COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE FOCUSES ON FORDHAM HILL VOTING DURING ELECTION SEASON
By Rachel MillerBradshaw
I
n New York City there are many legislative positions that are open for incumbency this election season. All voters in the city will be going to the polls to elect a new Mayor, City Comptroller, and Public Advocate. On a borough level, residents in the Bronx will be choosing a new Borough President and Civil Court Judges. Residents in District 14 will also decide a new City Council member. With so many candidates vying for these local positions, it can become overwhelming to research candidates and differentiate between them.
Spanning across EDs 47/78, 48/78, and 49/79, Fordham Hill Owners Corporation boasts over 3200 eligible voters in its 9-building-1118 units, gated Cooperative. As FHOC continues to engage Legislators, and positively influence progress and revitalization in the surrounding community, the Community Engagement Committee (CEC) has committed this season to ensure that Fordham Hill residents hit the polls in June and November. On Tuesday, April 13, the Coop held its first ever-virtual town hall meeting, because of the pandemic, to meet and engage District 14 City Council Candidates. The town hall meeting focused on questions with topics ranging from public safety, campaign financing, Devoe
Park, and the Kingsbridge Armory. The Committee and Board of Directors honored requests to meet the candidates in-person and on June 18, hosted the candidates presenting their platforms and participating in a Q & A session in Building 1 Patio. Part of the responsibilities of the Borough President is to advise the Mayor of New York City, comment on land-use items in their borough, advocate borough needs in the annual municipal budget process, and appoint various officials and Community Board members. The (CEC) is also doing its due diligence in researching
and engaging the candidates. FHOC voting numbers are strong! They average up to 50% according to election day turnout during the 2020 General Election that was held on November 3, 2020. In addition to working with the 52nd Precinct to host the next Build A Block meeting, the focus of the Community Engagement Committee for the upcoming season, will be the continued increase in voting numbers, of residents of Fordham Hill. The committee’s final push with a complex-wide get out and vote memorandum should have ensured FHOC presented strong voting numbers in the June 22 Primary Election that is crucial this election season. Efforts will continue to make sure voting is even stronger in the General Election on November 2nd.
FORDHAM HILL OWNERS CORPORATION NEWSLETTER VOLUME 3, ISSUE 6 — PAGE 16
