2011 Year in Review: Bronx Housing Stories

The top housing-related stories that appeared this year in the Norwood News.

2011 Year in Review: Bronx Church’s Fight with DOE Goes Supreme

The Bronx Household of Faith’s 17-year legal battle with the Department of Education came to a close in 2011, with the University Heights church and dozens of other religious groups facing eviction from school buildings throughout the five boroughs.

Lawsuits Filed Over PS 51 Toxins

A former PS 51 teacher plans to file a lawsuit against the DOE, claiming the toxic Bedford Park building was the cause of a birth defect in her unborn baby.

Borough President’s Survey Finds Bronxites Want Better Schools, More Jobs

This summer and fall, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.’s office asked residents to fill out an online “wellness” survey, asking questions to gauge how Bronxites feel about living in the Boogie Down, what areas they’re happy with and what things they think need fixing. Last week, Diaz’ office released the results of the survey, which 1,901 people filled out. The majority of respondents said they think Bronx schools are the area that needs the most improvement, with 57 percent listing education as their number one priority. Other areas ranking as less-than-stellar were crime/public safety and economic development/jobs. However, just

Bedford Park and Norwood residents are fighting the possible closure of a local post office, saying it would leave the neighborhood with a lack of access to most mail services.

After Supreme Court Ruling, Bronx Councilman Wants to Legislate School Access for Churches

Following a Supreme Court decision that would keep churches from worshiping inside school buildings, Bronx Councilman Fernando Cabrera, a deeply religious politician who doubles as pastor of a church on Morris Avenue, will attempt to legislate guaranteed access for churches at New York City public schools.

Bronx Church’s Petition to Worship in Public Schools Denied by Supreme Court

The Bronx Household of Faith, a small congregation in University Heights, and dozens of other churches throughout New York City will become homeless on Jan. 1 after the Supreme Court decided today not to review an appeals court ruling in June that upheld the city’s policy of excluding churches from using public schools for worship services.

One of Bronx’s Original ‘Green’ Building Programs on Chopping Block

In her 10th floor apartment in Keith Tower on Southern Boulevard, Marge Marcone wipes her hand across the long windowsill in her living room, and is still amazed by the lack of dust. It has been more than a year since a local community organization installed all new windows in her apartment for free — a major improvement from her old, faulty windows.

Bronx Anti-Smoking Events This Week

A number of local groups and elected officials will host a forum tonight at the Riverdale Y, 5625 Arlington Avenue, from 6 to 8 p.m. “Laying the Foundation for Healthy Living,” is the first in a series of forums organized by the Bronx-Smoke Free Partnership, and will focus on the health benefits of smoke-free housing policies. Panelists include the housing chair for Bronx Community Board 8, a representative from the New York Fire Department Fire Safety Education Department, and a pediatrician from Montefiore Medical Center. RSVP to Deidre Sully at dsully@healthsolutions.org or at (718) 466-8862. In other anti-smoking news, tomorrow,