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Relief for Low-Income Co-Op Owners: AG James, Mayor Adams, HPD Announce Pilot Program Support

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Relief for Low-Income Co-Op Owners: AG James, Mayor Adams, HPD Announce Pilot Program Support

New York Attorney General Letitia James, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Acting Commissioner Ahmed Tigani announced a new pilot program to support struggling Housing Development Fund Corporation (HDFC) cooperatives in New York City and ensure they can continue to offer safe, affordable homeownership opportunities for low-income New Yorkers.

The pilot program — called the HDFC Cooperative Technical Assistance Program (CTAP) and backed by settlement funds from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) — will provide HDFC co-ops in New York City with targeted technical assistance from the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, Inc. (UHAB) to help improve their financial, operational, and physical health.


“As New York City faces a housing crisis, we must do everything we can to preserve affordable housing and homeownership opportunities,” said Attorney General James. “This pilot program will help HDFC co-ops continue to provide safe, sustainable, and affordable paths to homeownership for low-income New Yorkers. I am grateful to Mayor Adams, HPD, and UHAB for their partnership in bringing this new program to life.”

“Our administration works every day to make New York City the best place to raise a family, including by helping more New Yorkers buy and keep homes here in the five boroughs. With this new program, we’ll double down on those efforts, bolstering a critical part of our city’s housing stock and helping more families find an affordable place to live,” said Mayor Eric Adams.

“Our thanks to Attorney General James for helping launch this program and for her steadfast support for working-class New Yorkers. There is simply no other way to say it: we are the most pro-housing administration in New York City history.”


“A severely aged housing stock, an increasingly complex compliance landscape, skyrocketing insurance and utility costs, and the economic ripple effects of the pandemic on low-income New Yorkers have made the operations of affordable co-ops more and more challenging,” said Margy Brown, Executive Director at UHAB. “UHAB is grateful to see the Attorney General’s and HPD’s generous investment in skilled technical assistance to support HDFCs’ pathway to long term stability.”

HDFC co-ops are a critical part of New York City’s affordable housing landscape and provide one of the most reliable paths to homeownership for low- to moderate-income New Yorkers.
During the two-year program period, HPD will work closely with UHAB to identify a priority list of at-risk HDFC co-ops that would benefit from external support. Together with HPD, UHAB will assess each HDFC HPD and assist approximately 20-30 HDFC co-ops through the pilot program to address various common issues.

Former Our Time Press columnist/essayist Marlon Rice Launches State Senate Campaign … from The Stoop

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Former Our Time Press columnist/essayist Marlon Rice Launches State Senate Campaign … from The Stoop

Last Saturday, September 13, in front of his home in Clinton Hill, Marlon Rice, flanked by family, friends and supporters, announced his candidacy for State Senate, representing the 25th district of Brooklyn.

In addition to giving the campaign launch a modern urban riff on the old “front-porch” launch strategy, Rice announced his run to the beats of Brooklyn deejay, Goldfinger. Plus, he announced the release of his new long-form digital ad, “The Stoop” highlighting his personal biography and professional journey.

Ultimately, Marlon revealed, he is using his own lived experience to drive his platform which revolves around a passion for preserving the legacy of Brooklyn’s middle-class homeowners and “preventing the further erosion of the middle class while maintaining the working-class character of the neighborhood.”

To that point, he says, he is proposing a temporary freeze of property taxes for homeowners who maintain four rental units or fewer. He looked back to a time in Brooklyn “when the steps of the brownstone were the connective tissue for family, neighborhood and community safety” and the entryways to the soul of community and neighborhood.


“There’s been a lot of talk about freezing the rent, and I think that’s great because rent is too damn high,” he said, adding, “But, if we want to maintain a vibrant middle class in this district, we also need to freeze property taxes for homeowners who have four rental units or fewer. There are 8,000 brownstones in this district – that’s 8,000 families – and while some do not subsidize their bills with rental income, many of us do.”

“My stepfather, Kim Reaves-Bey, purchased the house we are standing in front of in 1979. He paid $28,000,” said Marlon. “His mortgage payments were $230.18 a month. He paid off the house in 10 years. In today’s climate, a working middle-class family cannot afford to purchase their first home in this district. A $50,000 salary isn’t working middle-class in this city anymore; it’s poverty.”

Marlon also called for an extension of income-based utility bill caps to relieve financial pressures on middle-class households. “As utility infrastructure ages and demand intensifies, homeowners are facing increases in utility costs that are largely outside their control,” Rice’s press release notes.


Rice shared real lessons gained from his stepfather at the gathering in front of the family property: “He taught me to love this community – to be present, to serve, and to lead. The right person in this senate seat will ensure that our neighborhoods thrive and maintain our historical significance, while also welcoming new homeownership,” he added.

The father of three and grandfather of two, a lifelong resident of Central Brooklyn, Marlon was raised by his mother Debra Reaves-Bey, a paralegal, and his stepfather, the late Reaves-Bey, a 25-year veteran of the New York Police Department and neighborhood leader.

In addition to his many educational and creative endeavors, Rice is the current director of event services for the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, where he brings his passion for community engagement to life through impactful programming.

He founded Good People NYC, an event production company that “thrives at the intersection of culture, community, and connection.” His Reporter’s Notebook was a popular Our Time Press column for several years before his move to Restoration. Rice’s digital ad “The Stoop” highlights Mr. Rice’s professional journey in its look back “to a time in Brooklyn when the steps of the brownstone were the connective tissue for family, neighborhood and District 25 encompasses several central and eastern Brooklyn neighborhoods, including nearly all of Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Ocean Hill, Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Bushwick, Brownsville, and Downtown Brooklyn.
–Bernice Elizabeth Green, Feature Story Curator

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Inaugurated

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Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Inaugurated

By Jeffery Kazembe Batts
IG:@kazbatts


On Tuesday, September 9, Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam. With a combination of $5 billion raised from the Ethiopian people and technical expertise from Webuild, a global infrastructure development firm, the dam is part of Ethiopia’s long-term vision to provide electricity to its people and neighboring nations.

Among the guests attending the ceremony from the region were Somali President Hasan Sheikh, Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit, and Kenyan President William Ruto. Webuild Chief Executive Pietro Salini also attended. With a giant Ethiopian flag in the background, air force planes flew overhead, speakers saluted the accomplishment, and cultural performers entertained as Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed smiled and hugged attendees.


The 170-meter-tall and 1800-meter-wide GERD can generate energy equivalent to three medium-sized nuclear power plants. With its unprecedented engineering complexity, the dam is recognized by many as one of the world’s most advanced infrastructure projects to be completed recently. Since construction began in 2014, GERD has directly improved the quality of life in the surrounding area.

Medical facilities, a school, a bakery, sports facilities, and road infrastructure are now in the area. Over 25,000 people found employment. The skills learned, with the assistance of Webuild, position Ethiopians to lead in future construction projects. The inauguration of GERD has brought pride and hope to the masses of Ethiopians.

“We will have enough power to charge our electric vehicles from the new dam,” said bus driver Belay Tigabu in Addis Ababa. According to the World Bank, although there is a 94% electrification rate in urban areas, 55% of the overall population lacks access to electricity. Most Ethiopians live in the countryside.

During the ceremony, the South Sudanese and Kenyan leaders declared they are ready to import electricity into their countries. Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Motley was the only woman to speak at the ceremony.

She inspired the dignitaries from the podium, saying “The journey of a people who have remained proud throughout history… the people of Ethiopia stood tall and put their money where their mouth is… on behalf of Barbados, the Caribbean Community, the 6th region of the African Union, the diaspora… what is possible if we bound together and create a great pan-African movement… that the language of Marcus Garvey that we must emancipate ourselves from mental slavery… I pray today that when we leave here, we will see the awakening of Africa, the entire continent, and the diaspora.


Possibly playing both sides of the ongoing dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia about the GERD, during his remarks, Somali President Sheikh saluted Ethiopia’s accomplishment by saying, “This is a victory not only for Ethiopia, but for the shared future of the region.” Nonetheless, although most in the region see the inauguration of GERD as part of a pan-African vision, Egypt remains disturbed.

Egypt has recently enhanced its military cooperation with Somalia, claiming that elevating relations between Egypt and Somalia to a strategic partnership is a pivotal step to strengthen the historical and political ties between the two nations. Although the stated intention for the military relationship is to stabilize Somalia, Ethiopia is skeptical about the military relationship. In late August, while lobbying countries in the region, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty “reaffirmed Egypt’s categorical rejection of unilateral measures that violate international law in the Eastern Nile Basin,”.

At the ceremony, in an outreach to Egypt and Sudan, Prime Minister Abiy emphasized, “To our Sudanese and Egyptian brothers, Ethiopia built the dam to prosper, to electrify the entire region, and to change the history of Black people. It is absolutely not to harm its brothers.”

With the emergence of the Alliance of Sahel States, the ongoing horrors in Darfur, Sudan, the instability in Congo, and Trump’s disrespect of South Africa, much is happening in the world’s second-largest continent, Africa. African people and all people of goodwill must be informed and engaged in these happenings. The inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is a milestone and could lead to more integration and development, especially for the Horn of Africa.

Hot Streak Incoming?

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Hot Streak Incoming?

By Eddie Castro

As we go to press, the New York Yankees just completed the gauntlet part of their schedule with match ups that included, the Astros, Tigers, Blue Jays and Red Sox. In those 12 games, the Yankees went a combined 7-5, which Yankee fans can consider a win-win when you take into account that those four teams would be playoff teams in the American League if the season ended today.

The Yankees had some timely hitting in those series and most importantly the team captain Aaron Judge had an impressive showing during that 12-game stretch in which he hit 5 home runs.

He was the player of the week in the American League. With their impressive play, included taking two out of three games against the rival Red Sox, the team has just a one game lead for the top spot in the AL Wild Card standings.

The Yankees are still in the hunt for the AL East crown but with some recent loses and wins by the division leading Blue Jays, the division appears to be a forgone conclusion with the Yankees now five games behind (six with the Blue Jays owning the season series against the Yankees).

After a dreadful summer stretch, the team has played better of late. The Yankees are 21-11 in their last 32 games thanks in large part to not only the lineup’s ability to hit home runs, but the efficiency of the starting rotation lead by Max Fried and Carlos Rodon. Although the Yankees are in good shape to clinch another postseason berth, the question still remains just what version of the Yankees we will see come October


The Yankees schedule (on paper) is an easy one. Tonight, they will finish up a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins. This will follow up with four more games at Baltimore, a team that has played better recently, and then returning to the Bronx to play the Chicago White Sox for three and another three-game set to finish up the campaign against the Orioles.

This season has given Yankees fans both highs and lows. The offense is obviously the team’s strong point. However, there are teams where the lineup can look unstoppable and then have 10-game stretches of several players in hitting slumps at the same time.

The Achilles Heel for the team when they are off has been the situational hitting and the defensive lapses of defense and a bullpen which Aaron Boone is still trying to sort out just who to place where in the later innings as the consistent bridge to get to closer David Bednar. It is important for the Yankees to finish the season hot.

The most important thing for the team is to have Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton right for the postseason as the two could very well be the talk of October if they are able to catch fire. These next two weeks will hopefully answer just what version of the Yankees we will see as we approach playoff baseball.


Sports Notes: (Basketball) As we go to press, the New York Liberty currently holds a 1-0 series lead against the Phoenix Mercury in the first round of the playoffs. (Football) Both the Jets and Giants will look to pick up their first wins of the season. The Jets will play their first road game of the season as they prepare themselves to go head-to-head with Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Giants will play the Kansas City Chiefs in their home opener on Sunday Night Football. Tune in to an All-New episode of Sports Talk With Eddie presented by Our Time Press live tonight at 5pm on the Our Time Press. You Tube channel. Call-ins are available.

Kitchen Table Concerns Drive Democrats in 2025

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Kitchen Table Concerns Drive Democrats in 2025

View From Here
Local Brooklyn-born political leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Attorney General Letitia James are ahead of the pack. They are speaking to kitchen table concerns of their base. And with inflation, rising prices, critical concerns about losing health care and food benefits, and
Hakeem Jeffries, (D-NY-8) House Democratic Caucus Leader, has put together an A-Team of committee members with Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23), Eric Swalwell, (D-CA-14), Jaime Raskin (D-MD-8) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30). And he also has an A-Team of community leaders on the ground working hard, the American Way. He is not out of touch.


Same for Attorney General James. Her recent work on behalf of the underserved … all underserved, is not going unnoticed.
While defending the indefensible, the Republicans are giving the Democrats a platform for their top communicators to remind the country about the kind of people Trump pardoned and is considering worthy of reparations.

And along with Trump supporters, Mamdani’s message is something Democratic leaders should listen to, as well. – OTP

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