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June 21, 2023

Remaining Days Left to Early Vote: Wednesday, June 21st, to Sunday, June 25th

Early Voting days and times:

Wednesday, June 21st: 10am-8pm

Thursday, June 22nd: 10am-8pm

Friday, June 23rd: 8am-4pm

Saturday, June 24th: 9am-5pm

Sunday, June 25th: 9am-5pm

To find your nearest poll site, Click Here

Election Day Information:

Tuesday, June 27th: 6am-9pm

To find your Election Day Poll Site, use the same link above

If you are eligible to vote, the races in my Assembly District that are up for election are the Democratic Primary for Bronx District Attorney and the City Council race in NYC's 14th Council District.

I attended the first community health fair at Lehman College hosted by council member Eric Dinowitz (@ericdinowitznyc). It was a great turnout from so many organizations and individuals. Some of these organizations included Tell Every Amazing Lady (@tealwalk pictured above), The Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (@khccnyc pictured bottom right) and Montefiore Hospital (@montefiorehealthsystem pictured bottom left) which gave me the opportunity to get my blood pressure checked. It was a great event, and I look forward to coming back next year.

I attended the Bronx Pride Celebration with Congressman Ritchie Torres (@ritchietorresny15), Council Member Eric Dinowitz (@ericdinowitznyc), State Senator Jamaal Bailey (@jamaaltbailey36), Assemblyman Kenny Burgos (@kennyburgosny), Council Member Kevin Riley (@kevincriley), Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark (@bronxdaclark) and Miguelina Camilo (@migs_camilo). Happy Pride!

I had the pleasure of touring BronxNet’s headquarters to see their brand-new facility. It was a magnificent experience and I am excited for the many amazing opportunities their facilities are going to offer to the Bronx community. Big thanks to Michael Max Knobbe (@bronxstrong), Audrey Dunkin, and Walter Garaicoa for setting this tour up and showing us around!

I am proud to announce that the Assembly passed another one of my bills this past week, an important housing bill.

This vital bill (A.4047-B) is the result of a ruling from the Court of Appeals, the highest Court in the state of New York, which invalided a portion of the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (HSTPA), the most comprehensive and impactful legislation to protect tenants ever in New York's history. Before the enactment of the HSTPA, a strict four-year statute of limitations on rent overcharge claims was in place. This created a "four-year rule" and an artificial "base date," which, except in limited circumstances, prevented tenants from examining more than four years of their apartment's rent history to prove that their rent was improper. As such, this meant that once four years had passed landlords could use the base date rent to continue to collect illegally inflated rents with impunity unless the tenant could show that fraud had occurred. The HSTPA included a provision that removed the strict limits placed by the "four-year rule" and the base date, and instead allowed tenants, courts, and the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) to examine the entire rental history as necessary to determine the last reliable rent and also changed the statute of limitations for the collection of rent overcharges to 6 years. In Regina Metro v. DHCR, the Court found the overcharge calculation and damages provisions in this provision of the HSTPA could not be applied retroactively and should instead be governed by pre-HSTPA law. Therefore, if a tenant sought to determine if they had been overcharged before the enactment of the HSTPA, the tenant would be required to use the methodology in place before the HSPTA became law. My legislation clarifies the purpose of this specific stipulation of the HSTPA to effectuate the legislature's original intent in enacting this provision while also addressing the Court's concerns regarding constitutional limitations, allowing tenants to use the HSTPA to determine what their legal rent is while respecting the Court's decision on overcharge claims before the enactment of the HSTPA.

The Riverdale Press, June 18, 2023 — Stagg Group Grabs Manhattan Dorm for $18 Million

Many fires recently have been caused as a result of lithium-ion batteries from scooters and other vehicles. Many people in New York City have died. I have put forth two pieces of legislation (A.4938 and A.5310) with State Senator Liz Kruger that does the following: Requires lithium-ion batteries sold in this state and to be used in a light electric-powered vehicle or personal electric mobility device to be manufactured in accordance with certain standards and specifications & prohibits the sale of second-use lithium-ion batteries intended for use in a bicycle with electric assist, an electric scooter or a limited use motorcycle; provides penalties for violations.

Last week I asked, "Do you support the public financing of elections for state legislature and state-wide office?"

Here are the results:

Yes — 63%

No — 23%

Other/No Opinion. — 14%

» KRVC — Make Music New York Featuring Allen Gogarty, June 21st

• Will be held on Wednesday, June 21st, from 7pm to 9pm at Ewen Park (Riverdale Ave & W 231st Street, Bronx, NY).

• Bring chairs, blankets, and a picnic

• For more information, visit KRVC

» MTA — Proposed Changes to MTA fares, June 22nd-26th

• All public hearings will be held in person at MTA Headquarters, 2 Broadway, 20th Floors, or can be watched via live-stream or Zoom at the following times:

Thursday, June 22, 2023, 10am – 2pm Thursday, June 22, 2023, 6pm – 9pm Friday, June 23, 2023, 10am – 2pm Monday, June 26, 2023, 6pm – 9pm

• Proposed fares are subject to raise for NYCT, MaBSTOA, MTA Bus, SIR, LIRR, and Metro-North respectively

• To register, use the QR code below or visit MTA's Website

» Bronx Night Market — Food & Culture Festival, June 24th

• Will be held on Saturday, June 24th, at 1pm to 7pm at Fordham Plaza (400 East Fordham Road, Bronx, NY).

• Enter the raffle to win a $250 gift card

• For more information, visit Bronx Night Market

» NYC Department of Buildings — Community Engagement Projects, June 24th

• Will be held on Saturday, June 24th, from 10am to 3pm at Northeast Bronx YMCA (1250 E 229th Street, Bronx, NY).

• Offering small construction consultation on small businesses and family homes, construction, and building maintenance regulations, resolving open violations, and resolving stop work orders.

• For more information, scan the QR code below

» KRVC — Starting Your Small Business 101: Resources, LinkedIn and Networking! June 24th

• Will be held on Saturday, June 24th, from 1pm to 2:30pm at 505 West 236th Street.

• Led by Carlota Zee, J.D., Success Strategist (www.Carlotaworldwide.com) & hosted by Laura Levine-Pinedo (4Bronx Project), this 90-minute workshop is a great way for beginning, and no-so-beginning, small business owners to understand all the resources NYC offers them, use their social media (LinkedIn) to promote their brands, and drive customers to their door, as well as uncover the hidden power of networking. Bring a note-taking device and your questions!

• For more information, visit KRVC

» KRVC — Music in the Park Featuring the Morrisania Band Project, June 25th

• Will be held on Sunday, June 25th, from 5pm to 7pm at Vand Cortlandt House Museum Lawn (6036 Broadway Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY).

• BYOB, bring chairs, blankets, and a picnic

• For more information, visit KRVC

» KRVC — Pollinator Fair, June 25th

• Will be held on Sunday, June 25th, from 9:30am to 2pm at Riverdale Y Sunday Market (4545 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY).

• Join them for a family-friendly environmental activity awareness fair

• Interact with demonstration beehives and local organizations, and play pollinator games!

• Learn about gardening and the Pollinator Pathway. Children's Pollinator Costume Workshop and Parade 11:30AM - 12:15PM

• For more information, visit KRVC

» Council Member Eric Dinowitz — Skate Party in the Bronx, June 26th

• Will be held on Monday, June 26th, from 4pm - 7pm at the Van Cortlandt Park Southwest Playground (160 Van Cortlandt Park South, Bronx, NY).

• Come out and enjoy an afternoon of music, dancing, and skating. Skates will be provided while supplies last or feel free to bring your own!

• For more information, contact [email protected] or call 718-549-7300

» Van Cortlandt Park — Pedestrian Bridge Update, June 26th

• Will be held on Monday, June 26th, at 6:30PM at P.S. 19 (311 E 237th Street, Bronx, NY).

• Presentation by the NYC Parks Department on the status of the Van Cortlandt pedestrian bridge connecting the north and south old croton aqueduct trails

• The Parks Department will provide an update on the pedestrian bridge and take feedback from local residents. It is important to attend this meeting to make sure your voice is heard

» KRVC — CD-React, June 28th

• Will be held on Wednesday, June 28th, starting at 6:30pm at 3700 Henry Hudson Pkwy, Bronx, NY.

• Join experts from Columbia University Irving Medical Center/ New York Presbyterian to learn hands-only CPR, AED use and other life saving skills

• All participants receive Free CPR Anytime Training Kit (all ages) to practice/teach others and a certificate of cooperation

• Use the QR code below for more information

» KRVC — Red Carpet Screening Event, July 7th

• Will be held on Friday, July 7th, from 5:30pm to 9pm at Downey's Bar & Grill's Private Party Room (5790 Mosholu Ave, Bronx, NY).

• Featuring Two Film Screenings, including "Wake Up Call"

• For more information, visit KRVC

» KRVC — Sidewalk Jazz Cafe, July 9th

• Will be held on Sunday, July 9th from 2pm to 5pm at Bronx Burger House & Greystone Coffee (5812 Mosholu Ave, Bronx, NY 10463, Bronx, NY).

• Come by for an afternoon of live music on Mosholu Avenue

• Music by Tamuz Nissim & Giorgos Nazos & Friends!

• For more information, visit KRVC

» Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and Horace Mann School — FREE Starlight Cinema 2023: Outer Space, July 11th-August 8th

• Will be held on Tuesdays from July 11th-August 8th at 8:30PM at Van Cortlandt Park Parade Ground (Broadway & W. 251st St, Bronx, NY).

• Pack a picnic and bring your own blanket!

• Movie List:

July 11: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

July 18: Planet of the Apes (1961)

July 25: Star Wars (1977)

August 1: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

August 8: Story Ave (2023)

» Governor Kathy Hochul's Office — GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF NATION-LEADING FULLY PAID PARENTAL LEAVE PROGRAM, COVERING MORE THAN 150,000 NEW YORK STATE EMPLOYEES

• Agreement With CSEA Will Provide 12 Weeks of Fully Paid Parental Leave to More Than 52,000 Employees. If Ratified, Agreements with PEF and UUP Would Offer 12 Weeks of Fully Paid Parental Leave to More Than 88,000 Employees 

• Builds on Policy Extended to More Than 10,000 Unrepresented State Workers Earlier This Year. The New York State Department of Labor Will Also Launch a Statewide Paternity Leave Awareness Campaign

• See An Example of The Department of Labor Awareness Campaign in the Video Below

» E-ZPass NY — 24/7 E-ZPass NY Account Access!

• Preparing for a trip or already on the road? Forget to add that new license plate before your vacation? Want to check your balance? Is your account balance low? No worries! Use our Tolls NY Mobile App.

• Real-time payments and account updates are made without speaking to a representative.

• Scan the QR code or click the link below to easily download the app from the App Store or Google Play today!

Please visit our YouTube channel to learn more by clicking here.

» NYC Department of Environmental Protection - Change in Water Supply

• DEP is preparing for a multi-month shutdown of the Delaware Aqueduct later this year

• DEP has started slowly introducing water from the Croton system into the city's supply of tap water

• Residents may detect a slightly different taste in water sourced from different reservoirs due to different mineral contents

• All water used in New York's tap water system are highly tested (2,000 times per day)

• Any concerns about tap water quality should be reported to 311 so DEP can investigate

• For more information about the city's tap water and sources, visit: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/water/current-water-distribution.page

• For more information about the Delaware Aqueduct repairs, visit here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/news/21-006/600-feet-below-hudson-river-final-concrete-lining-completed-1-billion-water-tunnel#/0

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz

3107 Kingsbridge Avenue

Bronx, New York 10463

Phone: 718-796-5345 | E-Mail: [email protected]