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Shop-And-Frisk Prompts State Legislation

Mary Alice Miller
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By Mary Alice Miller

A middle-aged foster mom is the latest victim of the city’s retail shop-and-frisk policy. While shopping in Macy’s in the Bronx the woman was detained as she made a phone call at the entrance of the store. She was apprehended by on-site personnel, dragged down to the holding cell, kept there for several hours and was told that she had to sign a confession  even though she was not charged with any offense. She only signed the confession because she needed to get home to foster children she takes care of  and she was told the only way she would be allowed to leave was to sign it.

“This incident points to policies that are ambiguous and uncertain as to what relationship the NYPD and its personnel – on duty or off-duty, or part of the Off-Duty Personnel Unit – and what procedures are in place by for-profit institutions and the NYPD,” said Assemblyman Walter Mosley. “We are very disturbed by this policy and very concerned about its far-reaching ramifications. This policy of shop-and-frisk can have far damaging impacts not only on the persons themselves but on that persons families who rely upon them to support their families and take care of them.”

Mosley explained, “We understand the importance of addressing the intersectionality of race and class as it relates to community policing and the effects of that public policy.” But, he added, “Public safety should never come at the expense of personal liberty, whether it is our personal liberties or as taxpayers what our taxes are being spent on.”

Assemblyman Mosley recently announced the Retail Anti-Profiling Act, which would require transparency on additional policing provided to private businesses by the New York City Police Department  – such as the NYPD’s role in potential racial profiling at Barneys and Macy’s – and end the 1994 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) under which the New York City Housing Authority is charged for “additional policing services.” Daniel Squadron is the bill’s co-sponsor in the Senate.

The Retail Anti-Profiling Act would require transparency on “additional policing” provided to private businesses by the NYPD. The bill would require that the city provide information on all agreements to provide additional policing – including the Paid Detail Unit, an NYPD division that provides off-duty police personnel in uniform to private companies for an hourly fee. The city would be required to annually report what these services cost the NYPD and the recipients, the services provided and the policies for off-duty personnel in uniform providing additional police services (e.g., on the use of racial profiling).

The bill would also end the 1994 Memorandum of Understanding, under which NYCHA is charged over $70 million a year for “additional police services”. “Public housing residents should not have to essentially pay double for policing,” said Mosley, “while Barneys and Macy’s apparently has additional NYPD personnel in their stores under ambiguous, nontransparent policies.”

From Mosley’s point of view, “Right now the city is in the dark, and that includes legislators on the municipal and state level as it relates to what services are being provided and the policies for off-duty personnel in uniform. We believe it would only be appropriate  that the necessary transparency is presented to the city that would require an annual report to the municipal government of the City of New York as to what services are being provided on a citywide basis and what the fiscal implications are to the NYPD and the people who pay their salaries – the taxpayers of the city of New York.”

This bill would apply to all cities of 1 million or more – 5 cities in New York State. “In reality, we know that it would be more relevant to the city of New York. The bill would also make New York City responsible to make the information available to any city or state agency that needs to have the information.

The 1994 Memorandum of Understanding was generated by NYCHA and the City of  New York to charge NYCHA residents $70 million per year for police services. The state has the authority to review the MOU because the state provides funding to any agency under the auspices of New York State, whether it is located in the cities of New York, Rochester, Syracuse or Albany.

“We believe (on its face) this is a bill that doesn’t require a heavy lift. We do believe that if we speak to our members of the Assembly they will pass this bill. We also believe the Senate will look at it from a fiscal policy initiative that if we are talking about a MOU in which NYCHA is charged $70 million and at the same time  NYCHA faces a $61 million annual operating deficit, yet it maintains the exorbitant $70 million MOU,” Mosley said. “If it makes dollars, it should make sense.”

In addition, “No one is saying these stores are going to leave the city because this is where their customers are. That argument does not play in this case. We know these multibillion-dollar companies pay zero while we have people living in public housing who are being charged millions,” said Mosley. “To me, it’s a no-brainer. We should be using these relationships and obligations to pay for the operating expenses of NYCHA, and not being done on the backs of the working men and women of the city of New York.”

This bill will be introduced and assigned to committees at the beginning of the next legislative session in January. Mosley recommends concerned citizens call their legislators (particularly the legislators who chair the committees so that the bill will get through committee) and the respective conference leaders to make  sure the bill gets to the floor for vote in both the Assembly and Senate so that it can go to the governor’s desk.

“This issue is something that needs to be exposed and flushed out so that we can have policy that is fair, just and equitable,” Mosley said, “and not shrouded in secrecy and ambiguity.”

Fed Sequester On Subsidized Housing Affecting Thousands Of City Residents

Stephen Witt
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City tells families in Section 8 program to downsize apartments or pay more rent

By Stephen Witt

The sequester in Washington has forced the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to adopt new regulations on residents living in Section 8 subsidized housing to downsize to smaller apartments or risk paying more money.

Section 8 vouchers is a federal program administered by HPD, in which low-income residents pay a third of their income for rent and the rest of the money is paid by the program.

Among those facing downsizing are seniors living alone who must move from a one-bedroom to a studio, single parents with one child from a two-bedroom to a one-bedroom, and parents with two children from a three-bedroom to a two-bedroom apartment.

HPD’s Section 8 program is the fifth-largest in the United States and administers roughly 33,000 Section 8 vouchers in all five boroughs. Over 9,000 landlords currently participate in the program.

According to an HPD source, the federal sequester slashed HPD’s Section 8 budget by about $35 million this year. Even after spending down all of the agencies existing Section 8 reserves to try and offset the effects, HPD will still have a significant deficit for this calendar year.

The agency projects the federal government to cut about $40 million for 2014 and for every subsequent year if Congress does not end the sequester.

The initial $35 million cut for 2013 equates to roughly 2,900 voucher-holding families, but will not affect any of them this year as HPD spends down its reserves.

However, HPD expressed grave concerns about 2014 and beyond after the reserves are spent. If the sequestration continues unabated by Congress, the loss of funding for HPD will equal about 3,300 households annually that will not be able to get Section 8.

So the HPD source said to stretch the Section 8 budget going forward and not be forced to rescind vouchers from about 2,900 families this year, and 3,300 families going forward they have adopted the new regulations.

“These measures of asking people to relocate to smaller apartments with less expensive rent, or if they choose to stay in the larger apartment to pay more rent, are part of the steps we are taking to reduce the risk of terminating vouchers currently received by these families,” said an HPD spokesperson in an e-mail. “Terminating vouchers is the last thing we want to do and we are resolute in trying to avoid that.”

In the face of the new regulations, some seniors, disabled and low-income tenants participating in the Section 8 program formed the Housing  Coalition Against Downsizing (H-CAD), which charges HPD can utilize other ways to close the federal shortfall instead of focusing on downsizing the old, ill and vulnerable.

 

Biking Brooklyn, An Interview With Velo City

Editor, Our Time Press
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By Morgan Powell

Velo City is an organization based in Brooklyn that was founded by three young women of color in 2010.  These urban planners and a landscape architect aim to increase diversity in allied professions and their own.  With the philosophy: Explore, Empower, Envision, they are active with a number of Brooklyn high schools, the YMCA, NYC Departments of  Health and Transportation, and Recycle-A-Bicycle.  We were privileged to interview one of their principals, landscape architect and urban planner Karyn Williams on the phone.  She discussed their origins and past programs while previewing possible new directions for her group.

Morgan Powell: I was very impressed by your group’s working studio at the former DeKalb Market by Long Island University.  Seeing Velo City in action made me think, “Where did you come from?”

Karyn Williams: The idea for Velo City came to us in the summer of 2010 after many conversation-filled bike rides.  Samelys, Naomi and I shared our experiences as women of color in the urban planning and design professions. ‘Cause of the need for greater diversity in our fields, we’ve set out to make this change by starting a nonprofit that brings awareness of planning and design [careers] to diverse communities through cycling.  The Vera Institute for Justice is our fiscal sponsor.

MP: How do you link kids with careers?

KW: We were aware that our career paths were little known – in fact, one of us discovered urban planning after beginning college – so we piloted a program called Bikesplorations that would teach the basics of urban planning and design.  Many teens have completed our hands-on programs.

MP: What are some of the key concepts you most want teens to grasp?

KW: Anyone can get involved in social change.  We demonstrate how that can be done.

MP: Okay, I’d love to hear more!

KW: Teens come out to program and even find their own questions and answers: “How does the city function?”  “What’s a safe way to ride?” is a common one.  “How do I get into that field?”

MP: Would you help us envision the Bikesplorations program?

Velo City volunteers, staff and young participants at the former DeKalb Market in downtown Brooklyn. Landscape architect and urban planner Karyn Williams is shown in the lower left corner.

KW: We’ve been doing programming in Brooklyn for two years now; our first project was on the Lower East Side [in Manhattan], and we’ve got programs in the Bronx, too.  Bikesplorations is a free seven-week summer program for high school students who want to explore their community while cycling. By the end of the summer the students have learned how to actively work for improvements in their communities.   Our instructors–usually design professionals of color—show participants how to advocate for changes in their neighborhood’s public space and public services.  Professionals in urban planning, architecture and landscape architecture help students think about ways to work on public space in their careers.  This year, Brooklyn students concluded the program by designing and leading a bike tour for the general public as well as their friends and families.

MP: What rides-about-town do you enjoy?  Why is biking important to you?

KW: Wow! There are so many places I enjoy riding.  I like to ride along the water.  I like to ride from Prospect Park to Coney Island along Ocean Parkway.  I enjoy the feeling of freedom!  I love riding my bike and not having to worry about subway delays or being stuck on an overcrowded train or bus.  [I used to find] the subways really intimidating. Riding my bike around the city allowed me to get a better sense of the different neighborhoods and helped me to fall in love with [our] city.

MP: Would you speak to safety concerns?

KW: I’m more aware of safety than ever, especially taking teens on rides.  Many of them are beginners.  Rides can be made so much safer to pedestrians and bikers and cars just by behavior: knowing what and when to do things.  Dedicated bike lanes have helped a lot.

MP: Why is biking important to New York City?

KW: I traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark a few months ago and it really changed my thinking.  Cities shouldn’t rely purely on automobiles.  Biking is affordable, it’s [environmentally] sustainable, and great exercise…but it’s got to be supported with infrastructure!

MP: What ahead for Velo City?

KW: We’re actually trying to focus more on our curriculum and will be relaunching soon.  We’ve presented papers at conferences and had peers tell us they want to launch similar initiatives in other states. Since we can’t be everywhere, we’re brainstorming ways to license what we do for other places, but we’re in the early stages.  We have a lot of research to do.  (Thanks and well-wishes concluded this conversation.   This interview was edited for brevity.  Learn more about Velo City on Facebook and at http://velocity-rides.org/.)

Furthermore: Conducting this interview provided a fun view into the work of a fellow design professional and outdoor educator.  Transcribing the above text found me remembering my tenure at the Urban Assembly School for the Urban Environment sandwiched between Marcy and Tompkins Houses in Bed-Stuy.  As Environmental Education Coordinator, I, like Karyn, worked to help young citizens cultivate a design perspective.  Aside from the conventional format of school work, there were hours of less formal thematic free form play and conversation.  Math puzzles and other learning aids marked my classroom as a place where young minds could only make discoveries, not mistakes.  “What do you see when you look around yourself?”  “What would you improve or remove?”  This was the language of my classroom filled with aromatic herbs like basil and rosemary.  “Now use your other senses, what feels and smells right, and not?” “Why,” I would constantly ask.  I now pose these questions to you the reader.  If you have answers to any of these questions–of course you do—you’ve got a design perspective.  There’s no wrong answer.  You have insight into the work of landscape architects, urban planners, civil engineers and architects. 

I recently used my design perspective while cycling from Von King Park to Fulton Park.  While photographing the Brooklyn Alliance for Safer Street’s Turkey Trot (1.5 mile run) on Thanksgiving Day, I noticed (for the first time) that there were no bike racks at Von King.  Arriving later at Fulton Park, where there are such stations for bikes made me wish both parks had them.  Join the national movement to increase African-American participation in biking with Red, Bike and Green.  Their website is: http://www.redbikeandgreen.com/

Morgan Powell is a horticulturist and landscape designer.  He has been writing for Our Time Press  since mid-October and also blogs for Outdoor Afro.

Growing SMART Offspring From Home Base In 2014

Editor, Our Time Press
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While the phrase “It takes a village to raise a child” was often heard at one time, we may think that the village was simply a thing of the past.  While it’s true that the physical appearance of villages have changed over the years, nurturing is still needed and we must provide it.  The daily news of our children falling prey to gun violence, imprisonment, stop-and-frisk and other atrocities serve as a wake -up call. While some may choose equality with whites as the fundamental issue, there are others who cite practices of the US that leaves the country in danger from other countries as well as Mother Earth.   The choices I made when my children were growing up were influenced by the movement to erase racial barriers.  Today, with thirteen grandchildren, I want more.  I want to have them value life over “things” and equip them to create a society that values humanity more than  “things” in honor of their forefathers by creating a world that works for everyone with no one left out.

With the mission of unleashing the innate genius of our children, parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts need to take inventory, recognize and note strengths, talents possessed among each other.   That’s a first step in deprogramming the negative devaluing we’ve inherited as a race – discovering, owning and appreciating our innate genius (it’s never too late).  Make a family tradition of catching a family member doing what they do well and acknowledge them at family gatherings.   We then connect activities that utilize the child’s strengths or interests empowering them to succeed in all areas and activate a love for learning and exploring new things at home and school.

SMART is the Parent’s Notebook’s acronym   for Self-determining, Motivated, Achieving, Responsible, Team-oriented individuals. During this era of mass confusion, our children’s future is dependent upon test scores and not upon developing their individual innate genius.  That is no longer acceptable.  PN implore parents, caretakers and educators to join the movement for our children – for discovering and growing the intelligences possessed by the children in our care.  You are invited to share activities and projects used that grow your child’s intelligence in areas of interest.   The greatest gift that we can give to youth of all ages is that “You were born with talent and ability yet to be discovered.  It’s time to discover and unleash the genius”.

To adults and parents who interact regularly with youth, join PN in this commitment to discover and nurture the innate genius of our young people, to provide opportunities for them to express their ideas, to become helpful in home management and make the grade in school and any other area of their lives.  The following recommendations will support you and your child in making the grade.

1. Make peace with your past.  This includes forgiving your parents for whatever you think they did to you or did not do for you, regardless of how much agreement you have from others that your sibling was the favorite.

2. Take time to discover and connect with what brings you joy.  We’re programmed to make choices based on external standards.  Find what you love and create a way to do it.

3. Take responsibility for the relationship that produced your child.  Our children’s self-esteem suffers when they don’t have relationships with both parents.  So you and your partner may not have had a purpose for your relationship at one time, but now you do – saving and supporting your child.

4. Give your child individual attention regularly.  Find special pockets of time for each of your children.  It may only be five minutes, but those few minutes focused on that child sends a message – “With all the things my parents have to do, I am important!”

5. Acknowledge your child’s feelings. Feelings are transient if they are expressed.  If stifled, they can negatively affect the child’s perception of self and others for years.  Instead of criticizing the feeling, help your child get to the source – in touch with how it makes him or her feel. And make sure to get feelings, not thoughts.

We’ll list more next time  Until then, choose to take the challenge and empower your offspring. E-mail parentsnotebook@yahoo.com for suggested actions for 1-5 collected from parents who shared ways they produced results of making their children winners.  Yes we can!

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Sticking With Geno

Eddie Castro
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By Eddie Castro

In what was sought out to be the biggest game of the year, the Jets took a huge step back in the  AFC playoff picture. With a record of 5-6 coming into last Sunday’s game with Miami, the Jets  needed a win against the division rival. From start to finish, Jets quarterback Geno Smith could  not get it going and the team is on the verge of missing the playoffs for the third straight year.

The running game was shut down and Smith’s inconsistency did not make anything better for Gang Green in losing to the Miami Dolphins 23-3.

Smith leads the league in interceptions with 19 and has not thrown a touchdown pass since  October 20. Smith’s first half against the Dolphins was too much for coach Rex Ryan to watch as  he replaced his rookie quarterback in the second half with another young quarterback in Matt

Simms (son of former Giants quarterback Phil Simms). Despite Smith being benched and many  speculations on who would be the starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Oakland

Raiders, Smith was told by Jets quarterbacks coach David Lee that he would get the nod. Ryan is  really in a difficult predicament right now. Matt Simms is an inexperienced and unproven  quarterback in the league and did not play well when he entered the game in the second half.

David Garrard, their third-string QB, is 35 years old and hasn’t played an NFL game since 2010.  “We’re going to stick with Geno,” coach Ryan said. “I believe in Geno, I think he has a good  chance to be a good quarterback.

Believe it or not, what is hurting Smith’s development is the fact that former Jets quarterback

Mark Sanchez got hurt during the preseason. Sanchez clearly won the starting quarterback job  in training camp, however, Rex Ryan’s decision to keep Sanchez late in a meaningless pre- season game forced his hand to insert Smith earlier than expected. The plan was to perhaps sit  the rookie quarterback for a season or 2 as he learns how to adapt to the NFL speed as well as  playing quarterback in the NFL. The fact of the matter is this, New York sports fans are very  impatient and if Geno doesn’t get it together, he will be run out of town just like Sanchez was.

Sports Notes: (Football) Geno Smith looks to get it together as the Jets play the Oakland Raiders  at home. Eli Manning and the Giants head to San Diego to play Phillip Rivers and the Chargers.  (Basketball) Round 1 of the cross-river rivalry begins tonight at the Barclays Center (Knicks vs. Nets).

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