Eric Dinowitz’s New Bill Aims to Ease Affordable Housing Application Process

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Democratic Councilman Eric Dinowitz (C.D. 11) introduced a new bill on Wednesday, Nov. 12, during the New York City Council stated meeting, designed to “vastly improve” the application process for so-called “affordable” housing units made available via the housing lottery system managed by NYC Department of Housing, Preservation & Development (HPD) through its online “Housing Connect” portal.

Trash, Fire Safety & Housing are Priorities for Norwood & Bedford Park Residents in New Year

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

Concerns over growing piles of trash, suggestions for tenant education around fire safety, and the end of the eviction and foreclosure moratorium drew much of the attention at various community meetings held locally in January. Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA) addressed four sanitation issues that continue to plague the area at their latest meeting on Jan. 5. As previously reported, the underpass on Webster Avenue by the 52nd precinct in Norwood, on the Bedford Park border, has been used for years as an ad hoc parking lot for cars wrecked in vehicle collisions, which await further investigation by precinct

Update: Homeless Man in Bedford Park Alleges Illegal Eviction from NYCHA Housing

This is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest print edition. On more than one occasion during April, Norwood News observed an old, frail man pushing a walker between traffic lanes on Mosholu Parkway on the border of Bedford Park and Norwood, at the entrance to the iconic New York Botanical Garden. On Tuesday, May 4, we spoke to “Jerry,” a self-described panhandler who preferred not to have his surname printed. As drivers paused for the red light before turning left onto Allerton Avenue, or right onto Fordham Road, Jerry, 63, pushed his walker up

Botanical Square Revives Long-Dormant Tenants Association, Amplify Need for Fixes

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

For 10 years Rosalina Garcia has been living on the first floor of 2995 Botanical Square in an apartment with “crooked floors.” With help from the executive director at West Bronx Housing and Neighborhood Resource Center, Joshua Stephenson, she is hopeful to see the floors fixed soon. “Now, through the petitions that we put in court with [the help of] Steph, they will eventually have to fix it,” Garcia said. “Steph” is Garcia’s shorthand for Stephenson. He has also helped the residents at 2985-2995 Botanical Square, known collectively as Botanical Square, organize a tenants association to address the concerns at

New West Bronx Housing Executive Director Looks to Build Legacy Started by Predecessor

By DAVID CRUZ

As Sally Dunford was preparing for retirement as executive director of West Bronx Housing, a job she’s held on to for 28 years, there was already someone she had in mind to succeed her. It didn’t require any sifting of resumes or recommendations, but an understanding of who already demonstrated the capability in doing the work. It came from Joshua Stephenson, the former constituent services director for Councilman Andrew Cohen, who had worked with Dunford over the last two years to settle housing grievances for tenants living within Cohen’s 11th Council District. The work was already familiar to him, and