Assembly Wants Action On Housing Bills

It’s an annual tradition in Albany as old as the budget being late. First, the Assembly passes a raft of housing bills aimed at strengthening New York’s rent laws and protecting tenant rights. Then the Senate ignores them and the bills die before ever getting out of the chamber’s housing committee. In years past, the overwhelmingly Democratic Assembly could blame Republicans. But last year, for the first time in more than 40 years, Democrats took control of the state senate. Assembly members and housing advocates thought there would finally be some action on these housing bills. But with Senate Majority


Read More

Public and Community Meetings

•   The Croton Filtration Monitoring Committee will meet on Thursday, May 20, at 7 p.m. at the DEP’s community office, 3660 Jerome Ave. •    The Bedford Mosholu Community Association will meet at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 2, at 400 E. Mosholu Parkway S. Apt. B1 (Lobby Floor). •    52nd Precinct Community Council Meeting will be on May 27 at 7 p.m. at Scott Towers Housing Corporation located at 3400 Paul Ave. Guest speaker will be Ms. Diane Brown, Sexual Assault Treatment Program. •    For all Community Board 7 committee meetings, call (718) 933-5650 or visit www.bronxcb7.info/calendar.

For Tenants in Foreclosure Limbo, A New Legal Strategy

Gloria Thomas remembers when her building at 2505 Aqueduct Ave., where she’s lived for nearly 30 years, was the envy of neighbors nearby. But the private equity firm that bought the building, defaulted on its mortgage and allow it to fall into disrepair.

Now, tenants want the bank that oversees the mortgage to step in and provide funds to help maintain the building.

52nd Precinct Grapples with Crime Spike

With robberies, assaults and rapes rising sharply and two shootings in recent weeks, Deputy Inspector John D’Adamo, the commanding officer of the 52nd Police Precinct, did not sugar coat the fact that this area of the Bronx had gone through a rough stretch of increased crime.

City-Funded Building Rises on Decatur Avenue

Residents on Decatur Avenue in Norwood have a giant new addition moving in to the neighborhood. The 13-story, burgundy and white building being constructed at 3322 Decatur Ave. dwarfs the surrounding buildings and homes on the block and will likely bring a few hundred more people into the community.

At Montefiore, Workplace Expands to Great Outdoors

A few hours after workers completed a new courtyard just to the left of Montefiore Medical Center’s main entrance on East 210th Street, Montefiore’s president, Steven M. Safyer, MD, could be seen making the rounds of the space in what seemed to be a final inspection.

On the surface, it might seem like a minor project in a medical institution with 17,000 employees. But it’s a major priority for Safyer, precisely because of those employees.

MMCC Celebrates, Salutes Honorees

Staff, friends and supporters of Mosholu Montefiore Community Center gathered at Lehman College’s Music Building last week for its eighth annual Bursting with Pride celebration.

Path to Schools at Armory May Go Through Wakefield

Parents and advocates have been trying for years to have new school space built at the Kingsbridge Armory Annex, a cluster of buildings on West 195th Street, between Jerome and Reservoir avenues.

For that to happen, however, the building’s current tenants – the National Guard – would have to move. Local organizers have suggested what they see as a perfect new home for the military units: a now-vacant building in Wakefield known as the Muller Army Reserve Center.