City Officials Mark Affordable Housing 'Milestone' in the Bronx

This affordable housing development in West Farms Square is one
of thousands that was financed this year by the city. (Photo: Jeanmarie Evelly)

Bloomberg administration officials gathered in the courtyard of a West Farms apartment complex this morning to celebrate what they say has been a landmark year for the city's affordable housing stock.

Officials announced that the city is ahead of schedule in Mayor Bloomberg's New Housing Marketplace Plan, which aims to "create and preserve 165,000 units of affordable housing by the end of 2014."

The number of units financed in the last fiscal year, which ended June 30, puts the city three-quarters of the way towards hitting that goal number, a fact hailed by officials as a major accomplishment in light of the recession and the budget restraints of the last few years.

Bronx News Roundup, Friday, July 15

Weather: Not a cloud in the sky. High in the mid-80s. This weekend: more of the same with temperatures creeping up into the high-80s, low-90s. Good beach weather.

Story of the Day: BxNN Beats Times on Muller Story, Loses Headline Battle
A little inside baseball today. (Skip to the Quick Hits if you get bored.) Anyone working in the editorial side of the journalism industry will tell you that a) timing is everything, and b) headline writing is the one of the hardest things to do well. Early yesterday, Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.'s press office sent out a press release with a letter attached that accuses the mayor's office of deliberately abusing the BRAC process to ensure that the vacant Muller Army Reserve Center in Wakefield becomes a homeless shelter.

We've been following this story for more than two years, but this letter contained details, strongly-worded allegations and possible legal action. All the elements for a good, poignant news story. So we rushed to get it up on this site as soon as possible. We ended up beating the Times by about an hour. Chalk one up for BxNN! (On a side note: Kudos to former BxNN intern and native Bedford Parker Andrew Boryga for producing a well-written piece for the Grey Lady's website.) For the most part, we can't compete with the bigger papers, but we do strive to bring Bronx news to our readers as swiftly as possible. And we also take pride in the fact that our stories lead to coverage in bigger papers and more-trafficked websites. Our story on the Oval Park pop-up piano drew national attention and we've been banging the drum on this Muller Center story for two years now. We see ourselves as a megaphone for the Bronx and when our stories get picked up, our megaphone gets amplified exponentially. That means more people will pay attention to our oft-overlooked borough. And that's a good thing.

Which brings me back to headlines. Our accurate, boring, and too-long Muller Center headline: "Bronx BP Asks Feds to Intervene in Muller Center Dispute; Yonkers Mayor Asks Bloomberg to Reconsider Shelter Plan." The Times' headline: "City Hall Accused of Steamrolling Opposition to Bronx Shelter." That's also accurate, but also punchy and succinct. Obviously, there's is much better. So I'll take the win for speed, but here's a tip of the cap to the Times' headline writers.

Quick Hits:

The Fight for Consumer Protections Comes to a Check Casher Near You (Updated)

(Update: Please note the corrections on the actual vote below.)
Opinion by Gregory Lobo Jost

I have to admit it is downright depressing that Republicans in Congress are doing whatever they can to block the newly formed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from fully getting off the ground.  The bureau came about as a response to the failure of the various protection agencies to do their job on subprime and predatory products in the decade leading up the collapse.  Many of these agencies had arguably been bought off by the industries they were supposed to protect us from.  These same industries are now working the politicians in Washington to keep the CFPB from having any teeth.

What may actually be even more depressing is that New York State is now considering a bill that will relax some of our own strong consumer protections – mainly the state’s longstanding civil and criminal usury laws, which cap interest rates on small loans at 25%.  The Senate Committee on Banks voted yesterday in favor of a bill that would exempt check cashers from this usury cap and allow them to make triple-digit interest rate short term loans.

New Yorkers for Responsible Lending, a statewide coalition of 151 groups (including University Neighborhood Housing Program where I work) called on the committee to withdraw this piece of legislation (S.3841 / A.7047) known as the "short-term financial services loan act", as it would likely open the door to predatory payday lending, which thankfully our state has long prohibited. Despite this strong public opposition from NYRL groups and others around the state, the Committee approved the bill yesterday morning, sending it to the Finance Committee for review.

(Updated/Corrected:) Both Bronx Senators Ruben Diaz, Sr. and Gustavo Rivera are on this committee, but according to footage of the meeting on YouTube (skip ahead to minute 30 for this bill) were not present for the actual vote.  They both submitted their votes, however, with Diaz voting in favor and Rivera against. Senator Rivera was in another meeting with the Department of Corrections (he is also on the Crime Committee) about the potential closing of downstate prisons, and his staff has made it clear that he is strongly opposed to this short term loan bill as it stands. Senator Liz Krueger of Manhattan was the lone Senator to raise questions about the bill at the actual meeting, and the final vote was 14-5 in favor, with Malcolm Smith, Neil Breslin and Carl Kruger joining Senators Rivera and Krueger in dissent.  Meanwhile, Bronx Assemblyman Carl Heastie is sponsoring identical legislation in the Assembly. 

Local Organizations Part of Effort to Keep Payday Lenders Out of New York

Community and civil rights groups celebrated an important victory earlier this month when Wells Fargo Bank backed off its plan to roll out a high-cost loan product in New York and Connecticut.  Wells Fargo had planned to expand its payday loan-like product to the two states next month through its Wachovia branches, soon to be rebranded as Wells.  

While there is currently only one Wachovia branch in the Bronx, advocates were extremely concerned that this product might have opened the door for wide-scale payday loans in New York State which has long prohibited them through a criminal usury cap of 25%.  Wells Fargo, which charges 120%-1,200% APR on its “direct deposit advance” loans, intended to use its status as a national bank to circumvent New York’s usury law.  

Vehement opposition by neighborhood groups throughout the City, including West Bronx Housing and Neighborhood Resource Center and University Neighborhood Housing Program in the Bronx, as well as by national fair lending advocates, apparently led the bank to reconsider.

In states where Wells Fargo makes its advance loans, checking account customers can borrow up to $500 by signing over their next direct deposit of payroll, Social Security or other public benefits to repay the loan, plus fees.  Just like a traditional payday loan, a borrower living paycheck to paycheck can easily get caught in a downward spiral of excessive fees and interest. 

Notwithstanding Wells Fargo’s decision, the bank reportedly plans to introduce a modified loan product in New York and other states.  Local and national groups have vowed to fight any future loans that violate state usury or other laws. 

UNHP Awarded Neighborhood Grant

Congratulations to the University Neighborhood Housing Program, which was just awarded a $40,000 Neighborhood Revitalization grant to expand its housing and homeowners assistance programs, foreclosure prevention databases, free tax-preparation services and financial literacy workshops. The money is part of $520,000 in grants given out by the the New York Community Trust; UNHP is the only Bronx group to receive one of the awards.

Check out their website for more information, and a number of housing-related resources.

Homeowner Resource Fair Tonight; Advice on Water Bills, Foreclosure Problems

The University Neighborhood Housing Program and Councilman Fernando Cabrera are hosting a home owner resource fair tonight, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 2270 Walton Ave., between 183rd and 184th streets.

Homeowners can learn about how to save on water and energy bills and learn about to get help in avoiding foreclosure. Representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection will be on hand to talk specifically about water bills.

In a press release announcing the fair, Cabrera, who represents parts of Kingsbridge, University Heights and Mt. Hope, said, “There are upwards of 2,000 homeowners in my district. And through these tough economic times, our residents need all the resources they can get to help manage what has in some cases, become unmanageable.”

For more information, call (347) 590-2875 ext. 204.

Bronx News Roundup, April 14

Lots of political news today.

Adolfo Carrión, Jr., the former Bronx borough president and director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs, will give the keynote presentation for the Regional Planning Association's 2010 Regional Assembly on Friday, April 16 at 12:30 p.m. His address will be streamed live at http://www.citylimits.org/.

Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter, who is expected to soon officially announce her candidacy for state Senate in the 33rd District, will have some company in her primary challenge of Pedro Espada. Bob Kappstatter had the news first yesterday in his must-read Bronx Boro News political column: Kingsbridge Heights attorney and Community Board 8 member Daniel Padernacht has thrown his hat in the ring, too. (Lots of other juicy tidbits in that column, like news of a primary challenge to Assemblyman Peter Rivera).

On her new blog, Liz Benjamin has some updates on Pilgrim-Hunter's campaign, including the fact that she's hired Lisa Hernandez-Gioia (wife of former Councilman Eric Gioia) to help her raise money.

In a Daily News editorial, State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. is praised for his "courage" in sponsoring a bill that would cancel a clause in teachers' contracts which stipulates that layoffs are based on seniority. 

The healthcare union 1199/SEIU is backing State Senator Eric Schneiderman in the state attorney general's race. Schneiderman also has the backing of several prominent Bronx pols. 

Despite running for borough president in 2001, State Senator Pedro Espada would like to see the office eliminated. In a statement, he said, in part:

I am recommending that the offices of borough president and city public advocate be abolished in this round of charter revision, not as a political slap at anyone in these positions, but because we have a sensible and realistic opportunity to reduce city government and empower the people.

Away from politics, an alewife herring has been caught in the Bronx River for the second year in a row, a sign that the once heavily polluted waterway is becoming healthy again.  We'll have more on this in the next Tremont Tribune, which comes out Friday.

A Riverdale man has pled guilty to accidently shooting and injuring a woman with an arrow last spring.  At the time, the case baffled detectives and local residents. 

A look back at the history of the University Neighborhood Housing Program (UNHP), which was founded in 1983 to preserve safe, affordable housing for working class Bronxites.   Today, in this latest housing crisis, the group's important work continues. 

On Easter Sunday, four people were shot in three separate incidents in midtown Manhattan. Hours later, one of the guns fired that night was used to shoot two men in the Bronx, police have discovered.

More photos of the ongoing demolition work at the old Yankee Stadium.

A new Fairway supermarket is opening today in Pelham Manor, a Westchester village just north of the Bronx.