THE FORUM NEWSGROUP | JANUARY 30, 2019

VOL. 20 • NUMBER 5 • JANUARY 30, 2020

CIVIC ACCORD Community, Cops Unite in Outrage over Bail-Reform Law

See Story on Page 3 Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic President Joann Ariola-Shanks on Tuesday led the group’s January meeting at St. Helen Catholic Academy. Dozens of area residents attended, fuming over the recent spike in crime, which NYPD brass says is a direct result of the controversial bail-reform law that went into effect on Jan. 1.

Forum Photo by Michael V. Cusenza

THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • VOL. 20 • Number 5 • JANUARY 30, 2020 | 1

Council Approves Bill to Encourage More Affordable Retail Space in Communities

By Michael V. Cusenza The City Council recently voted in favor of several measures including one aimed at boosting affordable retail space in NYC communities.

Introduction 1408-B would require that where the City provides substantial funding for a development project, a neighborhood retail-needs assessment must be performed to determine whether the project will provide commercial space at belowmarket rents. The needs assessment would include considerations related to the commercial diversity of the neighborhood, as well as commercial vacancy rates and retail needs in the community. Such retail space would not be provided to a chain business, and would not be included in projects for which retail space would hinder the provision of a community program, service or benefit. The bill would require the City to account for its decisions through annual reporting.

The legislation’s sponsor, Councilman Rafael Espinal, Jr. (D-Brooklyn), noted that it’s “part of a broader conversation around how to keep rents affordable for all small businesses in NYC. Affordable housing developments have to take a holistic approach to what their footprint in the neighborhood

Photo Courtesy of John McCarten/NY City Council

The City Council recently voted in favor of a number of pieces of legislation.

is going to be. Just as we have set-asides to address the affordability crisis for tenants, we must have set-asides to tackle the growing vacancy crisis for small businesses. Protecting New York’s small-business culture starts with a recognition that the rent has become unaffordable for way too many commercial tenants. This legislation is a step in that direction, and I hope it will bring more attention to the struggles our

small businesses face.”

The city’s legislative body also recently approved Intro. 1281-A, which would prohibit food and retail establishments from refusing to accept cash from customers.

The bill would also prohibit establishments from charging cash-paying customers a higher price than those using credit. The prohibition on cash-less practices would not apply where the food or retail estab-

lishment has on its premises, a machine that converts cash into a prepaid card that can be used to make unlimited purchases on any priced item, at no additional cost to the consumer. Additionally, food and retail establishments do not have to accept bills in denominations of greater than $20; and transactions taking place completely online, by phone or mail are excluded.

The bill provides for penalties of not more than $1,000 for a first violation, and of not more than $1,500 for each succeeding violation, according to its sponsor, Councilman Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx).

“No longer in NYC will brick-and-mortar businesses have the right to refuse cash and effectively discriminate against customers who lack access to credit and debit,” Torres added. “The City of New York cannot allow the digital economy to leave behind the 25 percent of New Yorkers who are chronically unbanked and underbanked.”

Additionally, the council recently greenlit Intro. 1785, which would extend health insurance coverage benefits to surviving family members of deceased municipal employees who died as a natural and proximate result of an accident or injury sustained while performing duties for the City or who died because of a condition as related to the World Trade Center.

Audit Uncovers Weak City Oversight of Homelessness Prevention Program

By Forum Staff A recently released audit revealed weak oversight of the City’s Homebase Program, which is intended to help families and single adults overcome housing crises, avoid homelessness, and achieve housing stability, according to City Comptroller Scott Stringer.

Homebase is a City-administered homelessness prevention program operating out of 26 locations across all five boroughs. It primarily serves households whose income is below 200 percent of the federal poverty level for families with children or 30 percent of Area Median Income for adult households who are at risk of homelessness or who have recently left the shelter system.

The administration of Homebase was transferred from the Department of Homeless Services to HRA in January 2017, during the scope period the audit covered, Stringer noted. However, a majority of the staff in leadership roles overseeing the program have remained the same. HRA currently has Homebase contracts with seven non-profit organizations: Help USA, Bronxworks, Catholic Charities Community Services Archdiocese of NY, Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services, CAMBA, Rise Boro Community Partnership; and SUS Urgent Housing Programs.

According to Stringer, the audit ex-

File Photo

“While the City is spending more money than ever before on services that are supposed to help people overcome and prevent homelessness, we are not seeing the reductions in homelessness that we should,” Comptroller Stringer said.

posed failures by the City’s Human Resources Administration to adequately and promptly review Homebase providers’ case files and to promptly alert them to correct the deficiencies it finds. Further, HRA’s incomplete tracking of clients who repeatedly return to the Homebase program for services and financial assistance after their cases are closed, combined with inaccurate

2 JANUARY 30, 2020 • Number 5 • VOL. 20 • THE FORUM NEWSGROUP

program records, undercut the City’s ability to assess the effectiveness of the Homebase program and the individual providers. The audit also revealed lengthy delays in HRA’s fiscal reviews of its Homebase contracts and its failure to recoup more than $2.2 million in advance payments 16 months after one group of Homebase contracts ended.

In response to the findings, Stringer made 19 recommendations, including calling on HRA to strengthen its monitoring controls to ensure that it conducts two formal case file review cycles annually and to ensure that its case file review summaries are scrutinized for accuracy and sent to the providers in a timely fashion. The comptroller also called on HRA to improve tracking of the clients who return to Homebase after their cases are closed to better measure the effectiveness of services the City is providing New Yorkers enrolled in the program.

“We are in the middle of a mounting homelessness crisis, with thousands of families struggling in our shelters. While the City is spending more money than ever before on services that are supposed to help people overcome and prevent homelessness, we are not seeing the reductions in homelessness that we should. This audit presents a damning example of the poor management and failures that plague the City’s approach to this ballooning crisis,” Stringer added. “There’s a human cost to the City’s failures. If we don’t keep track of the resources that are intended to help vulnerable New Yorkers, the very people we must lift up fall through the cracks. In the fight against homelessness, every penny counts. The City needs to step up and ensure these programs are working and that no dollar is being wasted.”

Area Residents, Top Cop, Candidates Express Outrage over Bail-Reform Law

By Michael V. Cusenza Outraged area residents packed St. Helen Catholic Academy’s cafeteria Tuesday evening and summarily blasted the State Legislature for a recently enacted bail-reform law that, according to Howard Beach’s top cop, has had an immediate and direct impact on skyrocketing crime statistics.

“Crime is trending upward,” commanding officer of the 106th Precinct, Capt. John Costello, said ruefully during the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic meeting before adding that it’s apparently part of a citywide progression: Crime is up in 59 of 77 City Police Department commands so far this year.

Costello noted that Police Commissioner Dermot Shea recently tied the alarming increase to the new bail-reform law, which constrains judges from instituting bail or remanding defendants who have committed certain offenses.

“It’s law—cop’s hands are tied,” Costello said. “The frustration is palpable. Ultimately, it’s the

victim who is victimized again.”

“It’s disgusting!” one area resident shouted, echoing Costello’s sentiment.

According to the latest available NYPD figures, overall crime in Queens South is up 35 percent compared to the same period last year—including car thefts, which have increased a staggering 94 percent. In the 106, crime is up 57 percent over the past 28 days. The most unnerving increases are in grand larcenies (up 65 percent); felony assaults (up 117 percent); and auto theft, which has jumped 366 percent this month, compared to January 2019.

However, as Costello pointed out, a mind-numbing 12 of the 14 reported car thefts this year occurred after the owner hopped out for a quick stop, leaving the keys in and the car running.

“I feel like I’m beating my head against the wall,” the commander said. “The frustration is a lot of this is preventable crime.”

Costello said he has instructed his officers to issue tickets and summonses to any driver who

Forum Photo by Michael V. Cusenza

Queens Borough President candidate James Quinn addresses residents during Tuesday’s Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic meeting.

leaves their car running and unattended.

“I have to try to contain the bleeding,” he acknowledged.

The two candidates who showed up Tuesday for the civic’s borough president race forum also ripped elected representatives for passing the bail-reform law, which went into effect on Jan. 1.

Bill Asks for Info on Shelter Hotels

Photo Courtesy of Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato’s Office

“Time and time again we hear that the City of New York is getting out of the homeless hotel business, but that is just untrue,” Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato said.

By Michael V. Cusenza Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach) recently introduced a bill calling on the City—and any other locality that uses hotels and motels to house homeless residents—to provide transparency on the locality’s website.

The measure would, according to Pheffer Amato, require localities to disclose the monetary amount and duration of any contracts the

locality gives out to hotels, motels, the non-profit operators of the site, and any subcontractors that they use while operating out of any hotel and motel.

“Time and time again we hear that the City of New York is getting out of the homeless hotel business, but that is just untrue,” the assemblywoman added. “I have hotels in my community that are at full capacity—serving essentially as additional homeless shelters, and government agency outposts. The

City is damaging economic development in neighborhoods where homeless hotels are still active, to the tune of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. Hoteliers are getting massive tax breaks and contracts from the city, essentially subsidizing and encouraging this business model, and that is unacceptable. Communities deserve to know what is happening on their streets, and which hoteliers and nonprofits are participating in this system in this city.”

In 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled “Turning the Tide on Homelessness, Neighborhood

by Neighborhood,” in which outlined the timing and logistics of ending the use of 360 cluster sites and commercial hotel facilities as temporary shelters. According to the administration, 90 “traditional shelters” distributed across the five boroughs would replace the temporary sites.

However, as Pheffer Amato noted, in 2018 alone, the City put $384 million in taxpayer dollars towards providing emergency shelter to homeless people in hotels throughout the Big Apple, according to a New York Daily News story.

said. “They knew this would happen. Don’t let them tell you otherwise.”

BP candidate and former City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley called for reforming “the law, especially now with the increase in hate crimes.”

One furious Long Island judge actually disregarded the new legislation during the recent arraignment of a recidivist bank robber.

Nassau County District Judge David McAndrews ordered Romell Nellis held on $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond.

“I find this defendant to be a menace to society,” Andrews said, according to a New York Post report.

Nellis’s attorney appealed the ruling to a higher court. Nellis was subsequently released without bail pending his fitting with a GPS ankle monitor.

Nellis quickly cut off the tracking device. His whereabouts are unknown to authorities.

James Quinn, who spent the past 42 years as an assistant district attorney and is running on the “Keep Queens Safe” party ticket, said the newly enacted measure “protects the rights of defendants” over victims.

“It was irresponsible on the For more on the BP candidates part of the State Legislature,” Quinn, a Richmond Hill resident, forum, see the editorial on Page 6.

WANTED

Area investigators on Sunday reached out to the public for help in locating a man wanted in connection with a violent act committed earlier this month.

According to 106th Precinct detectives, Don Aubours is wanted for a strangulation that occurred on Saturday, Jan. 11. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the 106th Precinct Detective Squad at (718) 845-2261; reference Case #2020-90.

Photo Courtesy of NYPD

THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • VOL. 20 • Number 5 • JANUARY 30, 2020 | 3

Pharmacist Indicted on Pill-Pushing Charges

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By Forum Staff A Far Rockaway pharmacist has been indicted for his alleged role in a lucrative oxycodone-dealing scheme, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.

A 12-count indictment was unsealed in Brooklyn federal court charging Daniel Russo, 40, owner and operator of Russo’s Pharmacy on Cornaga Avenue, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, distribution and possession of oxycodone, distribution of oxycodone by a pharmacist without legitimate prescription, and filing false tax returns.

Russo was arraigned Thursday and released on a $1.5 million bond.

According to charging documents, between March 2011 and June 2014, Russo allegedly conspired with others, including

Photo Courtesy of Google

medical professionals and employees of a physician, to fill fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone and dispense thousands of oxycodone pills in return for hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. Russo then filed false corporate income tax returns for his pharmacy for the years 2013 through 2016, omitting the proceeds of his scheme, and false individual income tax returns for the years 2012 through 2016. In total, Russo is charged with failing to report more than $1 million in cash earnings, most of it generated from his oxycodone-distribution scheme.

More than a dozen physicians for whom Russo filled prescriptions have since been convicted of crimes related to the distribution of oxycodone, federal officials noted.

If convicted of the drug charges, Russo faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment. If convicted of the tax charges, he faces up to three years’ imprisonment for each count.

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DOJ Targets Robocallers

Photo Courtesy of U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York

“We are using all available tools and resources to stop foreign call center scammers from conning elderly and vulnerable victims in New York and throughout the United States,” said Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue.

By Forum Staff The United States has filed two civil complaints seeking temporary restraining orders in landmark cases against five companies and three individuals allegedly responsible for carrying many millions of fraudulent robocalls from foreign call centers to individuals in the U.S., federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

According to DOJ officials, the complaints allege that the companies were warned numerous times that they were carrying fraudulent robocalls—including government- and business-imposter calls—but they continued to facilitate their delivery. The calls, most of which originated in India, led to substantial financial losses suffered by elderly and vulnerable victims in the United States.

“We are using all available tools and resources to stop foreign call center scammers—and for the first time their U.S.based enablers—from conning elderly and vulnerable victims in New York and throughout the United States,” said Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue.

Federal prosecutors noted that the two cases announced Tuesday contain similar allegations. The defendants in one case are Ecommerce National, LLC d/b/a TollFreeDeals.com, SIP Retail d/b/a sipretail. com, and their owner/operators Nicholas Palumbo and Natasha Palumbo of Scottsdale, Ariz. The defendants in the other case include Global Voicecom, Inc., Global Telecommunication Services Inc., KAT Telecom, Inc., aka IP Dish, and their principal Jon Kahen, of Great Neck, N.Y. In each case, DOJ has sought an order immediately halting the defendants’ transmission of allegedly unlawful robocall traffic. A federal court has entered a temporary restraining

order against the Global Voicecom defendants.

In the cases announced Tuesday, the U.S. alleges that the defendants operate voice over internet protocol (VoIP) carriers, which use a broadband internet connection rather than traditional phone lines to carry telephone calls. Numerous foreign-based call centers and VoIP carriers are alleged to have used the defendants’ VoIP carrier services to pass fraudulent robocalls to victims in the United States. The complaints specifically allege the defendants served as “gateway carriers,” making them the entry point for foreign-initiated calls into the U.S. telecommunications system and that the defendants carried many millions of robocalls. For example, the complaint against the owners/operators of Ecommerce National d/b/a TollFreeDeals. com alleges that the defendants carried 720 million calls during a sample 23-day period, and that more than 425 million of those calls lasted less than one second because the calls did not connect or the recipients immediately hung up, indicating that they were robocalls. The complaint further alleges that many of the 720 million calls were fraudulent and used “spoofed,” or faked, caller ID numbers. The calls facilitated by the defendants falsely threatened victims with a variety of “catastrophic government actions,” including termination of Social Security benefits, imminent arrest for alleged tax fraud, and deportation for supposed failure to fill out immigration forms correctly.

“Anyone who engages in deceptive practices like imposter fraud should know, regardless of where they are, they will not go undetected and will be held accountable,” said U.S. Postal Service Chief Inspector Gary Barksdale.

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THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • VOL. 20 • Number 5 • JANUARY 30, 2020 | 5

EDITORIAL On Candidates and Qualifications While certainly crowded, the race to succeed Melinda Katz as Queens Borough President has been a noticeably dull affair.

How many of the nine candidates have truly distinguished themselves? Up until Tuesday night, the answer was simple: none.

However, as former City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley proved at the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic’s borough president race forum, a candidate can set themselves apart from the pack for all the wrong reasons.

But at least she showed up. Sorta.

A breathless Crowley breezed into the cafeteria at St. Helen Catholic Academy in Howard Beach about halfway through Tuesday night’s forum. Up until that moment, “Keep Queens Safe” party candidate James Quinn had had the floor all to himself.

You see, despite assuring civic leaders of their attendance, most of the candidates did not attend the roughly hour long get-toknow-you session. Some apparently were experiencing last-minute ballot troubles, while others opted to turn up at a similar assembly in Corona—including Ms. Crowley, who up until about 8:15 p.m. had been gladhanding on the Western side of the borough.

Tardiness aside, we can surely appreciate Crowley’s effort. What we had trouble with

were some of her statements and answers.

At times, she simply tossed out tired stump phrases without supporting them with facts.

“I’m a true reformer, against the status quo,” she said.

Okay. How so?

Crowley said that during her eight years on the council she “was able to put 1,000 more police officers on the street.”

Really? By yourself?

“When I was in the City Council, I worked closely with DOT and NYPD to enforce laws.”

How, specifically?

She also said that she “led the fight to push Tom Galante out.”

If the name is unfamiliar, former Queens Library CEO Thomas Galante found himself at the center of a spending scandal in 2014, when several published reports documented his six-figure salary earned during a time in which union custodial jobs were outsourced and expansive reconstruction projects were processed.

The 19-member Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously in December 2014 to ax Galante, who pulled down $392,000

per year. In July 2015, City Comptroller Scott Stringer released an audit and investigative report that painted a vivid picture of a disingenuous and reckless Library under Galante. According to the audit, Galante and other Library executives spent more than $300,000 on prohibited items such as extravagant meals, alcohol, Apple TVs, smokeless ashtrays, airline upgrades, and tickets to a Maroon 5 concert and Disneyland, all while claiming that the Library was running a deficit.

We penned some of those reports. We recall that BP Katz was the first elected official to call for Galante to step down, and that she was vocally opposed to Galante maintaining his authority while Stringer and other city agencies audited the public library system.

Back to Tuesday night. Quinn and Crowley were asked about the recently enacted, controversial bail-reform laws.

“I cannot believe this was allowed to happen,” Quinn said, summing up palpable outrage. “It was irresponsible on the part of the State Legislature,” the 42-year assistant district attorney added.

“I don’t support the law,” Crowley said.

“We need to reform it.”

Hey, at least she showed up.

Sorta.

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MTA Issues Final After-Action Report for $836M Subway Action Plan

By Michael V. Cusenza The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday released the final afteraction report for the $836 million Subway Action Plan.

The SAP implemented a number of initiatives to stabilize the subway system, which was suffering from a troubling number of disruptive incidents that had a clear impact on customers. Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a State of Emergency, clearing the path for accelerated emergency measures to immediately arrest further decline of subway service and reliability.

According to the MTA, Phase One of SAP sought to stabilize the system, while Phase Two focused on developing and institutionalizing the successes from Phase One work to establish a long-term focus on the system modernization, improvements, and sustain SAP progress.

The SAP initiatives include power disruption mitigation programs in collaboration with the State Public Service Commission and Con Edison; accelerated fleet maintenance and inspections; accelerated installation of Continuous Welded Rail and rail grinding; whole-network cleaning of underground tracks; deep station cleaning; unprecedented full system inspection of all signals and proactive repairs; widespread water mitigation efforts such as grouting, leak repairs, street grate clearing and drain cleaning; faster incident response times;

Photo Courtesy of Marc Hermann/MTA NYC Transit

The Subway Action Plan implemented a number of initiatives to stabilize the subway system.

and an intense focus on elevator and escalator maintenance that prioritizes proactive repairs. According to the agency, these initiatives worked concurrently with NYC Transit campaigns such as a back-to-basic approach to service management and Save Safe Seconds efforts to increase speeds, which included the Subway Performance Evaluation, Education and Development unit to identify and fix miscalibrated signal timers, encouraging employees to look for

opportunities to improve service, and the Group Station Manager program.

In other recent MTA news, New York City Transit President Andy Byford abruptly resigned Thursday.

“Andy was instrumental in moving the system forward, enacting the successful Subway Action Plan and securing record capital funding with the governor and the Legislature, and we wish him well in his next chapter,” said MTA Chairman & CEO

Pat Foye.

Byford took the job in 2018 at a particularly fraught time for the agency and city public transit. He hit the ground running, unveiling his Fast Forward plan to revolutionize every major aspect of the MTA and its services, from subways to buses to accessibility to corporate culture, in the first few weeks at the helm. The 75-page blueprint focused on four major priorities: transforming the subway, reimagining the city’s public bus network, improving accessibility for all modes, and engaging and empowering NYC Transit’s workforce to deliver the best service possible.

“Subway and bus riders are grateful to Andy Byford for his historic service at New York City Transit. In two years, Andy made subways faster and more reliable, he tackled longstanding challenges to improving bus service, and he crafted the first plan in a generation that would truly modernize the transit system,” said Riders Alliance Executive Director John Raskin. “No matter who runs the transit system day-today, ultimately Gov. Cuomo is in charge of the MTA, and riders will be holding the governor accountable for the quality of our transit service. With whatever management team he puts in place, the governor is on the hook for making subways faster and more reliable, rescuing buses from years of decline, and delivering on a $51 billion capital program to fix public transit for the long term.”

State Comptroller Blasts DHS for Subway Homeless Outreach ‘Failure’

By Michael V. Cusenza Despite throwing tens of millions of dollars at the pervasive problem, the homeless situation in city subways has grown significantly worse on the watch of the Department of Homeless Services, in part because the agency has neglected to monitor a non-profit group that has repeatedly failed to conduct the very outreach it was hired for, according to a recently released audit by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

Many of MTA New York City Transit’s 472 subway stations are open 24 hours a day/seven days a week, and as such have increasingly become a place of refuge for the homeless—and a growing concern for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. In 2013, the MTA entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with DHS to provide homeless outreach and placement services. In turn, DHS contracted with Bowery Residents’ Committee, a non-profit provider of homeless housing and services, to perform these services, Di Napoli noted.

Department of Homeless Services’ threeyear contract, effective June 2014 through June 2017, required BRC to reduce the homeless population residing in subways by two-thirds of the 2013 NYC homeless census count (to 626 from 1,841). In July 2017, DHS extended

that BRC is placing homeless into shelters as it claims it does. BRC said it placed 600 clients into shelters since 2016, but auditors determined the organization’s claims were not reliable. Auditors looked at 50 supposed placements and found 20 of them (40 percent) were either not placed in the reported shelter or were not placed on the date reported.

Additionally, State auditors made 12 station visits (seven announced and five unannounced) and found BRC outreach “fell short.”

They were not providing services to the extent possible and in some cases offered no services at all. During four of the five unannounced visits outreach workers were scheduled to visit a station but never showed up. For example, on May 9, 2019, at the Sutphin Boulevard E/J/Z Photo Courtesy of Comptroller DiNapoli’s Office station: No outreach workers were seen at this “Homeless outreach in the subway has been so shoddy and with so little oversight from DHS and MTA, that it “high risk” station despite a scheduled visit, acshould be no surprise the homeless population in the subways has grown,” State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said. cording to the comptroller’s analysis. Auditors the contract for another three years, to 2020. tham subway system below the 2013 levels observed seven homeless individuals, includAt a cost of about $6 million annually, funded (the homeless census count at the 2017 con- ing one who was disabled, one who was createqually each year by both DHS and the MTA, tract milestone was 1,812—a decrease of only ing disturbances with riders, and one who was the contract is valued at about $36 million for 29 from the 2013 count of 1,841 and short sleeping on the floor creating a hazard for foot homeless outreach. of the two-thirds reduction requirement; traffic.

Key findings of the audit, which covered the 2019 homeless census puts the count at “Homeless outreach in the subway has the period of Jan. 1, 2015 through June 6, 2,178—an 18-percent increase since 2013, ac- been so shoddy and with so little oversight 2019, include: cording to DiNapoli’s analysis. from DHS and MTA, that it should be no surBRC’s outreach has failed to reduce the The State comptroller noted that his au- prise the homeless population in the subways homeless population residing within the Go- ditors found the MTA and DHS cannot trust has grown,” DiNapoli said.

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City Housing Plan not Affordable: Analysis

Photo Courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

“New York City is battling a full-blown affordability crisis, and the time for half-measures is long-past,” Comptroller Stringer said Thursday.

By Michael V. Cusenza The affordable residences created by the City’s Housing New York plan are too expensive for at least 435,000 of NYC’s lowest-income households, according to an analysis released Thursday by City Comptroller Scott Stringer.

The report also details that just onethird of the newly-constructed housing units through the end of Fiscal Year 2019 were within the reach of extremely low and very low- income households (defined as households making 30 percent and 50 percent respectively of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-defined Area Median Income, or $28,830 and $48,050 respectively for a family of three).

Stringer’s analysis also found: Nearly 565,000 New York households pay over half of their income for rent, are severely overcrowded, or have been in homeless shelter for over a year.

Sixty-five percent of extremely lowincome households are severely rent burdened (i.e., pay more than half their monthly income toward rent) and nearly one-third of very low-income households are severely rent burdened.

While housing production through Housing New York in FY 2019 provided more units for extremely and very low-income households than in previous years, overall, production remains skewed toward low-income households making $76,880 for a family of three, while housing for very low-income and extremely low-income households was achieved primarily through preservation.

With homelessness in the five boroughs increasing, Stringer called on the City to direct all housing capital investment to benefit the households most affected by the crisis of housing afford-

ability.

“We cannot call a housing plan ‘affordable’ when it ignores 435,000 New Yorkers who are just a paycheck away from losing their homes,” Stringer said. “We cannot call the City’s plan a ‘housing’ plan when it leaves behind homeless and unsheltered New Yorkers. New York City is battling a fullblown affordability crisis, and the time for half-measures is long-past. We must create housing that actually meets families where they are—housing that is truly affordable and refocuses City resources where our affordability crisis is most acute. The price of entry to New York City cannot be a million-dollar condo.”

In 2014, barely four months into his first term as mayor, Bill de Blasio unveiled Housing New York—a five-borough, 10-year plan with a $41 billion price tag. The 200,000-unit initiative outlined more than 50 programs that that the administration said will accelerate affordable construction, protect tenants and deliver more value from affordable housing investments, including: Implementing mandatory inclusionary zoning; increasing the number of homes for the lowest income New Yorkers; launching a new affordable housing program for middle-income New Yorkers; doubling the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s capital funding for affordable housing; spurring development of small, vacant sites; stemming the tide of rent deregulation and protecting tenants; and expanding affordable and supportive housing for seniors.

And in 2017, de Blasio released “Housing New York 2.0,” laying out new tools and programs to build and preserve affordable homes for 300,000 Gotham families by 2026.

10 JANUARY 30, 2020 • Number 5 • VOL. 20 • THE FORUM NEWSGROUP

The Pharmacist’s Corner Presented by Frank Pantina, R.Ph

YOU CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW: THE ABC’S OF GLAUCOMA All of us are familiar with the various health awareness campaigns that occur each month.

January has several and one we’d like to talk with you about is National Glaucoma Awareness.

Glaucoma is an eye disease that can damage the optic nerve. It is the optic nerve that supplies visual information from your brain directly to your eyes.

The most common form of this disease is primary open-angle glaucoma, which is especially dangerous because it has no symptoms except gradual vision loss. For this reason it is imperative that you do yearly comprehensive eye exams so that vision changes can be detected and monitored.

Acute-angle closure glaucoma, is a medical emergency. If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately: Severe eye pain accompanied by nausea, vomiting, redness in the eye, sudden vision disturbances including blurred vision, and or seeing colored rings around lights.

Glaucoma can be caused by fluid build-up in the channels of your iris or cornea. Normally,

a clear fluid, known as aqueous humor, passes through these channels and fills the front part of the eye. If however, there is a blockage or partial obstruction, the pressure in your eye may increase. This can lead to damage of the optic nerve and loss of sight.

While glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, no one knows what causes the increase of pressure (IOP) in the eyes. IOP can be caused by dilating eye drops, medications like corticosteroids, high blood pressure or reduced blood flow to the optic nerve. People 60 and over are at increased risk and for African-Americans the risk grows after 40. Patients with diabetes and high blood pressure and heart disease also have an increased risk of developing glaucoma.

Your pharmacist can be an effective partner in the treatment of glaucoma by monitoring adherence, counseling patients on the proper use of eyedrops, and recommending preservativefree or combination products when problems arise. Take advantage of our knowledge and willingness to help!

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Pol Seeks ‘Women of Distinction’ Noms

Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (center; D-Howard Beach) on Tuesday announced the opening of nominations for her 2020 Women of Distinction Awards “to recognize the incredible women who are going above and beyond to strengthen South Queens and create a brighter future for all.”

Awards will be given for work in various fields, including health care, business, volunteer work, humanitarian work, education, and military service. Winners will be honored at an awards ceremony in March, details to be determined.

“This March, let’s not only celebrate Women’s History Month by honoring the women of the past who broke down barriers, but also recognize women of today who are inspiring others and working hard to put our community on a better path,” Pheffer Amato said.

Nominations for the 2020 Women of Distinction Awards must be submitted by close of business on Friday, Feb. 28, to her Rockaway District Office (95-16 Rockaway Beach Blvd.), via email (amatos@nyassembly.gov), or fax (718) 945-9549.

Contact Pheffer Amato’s district office for a nomination form, or you can find them on her website: assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Stacey-Pheffer-Amato.

File Photo

“Never Allow Such Hatred to Rise Again”: Cuomo Helps Commemorate 75th Anniversary of Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau

By Michael V. Cusenza

Governor Andrew Cuomo joined world leaders in Poland on Monday to help commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.

He was the only U.S. elected official to attend the remembrance ceremonies.

Cuomo toured Auschwitz-Birkenau and saw the camp’s barracks. He laid stones from the State Capitol in Albany on the track trains tracks leading into Auschwitz—a symbol of the State’s pledge to never forget the atrocities of the Holocaust, the governor said.

According to the administration, the mementos and tokens from Auschwitz survivors and from State elected officials and Jewish community leaders that were brought on the trip were given to the Izaak Synagogue in Kraków.

In Poland, Cuomo also met with Holocaust survivors and their descendants from New York and all over the world. During this experience, Cuomo said, he “recommitted” to fighting anti-Semitism in all its forms with actions that include passing a first-in-the-nation domestic terrorism law, enacting a diversity curriculum for schools, and expanding the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

On Sunday, International Holocaust Re-

Photo Courtesy of the Office of the Governor

“Every single New Yorker must learn the lesson of Auschwitz, so that we never allow such hatred to rise again,” Gov. Cuomo said on Monday in Poland.

membrance Day, Cuomo announced an international conference will be held this May in New York that will build on the work the State has done to help recover property stolen in the course of Nazi prosecution. The colloquium, hosted by the Department of Financial Services’ Holocaust Claims Processing Office, will be

aimed at improving the State’s ability to help recover works of art and other property lost due to Nazi persecution and will include presentations and panel-led discussions between claimant representatives, attorneys, members of the art trade, professionals from cultural institutions, provenance researchers, historians and

art historians, Cuomo noted. The conference will coincide with the 75th anniversary of V-E Day, May 7-8, 2020, and be held in NYC. Since its inception, HCPO has facilitated the restitution of over $178 million in bank accounts, insurance policies, and other material losses and the resolution of cases involving more than 160 works of art.

“Words alone fail to describe the experience of visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau and being there together with Holocaust survivors. Auschwitz was an unimaginable hell come to life, and it is now a symbol of what the Jewish people have endured and what this world allowed to transpire,” Cuomo said. “During this visit I met survivors and heard their stories of pain and suffering. I stood on the ground where millions of Jews and countless others were tortured and killed. But I also learned of the hope and resilience of the Jewish people. Every single New Yorker must learn the lesson of Auschwitz, so that we never allow such hatred to rise again.

New York will be the state that continues to tell these stories to ensure this horrific stain on our history is never repeated. Particularly at a time of rising anti-Semitism, we must stand strong and united and fight hatred in all its forms. We will always stand united with our Jewish community, and we will never allow the world to fail the Jewish community again.”

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THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • VOL. 20 • Number 5 • JANUARY 30, 2020 | 11

Man Gets 6 Years for Fatal Crash

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The accident took place at the intersection of Guy R. Brewer Boulevard and Archer Avenue. Photo Courtesy of Google

By Forum Staff A 21-year-old Queens man has been sentenced to prison for 2 to 6 years after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the second degree for the May 2018 auto crash that killed a woman and injured 2 others in a Lyft share-ride vehicle at the intersection of Archer Avenue and Guy R. Brewer Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said, “This was a horrible collision thatcould have easily been prevented. The defendant in this case exceeded the speedlimit and then continued through a solid red light. The car slammed into anothervehicle - killing the passenger in that car and injuring the driver and anotherpassenger.”

The defendant was identified as Alfaheed Odesanya, 21, of 101st Avenue in Ozone Park, Queens. Odesanya pleaded guilty in December 2019 before Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise, who yesterday imposed a sentence of 2 to 6 years in prison.

According to the charges, at approximately 11:05 p.m. on May 24, 2018, defendant Odesanya was operating a 2018 white Mercedes Benz northbound on Guy

R. Brewer Boulevard going toward Archer Avenue at a high rate of speed when he drove through a steady red light and struck the passenger side of a 2015 Hyundai that was traveling eastbound on Archer Avenue.

Odesanya left the scene of the incident without reporting the crash that led to another person’s death.

Gabriella Deen, 19, of Springfield Gardens, the rear passenger of the Hyundai, suffered head trauma as a result of the collision and was later pronounced dead at a local Queens hospital. The second passenger of the Hyundai was also taken to a nearby Queens hospital with possible spinal fractures. The driver of the Hyundai was treated for neck and back injuries. After the collision, Odesanya - driver of the Mercedes - exited the vehicle, fled the scene and was apprehended shortly thereafter.

District Attorney Katz said that according to the complaint, at the time of arrest, the defendant admitted that he “was driving between 55 and 60 mph” that he “saw the light was yellow and then turned red and continued driving through the intersection.”

The defendant stated in sum and substance that he “was scared and didn’t know what to do, so I took off running.”

Far Rock Creep Convicted

By Forum Staff Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has announced the conviction at trial of a 40-year-old Far Rockaway man for sexual conduct against a child. DA Katz authored a law, when she was a state Assemblywoman in 1996, to ensure that pedophiles were held accountable for their crimes.

Joseph Petty, 40, of Beach 20th Street moved into his girlfriend’s home and soon afterwards began to go into the child’s room at night. The sexual contact occurred

between October 2014 through January 2015.

“The defendant on multiple occasions violated this little girl, who was just 10 years old at the time,” District Attorney Katz said.

“A jury weighed all the evidence presented at trial and found the defendant guilty.”

This past Wednesday, following a nearly 2-week-long trial, a jury found the defendant guilty of course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree.

Acting Queens Supreme Court Justice Gia Morris, who presided at trial, set sentencing for February 11, 2020. At that time, Petty faces up to 25 years in prison.

Trial testimony revealed that, in August 2014, Petty moved into his girlfriend’s apartment in Jamaica, Queens. Starting in October of that year, hr started sneaking into his girlfriend’s daughter’s bedroom at night. On various occasions for more than 3 months, Petty touched the youngster’s genitals and her chest area with both his hands and at times his mouth. The defendant also had sexual contact with the girl.

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia/Chris Potter

12 JANUARY 30, 2020 • Number 5 • VOL. 20 • THE FORUM NEWSGROUP

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THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • VOL. 20 • Number 5 • JANUARY 30, 2020 | 13

Legal Notices Notice of Formation: HAN QYNM LLC, Art. Of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/06/2019. Office Loc: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 3907 Prince Street #4C, Flushing, NY 11354 Purpose: Any lawful activity.

MAO AUTO TECH LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/20/19. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 3458 90th Street,Apartment 3K, Jackson Heights, NY 11372. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

LIC 11TH STREET HOSPITALITY LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 1/23/14. Office in Queens Co. SSNY design.

Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Hiu Ian Cheng C/O 105 West 27th St New York NY 10001. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of formation of THE APPEAL TO SAFETY LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 12/30/2019. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to THE APPEAL TO SAFETY LLC, 203 BEACH 96TH STREET, ROCKAWAY PARK, NY 11693. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

TH NYC RESTAURANT 2 LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 8/19/19. Office in Queens Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 30-45 32nd St Apt 1B Astoria, NY 11102. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

ONE SOURCE MEDICAL DEVICE REPAIR LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/12/2019. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: ADNAN BARAKOVIC, 28-23 42ND STREET, APT BSMT, ASTORIA, NY 11103.

Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Notice of Formation of TYMJ LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/02/20. Office location: Queens County.

Princ. office of LLC: 22-18 Jackson Ave., #36, Long Island City, NY 11101. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

FRESH POND ROAD REAL ESTATE, LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/30/2019.

Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 68-53 Fresh Pond Road, Ridgewood, NY 11385. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

DISCOVER PHYSICAL THERAPY & ACU­ PUNCTURE PLLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/08/19. Office: Queens County.

SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 13668 ROOSEVELT AVE, STE, 4D, FLUSHING, NY 11354. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

ABIKARAM LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 12/13/2019. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to CHRIST ABIKARAM, 45-14 243RD STREET, DOUGLASTON, NY 11362. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

RAYAN PROPERTIES LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 01/08/2020. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Zakaria Dihyem, 142-21 120th Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11436. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

DOLLARSMART TRADE CO. LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 01/16/2020.

Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to DOLLARSMART TRADE CO. LLC, 9475 63RD DR, APT 5E, REGO PARK, NY 11374. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of formation of DIVINE MEDICAL LLC. Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 11/18/2019. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to C/O AMERICAN INCORPORATORS LTD., 1013 CENTER ROAD, SUITE 403-A, WIMINGTON, DE 19805. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

FULFILL YOUR PROJECT LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 10/01/2019.

Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to PETER JOHNSON, 168-10 127TH AVENUE, APT 2G, JAMAICA, NY 11434. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

MOOVES, LLC Art. Of Org. Filed Sec. of State of NY 09/19/19. Off. Loc.: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served & shall mail proc.: c/o Musho Kolenovic, 26-14 Jackson Avenue, Unit #2A, Long Island City, NY 11101. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of FG-PH Courtlandt Manor Views LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/8/20. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o FG-PH Development, Inc., 54-42 46th St, Flushing, NY 11378. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of DMB CAPITAL INVESTING LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/1/19. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to:DMB CAPITAL INVESTING LLC 233-04 129TH AVENUE, QUEENS, NY 11422 . Purpose: any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: AGRIM PEST SOLUTIONS, LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/03/14. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to:the LLC, 2116 80th Street, East Elmhurst, NY 11370. . Purpose: any lawful purpose.

14 JANUARY 30, 2020 • Number 5 • VOL. 20 • THE FORUM NEWSGROUP

Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County, on the 23rd day of JANUARY, 2020, bearing Index No. 00132319/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, New York, 11435, grants me the right to assume the name of (first) BETZAIDA (last) ROSARIO. My present name is BEZAIDA ROSARIO aka BETZAIDA ROSARIOLARGAESPADA aka BETZAIDA ROSARIO aka BETZAIDA LARGAESPADA. My city and state of my present address is SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY. The month and year of my birth are NOVEMBER 1968. The place of my birth is BROOKLYN, NY.

Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County, on the 12th day of DECEMBER, 2019, bearing Index No. 001204-19/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 8917 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, New York, 11435, grants me the right to assume the name of (first) ROWSHANARA (last) BEGUM. My present name is ROWSHANARA AHMED aka ROWSHANARABEGUM aka FNU GAGANPREET SINGH. My city and state of my present address is OZONE PARK, NY. The month and year of my birth are DECEMBER 1963. The place of my birth is BANGLADESH.

Notice of Formation of WEDDINGS BY DESIGN LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/17/20. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: 155-05 Cohancy St., Howard Beach, NY 11414. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Emily Blasi at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County, on the 26th day of NOVEMBER, 2019, bearing Index No. 001204-19/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, New York, 11435, grants me the right to assume the name of (first) RITA (last) SINGH. My present name is BHOJWATTIE SINGH aka BHOJWATTIE NANDLALL. My city and state of my present address is HOWARD BEACH, NY. The month and year of my birth are JANUARY 1967. The place of my birth is GUYANA.

Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County, on the 17th day of JANUARY, 2020, bearing Index No. 001323-19/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, New York, 11435, grants me the right to assume the name of (first) YUK YIN (last) LEE-LY. My present name is YUK YIN LEE aka YUK YIN LEE LY aka YUK YIN LEE-LY aka YUK YIN LY. My city and state of my present address is OZONE PARK, NY. The month and year of my birth are AUGUST 1970.

The place of my birth is HONG KONG. FOR THE BEST CLASSIFIED AND LEGAL NOTICE SERVICE & PRICECALL THE FORUM 718-845-3221

Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County, on the 19th day of DECEMBER, 2019, bearing Index No. 001204-19/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, New York, 11435, grants me the right to assume the name of (first) GAGANPREET (last) SINGH. My present name is GAGANPREET SINGH aka FNU GAGANPREET SINGH. My city and state of my present address is SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY. The month and year of my birth are MARCH 1997. The place of my birth is INDIA.

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THEâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;FORUMâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;NEWSGROUP â&#x20AC;¢ VOL. 20 â&#x20AC;¢ Number 5 â&#x20AC;¢ JANUARY 30, 2020 | 15

We gladly accept phone orders!

718-835-4900

Sale Dates

Fri.

Sat.

Sun.

Mon.

Tues

Jan

Feb

Feb

Feb

Feb

31 01 02 03 04

Wed

Thurs.

Feb

Jan

05 06

SLICED TO ORDER

Boar's Head Deluxe Ham

7

$ 99

Per LB

SLICED TO ORDER

Boar's Head American Cheese Yellow or White

4

$ 99

Per LB

USDA GOV’T INSPECTED

Boneless Chicken Breast Family Pack

1

$ 99

Per LB

STORE PREPARED

FARM FRESH

Chicken Wings Mozzarella Sticks or Mini Asiago Rice Balls

5

Hass Avocados or Fresh Cilantro

54

$ 99

¢

Per LB

LB

each

Poland Spring Water

Teresa's Italian Sausages

3/ 10

$ 99

24 pack

$

**Plus tax and deposit W/card Must Buy 3.

Limit 2 offers

Red, Yellow and Green Peppers

$ 49

16 JANUARY 30, 2020 • Number 5 • VOL. 20 • THE FORUM NEWSGROUP

2

Per LB

ASSORTED

JUST PICKED

1

Family Pack 3 lbs or more

Per LB

Corona Beer 12 pk-12 oz 144 FL. OZ

$

15

99