•    The Community District 10 Education Council Public Hearing will meet on Jan. 7 at P.S. 54, located at 2703 Webster Ave. The hearing will be on the proposed zone line (see above) changing effective September 2009. For more information, call (718) 741-5836. •    The Bedford Mosholu Community Association will meet at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 400 E. Mosholu Pkwy. So. Apt. B1 (Lobby Floor). All are welcome. •    The 52nd Precinct Community Council will meet on Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Station House, 3016 Webster Ave. For more information, call (718) 220-5824.

We’re glad Division of Housing and Community Renewal commissioner Deborah VanAmerongen took the time to respond to our article about her agency’s response to the appeal of an MCI (major capital improvement) rent increase. But we wish she would have addressed specific issues raised in the article, namely why her agency has not yet ruled on an appeal filed by tenants at 2720 Grand Concourse. As Alex Kratz reported, DHCR’s failure to address the issue means that tenants have had to pay a 6 percent rent increase since last January and are due to be hit with another 6 percent hike next month, even though there’s a very good chance that the landlord’s requested rent increase should be overturned or at least reduced.

Alex Kratz’s recent article “Tenants Pressure State Agency on Unfair Rent Increases,” (Dec. 11 – 24) ignores the facts and paints an inaccurate picture of the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) and its role in fairly administering New York State’s rent laws.   In the past 18 months under the new administration, DHCR has taken a proactive role in implementing dozens of initiatives designed to protect tenants’ rights under the Rent Stabilization Code. These are steps that have never, in the history of the agency, been taken, and that have been praised by the housing community and

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Sometimes, when you receive a gift, it changes your life for the better and sometimes it leaves you perplexed as to what was the gift giver thinking at the time. Sometimes these acts of kindness make you wonder if they’re really being kind when they give you a sweater with one sleeve bigger than the other or a scarf with your name written all over it. Or a gift of bath soap and deodorant — are they trying to give you a hint? Last year, I got a gift in the mail which I had to pick up at the

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Last Thursday, young and old gathered at the Kittay House to celebrate various holiday traditions from around the world. It’s something the Kingsbridge area senior living community would like to make into a tradition.

For almost a year, tenants at 2720 Grand Concourse have fought against a $1.5 million rent increase that they feel was unwarranted. The battle for overturning the rent increase is underscoring what housing advocates say are serious systematic problems with the state agency in charge of rent increases for rent-controlled buildings, the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR).

In response to a budget shortfall, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) proposed system-wide fare hikes and service cuts, including the elimination of bus service that connects Bronx riders in northwest Bronx neighborhoods.

If the proposal is implemented, the Bx10 bus, which joins Norwood to Riverdale, will cease nighttime operation. The Bx34 bus, which connects Fordham Road to Woodlawn via Bainbridge Avenue, will be eliminated altogether.

A polarizing figure throughout his life, the death of Ramon Velez has proven to be no different, inspiring a wide range of reactions to the passing of the anti-poverty baron who ran the South Bronx political machine for more than a quarter of a century.

Coinciding with the floundering economy, record numbers of food pantries and soup kitchens of the Bronx struggled to keep up with the increased demand for emergency food services in 2008. Emergency food agencies in the Bronx reported the highest numbers in both increased demand and turning people away.