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,

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Free GED Class SUNY Bronx Educational Opportunity Center, 1666 Bathgate Ave. (between 172nd and 173rd streets), offers tuition-free class for those 18 and over interested in obtaining their GED diploma. Classes begin on April 16. For more detailed information, requirements, and to register (required), call (718) 530-7000. Producer Training Producer training workshops are available to Bronxites at BronxNet Television starting April 9. Topics include field production, audio recording, directing and more. Participants who complete the program will gain access to professional studios and equipment free of charge. To register, email training@bronxnet.org. Pre-K Registration Parents can register their children born in

Housing Matters: Chipping Away at School Segregation

In the school cafeteria of PS 73 in the Concourse section of the Bronx on March 8, a discussion on how to improve diversity across the city’s public school system had finally put the issue of school desegregation at the forefront. It was the first of five town hall discussions on the topic, a product of the city Department of Education’s (DOE) Equity & Excellence for All plan. The plan, announced last year, seeks ways to promote a healthier mix of ethnicities across the borough. The plan was also the product of Bronx Councilman Ritchie’s Torres’ bill he co-authored with

Dear Fellow Readers! The latest edition of the Norwood News, covering the northwest Bronx, is out with its latest edition for 2018. We welcome you to check out plenty of stories featured in this fresh edition. We begin, of course, with page one and a story involving a community garden and one headstrong neighbor who refuses to throw in the towel. Read about Elizabeth Carson and her quest for governance at Risse Street Garden. Also, get a sense of how the agency tasked to bring order to community gardens is handling this. Inside the cover you’ll find a recap of

Inquiring Photographer: Rezoning Jerome Avenue

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked local residents their thoughts on the recent decision to rezone a large chunk of Jerome Avenue, a lofty plan that looks to bring 4000 units of affordable housing in the coming years. Before you rezone the area, where are the parking spaces going to be? You have no parking, the garages are filled, the schools are overcrowded. Before you start rezoning you need to come up with a cohesive plan. This is just taking the people who have been here for 20 or 30 years and throwing us to the sidelines and making it whatever the