Bronx News Roundup, Aug. 24

Good morning, lovely readers! Your weather forecast for today, luckily, does not include an earthquake (did you feel it?) but does call for sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70s. Enjoy.

Something else you can enjoy: the latest issue of the Norwood News , which as we speak is being delivered to its usual spots, and will be up online shortly. It's a special back-to-school edition, chock full of great local school stories (with other news in there too, of course.) Make sure to pick up your copy.

Story of the Day: Bronx Mom Killed Over Petty Bodega Line-Fight
Jeffry Ramirez, the 19-year-old whose stray bullet struck and killed 24-year-old Yaritza Pacheco on E. 174th Street early Sunday, told police that he fired his gun during an argument that started when his friend cut another man in line at the bodega.

BronxTalk Focuses on Housing

On Monday, we plugged that evening's episode of BronxTalk, which focuses on foreclosure, vacancy decontrol and other housing issues. It features Bronx News Network contributor Gregory Lobo-Jost and Jonathan Levy of Bronx Legal Services. To watch, click here.

Housing Expert and BxNN Blogger Greg Jost on BronxTalk Tonight

Gregory Lobo-Jost, a frequent contributor to this site who is deputy director of University Neighborhood Housing Program, will be interviewed tonight at 9. a.m. on BronxTalk (Cablevision channel 67) with Gary Axelbank.
They're sure to discuss critical Bronx housing issues such as foreclosures and the looming crisis with over-leveraged buildings purchased at unsustainable inflated prices with private equity.
I should also note that Greg and the folks at UNHP deserve a lot more credit and attention for the important work they're doing and have done since the 80s. Jim Buckley, the groups's executive director, was an organizer with the NWBCCC in the 1970s, and has been working for better housing in the Bronx ever since.
No other organization keeps such a close eye on the health of the borough's housing stock, and raises alarm bells when necessary.
These folks do the tough research and know what they're talking about. More of us should listen and make certain elected officials, bankers and other decision makers do the same. And citywide reporters should check in with them more often, rather than just the usual Manhattan suspects.
Watch Greg tonight if you can. The show will re-air at the same time all week long. We'll post the show on the blog when it's up on-line.
Oh, here's a recent op-ed by Greg in Norwood News on vacancy decontrol.

Espada Says He Now Supports Repealing Vacancy Decontrol

We'll have more this afternoon on the massive "Blueprint for the Bronx" meeting/rally held by the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition on Sunday at St. Nicholas of Tolentine School but here's a nugget of news from it that stands out.

The meeting was largely about the Kingsbridge Armory, but Coalition leaders also pressed elected officials on other issues including the repeal of vacancy decontrol. When asked whether he'd work to end vacancy decontrol (for apartments that rent for $2,000 or more), State Senator Pedro Espada said yes but he added that vacancy decontrol "will affect very few units in our district."

Despite the qualifier, it represented a change of position for Espada who, in a September session with reporters in his office, said he didn't support repealing the vacancy decontrol and instead wants to focus on creating more incentives for developers to construct affordable housing.

In an op-ed in the current issue of the Norwood News, Gregory Lobo-Jost of University Neighborhood Housing Program, explains that vacancy decontrol does affect Espada's district because it drives the working poor from elsewhere in the city to Bronx.

Coalition leaders said they would be following up with Espada in the coming months and warned, "We will know how to pull the lever and use the power of our vote."

Introducing Guest Blogger

Time to take care of some housekeeping.

Close readers of this blog will notice a recent prolific poster named Gregory Lobo Jost. Greg is our first guest blogger. There are so many experts all around us in the Bronx on so many important issues. We thought the West Bronx Blog would be much a richer forum if, in addition to reporters from West Bronx News Network publications, people like Greg had the opportunity to share with us what they know and point us to news and information sources we might otherwise miss. That's already been the case with Greg.

Greg is deputy director of University Neighborhood Housing Program (UNHP), a 24-year-old nonprofit dedicated to creating, preserving and financing affordable housing in the northwest Bronx through organizing, lending, research and providing technical assistance. He graduated from Fordham with a bachelor's degree in urban studies and a master's in Humanities and Sciences with a concentration on social justice issues. He lives in Norwood with his wife, Sandra and daughter, Amelia.