MTA, Cuomo blast de Blasio for reaction to sleeping homeless man

[Via Garibaldi 8]

METRO

MTA, Cuomo blast de Blasio for reaction to sleeping homeless man

By Kirstan Conley

October 23, 2017 | 2:51pm | Updated

Doree Lewak

It’s a picture worth a thousand fighting words.

A Post photo of a homeless man sleeping under a subway seat prompted Gov. Cuomo and MTA Chairman Joe Lhota to rip Mayor de Blasio Monday, saying it’s the city’s responsibility to get people the help they need.

“The New York City Police Department polices the subway system,” Cuomo said. “It’s up to them. Period. [Mayor] Rudy Giuliani did that.”

Lhota said that letting the homeless sleep on subway cars is “degrading for all.”

“The response is not to defend or excuse the presence of the homeless, but to get them the help they desperately need,” he said.

“Every New York City mayor since Koch has realized this except our current mayor.”

De Blasio on Sunday said he was appalled by the photo of the subway snoozer, which The Post captured on a 3 train Saturday, and vowed to crack down.

“It’s not acceptable for people to sleep on a subway train like that,” he said.

He noted that “there are particular rules related to the MTA that give additional enforcement ability to the NYPD,” and said cops could use their “discretion” to arrest people.

But Lhota accused de Blasio of “making every attempt to distance himself from the Transit Authority.”

“The fact is that since 1995 the NYPD has been the police force charged with enforcement in the subway system,” he said in a statement.

“The MTA board gave Mayor Giuliani the authority to consolidate the Transit Police within the NYPD, giving the city primary jurisdiction. That’s a fact.”

De Blasio announced last year that cops would stop arresting people for taking up two or more seats on the subway and said those cases wouldn’t be pursued in court.

Cuomo, touting his own record helping the homeless, said the issue of vagrants riding the rails was “something that we figured out 30 years ago.”

“We need to get the homeless off the trains and out of the subway stations so people feel safe and to get the homeless people the help they need,” he told NY1, noting that his two daughters use the system.

“You do not help a homeless person by saying we’ll let you sleep on the train.”

Instead of just mulling police crackdowns, de Blasio should fix the underlying problem by giving the homeless better alternatives, Cuomo said.

“Have clean, safe shelters,” the governor said. “And have the NYPD do what they used to do, which is get help for the homeless person.”

NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill said on Monday that when it comes to cracking down on homeless sleeping on the subway, there should be “a level of compassion, too.”

“We offer people services,” he said, noting the NYPD’s homeless-outreach and crisis-intervention efforts.

“When I saw that picture, it’s really — what drives you to be at that point in life? We have to keep in mind here that part of the responsibility of keeping New Yorkers safe is to make sure that they get the help they need.”

NYPD Chief of Transportation Joseph Fox said, “We will enforce when necessary,” adding that cops have written 2,000 summonses this year.

City Hall, meanwhile, dismissed Cuomo’s criticism.

“The governor criticizing the men and women of the NYPD is an attempt to distract New Yorkers from his unwillingness to fix a subway system he runs,” City Hall spokesman Eric Phillips said.

“His attack on our police won’t fix the trains and it won’t get homeless New Yorkers the help they need.”

 

Source: http://nypost.com/2017/10/23/mta-cuomo-blast-de-blasio-for-reaction-to-sleeping-homeless-man/

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Another cover up by de Blasio to devoid himself of his responsibility to address the homeless problem that is crippling our city and plaguing our subways.

[Deucey]

1) Given that NYPD don’t sufficiently patrol the subway to deal with these QOL issues, and  still has a police force, maybe Giuliani’s merger should be undone, and  reinstate the NYCT Police.

2) All the hotels and shelters and homeless people still go everywhere but those two options. Aside from the public spaces/nuisance rules and first amendment, we should be figuring out why this is

3) Why isn’t NYCHA building buildings so the Sec 8, LINCS and HASA (et al) waiting lists stop being backlogged? Why isn’t Cuomo using HCR and Mitchell-Lama to build more housing?

All this sparring between Andy C and Billy Dee is like a shitty rap battle between two shitty rappers with shitty lyrics basically saying “you ugly” back and forth. 

Yet the housing problem’s existed since1955...

[RR503]

4 minutes ago, Deucey said:

1) Given that NYPD don’t sufficiently patrol the subway to deal with these QOL issues, and  still has a police force, maybe Giuliani’s merger should be undone, and  reinstate the NYCT Police.

2) All the hotels and shelters and homeless people still go everywhere but those two options. Aside from the public spaces/nuisance rules and first amendment, we should be figuring out why this is

3) Why isn’t NYCHA building buildings so the Sec 8, LINCS and HASA (et al) waiting lists stop being backlogged? Why isn’t Cuomo using HCR and Mitchell-Lama to build more housing?

All this sparring between Andy C and Billy Dee is like a shitty rap battle between two shitty rappers with shitty lyrics basically saying “you ugly” back and forth. 

Yet the housing problem’s existed since1955...

1) More beaurocracy? Nah. Just mandate a certain # of officers in the system

2) Because shelter/hotel conditions are horrible, and they're overfilled.

3) NIMBYs

Yup. I think there should be a tax credit for increasing a neighborhood's density paid to all homeowners in the area. NIMBYs will shut up about more housing, and things may actually get done.  

[paulrivera]

Cuomo's not wrong, and de Blasio flipping back to the lack of infrastructure repairs makes him look very bad on the homeless front.

The finger pointing, however, is getting ridiculous. They're squabbling on everything from the homeless, infrastructure repairs, and even e-Bikes and self driving cars. They're from the same political party, yet they can't agree on anything, and it's getting tiring hearing them have disagreements over everything TBH.

Lock them both in a room and have them collectively figure out what's best for New York City.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

20 minutes ago, RR503 said:

1) More beaurocracy? Nah. Just mandate a certain # of officers in the system

2) Because shelter/hotel conditions are horrible, and they're overfilled.

3) NIMBYs

Yup. I think there should be a tax credit for increasing a neighborhood's density paid to all homeowners in the area. NIMBYs will shut up about more housing, and things may actually get done.  

2) Actually some of the hotels aren't horrible at all.  If you think being at the Excelsior on the Upper West Side is horrible, then there's a disconnect with what a nice hotel is.  In fact the city has been spending like crazy housing the homeless in upscale hotels around the city.

3) NIMBYs won't be paid off so easily.  De Blasio has been in bed with the developers trying to damnest to ram through these oversized buildings under the guise of affordable housing. It's disgusting.  The more affluent neighborhoods may be spared. 

I found the comments from an article I read about my neighborhood and the homeless problem rather interesting.  Somehow neighborhoods like mine that don't have a homeless problem should be inundated with homeless shelters just because we're an upper middle to upper class area, even though we already have tons of social services, like numerous retirement homes:

Quote

What’s good for Kingsbridge should be just as good for Riverdale.

That was the takeaway for the more than 100 people gathered at the Episcopal Church of the Mediator last week. Except that wasn’t the message officials from the city’s homeless services department wanted to convey. 

“How do we keep track of (future homeless shelters) so that we don’t end up inundated with them in Kingsbridge,” asked Marie O’Shea, who has been a foe of 5731 Broadway since it was revealed. “Our Riverdalian neighbors think it’s a great idea, but they don’t have to live with it.”

O’Shea’s complaint centers on the city’s focus “down the hill” when it comes to helping take homeless people off the street. The Van Cortlandt Motel, less than a mile away on Broadway, has housed some scattered homeless families since last year. Although the homeless services department says it will close services at the motel by the end of the year, the fact that no shelters have been announced for Riverdale “up the hill” has especially bothered O’Shea. 

Source: http://riverdalepress.com/stories/homeless-advocates-get-contentious-welcome,63691?

26 minutes ago, Deucey said:

1) Given that NYPD don’t sufficiently patrol the subway to deal with these QOL issues, and  still has a police force, maybe Giuliani’s merger should be undone, and  reinstate the NYCT Police.

2) All the hotels and shelters and homeless people still go everywhere but those two options. Aside from the public spaces/nuisance rules and first amendment, we should be figuring out why this is

3) Why isn’t NYCHA building buildings so the Sec 8, LINCS and HASA (et al) waiting lists stop being backlogged? Why isn’t Cuomo using HCR and Mitchell-Lama to build more housing?

All this sparring between Andy C and Billy Dee is like a shitty rap battle between two shitty rappers with shitty lyrics basically saying “you ugly” back and forth. 

Yet the housing problem’s existed since1955...

2) I'll refer you to my comments above...

3) If anything, NYCHA has been selling off whatever properties it has, as the mounting repairs will only turn those buildings into endless money pits.  Those projects should all be torn down and they sjhould start over again.

[Deucey]

31 minutes ago, RR503 said:

1) More beaurocracy? Nah. Just mandate a certain # of officers in the system

2) Because shelter/hotel conditions are horrible, and they're overfilled.

3) NIMBYs

Yup. I think there should be a tax credit for increasing a neighborhood's density paid to all homeowners in the area. NIMBYs will shut up about more housing, and things may actually get done.  

1) The problem with laws, as several of my conservative friends like to say, is they keep the honest honest. Everyone else skirts them.

So issuing a mandate to have a certain number of officers in stations is nice, but unless they’re routinely monitored to confirm they’re there and not leaving for assistance calls from other units or because Hale and Hearty has the chicken pot pie soup, or even because they gotta look at that woman in the skimpy dress, it’s for naught.

It’s like the issue with bus timeliness - you can say that the M55 must leave South Ferry at 3:05, but unless the driver is completely honorable or a supervisor is there to enforce it, doesn’t mean it’ll happen.

A separate division that can’t have its resources diverted would be better. Or even merging NYPD Transit with DHS Police...

2) That’s not exactly true, as @Via Garibaldi 8 stated 

3) The reason Eminent Domain exists is for allowing the State to act in the interests of the citizenry at large over those of the few special interests. Granted, everyone worries about the next Tammany Hall or Robert Moses, and that Connecticut waterfront case at SCOTUS warped the intent, but since there is a homeless and affordable housing issue here, instead of begging for token gestures from developers, NYC and NYS need to consider using its powers to just get stuff done.

[Deucey]

28 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

2) Actually some of the hotels aren't horrible at all.  If you think being at the Excelsior on the Upper West Side is horrible, then there's a disconnect with what a nice hotel is.  In fact the city has been spending like crazy housing the homeless in upscale hotels around the city.

3) NIMBYs won't be paid off so easily.  De Blasio has been in bed with the developers trying to damnest to ram through these oversized buildings under the guise of affordable housing. It's disgusting.  The more affluent neighborhoods may be spared. 

I found the comments from an article I read about my neighborhood and the homeless problem rather interesting.  Somehow neighborhoods like mine that don't have a homeless problem should be inundated with homeless shelters just because we're an upper middle to upper class area, even though we already have tons of social services, like numerous retirement homes:

Source: http://riverdalepress.com/stories/homeless-advocates-get-contentious-welcome,63691?

2) I'll refer you to my comments above...

3) If anything, NYCHA has been selling off whatever properties it has, as the mounting repairs will only turn those buildings into endless money pits.  Those projects should all be torn down and they sjhould start over again.

On 3...that’s the problem with NYC government - it looks for the easy way out and if there isn’t one, they just say “f**k it - we just won’t do anything.”

They keep letting these luxury buildings get built with token amounts of units at “low rent”; they could just lease out some of these spaces to move folks out of the PJs to gut reno portions of each building, then move them back. It’s expensive, but less expensive than repeatedly repairing the same issue, finding more issues that need funding to fix and then getting fined by NYS and the Feds for operating slums.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

11 minutes ago, Deucey said:

On 3...that’s the problem with NYC government - it looks for the easy way out and if there isn’t one, they just say “f**k it - we just won’t do anything.”

They keep letting these luxury buildings get built with token amounts of units at “low rent”; they could just lease out some of these spaces to move folks out of the PJs to gut reno portions of each building, then move them back. It’s expensive, but less expensive than repeatedly repairing the same issue, finding more issues that need funding to fix and then getting fined by NYS and the Feds for operating slums.

Those projects need to be torn down.  "Renovating" them is just throwing good money after bad.  The real way to address the homeless problem is gut the stabilized housing and rent control crap and let the market dictate what standard rents will be.  In my building we will have one bedrooms at $2100 - 2300. Using the 40x the rent rule, someone would have to earn $92,000 to afford the rent.  If someone can afford $2300, then those apartments will go, and if not, the price will be adjusted, since as you know landlords always shoot high.  During peak season, we had loft studios starting around $2100 and eventually they were rented for $1800, and they are all occupied by one person so that means that those people earn $72,000 and up.  Just proves my point.  Landlords can only charge what the market will bear.  

[N6 Limited]

25 minutes ago, Deucey said:

On 3...that’s the problem with NYC government - it looks for the easy way out and if there isn’t one, they just say “f**k it - we just won’t do anything.”

They keep letting these luxury buildings get built with token amounts of units at “low rent”; they could just lease out some of these spaces to move folks out of the PJs to gut reno portions of each building, then move them back. It’s expensive, but less expensive than repeatedly repairing the same issue, finding more issues that need funding to fix and then getting fined by NYS and the Feds for operating slums.

Sounds nice in theory, but what do you do about the people complaining about having to move in the first place, then subsequently complaining to have back to the PJs to "lower quality" housing?

[Deucey]

2 minutes ago, N6 Limited said:

Sounds nice in theory, but what do you do about the people complaining about having to move in the first place, then subsequently complaining to have back to the PJs to "lower quality" housing?

Simple:

“You can stay, but you’re gonna pay the $3600 for this apartment. NYCHA isn’t covering any part of this rent. So choose.

 

[N6 Limited]

Just now, Deucey said:

Simple:

“You can stay, but you’re gonna pay the $3600 for this apartment. NYCHA isn’t covering any part of this rent. So choose.

 

I can see it now. "NYCHA discriminates, tosses families on street due to their income levels"

[Deucey]

4 minutes ago, N6 Limited said:

I can see it now. "NYCHA discriminates, tosses families on street due to their income levels"

Take NYCHA out, and you described gentrification.

Except in this instance, getting temp housing while your home gets reno’d gives you the right to return. So if you don’t, you gotta have a plan.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

18 minutes ago, N6 Limited said:

I can see it now. "NYCHA discriminates, tosses families on street due to their income levels"

 

12 minutes ago, Deucey said:

Take NYCHA out, and you described gentrification.

Except in this instance, getting temp housing while your home gets reno’d gives you the right to return. So if you don’t, you gotta have a plan.

Gentrification will happen with or without NYCHA.  There is a luxury building going up in East Harlem next to one the biggest housing project developments in Manhattan and the prices will be in the millions for some of the apartments despite the location.  I also predict that homelessness will only worsen in this city.  We're seeing the rents above $1,400 even in some of the worst neighborhoods in the Bronx and Brooklyn, so just imagine what will happen in the next few years... We're either going to have the bubble burst or rents will continue to shoot up because salaries simply aren't rising as quickly as the rents are.

By then I plan on owning my own place. The problem is most New Yorkers can't afford to own and rent, so some of those with roommates IMO or barely holding on will be pushed out, those like myself with their own apartments already paying market rates that are damn there close to a mortgage payment will buy, and we'll see yet another increase in the homeless population, most of whom have been families.  It's quite disturbing how many young people in particular here can't afford to move out on their own.  They're either living at home in their late 20s and early 30s or they have roommates. I'm always shocked when people my age and younger have their own place because it's such a rare thing these days.

[Deucey]

11 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

 

Gentrification will happen with or without NYCHA.  There is a luxury building going up in East Harlem next to one the biggest housing project developments in Manhattan and the prices will be in the millions for some of the apartments despite the location.  I also predict that homelessness will only worsen in this city.  We're seeing the rents above $1,400 even in some of the worst neighborhoods in the Bronx and Brooklyn, so just imagine what will happen in the next few years... We're either going to have the bubble burst or rents will continue to shoot up because salaries simply aren't rising as quickly as the rents are.

By then I plan on owning my own place. The problem is most New Yorkers can't afford to own and rent, so some of those with roommates IMO or barely holding on will be pushed out, those like myself with their own apartments already paying market rates that are damn there close to a mortgage payment will buy, and we'll see yet another increase in the homeless population, most of whom have been families.  It's quite disturbing how many young people in particular here can't afford to move out on their own.  They're either living at home in their late 20s and early 30s or they have roommates. I'm always shocked when people my age and younger have their own place because it's such a rare thing these days.

That’s why i ended up on SI - just couldn’t bring myself to roommate nor pay that four borough rent.

Been here for three lease renewals, and I’m now almost at $1200 when the comparable studio I would’ve rented on 163/Amsterdam - before I took this apt - was $1200 in 2015 and is now $1700.

All the reports say rents are stabilizing and possibly peaked, but they’re still high enough - and will continue to be - that too many are one building ownership change from being homeless.

That City Hall and Albany aren’t actually trying to solve that problem is pathetic.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 minute ago, Deucey said:

That’s why i ended up on SI - just couldn’t bring myself to roommate nor pay that four borough rent.

Been here for three lease renewals, and I’m now almost at $1200 when the comparable studio I would’ve rented on 163/Amsterdam - before I took this apt - was $1200 in 2015 and is now $1700.

All the reports say rents are stabilizing and possibly peaked, but they’re still high enough - and will continue to be - that too many are one building ownership change from being homeless.

That City Hall and Albany aren’t actually trying to solve that problem is pathetic.

Wow... $1200 is a good deal... I'd kill to pay that.  I pay $1600 for my new studio with a balcony, so when my lease is up in two years, I know he'll want $1700 - 1800 easily and I'm going to either stay and pay that or have enough saved by then to purchase.

[Deucey]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Wow... $1200 is a good deal... I'd kill to pay that.  I pay $1600 for my new studio with a balcony, so when my lease is up in two years, I know he'll want $1700 - 1800 easily and I'm going to either stay and pay that or have enough saved by then to purchase.

You could be my neighbor for $1225, or $1350 if you want a 1bd...

If your apt is stabilized, you shouldn’t go any higher than $1660 when your lease is up. Check the forms to make sure it is - almost every building is just to avoid that hefty property tax the city levies.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 hour ago, Deucey said:

You could be my neighbor for $1225, or $1350 if you want a 1bd...

If your apt is stabilized, you shouldn’t go any higher than $1660 when your lease is up. Check the forms to make sure it is - almost every building is just to avoid that hefty property tax the city levies.

The deal breaker for me is you aren't near any express bus. When I lived on Staten Island I commuted via the express bus unless there was some back up. Some days taking that ferry is just brutal, but yeah $1350 for a one bedroom.... Basically impossible at that price in any good area in the other boroughs. That would cost me $2100 for sure renovated or brand new here in Riverdale which is what I would want. I could likely get a doorman as well, but again that's a mortgage payment.

I'm really considering buying someone near the Hudson River. The prices are reasonable and I would have great views year round. As for the lease, it's a market rate lease. Same one I've always had. However, this one had a rider in it stating basically that I was accepting being in a market rate unit. I didn't sign it though, but I may look at that closer and see if they're overcharging because they are taking advantage of the 421A program, which I'm sure you know all about. I know about it since I used to work in construction on the insurance side dealing with management companies. I have four years to contest that and I may have one of the offices I called here look into it for me (elected official). This is another reason for the high rates of homelessness though. Lots of people are being overcharged and don't know it. 

[Missabassie]

When these politicians end up sleeping under a subway seat, only then will they understand. Of course, there cronies will never let that happen....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

So Mayor de Blasio was on Good Day NY this morning talking about this very issue and how "unacceptable" it was.   For almost four years now we've seen the homeless literally taking over the subway system, sleeping on benches, camping out in subway cars and the like, and only this morning did I see NYPD officers attempting to clear the station of homeless people.  How interesting. They had a guy passed out on the platform at the 47th-50th street station with two officers over him trying to get him to leave.  I was under the impression that homeless people have the right to be there because it's a public space, and now suddenly they can be cleared out?  Total BS.  This man is trying to pull the wool over everyone's eyes about quality of life issues, which is a big reason why he needs to go.

[Deucey]

7 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

So Mayor de Blasio was on Good Day NY this morning talking about this very issue and how "unacceptable" it was.   For almost four years now we've seen the homeless literally taking over the subway system, sleeping on benches, camping out in subway cars and the like, and only this morning did I see NYPD officers attempting to clear the station of homeless people.  How interesting. They had a guy passed out on the platform at the 47th-50th street station with two officers over him trying to get him to leave.  I was under the impression that homeless people have the right to be there because it's a public space, and now suddenly they can be cleared out?  Total BS.  This man is trying to pull the wool over everyone's eyes about quality of life issues, which is a big reason why he needs to go.

I thought public space was the area outside fare control.

[bobtehpanda]

On 10/24/2017 at 1:05 PM, Deucey said:

1) Given that NYPD don’t sufficiently patrol the subway to deal with these QOL issues, and  still has a police force, maybe Giuliani’s merger should be undone, and  reinstate the NYCT Police.

2) All the hotels and shelters and homeless people still go everywhere but those two options. Aside from the public spaces/nuisance rules and first amendment, we should be figuring out why this is

3) Why isn’t NYCHA building buildings so the Sec 8, LINCS and HASA (et al) waiting lists stop being backlogged? Why isn’t Cuomo using HCR and Mitchell-Lama to build more housing?

All this sparring between Andy C and Billy Dee is like a shitty rap battle between two shitty rappers with shitty lyrics basically saying “you ugly” back and forth. 

Yet the housing problem’s existed since1955...

NYCHA is so broke they barely have money for the buildings they do have. Every time they try to raise funding by developing the crappy green space no one actually uses, tenants go wild unless it's 100% public (which there is no money for). And there's not really available land left for more NYCHA housing. In fact, some of the NYCHA housing should probably be demolished; there shouldn't be high-density anything in a flood-prone area like the Rockaways.

[Mtatransit]

I think the solution is not Price Control or Affordable housing. The solution should be more infrastructure. This way everyone won't have to live closer to Manhattan and provides mobility to people living further out

[N6 Limited]

On 10/26/2017 at 8:41 PM, bobtehpanda said:

NYCHA is so broke they barely have money for the buildings they do have. Every time they try to raise funding by developing the crappy green space no one actually uses, tenants go wild unless it's 100% public (which there is no money for). And there's not really available land left for more NYCHA housing. In fact, some of the NYCHA housing should probably be demolished; there shouldn't be high-density anything in a flood-prone area like the Rockaways.

Maybe the solution is having buildings on stilts with elevated walkways connecting directly to the .