State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez (S.D. 36) paid a visit to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi in the Morris Park section of The Bronx on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.

The senator spoke with senior leadership about substance abuse and her legislative priorities as chair of the Alcoholism & Substance Use Disorders Committee. She then toured the Comprehensive Addiction Treatment Center (CATC), spoke with Jacobi’s Stand Up To Violence (SUV) Program, and visited the newly renovated Mental Health Outpatient Clinic.

As assemblywoman for A.D. 80, Fernandez had previously responded to concerns over the location of a proposed substance abuse treatment facility which had been planned for 2500 Williamsbridge Road in Allerton and which had prompted concerns among the community that the center was too close to nearby P.S. 89.

Meanwhile, during a BronxNet debate in the lead up to the 2022 Democratic primary for Senate District 34, Fernandez, then an assemblywoman, also addressed another controversial housing project targeted to be located at 1900 Seminole Avenue on the grounds of Jacobi Hospital in Morris Park, the “Just Home” project.

Plans to repurpose an existing structure on the campus with a mix of 70 affordable housing units has, as reported, received pushback from some members of the local community who feel it is not an appropriate location for the facility.

Of the 70 units, 50 were set to be devoted to formerly incarcerated individuals at Rikers Island who have complex medical needs and who have been sentenced to a maximum of a year, and others who are pre-trial detainees who have complex medical needs and who have not been convicted, but are being held in custody at the jail because they can’t make bail. Preference for the remaining units was set to be given to residents of Bronx Community Board 11.

Fernandez said at the time that she stood with the community in terms of addressing the real concerns that residents had about the project which she said had drawn a lot of emotion. Asked by BronxNet host and moderator, Gary Axelbank, if, by not proceeding with the project, it would create worse problems for the community, Fernandez replied, “Well, that’s the point of this project.”

She added, “There is a crisis in New York City with homelessness, with individuals that may be getting released from prison and do not have the stability of housing, of family, of seeking healthcare. Then they become the homeless individuals that we see on our streets.” She said the aim of the project was to help them on a path to stability and safety.

Given the opposing views on the facility, we contacted NYC Health + Hospitals on its current status. Nicole Levy responded, saying, “I can confirm the project is still moving ahead.”

Fernandez has been honored by Jacobi in the past for her efforts in funding and supporting the hospital’s gun violence prevention and intervention program.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.