Newsletters

I hope you had a healthy and happy Thanksgiving, as we did. We celebrated a very special holiday with our NYCHA residents, with Lexington Houses residents receiving new stoves from my office's funding (and an untimely gas outage was fixed ahead of Thanksgiving) and free turkeys from the New York Common Pantry for the residents of Robins Plaza and Stanley Isaacs and Holmes Towers.

As the holiday season continues, we are partnering with Chabad Upper East Side to provide free menorahs that you can pick up from our office. And of course, I invite you to join us at our holiday party on Thursday, December 17, 5pm-7pm, in our District Office at 244 E 93rd Street. I hope you can attend, and please remember to RSVP.

This month we kept up the campaign against superscrapers, including in testimony on the Mayor’s zoning proposals, held a public hearing on legislation to recover $1.6 billion in outstanding debt to the city, and passed a law I introduced.

Here on the East Side, we continued the battle against the East 91st Street Marine Transfer Station with a bill requiring air quality monitoring, announced a master plan for the East River Esplanade from 62nd Street to 78th Street and are giving you a chance to decide how we spend over $1 million in City Council District 5 funding at Carl Schurz Park at a visioning session on December 15.

I hope to see you at my office for First Friday or Policy Night or at our rent freeze screening on Roosevelt Island on Monday, December 7. And as we approach the new year, please save January 10 at 1pm on your calendar for our annual State of the District event.

I am thankful to have this amazing job as your council member. What are you most thankful for this holiday season?

Sincerely, 

Ben Kallos

TABLE of CONTENTS 

1. Building and Preserving Neighborhoods for All New Yorkers
2. Recovering $1.6 Billion in Debt to the City
3. Marine Transfer Station Air Quality
4. Getting "Dark Money" Out of Our Elections
5. A Happy Thanksgiving at NYCHA

HOUSING and ZONING

6. Do You Qualify to Have Your Rent Frozen?
7. $2.6 Billion for Supportive Housing
8. Identifying Affordable Housing Hidden by Bad Landlords
9. Worst Landlords
10. Preserving an Historic House at 412 E 85th Street

PARKS, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, and the ENVIRONMENT

11. New Playground for Carl Schurz Park
12. East River Esplanade Visioning
13. FDR Renovations Completed
14. Funding for the Second Avenue Subway
15. Beyond Coal

GOOD GOVERNMENT and EQUALITY

16. Passing a Law to Make Standardize Locations
17. Fight for $15
18. Clean Slate

HEALTH       

19. Medicare Update and Enrollment
20. Cooking with Kallos
21. American-Italian Cancer Dinner
22. LGBT Center

COMMUNITY 

23. 86th Street Business Improvement District
24. Community Board Applications
25. Free Menorahs in My District Office
26. Papal Appeal
27. Big Apple Circus
28. Gifford Miller’s Portrait at City Hall

OFFICE UPDATES

29. Legislative Corner
30. In the Neighborhood
31. Volunteer
32. Here to Help
33. Legal Clinics
34. Mobile District Hours
35. Ben in Your Building
36. City Council Events

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

37. Free Storage Bins for E-Waste Recycling
38. Organics Collection
39. Emergency Snow Laborers Needed
40. Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, Advance Directives Project
41. Citizen's Committee Neighborhood Grants
42. Bike New York
43. Jewish Association Serving the Aging
44. Community Events

Fall has come, and things are moving fast again. In October we continued our fight against superscrapers in residential neighborhoods, stepped up efforts to clean up 86th Street, and held an info session for Domestic Violence Awareness Month where we launched a new family law clinic. We also entered next phase of Participatory Budgeting, where you help us spend $1 million in our community, and it's not too late to get involved!

November is busy too, and perhaps most importantly, I want to bring to your attention the Mayor's Zoning for Quality and Affordability proposal, which would change zoning citywide. How do you think our zoning should change? I believe, among other issues, we need to cap building heights in residential neighborhoods and protect historic districts.

I encourage you to testify on this issue at the Borough President's hearing on November 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm at Clinton School at 10 East 15th Street.
 Happy Halloween, and have a great Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Ben Kallos

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Fighting Superscrapers and Rallying Against Sutton 58
2. Cleaning up 86th Street with a Business Improvement District
3. "Talking Truth" on the Marine Transfer Station
4. Become a Participatory Budgeting Delegate

Housing and Zoning

4. Zoning for Quality and Affordability
5. FRIENDS of the Upper East Side Historic Districts Report on Zoning
6. NYCHA “Infill” at Holmes Towers

Health and Education

7. Comprehensive Health Education Bill
8. Domestic Violence Event and Clinic
9. Senior Health Fair
10. Ensuring Our Schools Have the Resources They Need
11. New Computer Center at Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center

Parks

12. John Jay Park Improvements
13. Capital Improvements for Carl Schurz Park Playground

Good Government

14. Preparing for Elections
15. Where’s my FiOS
16. The Commission on Public Information and Communication
17. Cities/Law Schools Consortium
18. Councilmatic Launch

Public Safety

19. Remembering Police Officer Holder and Recognizing Our Police
20. Carolyn Maloney meeting to Stop Gun Violence
21. Mapping Traffic Violations

Equality

22. Safe Staffing Levels for Nurses
23. PSC CUNY Contract
24. Progressive Caucus Advancement Conference
25. 4th Annual Heroes of Labor Awards
26. Sarah Kim

Community

27. The Latest on Cornell Tech
28. JSA Fall Conference
29. Fall Festivals
30. Farewell to Matthew Washington
31. Homelessness
32. AEPi Breakfast

Office Updates

32. Legislative Corner
33. In the Neighborhood
34. Volunteer
35. Here to Help
36. Legal Clinics
37. Mobile District Hours
38. Ben in Your Building
39. City Council Events

Community Resources

40. Emergency Snow Laborers Needed
41. Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, Advance Directives Project
42. Citizen's Committee's Neighborhood Grants
43. Bike New York
44. Jewish Association Serving the Aging
45. Department of Sanitation: E-Waste Recycling and Organics
46. Community Events

September was a month of celebration from Labor Day to Rosh HaShannah to Eid. Following Labor Day, I joined principals and teachers of PS 290 and PS 158 to greet parents and kids as they started a new year of learning and growing. On September 24, New York City schools closed for the first time ever for the Muslim holiday of Eid, truly making this a month of Religious inclusion, along with the Jewish High Holidays and the visit from Pope Francis who stayed right here on the Upper East Side.

The Pope's visit was about more than local significance, as he brought a message of inclusion, equality, and stewardship over the environment. I hope you will find that message throughout this newsletter, as I update you on what we've achieved over the past month, and what we can do together in October to make the world a better place. Before you read more, you might want to RSVP for our Senior Health Fair, sign up for a Participatory Budgeting Neighborhood Assembly, mark First Friday and Policy Night on your calendar, or reserve a spot at our Housing Legal Clinic.

Please also be aware of the oncoming Hurricane Joaquin. You can find information about Joaquin and hurricane preparedness at the website of the NYC Office of Emergency Preparedness.

I hope you enjoyed your September. How were your holidays?

Sincerely,

Ben Kallos

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Fighting Superscrapers and Celebrating Mr. Herndon Werth
2. Holmes Towers: “Infill Housing”
3. DEC Considers Impact on Air Quality of MTS
4. Decide How to Spend $1 Million in the Community

Transportation

5. Bike Safety Program Continues as Citi Bike Comes to Upper East Side
6. Ferrying Progress for Roosevelt Island
7. Hail a Yellow or Green Cab with Your Smartphone

Affordable Housing and Preserving Our Neighborhoods

8. Rent Freeze Takes Effect
9. Supporting Landmarks by Opposing Introduction 775
10. Legislation to Protect Tenants

Education

11. Opening a New School on the Upper East Side
12. UPK on Roosevelt Island
13. Cornell Tech Town Hall, Tonight 10/1
14. First Day of School
15. Ramaz Rededication

Equality and Transparent Government

16. Calling for Low-Cost Internet and Free Computers in Proposed Charter-Time Warner Merger
17. Fighting for $15 with Vice President Joe Biden and Governor Andrew Cuomo
18. Talking Election Reforms and More on City Watch
19. Getting Your Ideas: Crowdsourcing the Law
20. How to Become a New York City Council Member
21. Nextdoor

Community

22. Getting Prepared for Hurricane Joaquin and the Next Emergency
23. Celebrating the Holidays and Honoring Survivors
24. Town Hall
25. The WIRE in the Wall Street Journal
26. Street Fairs
27. Parades
28. Welcoming Commanding Officer Delgado

Office Updates

29. Legislative Corner
30. In the Neighborhood
31. Volunteer
32. Here to Help
33. Mobile District Hours
34. Ben in Your Building
35. City Council Events

Community Resources

36. Bike New York
37. Jewish Association Serving the Aging
38. Department of Sanitation: E-Waste Recycling and Organics
39. Community Events

The New York Times has covered our on going fight against the superscraper at Sutton 58 and a new fight that I am helping to lead to preserve our neighborhoods and landmarks. 

Bike safety program results are in following my summer launch ahead of Citi Bike expansion to the Upper East Side. My constituents can get $25 off an annual membership by visiting CitiBikeNYC.com/kallos and are encouraged to take advantage ofa free 90-minute Citi Bike safety class taught by Bike New York monthly in my District Office that comes with a free day pass or a free month added to your annual membership.

The summer was busy and I hope you'll enjoy getting caught up in this newsletter, as we look ahead to the fall please be sure to join me for First Friday (on September 11 for the Labor Day weekend), the annual Town Hall with city agencies, and our annual Emergency Preparedness Month event where you can get a free Go Bag or Go Bag Kit.

Summer may be over, but I hope you took some time to relax or if you are anything like me, catch up on work. What are you looking forward to this fall?

Sincerely,

Ben Kallos

Please Note: First Friday has been moved to Friday, September 11 to accommodate the Labor Day weekend.

Table of Contents
1. Fighting Superscrapers
2. Landmarks Preservation Fight Ahead
3. Bike Safety Program
4. Citi Bike Stations Moved & Safety Training
5. Ramp Moves as DEC Considers Impact on Air Quality
6. Decide How to Spend $1 Million in the Community
Good Government
7. Hero For Reform
8. City Record Online
9. Electronic Filing to Save Time and Money
10. Automatic Benefits to Help Low-Income New Yorkers
11. Improving 311
12. Affordable Housing
Health
13. Healthy Happy Meals
14. Cooking with Kallos
Community
15. Emergency Preparedness Event
16. Trash Walk
17. Boating with Ben
18. Summer Reading Celebration
19. Lexington Houses Family Day
20. Making Kids Smile
21. Penn & Teller Honored
Office Updates
22. Fall Interns
23. Here to Help
24. Mobile District Hours
25. Ben in Your Building
Community Resources
26. Bike New York
27. Jewish Association Serving the Aging
28. City Council Events
29. Community Events

Dear Neighbor,You’ve given me a remarkable responsibility: to represent you in City Hall.Under previous Council Member Jessica Lappin’s leadership, our communitythrived — a legacy I will diligently continue. I am honored to now representthe community where I grew up and where my mother still lives. My officewill always accessible be and available to you and can be reached bycalling 212-860-1950, visiting us at 244 East 93rd Street, or emailingbkallos@council.nyc.gov. We have important work to do together. Every child should receive the sameworld-class education that I did at Bronx High School of Science. We can worktogether to implement innovative solutions such as identifying new spacesfor schools in our neighborhood, making pre-k universally available to helpchildren get a fair start, and creating CUNY college loan forgiveness programsto help our city’s economy thrive. Older New Yorkers and their caregivers must be supported so they can behealthy and independent. My mother is a senior who lives in the district, and Iam committed to keeping senior centers open and protecting vital services likeMeal on Wheels. We must protect and expand affordable housing. Those who made our neighborhoodwhat it is today deserve to see the benefits of their lifetimes of hardwork. New development, which will come with the completion of the SecondAvenue Subway, must include affordable housing for middle-class New Yorkers.We also have standing battles to continue. I am a member of Asphalt Green’sTriathlon Team and will continue to fight the Marine Transfer Station. I amworking to build a broad coalition of elected officials and community leadersin opposition to any dump in a residential neighborhood. It won’t be easy,it won’t happen right away, and I will need your help — but together, we candefeat it. If we invest in each other — our time, energy and compassion — our governmentcan work better for all of us. Please join me, so that together we canbuild a better city. Sincerely,Council Member Ben KallosDistrict Five: Upper East Side, Midtown East, El Barrio and Roosevelt Island