Espaillat, Congressional Members Issue Joint Statement On NYCHA Agreement
U.S. Reps. Adriano Espaillat (D-Marble Hill, Inwood, Washington Heights, Hamilton Heights, Manhattanville, Morningside Heights) joined colleague Congressmembers from New York including Nydia M. Velázquez, Carolyn B. Maloney, Gregory W. Meeks, Grace Meng and Eliot Engel in releasing the following joint statement generally approving the agreement reached between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the New York City Housing Authority.
Under the pact, HUD will appoint a federal monitor to over see NYCHA, but the city will continue to run it. The federal, state and city governments will continue to provide funding.
“We are certainly relieved that NYCHA, the city’s largest landlord and home to 400,000 of our most vulnerable neighbors, will not fall under complete control of the Trump Administration’s HUD. As this Administration has repeatedly proposed slashing funding for the public housing operating and capital funds, we share our constituents’ concerns that the current Administration’s hostility to public housing makes it a bad fit to assume day-to-day oversight of NYCHA,” said the lawmakers.
“Of course, improving public housing in New York will require significant investment at all levels of government. We recognize the Mayor and the City have already dedicated substantial funding and are committing more under the terms of this deal. Following decades of shortchanging the agency, still more must be done. In Washington, we will be fighting for additional federal dollars in the years to come. Similarly, the Governor and the state government will need to step forward. This must be a priority at every level of government.
“It is our hope that someday NYCHA can resume its place as a model for other public housing agencies across the nation. While that will take time, we hope today is a step toward that goal and we will be keeping a close watch on how this plan is implemented.”
In December, Velázquez led Democratic Members of the New York City Congressional delegation in writing to HUD Secretary Carson, arguing against federal receivership for NYCHA.
Johnson Skeptical Of NYCHA Agreement
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, Greenwich Village, West SoHo, Hudson Square, Times Square, Garment District, Flatiron, Upper West Side) yesterday expressed some skepticism to the agreement reached between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the New York City Housing Authority.
“I wish I were more encouraged but the fact is, NYCHA residents need more funding from the federal government, and that’s not what I’m hearing in today’s announcement. Certainly when it comes to NYCHA, there’s a lot of blame to go around, but we can’t minimize the toll years of federal disinvestment has had on our public housing stock,” said Johnson.
“I hope today is at least the end of the contentious and at times insensitive back and forth we’ve seen throughout these negotiations. The Council will continue to exercise its oversight authority to ensure we are doing all we can for the 400,000 New Yorkers who call NYCHA home. I expect the same commitment from the federal government. There is much work to do, and I pray they will take their responsibilities seriously,” he added.
Hoylman Floats Bill To Protect Undocumented Immigrants From ICE
State Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, the Upper West Side, Midtown/East Midtown, Columbus Circle, Times Square, Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village, the East Village, Lower East Side) and Assembly Member Michaelle Solages (D-LI) yesterday introduced a measure to help protect undocumented immigrants that make court appearances.
Dubbed ‘The Protect Our Courts Act,’the measure would make it unlawful for ICE to arrest any person going to, attending, or leaving court unless the arrest is pursuant to a warrant signed by a federal judge.
ICE usually appears at court with only an administrative warrant signed by an ICE supervisor, without any meaningful determination of probable cause or any authority by the federal courts.
While it’s encouraging to hear that the Office of Court Administration may finally promulgate rules to protect immigrants from ICE arrests at New York State courthouses, we nonetheless need legislation that would codify these protections and make them permanent,” said the lawmakers in a joint statement.
“Our courts must be safe places for noncitizens to appear. Overzealous ICE officers operating with zero oversight must not be allowed to use our courts at their whim. Codifying the judicial warrant requirement would help to protect vulnerable immigrants from the vagaries of changing court administrations and reaffirm New York’s commitment as a sanctuary state. It is both common sense and good public policy and should be made the law of the land.”
