Wednesday, June 24, 2020

REPORT : What 'tensions' exist between SDNY and City Hall ?



What 'tensions' exist between SDNY and City Hall ?

Progress New York - Update




REPORT


After U.S. Attorney General William Barr met with NYPD officials, chaos reigns as U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman was fired amidst 'tensions' with White House and City Hall


The office of U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman was reportedly investigating political operatives with close ties to President Donald Trump.


By Progress New York Staff


June 22, 2020


Two days after the U.S. Attorney for New York's southern district, Geoffrey Berman, was fired by President Donald Trump, reports indicate that Mr. Berman had resisted a request made last Friday to meddle in the de Blasio administration's handling of Coronavirus pandemic restrictions on churches. One report, published by the New York Daily News, cited the limitation on religious gatherings as problematic for the Trump administration over possible First Amendment concerns. Mr. Berman refused the request to meddle over his own concerns that the request was politically-motivated and would result in heightened tensions between the U.S. Attorney's Office and City Hall, according to a report published by the Wall Street Journal.


The row over the U.S. Attorney's Office's refusal to interfere in the de Blasio administration's handling of restrictions on religious gatherings took place on the same day when U.S. Attorney General William Barr met with senior officials at the New York Police Department, as the embattled law enforcement agency has come under fire over its own problems with First Amendment and civil rights violations during the George Floyd-inspired anti-racism and anti-police brutality protests have elevated systemic racism to match public health as the social priorities facing the Government.


It's unknown if the religious row was being used as a smoke-screen for the Trump administration's need to remove Mr. Berman from his post. He is the second U.S. Attorney to be removed during the Trump administration during times of reported investigations of individuals with close ties to President Trump. Recent reports indicate that former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R-New York), who now serves as private attorney to President Trump, may be the subject of Federal investigations. In 2017, then U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara was fired amidst reports that he was investigating senior officials in the Trump administration, possibly including Tom Price, according to a report published by ProPublica. Mr. Price later resigned as secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services following scrutiny over his use of charted flights.


It's not known what 'tensions' exist between the U.S. Attorney's Office and the office of Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-New York). A report published by POLITICO has revealed that the de Blasio administration is in breach of a Settlement Agreement between the New York City Housing Authority, the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Dept. of Justice. Since taking office, Mayor de Blasio has also faced near non-stop reports that have questioned his fundraising practises. For this report, the U.S. Attorney's Office said it could no longer speak for Mr. Berman. A subsequent request for comment went unanswered.


The Trump administration is sending mixed signals on First Amendment issues facing New York City.


Attorney General Barr's meeting with NYPD officials last Friday was made to demonstrate "strong support" for law enforcement, according to a read-out issued by the Justice Dept. Such support appeared to overlook reported controversies over the patterns or practices of police-involved homicides of civilians and police brutality by the NYPD. For example, the tussle over First Amendment concerns of religious gatherings has over-shadowed a report, published on Friday by the New York Times, that the number of individuals killed by NYPD activity was "more than twice what has been reported."


For its part, the NYPD refused to answer a request about information about the Attorney General's meeting.


The Trump administration's First Amendment concerns for religious gatherings have appeared to have given short shrift to the Bill of Rights' guarantees of freedom of assembly and freedom of the press. As reported by Progress New York, the NYPD have reportedly made dragnet apprehensions during protests that have led to the arrests of legal observers, usually civil rights and civil liberties attorneys, who monitor political demonstrations for police abuses of power. Such massive law enforcement responses that have led to the arrests of legal observers in the past have been deemed to have been unlawful. Reports have also indicated that journalists have also been battered by the NYPD during the recent spike in anti-racism protests. Other allegations of First Amendment rights violations have included threats by the NYPD to revoke press passes and the suspension of processing press pass applications.


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Wednesday, June 17, 2020

EDITORIAL : Federal role in lack of NYPD transparency



U.S. Attorneys MIA on NYPD scandals

Progress New York - Update




EDITORIAL


To restore faith in Government, U.S. Attorneys must shine a light of transparency on the NYPD


For one-off cases of NYPD misconduct, the U.S. Attorneys' Offices sometimes come into public view. When the police misconduct complaints are systemic in nature, they go into hiding.


By the Editor


For weeks, New York City has been swept up in a whirlwind of the Coronavirus pandemic, anti-racism protests, and police brutality scandals. More and more, news media have revealed that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-New York) and Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-New York City) were to blame for the unpreparedness for and mismanagement of the pandemic. As both political leaders have attempted to feign ignorance or to shift blame, they've both been quick to admit that systemic racism, particularly in policing, has been a long-standing problem that they did not create. In the flashpoint of protest and debate over a lack of police oversight and accountability, two Government offices known for their silence have kept resolutely quiet and still : The U.S. Attorneys' Offices in Brooklyn and Manhattan.


The Federal prosecutors' offices have showed up in the public radar before, notably when Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue announced in 2019 that no charges would be filed against New York Police Department officer Daniel Pantaleo for the chokehold homicide of Eric Garner. The office of Manhattan U.S. Attorney similarly gave a pass in 2016 to a group of NYPD officers in the suspicious shooting death of Ramarley Graham in his own bathroom. For one-off cases, such as these, the U.S. Attorneys' Offices sometimes come into view. But when the complaints about the NYPD are systemic in nature, they go into hiding.


One opaque Law Enforcement Agency has oversight over another opaque Law Enforcement Agency.


The offices of U.S. Attorneys form part of the U.S. Department of Justice, an Agency which believes it can comply with Government transparency laws, including the Freedom of Information Act, at its sole discretion, an unlawful posturing that is unfortunately routinely reinforced during open records litigation by the Federal Courts and by Government lawyers at the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, including those in Brooklyn and Manhattan. That culture of impunity is reflected at the NYPD. New York City Councilmember Mark Treyger (D-Bensonhurst) has complained about the NYPD refusing to comply with a law requiring the police to report on metal detectors and scanners in schools. When Councilmember Treyger suggested that school principals evaluate school safety performance, he encountered resistance and complained that the evaluations never took place.


There is such a failure of accountability at the NYPD that Albany legislators had to repeal a law that was reported to have been deliberately misinterpreted by Mayor de Blasio in a corrupt effort to block disclosure of NYPD officers' disciplinary records. Critics of Mayor de Blasio's misinterpretation of the law blamed him for violating Government transparency laws by withholding the release of records many considered eligible for release under open records laws.


In connection with large-scale public demonstrations or civil protests, the NYPD consult with U.S. Attorneys regarding investigations of Federal crimes or issues of national security, as reported by Progress New York. Given those consultations, U.S. Attorneys are in a position to question the NYPD about allegations of police misconduct and about their violation of Government transparency laws, particularly if those violations are related to the NYPD's actions to squash large-scale public demonstrations or civil protests. But, true to the opaque nature of law enforcement — whether Federal or Municipal — there is no clarity on those consultations, or whether any oversight has been or is exercised by Federal authorities as a result of allegations of Municipal police misconduct.


The public's confidence in Government has collapsed.


Besides one-off consultations between the NYPD and U.S. Attorneys for matters pertaining to Federal crimes or national security, as is required by the Attorney General's Guidelines on Domestic FBI Operations, it is not known what process or procedure the NYPD follow that give their controversial Strategic Response Group authority, either one-off, periodic, or standing, to suppress large-scale protest activities as a Law Enforcement Agency. An anti-terrorism unit that was created by former NYPD Commissioner Willliam Bratton, the SRG unit has been deployed to squash large-scale civil uprisings, including during recent anti-racism protests in New York City. During the recent anti-racism protests, the NYPD have engaged in dragnet arrests that have threatened journalists and swept up legal observers. In the past, such indiscriminate arrests have been deemed unlawful. As reported by the precursor to Progress New York, the Federal Government has appeared to have given itself authority to criminalise civilian activities protected by the First Amendment based on biases against certain political ideologies. For several reports published by Progress New York, the U.S. Attorneys' Offices in Brooklyn and Manhattan have declined to comment.


The Government's heavy-handed use of force to squash civilian uprisings are rooted in the State's interest in self-preservation. But public confidence in New York's Municipal Government has collapsed, because the Government has countenanced systemic racism and corruption, despite laws making such conditions unlawful. The de Blasio administration has been described to be in a state of "implosion" by the New York Daily News. If the Government cared about restoring the public's faith in Government, it would immediately bring transparency to all matters of law enforcement, beginning with the NYPD, its SRG unit, and the U.S. Attorneys' Offices.


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Friday, May 29, 2020

TOMORROW : Fight For NYCHA March Against Racism and Austerity



Join us Saturday for a March Against Racism and Austerity

Fight For NYCHA - Updates



March Against Racism and Austerity


Date : Saturday, May 30, 2020


Time : 1 p.m. starting time


Place : Meet at 9th Ave. and W. 27th St., Manhattan


R.S.V.P. : March Against Racism and Austerity [Facebook]


Austerity leads to racism


There is a convergence in the betrayal of public housing with the Coronavirus pandemic. Hospital closings led to disparities in healthcare outcomes, as we have seen during the Coronavirus outbreak. The refrigerator trucks are a sign that austerity leads to racism. Now, NYCHA residents are being used as guinea pigs for testing and contact tracing in order for politicians to dangerously fast-track the reopening of the economy.


We are targeting some politicians, who claims to experience oppression, but who have done nothing to end racism or austerity. The apartment houses of the specific politicians we will visit are : Christine Quinn, Corey Johnson, Deborah Glick, and Brad Hoylman — each of whom had a role in the closing and luxury condo conversion of the old St. Vincent's Hospital. They thought nothing of taking away a safety net hospital from us, and they have done nothing to fight austerity or racism, as evidenced by how public housing has been neglected on their watch — and in their district.


Stop ''pinkwashing'' austerity


An LGBTQ activist is taking the lead in the planning of this protest march, so this is not an attack on identity, but, rather, criticism on how politicians have used the experience of oppression for personal political gain — only to countenance the oppression of others.


Please be health-responsible


We ask everybody to wear a mask and gloves, and to observe social distancing for everybody's health. This march is about 25 blocks. The route is attached in an image.



Fight For NYCHA is a collective of tenants, activists, artists, and advocates, who are providing technical support to NYCHA tenants to self-determine the future of public houisng in New York City. We oppose Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to put 1/3 of NYCHA into the hands of private landlords. We reject Mayor de Blasio's proposal, because the money exists to save NYCHA. We just have to change our priorities. Learn more about our People's Budget to fully-fund NYCHA.


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Wednesday, March 18, 2020

City Council candidate Rick Echevarria exposes price gouging



Rick Echevarría exposes price-gouging by suppliers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Echevarría campaign investigation into Bushwick price-gouging makes the news


Vote on June 23 for Rick Echevarría for City Council



Brooklyn merchants said some suppliers were price-gouging during the coronavirus epidemic


Rick Echevarría visited dozens of Brooklyn stores in recent days, asking owners to sign a pledge promising they wouldn't price-gouge during the coronavirus pandemic. Whilst making the rounds, Echevarría kept hearing similar stories : Suppliers had jacked-up their prices on cleaning supplies being used to disinfect for the coronavirus —- and shop owners were refusing to buy the supplies at the higher prices.


Prices on 19 oz. spray canisters of Lysol disinfectant were raised by as much as 42%, and prices on 16 oz. bottles of Clorox bleach increased by as much as 45%. As a result, shelves have gone bare, and customers have left stores empty-handed as many people across the boroughs scrambled to buy essentials to curb the spread of COVID-19.


Echevarría, a candidate for City Council's District 37 seat, which covers parts of north Brooklyn, including Bushwick, spent several days with a gouge watch crew meeting with local stores.


The findings of his campaign were the subject of an article published by The City. For that report, Echevarría said, "We can't have the owners feeling like they can't afford to restock."


To report price-gouging, you can file an online complaint with the New York State Attorney General's Office.



Support Our Campaign


You are the game-changer in this race. Every donation you make allows us to fight for housing justice in Brooklyn. By making an early donation of $15, you make us a winning campaign.




In service to the community,

Rick Echevarría



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Monday, February 17, 2020

How long do we have to save public housing ? Fight For NYCHA Updates



Fight For NYCHA editorial in the New York Daily News : RAD is a raw deal for NYCHA we must refuse.

Fight For NYCHA - Updates




The Daily News publishes our editorial


Many groups have now jumped on the cause of saving public housing in New York City. But few dare to stand up to Mayor Bill de Blasio, the man primarily responsible for strong-arming tenants into becoming part of Rental Assistance Demonstration (''RAD''), the federal government program that moves public housing into private management. RAD hikes rents and fuels evictions. Find out how U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman let down NYCHA tenants and what a large nonprofit did to prop up a politician guilty of turning his back on NYCHA residents. There is a real danger that Mayor de Blasio will end public housing as we know it. We urge New Yorkers of goodwill to join us to save NYCHA.



An updated People's Budget was adopted at the Fight For NYCHA town hall meeting



The guest speakers at our town hall meeting included Lindsey Boylan, Howie Hawkins, and Michael Sussman.


The update to the People's Budget consisted of adding : (i) the conservative estimated cost of developing Sunnyside Yards and (ii) U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez's bill (H.R. 4546), the latter which would fund capital repairs at NYCHA, showing that over $440 billion is available for new Government policy on housing, justice, and dignity. The People's Budget is a package of ideas for legislation that will raise taxes on the rich and reallocate funds from gentrification development plans to fully-fund public housing and forge new Government policy based on justice and dignity.



Media Report



Fight For NYCHA need your support


Fight For NYCHA have announced plans to begin direct action, if necessary, to stop Mayor de Blasio's plans to expand RAD to NYCHA. We are looking for immediate fiscal sponsors. If you are able, please consider making a donation to our supplies expense Go Fund Me. Stay tuned for our next announcement of a direct action planning workshop.



Fight For NYCHA is a collective of tenants, activists, artists, and advocates, who are providing technical support to NYCHA tenants to self-determine the future of public houisng in New York City. We oppose Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to put 1/3 of NYCHA into the hands of private landlords. We reject Mayor de Blasio's proposal, because the money exists to save NYCHA. We just have to change our priorities. Learn more about our People's Budget to fully-fund NYCHA.


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Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Fight For NYCHA - Town Hall Wednesday Night



Fight For NYCHA holds a very important Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 at P.S. 33 in Chelsea.

Fight For NYCHA - Town Hall




Three, Special Guest Speakers


Fight For NYCHA holds a very important Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 at P.S. 33 in Chelsea. We are providing updates regarding :



  • Our lawsuit ;

  • The People's Budget ; and

  • Funding bills and legislation.


R.S.V.P.


Date : Wed., Feb. 5, 2020


Time : 6:30 p.m.


Place : P.S. 33, 281 9th Ave., Chelsea


R.S.V.P. Fight For NYCHA - Town Hall [Facebook]


Guest speakers


We will have special guest speakers !



  • Michael Sussman, our new counsel and the famed civil rights attorney, who won the legal fight to overturn the Inwood neighborhood rezoning ;

  • Howie Hawkins, a 2020 Green Party presidential candidate ; and

  • Lindsey Boylan, a 2020 Democratic Party Congressional candidate running in NY's 10th District.


Read More / Related Links



  • The de Blasio administration has no plan for people evicted from #NYCHA due to #RAD conversion. RAD supporter Ritchie Torres concern trolls the issue of evictions at 572 Warren Street (Warren Street Houses) by saying the City has no plan to deal with it, and he callously suggests that the City may not legally offer amnesty to people not on NYCHA Section 9 public housing leases. Another RAD supporter and candidate for the Queens Borough President special election in March, Donovan Richards, said the The Legal Aid Society met with tenants at Ocean Bay Apartments but admits that Legal Aid's assistance did not stop evictions. Legal Aid, the nonprofit giant, also comes under fire for failing public housing residents. "They know that #RAD is an eviction machine," said a #FightForNYCHA member. NYC public housing residents fear privatization of buildings [The New York Daily News]

  • RAD conversion of Section 9 public housing leads to an audit, and residents not listed on the residential lease may face eviction. What will happen to NYCHA's hidden population under RAD ? [Red Hook Star-Revue]

  • NYCHA releases the form of its RAD Lease, an agreement that appears to preclude residents from suing RAD Landlords and NYCHA over repairs and injuries. DOCUMENT DROP : RAD Lease shows that NYCHA residents are forced to accept apartments "as is," waiving implied warranty of habitability [Progress New York]



Fight For NYCHA is a collective of tenants, activists, artists, and advocates, who are providing technical support to NYCHA tenants to self-determine the future of public houisng in New York City. We oppose Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to put 1/3 of NYCHA into the hands of private landlords. We reject Mayor de Blasio's proposal, because the money exists to save NYCHA. We just have to change our priorities. Learn more about our People's Budget to fully-fund NYCHA.


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Friday, December 13, 2019

Fight For NYCHA - Protesting AOC on Saturday !



Join us to demand that AOC issue a statement calling for the full-funding of NYCHA in the next budget cycle.

Fight For NYCHA - Protest on Saturday !



Demand AOC support NYCHA funding this year !


AOC's green ''New Deal'' plan for Public Housing makes NYCHA tenants wait years for heat.


Join us to demand that AOC issue a statement calling for the full-funding of NYCHA in the next budget cycle.



Date : Saturday, 14 Dec. 2019


Time : 3:30 pm


Place : I.S. 125Q, 46-02 47th Ave, Woodside, Queens


R.S.V.P. Demand AOC support NYCHA funding this year ! [Facebook]


♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ Lots of steam making lots of heat ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬


♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ Warm face, warm hands, warm feet ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬


♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ Oh, wouldn't it be loverly? ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬


Admittedly, it is noble for AOC to focus on climate change. But she, like French President Emmanuel Macron, gave industry and the military a pass on climate destruction. Instead, she has decided to extract climate justice outcomes first from, you guessed it, public housing residents. As a result, she threatens to add to the suffering and misery amongst average people. AOC is blind to how her green ''New Deal'' plan makes NYCHA residents wait years for basic, but emergency, repairs, like upgrades to heating systems. Without emergency upgrades in heating, NYCHA tenants face another winter where up to 90 per cent. of residents will experience heat outages.




Fight For NYCHA is a collective of tenants, activists, artists, and advocates, who are providing technical support to NYCHA tenants to self-determine the future of public houisng in New York City. We oppose Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to put 1/3 of NYCHA into the hands of private landlords. We reject Mayor de Blasio's proposal, because the money exists to save NYCHA. We just have to change our priorities. Learn more about our People's Budget to fully-fund NYCHA.


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Friday, November 29, 2019

Progress New York : AOC's Green New Deal for Public Housing makes NYCHA tenants wait years for heat



AOC's Green New Deal for Public Housing makes NYCHA tenants wait years for heat.

Progress New York - Update




LETTER FROM NEW YORK


AOC's green New Deal for public housing ignores heat outages, Mayor's plan for demolition and RAD conversion, and makes NYCHA tenants wait years for repairs


Two weeks ago, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY 14) unveiled a green "New Deal" plan to "invest" up to $180 billion over ten (10) years in America's public housing stock. In recent days, surrogates for U.S. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez have retaliated whenever critics have noted that the green "New Deal" plan ignores the current public health crises facing public housing residents, particularly those which result from a lack of sufficient heat during winter.


The uncertain and conditional time frame of U.S. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's bill places NYCHA at risk of being gutted by the plan being put forth by Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-New York City), which calls for demolition, rezoning, RAD conversion, and other assets sales.


According to information obtained by Progress New York, community opposition to the Mayor's plan has been obstructed by the Movement School, a project of Organize for Justice, which, in turn, is the 501(c)(4) lobbying arm of the Justice Democrats, the latter being the political action committee of nye demokrater widely-credited with electing U.S. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez to Congress.


If U.S. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez ignores these conflicts, then she risks alienating public housing residents at a critical time in our Nation's governance.


Read More / Related Links



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Sunday, November 10, 2019

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Thursday, October 31, 2019

Fallout of Presser, Protest : Greg Russ heckled, tenants locked out of NYCHA Working Group meeting



NYCHA tenants and activists were locked out of Mayor Bill de Blasio's NYCHA Working Group on Tuesday night.

FIGHT FOR NYCHA - UPDATES



NYCHA Tenants, Activists Held A Press Conference, Protesting the Lack of Democracy of, and the Exclusion of Many From, Mayor Bill de Blasio's NYCHA Working Group


Tenants and Activists Were Locked Out of Closed-Door, Secret Meeting in Violation of State's Open Meetings Law


In what could be a first in New York City, NYCHA tenants and activists heckled Greg Russ, the public housing authority chair.


NYCHA tenants and activists heckled Greg Russ, the new chair of the New York City Housing Authority, or NYCHA. The confrontation took place outside of PS 33 in Cheslea on Tuesday night after NYCHA tenants and activists from Fight For NYCHA, Holmes-Isaacs Coälition, and Justice For All Coälition had concluded their press conference, denouncing the Mayor Bill de Blasio's NYCHA Working Group.



VIDEO : NYCHA tenants, activists heckle Greg Russ as he tries to sneak into the rigged #WorkingGroup [YouTube]



Activists confront U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler's corrupt aide, Robert Atterbury, and call for a primary against Assemblymember Dick Gottfried.


NYCHA tenants also renewed calls for Robert Atterbury to be fired by U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY 10). Activists allege that Atterbury violated New York State's open meetings' law when he told a Fight For NYCHA member to leave the first meeting of Mayor de Blasio's undemocratic NYCHA Working Group. Tenants and activists also jeered Assemblymember Richard Gottfried (D-New York City), when he tried to sneak into the second meeting of Mayor de Blasio's NYCHA Working Group.



VIDEO : NYCHA tenants, activists call for Robert Atterbury to be fired, for primary against Dick Gottfried [YouTube]



NYCHA tenants and activists were denied entry to the secret, closed-door second meeting of the Mayor's NYCHA Working Group.


NYCHA tenants and activists were denied entry to a public building (PS 33 in Cheslea), and, thus, they were not permitted to attend the proceedings of the second meeting of Mayor de Blasio's rigged and stacked NYCHA Working Group.



VIDEO : NYCHA tenants, activists bum rush de Blasio's corrupt NYCHA Working Group at PS33, get locked out [YouTube]



Complete Facebook Live video and Further Reading.


The media and public statements made by NYCHA tenants and activists were broadcast on a Facebook Live stream. Some of the speakers included La Keesha Taylor and Saundrea Coleman from the Holmes-Isaacs Coälition ; Stanely Morse from the Justice For All Coälition ; and Lindsey Boylan, a 2020 Democratic Party primary candidate, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Nadler.



VIDEO : Press Conference and Protest against the second meeting of Mayor Bill de Blasio's NYCHA Working Group [Facebook]


Climate Control is a Year-Round Issue at NYCHA, Especially for Seniors [City Limits News]


Mayor de Blasio launches 'working group' to hash out NYCHA plans in Chelsea [The New York Daily News]



Fight For NYCHA asserts that the NYCHA Working Group has sufficiently been revealed to be undemocratic and in violation of the State's open meetings law, and that its composition unfairly excludes tenants and stakeholders, particularly tenants from public housing developments that face RAD conversion, infill development, MIH rezoning, and air rights sales. What is more, Mayor de Blasio's undemocratic NYCHA Working Group has not publicly addressed questions of legality raised by a member of Fight For NYCHA at its first meeting. With your support, more information about these issues will be released as early as next week.



Fight For NYCHA is a collective of tenants, activists, artists, and advocates, who are providing technical support to NYCHA tenants to self-determine the future of public houisng in New York City. We oppose Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to put 1/3 of NYCHA into the hands of private landlords. We reject Mayor de Blasio's proposal, because the money exists to save NYCHA. We just have to change our priorities. Learn more about our People's Budget to fully-fund NYCHA.


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Monday, October 28, 2019

MEDIA ADVISORY : Press Conference and Protest of NYCHA Working Group



Join Fight For NYCHA Tues. night at 5:30 pm at PS 33 at 281 9th Ave., Manhattan, for a press conference.

MEDIA ADVISORY


Contact : Marni Halasa, (917) 501-9444, team@mg.fightfornycha.org


NYCHA Tenants, Activists to Hold Press Conference, Raising Criticism of de Blasio's NYCHA Working Group


[NEW YORK, NY, Oct. 28] ---- NYCHA tenants and tenant activists will hold a press conference before the start of the second meeting of Mayor Bill de Blasio's NYCHA Working Group. This Working Group was formed to decide the demolition, RAD conversion, infill development, MIH rezoning, and air rights sale of NYCHA public housing. At least six (6) NYCHA public housing developments face some form of infill development or privatization in the near future, but tenants from only one (1) such housing development -- Fulton Houses -- got selected to this panel. They are joined by some tenants from Chelsea Houses and Elliott Houses. But many more tenants were excluded, including important stakeholders, like Fight For NYCHA. NYCHA faces a City-wide crisis, and Mayor de Blasio's response is to put 1/3 of NYCHA into the hands of private landlords. This is unacceptable. This panel should reflect a City-wide membership. Expected to speak at the press conference are representatives of Holmes-Isaacs Coälition, Justice for All Coälition, and Fight For NYCHA, as well as other NYCHA tenants.



DATE : Tuesday, 29-Oct-2019


TIME : 5:30 pm


PLACE : PS 33, 281 9th Ave. (Btwn. 26 and 27th Aves.), Manhattan


RSVP : Press Conference and Protest of NYCHA Working Group [Facebook]



BACKGROUND ON FIRST NYCHA WORKING GROUP MEETING


In order to get video of Deputy Mayor Vicki Been's presentation about NYCHA's future, a member of Fight For NYCHA had to risk arrest. Before NYPD Inspector Howard Redmond (the top cop, who reportedly covered up a car crash involving the mayor) and other NYPD officers showed up to menace the Fight For NYCHA member, U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler's aide, Robert Atterbury, made deceptive statements by materially misrepresenting the proceedings of the NYCHA Working Group as a secret meeting that was closed to the public. In New York State, Government meetings are open meetings. Yet, Mr. Atterbury repeatedly indicated that a meeting that would discuss the disposition of NYCHA public assets and City real property was not a public meeting and that, improbably, the NYCHA Working Group was not a "civic group." Under New York State penal code, obstructing Government administration is a class A misdemeanor in the second degree. See § 195.05.


What is more, Fight For NYCHA has discovered that Mayor de Blasio has instituted a gag rule, demanding that the discussions of the NYCHA Working Group remain secret. This is a violation of Government transparency. It also violates the First Amendment rights of tenants to be able to speak in informed discussions about their own future. The gag rule and the restrictions in attendance also violate the State's open meetings law.



VIDEO : Vicki Been presentation for Demolition, Infill, RAD, MIH, and Air Rights Sale at NYCHA Working Group [YouTube]


VIDEO : NYPD threaten Fight For NYCHA member with arrest at Bill de Blasio's NYCHA Working Group [YouTube]


VIDEO : Fight For NYCHA calls on Jerry Nadler to fire Robert Atterbury for violating democracy, transparency [YouTube]



Please join Fight For NYCHA in demanding that the NYCHA Working Group be opened up to NYCHA tenants and important stakeholders City-wide and that its proceedings be made public.


Fight For NYCHA is a collective of tenants, activists, artists, and advocates, who are providing technical support to NYCHA tenants to self-determine the future of public houisng in New York City. We oppose Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to put 1/3 of NYCHA into the hands of private landlords. We reject Mayor de Blasio's proposal, because the money exists to save NYCHA. We just have to change our priorities. Learn more about our People's Budget to fully-fund NYCHA.


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