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Newsletters 2008
March
Betsy Gotbaum This Week
March 31, 2008
Families of Auxiliary Police Officers Deserve Federal Death Benefits
Last week I called on the U.S. Department of Justice to reverse its denial of $300,000 in death benefits to the families of Yevgeniy (Eugene) Marshalik and Nicholas Pekearo, the courageous auxiliary police officers who were killed last March. Auxiliary officers risk their lives to protect New Yorkers, and their families deserve the same death benefits as those of other police officers. Sadly, this will not be the last time that police officers, full-time and volunteer, sacrifice their lives to protect our city. A year ago, I asked the city to provide auxiliary officers with mandatory coverage of full, reasonable funeral costs. I now ask that the Justice Department honor auxiliary officers. We need to make sure that families of these and other officers have support in time of such great loss.
Proposed Changes to Programs for Seniors Need Closer Look
I've reviewed two "concept papers" regarding important changes to services overseen by the city Department for the Aged (DFTA). The first paper concerns the home-delivered meals program. I commend DFTA for looking for ways to improve this vital program, but nevertheless I see several red flags. For one thing, DFTA proposes major changes modeled on a two-year pilot program in the Bronx as well as a Philadelphia program. Advocates, however, criticize both programs for not meeting seniors' health and dietary needs and for not providing ethnic diversity in meals. The primary motive for these changes appears to be cost-cutting, which likely will reduce food quality. The social component of meal delivery probably will suffer as well. As I see it, DFTA should postpone implementing its proposed changes for six months and revise its concept paper to, among other things, better address the social component.
DFTA also says that some of its 329 senior centers are under-used and that significant changes are needed. This could include center shut-downs. Other changes raise serious concerns. They involve de-emphasizing core services, which include meals and transportation, in favor of health and wellness programs geared toward aging baby boomers. This new focus should not come at the expense of seniors in their 80s and 90s, who are at greater risk for health and social problems. My office has made several recommendations to help DFTA modify its plan. We suggest reevaluating this major overhaul of its senior centers as well as continuing to prioritize core services for the existing senior population. My full comments and recommendations are at here.
Real People, Real Problems, Real Results
In a thank-you letter, a Brooklyn man commended my office with these words: "It is a pleasure to see that government actually works." The man had asked for help with a parking ticket he had received last Aug. 8, the day a tornado ripped through Brooklyn. Throughout the city, high winds and torrential rain caused system-wide subway disruptions. Given the transit havoc, the mayor had announced that parking tickets issued that day would be cancelled. Not only did the Brooklyn man remember this, he had a tape of the statement. Elsa Suazo, one of my ombuds staffers, contacted the city Department of Finance on his behalf. Personnel there looked into the matter -- and dismissed the ticket.
New York Women Honored at City Hall Event
As part of Women's History month, a warm and enthusiastic crowd of more than 100 joined me at City Hall last week to honor five women for their leadership and work advocating for children. They are Lilliam Barrios Paoli, SafeSpace, Manhattan; Carol Gresser, St. John's University, Queens; Joan McKeever Thomas, 31 I.D.E.A.L., Staten Island; Isis Sapp-Grant, Youth Empowerment Mission, Brooklyn; Alexie Torres-Fleming, Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, Bronx. Also joining me were Councilwomen Helen Sears and Gale Brewer; Jodi Applegate of Good Day New York; and Comedienne Katie Halper. This woman-centric evening truly was exhilarating, and fun.
Betsy Gotbaum This Week
March 24, 2008
Real People, Real Problems, Real Results, Case #1
After weeks of waiting to get her husband out of a nursing home, a Manhattan woman contacted my office for help. Her husband had had home care through CASA, or the Community Alternative Systems Agency, which is overseen by the city Human Resources Administration. Once he entered the nursing home, however, CASA had had to close his case. Now that he was ready for discharge, CASA needed to reopen his case and re-arrange for home care. CASA also had to visit both the couple's home and the nursing home. But there were significant delays. A social worker said that the visits could not take place for six to eight weeks.
In the meantime, the man had been moved to a floor with non-verbal patients. There, his wife said, he seemed to be regressing, both mentally and physically. Wanting him home as soon as possible, she asked for my help. Heather Francis, one of my ombuds staffers, immediately contacted CASA. She asked that both the home and the nursing home visits be expedited. They were, and the man was discharged last week.
Real People, Real Problems, Real Results, Case #2
A Queens shelter resident, desperate for a home of her own, contacted my office for help. She had lived at a shelter since July, 2007, and she believed she had been eligible for housing through the city Work Advantage Program. She suspected, however, that her caseworker had not processed her paperwork in a timely manner. Tommy Lin, one of my ombuds staffers, intervened on her behalf with the city Department of Homeless Services. Within a week, the woman received her Work Advantage certificate. She has been linked to an apartment and is about to move in.
City Must Better Address Senior Housing Issues
Though faced with an aging population, an upswing in senior poverty and ever-shrinking stocks of affordable housing, the city must do more to inform seniors about alternative housing and such programs as SCRIE, the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption. My new report, titled Sharing Old Age, highlights alternative housing options for seniors and points out that 72,000 eligible households are not receiving SCRIE.
Seniors, of course, deserve better. SCRIE, social services programs in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) and shared housing options work, but only if seniors know they exist and understand the benefits. The city needs to prepare for an aging generation of Baby Boomers. For starters, the city Department for the Aging should develop a public information campaign about alternative housing, such as shared housing. It also should expand efforts to educate seniors about SCRIE and enroll them in the program. I'm also asking that funding cuts to NORC programs be reconsidered. And I'm asking that the NORC Supportive Service Program model be expanded in buildings and neighborhoods that have high senior density and that are at high risk for social isolation. My full report can be found here.
Have a great week, and Happy Easter!
Betsy Gotbaum This Week
March 17, 2008
Good Wishes to Gov. Paterson
I call on all New Yorkers to join me in wishing the best to incoming Gov. David Paterson, who was sworn in today. I have the utmost confidence in him, and I look forward to working with him. His record speaks volumes about his ability to lead and to bring about change in Albany. He is a consensus builder as well as someone who can get things done, and he deserves our full support.
Real People, Real Problems, Real Results, Case #1
A Queens woman contacted my office after she had been asked, in effect, to prove her innocence. The city had sent her violation notices for a trash-strewn property. There was an important complication, though: The woman didn't own the property. However, she did own nearby property on the same street. She advised the city of that fact, providing the relevant documents. Fine, the city responded, but that didn't prove that she didn't own the other, littered parcel as well.
Ralph Perfetto, one of my ombuds staffers, found the actual owner of record -- a corporation -- in a routine search of public documents, and he verified the information with the city Department of Finance. He wrote the city Environmental Control Board (ECB) on behalf of the Queens woman, providing it with the correct ownership data. He also challenged it and other city agencies to explain why the woman was being asked to prove a negative. And he suggested that the violation be sent to the corporation that paid the tax bill. Eventually, the ECB notified the woman that it would dismiss the violation notices.
Real People, Real Problems, Real Results, Case #2
After time in rehab, a Bronx man, joined by his wife, moved into his own unfurnished apartment. As a client of HASA, the city HIV/AIDs Services Administration, the man received a $541 grant for furniture. Given New York City prices, however, the $541 didn't go very far in furnishing an entire apartment. After the money was spent, the couple still needed such basics as a table and chairs, a chest of drawers and a bed. One of my ombuds staffers, Heather Francis, contacted a charity on their behalf, and its members agreed to help. The Bronx man later called to say that the needed furniture had been delivered on time and as promised.
Crane Catastrophe
My heart goes out to the victims of Saturday’s terrible accident and to their families. This catastrophe is only the latest in a string of construction-related accidents and it is a devastating wake-up call that we need to do more. With so much construction happening at so many sites around the city, the Department of Buildings has to be incredibly vigilant with inspections and oversight to ensure these kinds of tragedies are not repeated.
New REAACT Videocast
We have released a new videocast in support of REAACT, the Ready Access to Assistance Act, which I introduced in the City Council. REAACT would give advocates access to public areas of public benefits offices, making it easier for them to represent applicants, provide information and assist with translation. The videocast can be found here.
Save the Date
I, joined by Councilwoman Helen Sears, cordially invite you to a Women's History Month reception on Thursday, March 27, in honor of the following women: Lilliam Barrios-Paoli, SafeSpace, Manhattan; Carol Gresser, St. John's University, Queens; Joan McKeever Thomas, 31 I.D.E.A.L., Staten Island; Isis Sapp-Grant, Youth Empowerment Mission, Brooklyn; and Alexie Torres-Fleming, Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, Bronx. Special host is Jodi Applegate, Good Day New York, and there will be a special performance by comedienne Katie Halper. Time is 6 PM. Place is City Hall Council Chambers, with a reception to follow. Please RSVP by this Friday, March 21, to 212.669.2433 or rsvp@pubadvocate.nyc.gov.
Have a great week, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Betsy Gotbaum This Week
March 3, 2008
Real People, Real Problems, Real Results, Case #1
A frantic Manhattan woman, fearing that she was on the very brink of homelessness, came to my office for help. The woman, a fixed-income senior, had lived in her rent-stabilized apartment since 1972, but her landlord had refused to renew her lease and sent her a formal notice of termination. The woman, who had no nearby family or other housing options, suspected that the landlord wanted her out because her rent was relatively low. The landlord, she added, already had converted most of the building's other apartments to co-ops.
My staff assured the woman that she had legal recourse as a rent-stabilized tenant. We explained that she could file complaints regarding harassment and non-renewal of a lease. The woman did so, and Jessica Burgos, the Deputy Director of my Ombudsman Unit, forwarded the forms to the deputy commissioner of the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), who ordered the landlord to renew the lease. DHCR also advised that even if the landlord failed to provide a new lease, the woman continues to be protected by rent stabilization laws. I'm pleased that we were able to help this long-time New Yorker exercise her rights. She remains in her apartment.
Real People, Real Problems, Real Results, Case #2
A Manhattan man contacted my office after he was ticketed -- unjustly, he said -- for parking in a "no standing" zone on Mott Street while picking up his two small children, ages 5 and 6, from a day care center. He had challenged the ticket but was found guilty on grounds that he had exited his vehicle. He maintained, however, that he was out of his vehicle for only two minutes -- and then only to buckle his kids into their seatbelts in the back seat.
One of my ombuds staffers, Elsa Suazo, contacted the city Department of Finance and asked that the matter be reviewed. As a result, the case was dismissed. In his letter thanking me, the man said this: "I am grateful that there exists an office [such] as yours, that helps ordinary New Yorkers navigate city government."
High School Drop Out Rates Continue to Rise
I recently addressed Dropout Summit II, a conference that focused on New York City's truly alarming dropout numbers: Nearly 22,000 students left city schools in the 2005-06 school year without graduating. That's about 550 more than in 2004-2005 and 2,000 more than in 2003-2004.
As part of a panel discussion, I focused on Career and Technical Education (CTE) as one means to help ease persistently high dropout rates. For one thing, CTE students are less likely to drop out. For another, CTE graduates are likely to go on to earn post-secondary degrees. If they so choose, of course, they have the skills to enter the workforce directly. It was encouraging to be part of an event that brought together a cross-section of New Yorkers and others to work on dropout prevention. Directions for Our Youth, a non-profit organization committed to helping New York City students, organized the event.
New Yorkers Need Immediate On-Site Help at Public Benefit Offices
A new report supports REAACT, the Ready Access to Assistance Act, which I introduced to the City Council in 2006. Under REAACT, co-sponsored by Council members Bill de Blasio and Eric Gioia, advocates would have access to the public areas of city public benefits offices, making it easier to represent clients in meetings with agency caseworkers. REAACT also would make it easier to provide clients with information and translation assistance.
The new report, prepared by the Brennan Center Strategic Fund, is titled "Improving New York City’s Public Benefit System: A Key Role for Help Desks." It outlines the obvious need for permitting advocates to operate help desks in public areas of benefits offices.
Joining me at last week's news conference were Councilman Gioia; David Pedulla of the Brennan Center Strategic Fund; Andrew Friedman, co-director of Make the Road by Walking; Diane Wenzler, Community Service Society; Esperanza Colon, co-director of Project FAIR; the New York City AIDS Housing Network; and New Yorkers who have had difficulty obtaining public benefits.
City Must Test Athletic Field Turf; Moratorium Needed on New Installation
Last week I called on the city to issue an immediate moratorium on installing artificial turf as well as test existing turf for potential toxins. Joining me were New Yorkers for Parks, the Natural Resources Defense Council and New York Lawyers for the Public Interest.The health risks to people coming in contact with synthetic turf remain unknown, but there is cause for concern: The state of New Jersey recently shut down a 9-year-old artificial turf field after finding lead contamination in surface dust. The lead had originated in turf fibers.
Last April I called for independent testing of rubber pellets found in some types of artificial turf that may pose health risks. The pellets, used as fill in artificial turf in more than 70 city athletic fields, are made from recycled tires that contain chemicals that have been linked to birth defects, cancer and other health problems. The health risks to people coming in contact with synthetic turf remain unknown, but others share my concern: The director of the Mount Sinai Children's Environmental Health Center has called for a moratorium on further installation of artificial turf, while The Trust for Public Land recently announced it will no longer use the crumb-rubber based turf.
I’m appalled that the Department of Parks and Recreation continued to plan to install more artificial turf even as evidence suggested that it may pose serious health risks. The truth is, no one yet knows for sure what the health implications are. Our letter to city officials requesting a moratorium and immediate tests can be found here.
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