HRA Commissioner Banks’ letter to Mayor ignores Freedom House in Fair Share analysis, N90s RESPONDS

May 12, 2016

We are a little baffled. In a letter to Mayor de Blasio, dated March 14, 2016, it appears that Human Resources Administration Commissioner Steven Banks has  outright ignored the Freedom House homeless shelter, as well as the area’s multitude of other homeless and related facilities, in his  fair share analysis for the new homeless veterans’ facility on West 95th street. That’s right, he seems to have forgotten his department’s very own Freedom House, the facility directly NEXT DOOR to the veterans’ facility.  Please see Commissioner Banks’ letter to the Mayor, as well as our response, below.

 

 Text of HRA Commissioner Steven Bank’s Letter to Mayor de Blasio:

 

CLICK HERE to see PDF of original letter

March 14, 2016

Steven Banks
Commissioner

Re: Article 9, 95th Street Residence at 330 West 95th Street, NY, New York 10025

Dear Mayor de Blasio:

The Human Resources Administration (HRA) proposes to contract with Bailey House and the Harlem United Community AIDS Center, Inc. (“Harlem United”) to operate 173 units of affordable permanent housing and social services for formerly homeless veterans who are referred by the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) for housing (one veteran per unit). Bailey House will provide services for 80 veterans and Harlem United will provide services for 93 veterans. Harlem United will also provide property management services. The facility is located at 330 West 95th Street on the south side of West 95th Street between Riverside Drive and West End Avenue in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan Community District (CD) 7 (see attached Fair Share map with starred location). This building contains a total of 220 units, of which 47 units are currently occupied by existing rent-regulated tenants. HRA clients are expected to move in during the month of March 2016. Read more »

Call for Community Policing; VOTE to help rehabilitate Joan of Ark park; West 90s highlighted in new book

March 29, 2016

 Crime Spree Begs Issue: We Need More Cops

West 90s Community Concerned About Police Response To Stabbings

Two weeks ago, the audience at a Neighborhood In The Nineties Public Safety Town Hall made a barely audible gasp when they learned that the highly touted addition of 1,000 new NYPD cops netted our 24th Precinct just one more police officer. NYPD staffing levels citywide have been cut by 8,000 cops, approximately.

The reduction in staffing levels at the 24th Precinct to just over 100 is worrisome. It leaves the neighborhood especially vulnerable after midnight. The latest stabbing this past Saturday, after midnight, underscores our neighborhood’s concerns.

Neighborhood In The Nineties supports the return of community policing, a policy that is being considered. It was popular 20 years ago. It is one crime fighting strategy that addresses the need to put more police boots on the ground. It will make the Upper West Side safer, as well as other parts of the City that are dealing with an epidemic in stabbings and brazen, violent street crime.

We have included URLs from recent stories: Read more »

Attend a Public Safety Forum on March 10 @ 6:30 PM; Update on Homeless Vets & M5 Bus Route

March 7, 2016

Plans for Housing Homeless Vets In Former 95th Street Shelter Crawl

In December, the neighborhood was called into a public meeting with only two days’ notice to inform us that the City’s Human Resources Administration (HRA), in cooperation with various City agencies and outside vendors planned to make 330 West  95th Street into a facility for homeless veterans with low-level PTSD who would be carefully screened.

HRA informed the community that the veterans’ facility would open in less than two weeks, guaranteeing that the veterans would be living there by Christmas. Three months later, nothing has happened.

The City has not reached terms with the building owner. HRA Commissioner Banks was quoted in the media giving a new move-in date, March.  Without reaching a contract with the owner, that seems unlikely.  The City has an agreement with the Community Board to hold another public meeting with the community when their plans come together. Neighborhood In The Nineties will post notice of that meeting so all concerned stakeholders can have their input.

 What Can We Do As A Community To Protect Ourselves & Our Families?

Join Us March 10th, 6:30 PM at PS 75, 95th Street and West End Avenue for our Police Night – Public Safety Forum. Meet the men and women of New York’s finest. We can learn more about how they are protecting us.  They can learn more from us about our concerns on crime, public safety, quality of life and anti-terrorism. Read more »


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