bronx

Kurt
Semder and guests discuss the plan to handle the influx of migrants in New York
City, the controversial Bruckner Rezoning Plan that has irked Throgs Neck
residents, and President Biden touting a $20 billion investment in IBM during a
stop in the Hudson Valley. 

Kurt Semder and guests discuss the plan to handle the influx of migrants in New York City, the controversial Bruckner Rezoning Plan that has irked Throgs Neck residents, and President Biden touting a $20 billion investment in IBM during a stop in the Hudson Valley.

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Welcome back to News 12 of the Bronx for local matters. I'm Phil Tate. We are on Storm March tonight. We have Storm March team, meteorologist Ho oa Hope. I mean, this second wave of wet weather is really kicking up, but tell us how is this going to really be impacting our morning commute? Yeah, you know, you know, the rain is going to continue into the morning commute. So this is just something that we have to deal with and just prepare for and we're not just dealing with the rain. We're also dealing with a strong two damaging winds, 40 to 50 MPH and that can cause some power outages across portions of our area. Crashing. Temperatures will be in the sixties at midnight, crashing to the forties by Monday morning. And then we have some travel troubles, especially for your morning commute, standing water and any wind damage can reduce visibility and also just cause some hazardous conditions on area roadways. So let's have it out on your future cast overnight. We're still dealing with the periods heavy rain and some strong gusts 3545 MPH and even through four or five o'clock in the morning, temperatures will be in the mid forties and we're dealing with that steady rainfall, maybe even a few isolated downpours to at least 7 a.m. Eight AM. The rain is lighter and then we're seeing some clearing skies by the afternoon, 1212 30. But temperatures will be in the mid forties. The winds will be persistent throughout the day. That is gonna feel like temperatures to be in the mid to upper 30. So that's a real shock in the system, especially coming off of a 60 degree day. So Monday night into your Tuesday morning, it is expected to feel like the twenties because of those winds. So back to our winds, the winds will be out of the northwest. So now it's bringing in that cooler pocket of air 5 a.m. 2325 MPH and we're seeing it in that ballpark for the majority of the day, even reaching near 30 at times and that is going to take us into your two morning. So this is what you need to prepare for for Tuesday morning. Again, temperatures will be in the twenties to start feeling like the mid to upper thirties during the afternoon. But on the plus side, at least it's dry. We're not dealing with any wet weather for the next several days. So that's something that we can finally look forward to. So the storm watch continues for the first half of your morning commute, drying out by the afternoon, temperatures will be in the mid forties feeling like the thirties even colder by Tuesday. Let's just get through this together.

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Power & Politics Full Show: The migrant influx; Bruckner Rezoning Plan moves forward; Biden talks tech in NY

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Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of power in politics here on News 12 were local matters. I'm kurt sender. Well, it has been a very busy week regarding the city's efforts to deal with the influx of migrants and the plan to open humanitarian relief centers for asylum seekers. The first of those centers was initially planned for Orchard beach in the Bronx and it was scheduled to open this past week. But instead the location was moved to Randall's Island due to ponding water at the site along with what the mayor's office describes as better transportation options at Randall's Island. Then on friday, Mayor Adams speaking publicly about the matter, declaring a state of emergency and saying that all of these efforts will cost the city a billion dollars this year. All while asking for help from the federal and state government to handle what is now the highest number of people ever recorded in the city's shelter system. This ever changing situation, along with the centers themselves have created a lot of questions. Ones that were asked by the city council's immigration committee during a recent hearing. Now joining us today to discuss it is the chair of that committee, Brooklyn council member Shahana Hanif Council member. Thank you so much for being here with us this week. Thank you so much for having me. Of course, I want to start here and get your reaction to the mayor's decision to move the migrant relief center from Orchard Beach to Randall's Island. What are your thoughts on that decision to relocate it? So, you know, I do want to give credit to the work that we did at my hearing, which really raised the alarm on on this issue of housing asylum seekers in what we are calling a tent city. However, it is still equally irresponsible to shift from one beach or island to another another as in Randall's Island, which is also a flood zone, um, and flood prone. And so I'm not happy with it. And I'm fighting my hardest to keep our attention where it needs to be. And that is in making sure that the city adheres to its right to shelter decree and that we are doing everything in our power to use, um, our shelter capacity to use vacant hotels, particularly those that are union hotels to expand city steps. And so much more that we could be doing to guarantee that every asylum seeker here um, is uh, welcomed with dignity. Yeah. And I noticed during that hearing, the location really wasn't one of your major concerns. As you mentioned, there was really this entire process. One of your biggest concerns being that this move to centers would violate the city's legal obligations regarding right to shelter. Can you expand a little bit on what you mean by that? And what you were talking about in the hearing? Sure. So at, at our hearing, I raised questions about how exactly this tent city would be built and the questions I had were around the size of the bed, the spacing of the beds, because it's gonna be a congregate setting for single adults. And that is uh what is a part of our right to shelter mandate, which guarantees that anybody who is in our city has a right to uh being placed in a shelter. And so right now, what the mayor and this administration is doing is circumventing around this right that we have in our city that um before my time Uh in the in the 80s and uh we are really lucky to live in a city that guarantees shelter to everybody. However, in this moment, um the mayor is on a dangerous path by saying that this is a humanitarian crisis. I understand that we are welcoming thousands. We've surpassed 17,000 asylum seekers. However, that does not mean that we get to be sloppy and inhumane. Um and the inhumane aspects of this also includes who the city is partnering with um to contract this works Jalisco which has had uh had projects building out border, which have been used to keep migrants out of Southern states. And so there are so many aspects to this response on the Mayor's end that make it so problematic, so dangerous. Um in a city that I know and new Yorkers know to be a sanctuary city council member. Is there any way that these tents and the setup, regardless of where it is can meet the standards that you and other advocates are seeking. Absolutely all we've got to do is follow the right to shelter decree. It has um, a standard on how exactly people should be placed in a shelter facility. And so there's no reason for us to be um handing over this task to uh the new york city emergency man management and health and hospitals when department of homeless services should also be included. We should be identifying vacant shelter spaces. We should be ensuring that um the backlog of transitioning folks who are already in shelters, uh permanent housing is addressed. We should also be Loosening or removing the 90 day rule that is required of uh folks who are in shelters um to be able to qualify for the city steps voucher program. So there are so many tangible things that we could be doing um to get these folks and our newest neighbors um, in a dignified housing situation. We've heard a lot about the services, you know, that are going to be offered here. You know, we've talked a lot about where the tents and where the center is gonna be located and whether they'll be climate controlled and all of that in the distance between beds. But the services are just as important if not more. So, we also heard about that four day timeframe being given here for migrants at these centers, given the amount of people and the complexity of each individual situation is that even a reasonable time frame. So many of the service providers have shared with me that Um, one they need funding to continue to continue to meet the scale of the work that's necessary, particularly our legal services providers. And so right now there's a request for proposals out for uh legal services, uh, up to $5 million. However these folks have shared even on the hearing, but that's simply not enough asylum cases take. There are already a long time to process. Um, and now with the uh, with the influx of folks, we know that they need this long term care um, to meet the qualifications or eligibility to receive asylum status here in this city. And so it is imperative that we house everybody because we know that there are challenges with not having, um, uh, an address. And it's it's going to really take uh, Streamlining to ensure that um, in the regards to meeting the legal services requirements. Um, that one we have an expansion of $10 million dollars so that each asylum seeker has the care that they need and the adequate services that they need. Um, and then, um, so that legal service providers are not overburdened. Um, they're already, they've already been working on cases, you know, um, before this moment to meet the needs of our Ukrainian neighbors to meet the needs of our Haitian neighbors. And so this is a city that wants to be working its hardest and diligently and for that we need more funding. Um, and then the other service requests that I've heard about um are the re ticketing. I mean at my hearing, we learned that one um community based organization T. L. C. Um paid over $80,000 re ticket asylum seekers whose final destination is somewhere else. They do not want to be here. They want to be able to locate somewhere else. Um and it's very it's very baffling to me that the city has not provided a single dollar um to make that relocation and that re ticketing process happen. So, you know, our community based partners are doing all the work here. It is the new york immigration coalition Mas B. A. T. L. C. Um, Nice and make the road. I mean I could keep going, but they've been providing the the love and the care and the compassion needed at this moment to meet the direct services needs through legal services, through the mental health services, um medical services and so much more. These community based organizations really need our backing to continue to provide these services. Council member, These first center is going to be strictly for single adults. There's been talk of a second center, one for families, you know, regardless of where that ends up now you're dealing with moving families and Children. A lot of issues can come up there. What concerns you about that potential situation in regards to possibly when we're dealing with families that need to be relocated need to be put into the shelter system. What concerns you there? You're absolutely right. I'm very concerned that families with minors are going to be placed in congregate settings. That is another question I raised to get a commitment from this administration that they would not do that, that they would offer private dwellings to families with minors. And so I'm going to continue to keep pushing them on that because that would also, um, further, um, uh, you know, circumvent the right to shelter mandate. So families should not be placed in congregate settings. Um, they should be placed in, um, private dwellings. And this is where really utilizing our hotels, um, utilizing, uh, vacant commercial spaces, Um, utilizing already vacant units comes into place. Um, and of course, as I mentioned, expanding city steps ensuring that we loosen up the 90 day rule here is also going to be a factor in ensuring that the needs of families and particularly those with younger Children are met. Should we expect more hearings going forward from you and your committee here. Obviously we have more centers on the way and they've just moved another one here. Should we expect more hearings and more more questions from the immigration committee and from yourself. Absolutely, I'm gonna be watching everything that goes down here. And, uh, the hearing space is one that I see of great importance and where I get to use my powers of the council member tangibly. And so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled. I'll continue to follow up with this administration um both outside of the hearing spaces as well. I'll continue to show up at port authority or wherever else folks are being bused into into our city um and make uh we continue to hold the administration accountable through the hearing space directly. Alright, Brooklyn council member, Shahana Hanif and the chair of the immigration committee in the city council. Thank you so much for taking a couple of minutes to speak with us about this. I'm sure we'll be speaking to you again soon as they continue to work through this entire process. Thank you so much. Well, coming up, the city council is set to vote on a controversial rezoning plan. In the Bronx. We'll discuss what its passage could mean for the area with its state assembly member. Michael Benedetto When power and politics continues here on news 12. Local matters. Welcome back to power in politics here on news 12. And a major update to a story in the Bronx that we have been covering for some time. Now, earlier this week, the city council subcommittee on land use voted yes on the bruckner rezoning plant. Now this proposal aims to build 349 units of affordable housing in throgs neck and now heads to the city council for a final vote this week. This proposal has garnered a lot of debate amongst the community as well as its elected officials and joining us to discuss all of this is the assembly member for the 82nd District. Michael Benedetto, Assembly member, thank you so much for being here this week. Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here of course. And let's talk right away about that bruckner boulevard rezoning proposal voted out of committee this week, headed to the city council for a vote. This is a project to create affordable housing. Sure, but not everyone in the area is happy about it. As we sit here today, what are your thoughts on the current plan and how it will impact the area? I'm very sad. I'm very disappointed. This is my neighborhood. This is where I I've grown up. Um there is a character to this neighborhood um that now is going to be upset and it's very disturbing. People have come here, they've come here with the expectations of being living in new york city living in the Bronx. But in an area where um, it's a little less crowded. It's a little less hectic. Um you got move room to move around and now it looks like this is going by the wayside, it's, it's a sad day. What is your biggest opposition to the plan as it currently stands. You know, number one, if this was being built in and around the subway around transportation, mass transit. Um, I might be more amenable to it, but this is not near um the subway. It also is an area where there is largely 12 family homes, They have been here for a long time. Um The nature of this area will be changed. They tried to down zone and they did down zone this area 15 years ago, 20 years ago and there was a reason for that. Okay, it was a reason because it was becoming too dense, it was slowly not becoming the area that people wanted to live in, they wanted a little less quiet neighborhood and we down zoned it now, they want to up zone it and the people have rightfully protested against it because it's just not the neighborhood that they've moved into now in the future and there will be much thinking and discussion going on the households in my area tonight, you know, the council member for the area, marjorie velazquez had voiced opposition to the project in the past. However, this week she urged her fellow council members to vote in favor of it. Were you surprised? Were you caught off guard by this? I was a little surprised. Um she did seem to be steadfast in her resolution, you know, against this project, I'm surprised that the City council um there is a veto um a discretion given to the local council people in the past as a matter of fact um earlier this year, um to a new Councilwoman in Harlem um deference to out one of her projects, um apparently we're not the same. Um apparently the same deference that was given to the council woman from Harlem and a project going into her area was not used in hours. Um It's sad assembly member, when we talk about this planet, does appear to be going forward, depending on how that city council vote goes later this week. Looking at it, are there any positives in your mind to this up zoning in the area? When we talk about creation of affordable housing, perhaps in this part of this project, I understand the need for um the creation of affordable housing. Okay. But the affordable housing should be placed intelligently and in areas that are more um more app to have um this type of of housing. Again, as I said before, around mass transit hubs would be the area, um not where they have it right now, it's listen, some accommodations apparently were made for the Carpenters Union um for jobs and make sure that there are union um um workers on site, and that is very good and I'm glad for them, but I'm very sad for my neighborhood because I just don't think that this project fits into the nature and in the area where people wanted to live, they came, they moved here for a reason, I know there's not a whole lot of state government can do in this uh in this issue, but do you plan to take any action or have any further conversations with the community or your fellow local elected officials going forward? You you certainly have that right? There's very little we can do in this particular case um on the state level. Um we're gonna look at all options and we are going to work with whoever will work with us to uh see what we can do to stop the project. But I think it's um right now, um Very, very difficult to to, you know, to stop it. Alright, State Assembly member Michael Benedetto, thank you for taking the time to talk with us about this. We'll talk to you soon as this plan continues to move forward. Thank you. I appreciate giving me the time. Absolute. Alright everybody. We've got much more coming up here on power and politics right here on news 12. So don't go anywhere. Welcome back everyone. And finally, today President biden was here in our state this past week. He was up in the Hudson Valley all to talk about technology. The President touting a $20 billion investment in IBM that he says will help the US gain a technological edge against china. This is part of the chips and Science Act, which President biden signed back in august and it follows chipmaker Micron announcing a massive investment over the next 20 years. That includes building a plant in upstate new york. Now. The president also fulfilling a campaign promise this week pardoning all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession. Senior administration officials say that thousands of americans will be affected by this decision. One that could be the first step towards the decriminalization of marijuana. Well, new city council district maps have been submitted to the council. This all comes after Previously drawn maps were voted down. Now in Brooklyn, these new maps could see things shifting in several districts. For example, the 50th district still going to be mostly Staten Island, but now it's going to include parts of Ford, Hambleton and Dyker Heights. Now the 43rd district no longer going to include Bay Ridge. In fact, Bay Ridge will now go to the 47th district. Those just some of the changes in these new maps, which once again do need to be voted on by the city council and a reminder, you can head on over to our website, click on sections on the left side of the screen and then on politics and you'll get all of our power and politics content And that's it this week for power and politics here on News 12, thanks for watching everyone. I'm kurt sender. Have a great rest of your day.

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