the Residents of the 41st Assembly District
Helene E. Weinstein
The 2014 legislative session saw passage of new laws that will no doubt help thousands of hardworking New Yorkers. I’ve highlighted some of the most important achievements in this newsletter. I’ve also included information on important community office programs I am sponsoring.
As your Assemblywoman, I strongly believe that my most important responsibility is to listen carefully, answer questions and help solve your problems. Along with my experienced community office staff, I can assist you with a variety of important services and help to resolve community problems. Please contact my office if you think I can be of assistance to you.
A recent investigation co-authored by Assemblywoman Weinstein found that the foreclosure crisis continues in New York State, with nearly 30,000 homes currently facing possible foreclosures.
Assemblywoman Weinstein advanced legislation to help homeowners and their neighbors and insist on fairer practices by lenders.
Keeping Our Neighborhoods Clean and Safe
Assemblywoman Weinstein, in conjunction with Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, is working to pass legislation that would force banks and lenders to upkeep properties before and during the foreclosure process.
Abandoned or vacant homes, often called “zombies,” can pose serious safety risks to residents living nearby, and often become havens for drug dealers or targets of vandalism. Worse yet, the market value of neighboring homes - and the entire neighborhood - decreases as these properties deteriorate. An estimated 15 percent of foreclosed homes in New York State are “zombie” properties.
Forcing Lenders to Play by the Rules
Assemblywoman Weinstein sponsored legislation, recently signed into law (Ch. 29), extending for another 4 years her law to protect homeowners facing foreclosure. An extension of the mandatory pre-foreclosure settlement conference puts the lender and homeowner in the same room in hopes they can come to an agreement.
Previously, homeowners were falling victim to lenders exploiting loopholes and evading New York State foreclosure filing laws, prolonging the foreclosure process and stranding these residents with fees and interest racking up and little hope of modifying their loans.
Take advantage of the popular SCRIE and DRIE programs
The Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and Disabled Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) programs provide rent relief for seniors and disabled individuals by freezing their rent and exempting them from future increases. This year, Assemblywoman Weinstein and her colleagues in the Assembly made it a top priority to expand eligibility for these programs giving many the ability to afford to stay in their homes. As of July 1, 2014, the income threshold for the programs increased from $29,000 to $50,000.
For more information about SCRIE and DRIE, visit nyc.gov/SCRIE, call 311 or visit the SCRIE walk-in office located at 66 John St. in Manhattan. As always, if you have questions about this or any other community issue, please feel free to contact Assemblywoman Weinstein’s community office.
Assemblywoman Weinstein and her colleagues are taking major steps to save utility customers millions of dollars and putting measures into place that will protect New Yorkers during economic downturns.
A new law (Ch. 59) will save residential and commercial customers $600 million over the next 3 years by accelerating the phase-out of an existing 18-a utility surcharge rate by $200 million annually for both residential and commercial customers.
Additionally, the Assembly passed legislation calling for a Utility Consumer Advocate. The advocate would be granted power to take utility providers to court to challenge unfair rate hikes that place undue burdens on consumers during these tough economic times. The bill is currently before the NYS Senate.
Assemblywoman Weinstein successfully fought for the 2014 State Budget, which included tremendous wins for children in public and private schools; a major investment in education to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed:
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Increases in School Funding
- $435 million increase for NYC Schools
- $600 million over 2 years for full-day Universal Pre-K in the city
- $2 billion towards the replacement of classroom trailers with permanent space, construction of new pre-K classrooms and technological enhancements
- $2 billion Smart School Bond Act before the voters in November will provide funding enhanced education technology in both public and non-public schools
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Common Core Reform
- Ban on Common Core testing
- Prohibits schools from basing Grade 3-6 promotion on state assessment test scores
- Creates Parents Bill of Rights, protecting sensitive student information
- Prohibits use of Grade 3-8 Common Core test scores to evaluate teachers
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Parochial, Private and Charter School Improvements
- Requires the NYC Department of Education to find space for charter schools
- Provides nearly $160 million in funding towards payment of mandated services and the Comprehensive Attendance Policy program in private schools, and a pledge to begin payment of mandated services balances from previous years
& PHA Community Room 1655 Flatbush Avenue (near Avenue I)
Call Weinstein’s Office to schedule an appointment at (718) 648-4700
Sponsored by Beth Israel and Coney Island Hospitals
A recent court of appeals ruling allows local municipalities to adopt special zoning regulations to prevent horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing – known as hydrofracking. Earlier this year Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein supported the passage of legislation to suspend the Department of Environmental Conservation’s issuance of new natural gas drilling permits in New York until 2017 (A.5424-B).
The adverse effects of hydrofracking - a method of extracting natural gas from underground rock formations through the injection of a chemical cocktail and highly pressurized water - are largely unstudied and therefore can pose a high risk to people and communities surrounding these sites. This moratorium will allow more investigations to be conducted regarding the health impacts and how to proceed without harming the ecosystem.
Assemblywoman Weinstein will continue working with her colleagues to pursue statewide legislation to delay this environmentally dangerous procedure.
