PROGRESSREPORTSpring/

2016

WORKING TOWARD A MORE JUST AND EQUAL NEW YORK CITY

IN THIS ISSUEAbout Us........2Policy.............3

Actions............6Events...........8

Victories........11Meetings.......13

ABOUTUS/

ANTONIO REYNOSO

CO­CHAIR    

DONOVAN RICHARDS

CO­CHAIR        

BEN KALLOS

VICE­CHAIR FOR POLICY      

HELEN ROSENTHAL

VICE­CHAIR FOR BUDGET

MARGARET CHIN

DISTRICT 1/ MANHATTAN              

JULISSA FERRERAS­COPELAND

DISTRICT 21/ QUEENS    

COREY JOHNSON

DISTRICT 3/ MANHATTAN    

BRAD LANDER

DISTRICT 39/ BROOKLYN          

STEPHEN LEVIN

DISTRICT 33/ BROOKLYN        

MARK LEVINE

DISTRICT 7/ MANHATTAN             

SPEAKER MELISSA MARK­VIVERITO

DISTRICT 8/ BRONX & MANHATTAN      

CARLOS MENCHACA

DISTRICT 38/ BROOKLYN    

I. DANEEK MILLER

DISTRICT 27/ QUEENS      

YDANIS RODRIGUEZ

DISTRICT 10/ MANHATTAN

DEBORAH ROSE

DISTRICT 49/ STATEN ISLAND

RITCHIE TORRES

DISTRICT 15/ BRONX        

JIMMY VAN BRAMER

DISTRICT 26/ QUEENS

JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS

DISTRICT 45/ BROOKLYN

The Progressive Caucus was formed in 2010 with the mission tocombat all forms of discrimination and advance public policies thatoffer genuine opportunity to all New Yorkers, especially those who

are marginalized and who have been unable to access the fullbenefits of our city's prosperity.

C O U N C I L M E M B E R S

2

POLICY

Council Hearing • Freelance Isn't Free

On March 1st, several of the City's 1.3 million freelancers testified beforethe Committee on Consumer Affairs to demand passage of the “Freelance Isn’t Free”Act. I.1017 would provide basic protections for independent contractors and preventpayment delays or theft. More than 70% of freelancers experience late or nonpaymentat some point in their career at an average of $5,968 every year.

NYC Passes • Grocery Worker Retention Act

On January 19th, the City Council voted in favor of the Grocery Worker Retention Act.I.632 provides for a 90-day transition period to eligible employees following a changein ownership of a grocery store. The transition period is a temporary protection foremployees who may face unemployment through no fault of their own.

3

POLICY

NYC Passes • Single-use Bag Bill

On May 5th, the Council voted to pass I.209, a bill aimed at reducing the use andnegative impacts of carryout bags by requiring a 5-cent charge for bags in NYC groceryand retail stores. The bill is expected to eliminate the majority of bags from our wastestream and bring us one step closer to achieving our OneNYC zero waste goals.

On March 22nd, the Council approved a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH)program that requires developers to include affordable housing in developments thatare rezoned along with Zoning for Quality and Affordability (ZQA) allowing buildingswith affordable or senior housing to be taller, eliminating some parking requirementsand changing rules which affect the shape of new buildings. The final bill included 13 outof 16 proposals submitted by the Caucus to make the policy more fair and accountable.

NYC Pasess • MIH/ZQA Amendments

Policy Committee

Budget Meeting

facebook.com/nycprogressives • 113 New Likes@nycprogressives • 394 New Followersnycprogressives.com • 4,605 Views

Social Media Update

The Committee on Housing heard 2 bills endorsed by housing advocates and legalservices providers in the Stand for Tenant Safety (STS) Coalition. The bills are part

of legislative package aimed at reforming the NYC Department of Buildings andstrengthen measures to prevent tenant harassment and displacement. These 12 bills

(below) will increase penalties and enforcement for landlords who endanger tenantswith dangerous construction practices and conditions.

I. 939 Penalties for work without a permit • I. 940 Penalties under stop work orders1.918 Limitations on self-certification • I. 924 Correct vacate orders

I. 926 Inter-agency task force • I. 930 Foreclosure on ECB liensI. 931 Expand ECB fines • 1.934 Real time enforcement

I. 936 Tenant Protection Plans • I. 938 Increase permit oversight I. 944 Online work permit posting • I. 960 Safe construction bill of rights

Council Hearing • Stand for Tenant Safety

5

On June 21st, the Progressive Caucus joined the Rent Justice Coalition and submittedtestimony to the Rent Guidelines Board in support of a rent roll back for tenant'swho've seen unjustly inflated rents in previous years. Members encouraged Boardmembers to consider increased homelessness, evictions and transient use which isburdening low-income New Yorkers. Ultimately, the RGB decided to freeze rent-stablized rents for one year leases and a 2% increase for two year leases.

Support for Rent Roll Back

On May 17th, the Progressive and Black, Latino and Asian Caucuses gathered to demandgrowth for youth jobs prior to hearing testimony by the Department of Youth andCommunity Development (DYCD). Council Members rallied with advocates and students inresponse to the Executive Budget’s failure to increase youth jobs, a priority of both groupsto expand economic, professional and safety opportunities impacting young adults.

Rally for Universal Youth Jobs

ACTIONS

On March 10th, the Lunch 4 Learning Campaign parents and elected officials rallied forfull expansion of the free lunch program from stand alone middle schools to city-wide.It is estimatied this will only cost $3.6 million with greater State and Federal nutritionreimbursements in addition to alleviate a financial burden, saving familiesapproximately $900/year per child along with creating hundreds of new jobs

Denounce RSA ClaimsThe Progressive Caucus condemnedan advertisement by the RentStabilization Association claimingthat “Mayor de Blasio’s bad housingpolicies are bad for affordablehousing.” The Administration andCouncil has been laser-focused oncombating displacement andpreserving the 1 million rentstabilized units in the City. Theseefforts were exemplified byvehement advocacy to renew andstrengthen the rent regulations thatprotect tenants from unreasonablerent increases.

Expand Universal Free Lunch

7

EVENTS

On May 23rd, the Progressive Caucus hosted a Council-wide briefing on school foodprograms in NYC’s Department of Education. The event was Co-sponsored by CaucusCo-Chair Donovan Richards, Vice-Chair Ben Kallos, Council Members Stephen Levin,Corey Johnson, Ritchie Torres and Danny Dromm in partnership with Community FoodAdvocates, Hunger Free NYC and Local 372, DC37. Attendees discussed the Breakfast inthe Classroom and Middle School Free Lunch hunger prevention initiatives.

Student Voter Registration Day

March 19th was New York City Student Voter Registration Day, a day of non-partisan civic education and voter registration. The Council initiative wasorganized by Council Member Helen Rosenthal, NYC Votes, the DOE, and theNew York Immigration Coalition and effectively registered 8,500 eligiblevoters in time for the upcoming presidential election.

School Food Briefing

2

On April 21st, the Progressive Caucus hosted a Council-wide briefing with STScoalition representatives from St. Nick's Alliance, Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence, Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, Cooper SquareCommittee and tenant advocates. 21 offices were in attendance to learn aboutthe significant impact that STS legislative reform could have to preventconstruction-as-harrassment by enabling DOB to implement a more proactiveand hands-on approach to stymieing bad landlords.

Car Free NYC

On Earth Day, April 22, members of the Progressive Caucus encouragedNew York drivers to Take the Pledge and agree to use an alternative modeof transportation. Freeing up our streets can provide for cleaner air,causing less harm to our environment; allow for greater walkability andbikeability to promote active transportation; and reminds New Yorkers howchoices matter when it comes to how we move about.

Stand for Tenant Safety Briefing

2

6

9

On May 23rd, the Progressive Caucus hosted an orientation for Summer Youth EmploymentProgram (SYEP) participants assigned to work with the Council this summer. The presentationinclude Caucus members introductions with all Caucus members signed up as worksites alongwith background on Council roles, structures and processes.

PC Social/May 5th

CouncilBike toWork Day/May 16th

SYEP Council Orientation

EVENTS

VICTORIES

PUBLIC LIBRARIES

ADULTLITERACY

HUNGERPREVENTION

LEGALSERVICES FORLOW-INCOMENEW YORKERS

YOUTHLITERACY

$43M in baselined expense funding for the three public librarysystems that sustains investments to expand branch libraryhours and preserve services for the most underserved NewYorkers through job training, literacy skills, immigrationservices, youth education programs, etc.

$12M in funding to provide programming for literacydevelopment, English for non-native speakers, and GraduateEquivalent Degree classes for adults with limited literacyproficiency and new Americans.

$4.9M for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which willprovide funding for the purchase of food by over 40 percent tosupport the increased demand at 450 food pantries andcommunity kitchens for a total of $16 million.

$5M supports direct client representation, in legal areasincluding, but not limited to: employment, unemploymentinsurance, supplemental security income, consumer/finance,education, family, juvenile, health, housing, income andmiscellaneous benefits.

$2.7M for City’s First Readers, a coalition of nonprofitorganizations that foster literacy development throughprogramming, book distribution, parent engagement and training for children ages 0 to 5.

NYCBUDGET/FY2017

11

Policy Committee

Budget Meeting

NYCBUDGET/FY2017

$38.5M for Summer Youth Employment Program for 60,000total jobs with 1,000 targeted to vulnerable and at-riskyouth. $16M for 6,000 year-round jobs and creation of a jointtaskforce on youth job programs to assess current needs

$22M in baselined funding for District Attorneys, includingthe creation of an Alternatives to Incarceration Unit andresources to reduce gun-related and other violent crimes.

$8M enhanced funding to expand anti-gun violence initiativesfor high-need precincts and organizations providing violenceinterruption and violence prevention to communities at risk.

$2.2M to support worker coop businesses by coordinatingeducation and training resources and providing technical,legal and financial assistance with a citywide effort topromote this democratic business model

$570,000 for the expansion and development of day laborercenters which provide dignified physical space for daylaborers to meet, job referrals, support services, legalservices to address issues such as wage theft, as well asworkforce training and development.

$9.5M to support additional maintenance capacity within theDepartment of Parks and Recreation including 50 additionalgardeners and 100 workers for neighborhood parks citywide

$3.8M for DFTA’s operations of Naturally-OccuringRetirement Communities for areas populated by largenumbers of seniors require particular access to health,transportation and medical services.

$11.2M in funding for cultural programs and institutions thatprovide arts enrichment to students during after-school.

$2.5M to support education and outreach to help increasepublic awareness of the City’s Visions Zero initiative toprevent pedestrian fatalities and increase street safety.

$5.6M supports education and referral services at housingcourts and various anti-eviction legal services groups thatprovide counseling and/or legal representation for tenants.

$3.6M supports neighborhood-based strategies that respondto threats to affordable housing; and support and assistanceto individuals seeking housing information, advice andreferral services.

YOUTHJOBS

ALTERNATIVESTOINCARCERATION

CRISISMANAGEMENTSYSTEM

WORKERCOOPERATIVES

DAY LABORERS

PARKMAINTENANCE

NORCS

CULTURALPROGRAMS

VISION ZERO

ANTI-EVICTIONRESOURCES

HOUSINGPRESERVATION

MEETINGS

Policy Committee

Housing Committee

Holding Leaders Accountable

13

Caucus members convened stateand city officials to discuss concerns,priorities and opportunities forcollaboration including:

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman• Special Prosecutor's Office• Foreclosure Prevention• Open Government

DYCD Commissioner Bill Chong• Summer Youth Employment • Adult Literacy • Year-round Jobs

SBS Commissioner Gregg Bishop• Worker Cooperatives • Supporting Small Businesses• Neighborhood Development

HRA Commissioner Steve Banks• Social Service Resources• Shelter Safety• Supportive Housing

NYCHA CFO Karen Caldwell• Operational Expenses • Capital Plan• NextGen NYCHA

1/7 Caucus Retreat 1/14 January Policy 1/20 January Caucus2/3 Housing Committee 2/9 February Policy 2/23 February Caucus

3/17 March Policy 3/23 March Caucus 4/12 April Policy 4/20 April Caucus 5/12 May Policy 5/24 May Caucus 6/15 June Policy 6/21 June Caucus

MEETINGSMid-term Retreat

Housing Committee Policy Committee