Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, The latest edition of the Norwood News, covering Bronx communities, is out this week! Check out these stories put together by our dedicated interns and freelancers that can get the conversation going. We begin, of course, with page one! The political season came early this year as a special election impacting Norwood happened on April 24, with Democrat Nathalia Fernandez becoming the interim Assembly Member for the 80th Assembly District. Learn Fernandez’ goals and whether others are gunning for the seat. It will be interesting to see who throws their hat into this seat. Other stories include the

BronxNet Nosotros Program Profiles Bronx Judge

By MARTIKA ORNELLA

Judge Llinet Rosado sat down with Yeila Lluberes of BronxNet’s Nosotros on April 25 at 9:30 p.m. The pair discussed Rosado’s journey from having grown up in housing projects on the Lower East Side to her election as a Bronx County Civil Court judge. Rosado was born in the Dominican Republic and immigrated to the United States as a young child. She worked at the Bronx Legal Aid Society and as a family law attorney. Nosotros is a Spanish language program that profiles prominent members of the Bronx community, with in-depth discussions meant to inspire and connect. Rosado’s Nosotros episode

State Strong-arming Park Reservoir Houses into Loan Tenants Say

By DAVID CRUZ

Rosa Perez, 61, a retired social worker, has called Park Reservoir Houses (PRH) home for the last 30 years calling it a “hidden gem of the city.” Like all cooperators, she pays her monthly maintenance fees for the state-funded Mitchell-Lama complex in Van Cortlandt Village. But those fees could skyrocket by 100 percent if the state Department of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), which regulates Mitchell-Lama buildings, gets its way. “Many have spoken to me indicating that they will need financial support from their family and friends to make up the difference of the proposed increases because of DHCR delays,”

Editorial: Bedford Park Locals Should Consider a No Solicitation Zone

By MARY MELLON

Bedford Park residents are trying another tactic to ward off overdevelopment in the neighborhood: preservation. Kelly Carroll, who works for the Historic Districts Council (HDC), a landmarks advocacy group, met with neighborhood residents at the April 4 Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA) meeting to discuss the prospect of landmarking certain sections of the neighborhood. Apart from making sure “the landmarks preservation commission behaves itself,” HDC educates the public, and meets with communities to address their concerns about preservation. “So what we can help with is getting to know the neighborhood. If there’s an active interest in preservation here it would

Housing Advocates Alert Tenants of Right to Counsel

By MARTIKA ORNELLA

The citywide effort to spread word on the city’s Right to Counsel (RTC) law continued at Monroe College on April 12 by a coalition pushing for greater awareness of the law. The Right to Counsel NYC Coalition (RTCNYC) brought a cadre of lawyers and activists under one roof for the town hall, warning residents of the unscrupulous methods some landlords employ to evict tenants. The Right to Counsel law was enacted last year, offering low-income New Yorkers legal representation in the ever chaotic housing court. Tenants attending housing court because of a nonpayment notice or those being sued by landlords

CB7 Chair Unexpectedly Resigns, Will Remain Member

By DAVID CRUZ

Adaline Walker-Santiago, the chair of Community Board 7 who brought a cheerleading style to her leadership, unexpectedly resigned on April 17. In her announcement to members and the general public at the latest community board, Walker-Santiago pledged to remain a member of the north Bronx board. Her resignation as chair is effective April 30. Walker-Santiago told the Norwood News shortly after her announcement that her decision to step down stemmed largely from freeing up her time. She said she plans to travel abroad, spend more time with family, and continue serving as a life coach. For the last five years, Walker-Santiago

Norwood News Wins Four Prizes at NYPA Awards

By THE NORWOOD NEWS

Four awards went to the Norwood News took by the New York Press Association (NYPA), the best number in recent memory. David Cruz, editor-in-chief of the paper, took home a First Place prize in the News Story category at the Better Newspaper Contest, for his piece on rent histories questioned by a nonprofit housing advocacy group. The story was written in March. Judges called the story, “Fundamental reporting at its best.” Though the prize put him at the top, it was Adi Talwar’s Third Place award for Photographer of the Year that stood out. Talwar beat out 17 other photographers

Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers, The latest edition of the Norwood News, spanning the northwest section of the Bronx, is out with its latest edition for 2018! There is tons of news to cover so let’s get right into it! Our front page story focuses on Bailey Houses, part of the stock of troubling properties owned by NYCHA. The chair of the New York City Council’s public housing committee visited the Kingsbridge complex, finding conditions problematic. Her visit came as the agency’s chair announced her resignation. Read what tenants have to say about the lumbering repair process. The timing will shock you.

A Tour of Bailey Houses Comes Amid NYCHA Changes

By DAVID CRUZ

Teisha Jones shows no signs of stopping her quest to increase the standard of living at her building managed by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the beleaguered agency that recently received a rare $550 million infusion of state funds and the resignation of its CEO. Jones has taken on NYCHA before, with a Bronx jury awarding a $57 million judgment against NYCHA for failing to inspect her apartment at Fort Independence Houses for lead. Conditions left her four-year-old daughter developmentally delayed. Jones’s daughter had lead levels 10 times the normal rate. She’s since left Fort Independence Houses,