the body, which has already shown a marked improvement in its absentee rate over 2005. Council Member Garodnick supports this and other initiatives to make the Council a more responsive, transparent body.
November 10, 2006
Garodnick Testifies Against Modern Glass Tower in Upper East Side Historic District
At a hearing of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Council Member Garodnick testified in opposition to the proposed development at 980 Madison Avenue that would erect a 355-foot modern glass tower in the heart of the Upper East Side Historic District, and within the boundaries of the Madison Avenue Preservation Special District. In his testimony, Council Member Garodnick stated that the tower "does not resonate with any of the surrounding historic buildings" and exceeds by nearly double the height allowed by current zoning regulations.
View Council Member Garodnick's testimony
October 24, 2006
October 24, 2006
Garodnick Calls for Reform to State Tax Abatements to Encourage More Affordable Housing
Council Member Garodnick joined elected and labor officials in calling for reform of the State's 421-a property tax abatement, to encourage the development of more affordable housing. Council Member Garodnick is strongly in favor of reforming the 421-a program to create more affordable housing and to curtail subsidies for the building of market-rate apartments.
October 19, 2006
Hundreds Rally in Support of Tenant-Backed Bid for Purchase of Stuyvesant Town
Nearly 1,000 residents of Stuyvesant Town / Peter Cooper Village rallied at Stuyvesant Cove Park to support the tenant-backed bid to purchase the properties. Council Member Garodnick led a host of elected officials to note the enormous progress that has been made — without any formal assistance from the City. "Before the tenants began to organize, the discussion among bidders was just about dollars," Garodnick said. "Today, the discussion is also about affordability and protecting the tenants who live here today. Make no mistake about it: Your presence, our standing together and our unity, is being felt and is impacting this sale."
October 15, 2006
Garodnick and Mayor's Office Combine for Street Vendor Enforcement Action
Working with the Mayor's Community Assistance Unit and the East 86th Street Merchants and Residents Association, Council Member Garodnick recently helped coordinate a successful vendor enforcement action at multiple locations across the Upper East Side. Twenty-six summonses were written by inspectors from the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Department of Health and by officers of the 19th Precinct. The effort was valuable not only in directly addressing an important concern in our neighborhood, but also as the City Council considers legislative solutions to vendor issues. "We need to do a better job enforcing street vendor rules because violations have a negative impact on our quality of life. The safety of pedestrians — not to mention the economic health of storefront businesses — depends on more open access to our sidewalks, and that requires enforcement of the law," Council Member Garodnick said.
October 13, 2006
Stuyvesant Town / Peter Cooper Village Tenants Make Bid to Purchase the Property with Support from Council Member Garodnick
An investor group supported by the Stuyvesant Town / Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association, Council Member Garodnick and Council Speaker Christine Quinn submitted a competitive, $4.5 billion bid to purchase the property from MetLife and preserve as much affordability as possible in the complex.
At Council Member Garodnick's request, the Council convened a hearing to discuss the potential sale and the effect it could have on the city's affordable housing stock. "We need to take a stand in defense of the middle class in New York," Council Member Garodnick said.
Building on the effort to maintain the affordability and economic strength of the city, Council Member Garodnick co-sponsored legislation introduced by Council Member Rosie Mendez. The Housing Impact Study Bill would give the City 120 days to study the impact of any real estate transaction involving property of more than 2,000 units, with over half covered by rent protections. At a rally to support the bill, Council Member Garodnick said, "MetLife is selling the opportunity to turn the 11,232 units of Stuyvesant Town into a so-called market rate master community, and the City will not simply take a pass and watch this happen."
October 11, 2006
Garodnick Honors Jewish War Veterans
Council Member Garodnick was proud to honor the sacrifice and patriotism of the nation's Jewish war veterans, with the dedication of Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A. Place, at the intersection of Asser Levy Place and East 23rd Street. The dedication brought to fruition one of Council Member Garodnick's earliest acts in office, as the bill to co-name the street was one of the first he sponsored in the Council.
September 29, 2006
Garodnick Seeks Clarification on East Side Rat Extermination Efforts
In light of reports in the press and in the Mayor's Management Report indicating that rat exterminations by the Department of Health are down 39 percent — even as pest control complaints doubled their 2002 levels — Council Member Garodnick communicated with Deputy Commissioner Jessica Leighton to ask for clarification on the Department's response to rat infestations. Deputy Commissioner Leighton had stated that the drop in exterminations was due to increased rat prevention efforts, but as Council Member Garodnick pointed out, the growing number of complaints "raises a concern about how the Department measures the success of the prevention strategy."
September 28, 2006
Garodnick Co-Hosts Transportation Forums
Council Member Garodnick co-hosted, with Borough President Scott Stringer, a pair of transportation forums which brought together the public, policymakers and transportation experts. The forums were held in anticipation of the Borough President's October 12 transportation summit which will seek to identify innovative solutions for managing growth and traffic congestion, and for creating an integrated transportation infrastructure. With increased development planned for the former Con Edison site and other locations across the East Side, Council Member Garodnick welcomed the opportunities to hear from residents about the traffic issues they currently face and to stress the need of a comprehensive transportation plan that includes the Second Avenue Subway, Bus Rapid Transit and additional attention to the needs of pedestrians.
September 28, 2006
Garodnick Announces Exploration of Tenant-Backed Bid to Purchase Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village
Council Member Garodnick and the Stuyvesant Town / Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association announced the formation of a tenant group that will explore the possibility of submitting a bid for the purchase of the property from MetLife. This investor group, backed by tenants, would purchase the properties on terms that support the preservation of affordable housing. Speaker Christine Quinn and Council Member Garodnick both sent letters to MetLife requesting the information and documents necessary to draft a bid proposal.
September 5, 2006
Garodnick's District-Wide Newsrack Survey Finds Widespread Violations
The sidewalks of the 4th Council District contain 1,131 newsracks — and 746 violations for improper placement and maintenance — according to a district-wide survey by Council Member Garodnick's office. Following his May, 2006, Quality of Life forum, Garodnick launched the newsrack study, sending interns to every street corner in the district (one corner of Madison Avenue and East 79th Street alone has 18 newsracks) to determine exactly how pervasive the problem is. The survey is a vital piece of research as Garodnick considers legislation that balances the First Amendment rights of publishers against residents' desire for unobstructed sidewalks and an uncluttered streetscape.
August 14, 2006
Garodnick Helps Keep Seniors Cool, Power Flowing During Heat Wave
In the midst of record-high temperatures that threatened Manhattan with blackouts, Council Member Garodnick responded with a three-pronged effort to protect vulnerable residents and to encourage conservation as power sources were stretched to the limit.
- Garodnick went door-to-door to businesses along First Avenue, asking them to reduce their electricity usage.
- On two mornings, Garodnick was out in the heat at 23rd Street and First Avenue, and 77th Street at Lexington Avenue, passing out flyers that alerted residents to the urgency of the heat wave, reminded them to stay hydrated and asked them to set their air conditioners at no lower than 78 degrees.
- Additionally, Garodnick and his staff made over 1,000 phone calls, to every Stuyvesant Town / Peter Cooper Village resident aged 80 and over, directing them to the nearest cooling center.
The area of the East Side which the Office of Emergency Management declared to be most at risk of a blackout, 14th Street to 40th Street, from FDR Drive to Fifth Avenue, endured voltage reductions by Con Edison, but never lost power.
August 1-3, 2006
Garodnick Brings Mammogram Van to Isaacs / Holmes
Council Member Garodnick helped bring free breast cancer screenings to women in the Isaacs / Holmes community, arranging for the mammogram van operated by the American-Italian Cancer Foundation and Women's Outreach Network to visit the neighborhood. Garodnick's office called local women over the age of 40 to let them know about the free screenings, and 40 women were able to take part. "It's an amazing and potentially life-saving service, and I think it's ideal for an underserved community like Isaacs / Holmes," Garodnick said.
August 1, 2006
Residents Learn Emergency Preparedness at Garodnick's Forums
Heading into the Atlantic hurricane season, Council Member Garodnick brought residents together for coastal storm-preparedness forums at the Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center and at NYU Medical Center. Any hurricane that made landfall just south of New York would expose areas like Isaacs / Holmes and Waterside Plaza to flooding; a major hurricane could leave those areas under 30 feet of water. Accordingly, Garodnick, working with the Office of Emergency Management, reached out to residents to inform them where their nearest evacuation centers are, how to pack a "go bag" of supplies and documents in the event of an evacuation, and what to expect in the event of an emergency.
July 11-12, 2006
Mayor Bloomberg Joins Garodnick for Opening of 92nd Street Greenmarket
Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined Council Member Garodnick for the grand opening of the 92nd Street Greenmarket, located on First Avenue in front of Isaacs / Holmes Towers. Working with the Office of the Mayor, Garodnick secured a Greenmarket location that won strong support of neighbors, many of whom bought produce from Upstate New York farmers at the grand opening and learned how to make healthy lifestyle choices at the Greenmarket Health Fair. Garodnick said the Greenmarket, the only one on a New York City Housing Authority property, "will be a bridge between NYCHA and the rest of the Upper East Side," and he remains committed to bringing affordable and healthy fruits and vegetables to underserved areas throughout the East Side.
June 25, 2006
Garodnick Hosts Crime Forum for Isaacs / Holmes Residents
Responding to concerns about growing crime at Isaacs / Holmes Towers, and building on his efforts to bring maximum police coverage to the area, Council Member Garodnick hosted a Crime Forum at which he brought together residents, senior officers of the New York Police Department and New York City Housing Authority officials for questions and answers. Officers of the 19th Precinct and Patrol Borough Manhattan North reported on their daily "vertical patrols" — the sweeps they do of each floor of the towers — and encouraged residents to report every crime they see, particularly to build a strong case against suspected drug dealers. Council Member Garodnick questioned the NYCHA officials about the termination policy for tenants engaged in criminal activity, and remains determined to improve the process in order to ensure the safety of the neighborhood.
June 20, 2006
Garodnick Fights Illegal Hotels to Preserve Affordable Housing
Council Member Garodnick and his fellow elected officials on the Illegal Hotels Working Group convened a town hall meeting on June 15 to combat landlords' practice of illegally renting out apartments as hotel rooms. "Too many landlords are illegally renting the apartment next door to tourists. Residents throughout Manhattan are waking up to find that they suddenly live in a hotel — but without the room service," Garodnick said. Garodnick is one of the leaders of the campaign to eliminate illegal hotels, which deplete affordable housing, impact tenant security and drain money from the legitimate New York City tourism industry.
June 15, 2006
Garodnick Asks DOT to Improve 20th and First Intersection with More Urgency
20th Street and 1st Avenue continues to be an unsafe intersection, even more than one month after the tragic death of Dr. Esther Levine of Peter Cooper Village. Council Member Garodnick sent a letter to the Department of Transportation the day before Dr. Levine of Peter Cooper Village was killed about that very intersection. Since then, three "Yield to Pedestrian" signs have been added to the intersection, although no changes have been made to the timing of the lights. Council Member Garodnick is working with the Mayor's Office and the Dr. Esther Levine Make Traffic Safe Now! Committee, a local community group created in response to the accident, to fight for more extensive changes at the site.
May 8, 2006
Garodnick Calls on Chancellor Klein for End to Cell Phone Ban in Schools
In response to the recent enforcement of a total ban on cell phones in schools, Council Member Garodnick urged that students should be allowed to carry cell phones, as long as they are concealed and powered-off. If a cell phone is seen or heard, the administration should be allowed to confiscate the phone and return it only to a parent. A member of the Education Committee, Council Member Garodnick wrote to Schools Chancellor Joel Klein: "This prohibition is overbroad and fails to achieve any reasonable objectives." He added that for parents, "cell phones are their children's safety net, allowing them to check in with their children before and after the school day."
May 8, 2006
Garodnick Supports "Pizza and a Soda" Campaign for Senior Center Funding
In order to adequately fund the meals provided to 13 million New Yorkers each year at senior centers and through meals-on-wheels, Council Member Garodnick is at the forefront of the Council of Senior Centers and Services' "Pizza and Soda Campaign." The campaign is so named because funding for the raw food for each meal is currently just $1.85 for meals at senior centers and $1.89 for meals-on-wheels—prices that can't buy a slice of pizza and a soda in New York. Council Member Garodnick is actively seeking to increase that support—which has been stagnant for seven years—and allow the CSCS to keep providing quality, nutritious meals.
April 26, 2006
Read Council Member Garodnick's Spring 2007 newsletter
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