Annual Report, 4 Years As Your Council Member

Dear Neighbor,

It has been four years, five months and twenty days since I began serving as your City Council Member. Thank you to all the residents who came out to the polls in the Primary and General Elections last year, where we won with 7,847 votes at 75% and 22,514 votes at 81% respectively. This is a testament to our partnership and shows that empowering residents helps to govern honestly and inclusively—and it's the best way to get things done.

Together we invested in education, successfully winning more than 750 pre-kindergarten seats and providing millions of dollars in STEM funding for public schools, we improved commutes with new Select Bus Service, new buses and a new subway, rebuilt our parks with 200 million in public and private dollars for the East River Esplanade, fought over development by rezoning to stop a super tall tower, cleaned up the neighborhood with a new large trash can on every corner and cleaned up government by making the City Council a full time job and banning outside income.

If you would like to compare my goals with our actions over the past four years, please have a look at my 2013 Policy Book as well as my Inauguration and four States of the District, where we looked to the past and prepared for a bright future. I am proud of these achievements, but I know their is a lot more we can do together. Thank you for your support over the past four years. I am looking forward to all we can accomplish in my second term.  

Regards,

Ben Kallos
Council Member

BY THE NUMBERS

Constituent Service Cases: 7,700 and counting
Legislation Authored: 104
Introductions Authored: 86
Introductions Enacted into Law: 32 (37%)
Resolutions Authored: 18
Resolutions Adopted: 12 (67%)
Land Use Matters Adopted:  6 (100%)
City Council Attendance: 99%
Governmental Operations Committee Hearings Chaired: 67
Legislation Passed by Committee: 55
Legislation Sponsored: 895
Legislation Sponsored Adopted or Enacted: 680 (76%)
Ben in Your Building: More than fifty
First Fridays & Brainstorm with Ben: More than four dozen
Mobile Hours: Hundreds
Free Legal Clinics: Hundreds
Community Meetings: Hundreds
Petitions Signed: 4,290 and counting
Reusable Bags Distributed: 4,000 and counting
Participatory Budgeting Investments in Community: $6.9 Million

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INVESTING IN EDUCATION

1. Ending School Hunger
2. Exposed Need and Secured 400 New School Seats
3. Better Planning for School Seats
4. Advancing Arts Education with Annual Student Show at Sotheby's 
5. Investing in STEM Education
6. Green Roofs 
7. Fighting for Free City and State University
8. Supporting Our Students Through Gender Sexuality Alliances in Public Schools 
9. Opening and Collaborating with Cornell Tech

BETTER COMMUTES

10. Opening the Second Avenue Subway 
11. New Buses Improve Service on the Upper East Side
12. Improving Bus Service with Off-Board Fare Payment for the M79, M86, and Advocating for the M96
13. Ferry Service for Roosevelt Island
14. Ferry Service for the Upper East Side 
15. Roosevelt Island Tram Approved for Another 50 Years
16. Focus on Safety for Our Most Dangerous Streets 
17. Extra Time for Pedestrians to Cross York Avenue
18. New Citi Bike Stations on the Upper East Side and Incentivized Safety Class 
19. Bike Safety Program Expansion to the Entire Upper East Side and Midtown East
20. Accessible Sidewalks for All 

IMPROVING AND CREATING NEW PARKS

21. Expanding and Rebuilding the East River Esplanade with $200 Million
22. East River River Greenway Construction on Esplanade Continues 
23. Completed 81st Street Pedestrian Bridge 
24. Opened a New Park on East 90th Street Pier
25. Rockefeller Ground Breaking on $9 Million Esplanade Renovation
26. Hospital for Special Surgery Renovate Sections of East River Esplanade 
27. Secured One Million Dollar Public-Private Partnership with Brearley to Repair Overhang Above the Esplanade
28. Conservancies and Funding for Local Parks
29. Revitalizing the Waterfront Management Advisory Board

QUALITY OF LIFE

30. A New Trashcan on Every Corner
31. A Plan to Take Down Unnecessary Scaffolding
32. Improved Quality of Life Enforcement
33. Automatic Benefits Study Passes Council
34. Supporting the Homeless with ETHOS
35. Fresh Food Box

PROTECTING TENANTS AND FIGHTING OVERDEVELOPMENT

36. Victory Against Overdevelopment: Rezoned the Sutton Area
37. Thousands of Subsidized Units will Return to Affordable Housing Under Legislation I Authored
38. Lowering the Volume on After Hours Construction Noise in New York City Passes Council
39. Challenging Skyscrapers in Residential Neighborhoods Built Using Loopholes
40. Won Two Rent Freezes
41. Safer Construction with Law to Count Every Life
42. Freezing Rents for Seniors and Disabled New Yorkers
43. Ending Downsizing of Seniors into Studio Apartments
44. Protected Quite Side Streets on the Mid-Block From Overdevelopment
45. Mandatory Affordable Housing for New Neighborhood Plans
46. Protected Landmarks Citywide
47. Recognized for Leading Preservation 
48. Tenant Blacklist Regulation Proposed 
49. Opening Up Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS)
50. Passed Tenant Safety Legislation
51. Reformed the Board of Standards and Appeals

MARINE TRANSFER STATION

52. Fighting the Marine Transfer Station 

GOOD GOVERNMENT REFORM AND TRANSPARENCY 

53. Eliminated Outside Income and Legal Bribery
54. Online Voter Registration Becomes Law, In New York City 
55. Opened the City Budget to the Public
56. Weakening the Influence of Specials Interest Money in Politics
57. Voter Information Portal Law Enacted
58. Won Affordable High-Speed Internet for Low-Income New Yorkers
59. Spectrum Internet Assist
60. Millions for the Community Voted for by Residents in Participatory Budgeting
61. Demanded Answers on the Rivington Nursing Home Scandal
62. Focusing on Better Management
63. Get Big Money Out of New York City Politics 

PASSED LEGISLATION

64. Quality Of Life Enforcement
65. Construction Safety
66. Protecting Neighborhood Planning From Overdevelopment
67. Ethics Reform
68. Campaign Finance Reform
69. Election Reforms
70. Transparency In Government
71. Coastal Resiliency For Climate Change
72. Women’s Issues
73. Best City Council Members

 
INVESTING IN EDUCATION

Ending School Hunger

The New York Times covered how after years of advocacy with organizations like Lunch4Learning and Community Food Advocates, as of September 2017 all 1.1 million children who attend New York City public schools now have access to universal free lunch. No child enrolled in a New York City public school should go hungry in one of the wealthiest cities in the world. That is why I authored and passed Local Law 215 requiring the Department of Education (DOE) to set a goal of ending public student hunger and report on all school meals. For more information read the coverage in the The New York Times or the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases

Exposed Need and Secured 400 New School Seats 



The Wall Street Journal reported on 400 new Pre-K seats coming to the Upper East Side. After years of fighting and pushing the Department of Education (DOE) for new facilities in this neighborhood, we are finally getting them. When I took office there were 124 Pre-K slots on the Upper East Side. Since then with the collaboration of community leaders and parents, we have been able to raise that amount to nearly 750 seats. As almost 900 families applied for Universal Pre-K in this district in 2017, the 400 additional seats that are being constructed for school year 2019 will go a long way to filling the gap. The Mayor’s promise of ‘Pre-Kindergarten for All’ must include enough seats in every neighborhood. For more information, read the coverage from The Wall Street Journal or the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases
 

Better Planning for School Seats

The New York Times in February 2017 covered my bill that would show just how many children on the Upper East Side and throughout the city are not offered a seat in the school of their choice, as well as  where they end up. In 2015, more than half of would-be pre-kindergarteners on the Upper East Side were not offered school seats in their zip codes--that's 429 out of 796 or 54% of applicants. In 2016 in School District 2, spanning from the Financial District to the Upper East Side, 1,696 preschoolers took the Gifted and Talented exam with 838 eligible, 652 applying and only 346 receiving offers according to Department of Education, meaning 306 preschoolers, making up 47% of applicants, were turned away. With better transparency and planning, we can insure the City is providing a local seat for all New York City children. For more information read the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases or coverage in the New York Times.


Advancing Arts Education with Annual Student Show at Sotheby's
 
As a lover of the arts, I am proud to have sponsored and hosted four annual Public School Art Shows at Sotheby's, where students see their work hanging in halls that have also hung the likes of Picasso and Rembrandt. Thank you to P.S. 183, Wan Ling Fahrer and PTA leader Patricia Correge for their partnership in organizing this event year after year.  It is always great to join hundreds of parents, teachers and young artists see their work on display at the world famous Sotheby’s. The schools that have joined us over the years are P.S. 6, P.S. 59, P.S. 77, P.S. 151, P.S. 158, P.S. 169, P.S. 183, P.S. 198, P.S. 267, P.S. 290, P.S. 527, East Side Middle School, Vanguard High School, and Yorkville East Middle School. I am already looking forward to next year’s show, which I am sure will be even bigger and better. View photos from past art show at facebook.com/pg/benkallos/photos learn more at BenKallos.com/ArtShow


Investing in STEM Education

I’ve invested over $3 million in discretionary funding from my office to support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education in our local public schools with new computers, smart boards and science labs. Technology is where tomorrow’s jobs are being created. For our kids to be ready for the future we have to invest in STEM courses that train them from an early age. Schools that have received or are set to receive these STEM upgrades include:

• P.S. 77 Lower Lab - $233,000 for mobile STEM carts, technology, laptops and A/C.
• P.S. 151 Yorkville Community School - $143,000 for technology and laptops.
• P.S. 158 Bayard Taylor - $324,000 for technology and laptops.
• P.S. 183 Robert Stevenson - $203,000 for technology and laptops.
• P.S. 198 Isador Ida Straus - $282,000 for classrooms, technology, laptops, and A/C
• P.S./I.S. 217 Roosevelt Island - $295,000 for technology and laptops.
• P.S. 225 Ella Baker - $75,000 for laptops.
• P.S. 290 Manhattan New School - $75,000 for laptops.
• P.S. 527 East Side School for Social Action - $175,000 for theater and technology.
• M.S. 114 East Side Middle School - $106,000 for laptops.
• M.S. 177 Yorkville East Middle School - $128,000 for technology and laptops.
• Eleanor Roosevelt High School - $234,000 for classrooms, technology, and laptops.
• Manhattan International High School - $140,000 for technology and laptops.
• Urban Academy High School - $213,000 for technology and laptops.
• Vanguard High School - $105,000 for technology and laptops.
• Talent Unlimited High School - $195,000 for auditorium and technology.
• Life Sciences Secondary and High School - $105,000 for technology and laptops.

Green Roofs 

Over the past four years, through participatory budgeting and other discretionary funding, I have provided over $3.5 million to build greens roofs at schools all over the District 5 including:

• P.S. 151 Yorkville Community School - $750,000 ($500,000 Participatory Budgeting)
• P.S./I.S. 217 Roosevelt Island - $1 million ($500,000 from Participatory Budgeting)
• P.S. 290 Manhattan New School - $1 million ($500,000 from Participatory Budgeting)
• M.S. 114 East Side Middle School - $800,000

This will provide students an opportunity to be exposed to the future of energy and inspire them to look to careers of the future, as well as understand environmental protection.


Fighting for Free City and State University 

I am proud to have supported Governor Cuomo’s first in the nation Excelsior Scholarship for students whose families make $125,000 per year or less, who now qualify for free college tuition at all City (CUNY) and State (SUNY) two- and four-year colleges in New York State as long as they live in state. When I ran for office in 2013, one of the "fresh ideas" for which the New York Times endorsed me was providing a debt-free higher education for CUNY students where the City would forgive student debt for every year the student remained in New York City after graduation, so that the taxes from their increased income would pay for their education and more. The new program began in the fall of 2017 and will be phased in over three years. For details visit ny.gov/programs/tuition-free-degree-program-excelsior-scholarship.


Supporting Our Students Through Gender Sexuality Alliances in Public Schools

The New York Daily News covered legislation authored by students from Eastside Middle School and the Manhattan Leadership Council that I introduced and passed. This new law is aimed at helping LGBTQ students in New York City schools that may be victims of bullying. The law now forces reporting on which middle and high schools have a Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club, the number of teachers, principals, and administrators at each school who have received lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and gender non-conforming (LGBTQGNC) training. Thank you to East Side Middle School and the Manhattan Leadership Council whose student testimony and stories were crucial in getting the Council to support the legislation. For more information on the law read the BenKallos.com/Press-Releases


Opening and Collaborating with Cornell Tech

It was a historic occasion for Roosevelt Island as I joined City leaders and residents, including former and present mayors Michael Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio, as well as Governor Cuomo, at the official ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of Cornell Tech’s energy efficient campus on Roosevelt Island. The state of the Art facility was made possible in part by a generous donation on behalf of Mayor Bloomberg’s charity, Bloomberg Philanthropies. The campus will not only take part in critical technological advancements, it will also create hundreds of new jobs on Roosevelt Island. By diligently working with community organizers and the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation my office ensured that the construction project was done by barge and stayed on track without harming the Island. Cornell Tech will grow jobs and educate the next tech leaders right on Roosevelt Island, making sure that the next big thing is “Made In New York”. Cornell Tech is now in the process of attracting millions in investment on Roosevelt Island and in New York City. Since the Cornell Tech opened they have collaborated with my office on a number of events including the "Ignite My future Initiative" and the Launching of TCS $50 Million Investment in Cornell Tech to Advance K-12 Digital Literacy in New York City Schools. For more information read the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases



BETTER COMMUTES

Opening the Second Avenue Subway 

I was pleased to join Governor Cuomo, MTA Chair Prendergast, MTA Capital Construction President Horodniceanu, Manhattan Borough President Brewer, and Building Trades President LaBarbera to cut the ribbon on the 86th Street Second Avenue Subway Station. As reported by WABC 7, I also had the privilege of welcoming the New Year with an inaugural ride with Governor Cuomo, other elected officials, and residents who had to live through the construction. After so many years of construction and constant press conferences led by Congress Member Maloney to keep the construction on track, I am proud to finally have it open.


New Buses Improve Service on the Upper East Side 

In 2017 Upper East Side received 79 new buses serving the M15, M101, M102, and M103 routes, as reported in Our Town. After years of advocacy and analysis of BusTime data, I identified the issue of “missing buses” with the help of BetaNYC, BusTurnaround.nyc, and TWU Local 100. I brought the issue of “missing buses” to the attention of the MTA at a meeting convened by Senator Liz Krueger. The MTA shared that bus lines based out of the Tuskegee Depot in my district were among the oldest in the system, leading to more frequent than usual breakdowns, and they agreed to prioritize these buses for replacement. The new buses are equipped with WiFi, USB charging, next stop screens, and pedestrian safety measures. For more information, read coverage in Our Town, Upper East Side Patch or DNAinfo or read the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases


Improving Bus Service with Off-Board Fare Payment for the M79, M86, and Advocating for the M96

The M79 is an award-winning bus line, having the dubious honor of winning the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign Pokey Award in 2014 for the slowest speed with a 3.2 mile per hour crawl, slower than Hawaiian Lava flow. According to BusTurnaround.NYC the M79 now goes 4.3 miles per hour, slower than most people walk. That is why in 2016, following great results from Select Bus Service implementation for the M86, I requested it for the remaining crosstown routes in my district: the M66, M96 and of course the M79. In May 2017, the Department of Transportation released its progress report on the M86 SBS route, illustrating the success of the new route. In addition to a 96% customer satisfaction rating, the report notes that since the M86 SBS was established in July of 2015, ridership on the M86 route has grown by 7% and travel times have decreased by as much as 11%. If the M86 is any indicator I hope to see similar improvements in satisfaction for the M79 with the implementation of Select Bus Service. Watch the launch or read the press release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases


Ferry Service for Roosevelt Island

Following years of advocacy dating back to my first campaign, I am proud that we were able to bring NYC Ferry service to Roosevelt Island in 2017. Roughly a year later over 1,000,000 riders have taken advantage of the NYC Ferry system and use it to see our City’s parks and attractions and commute to and from work. For more information on the launch see the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases


Ferry Service for the Upper East Side 

2018 will also see new modes of transportation coming to the Upper East Side as there will be new a new stop at 90th Street as part of the City Sound View Ferry Route expected to travel between the South Bronx and Pier 11 in Downtown Manhattan. As with all other NYC Ferry routes rides will include free WiFi and will cost the same as MetroCard swipe. I am looking forward to kicking this off as it will offer Upper East Side residents more options in how they get around.


Roosevelt Island Tram Approved for Another 50 Years 

After more than 20 years of operating on interim agreements, the City Council approved a 50-year franchise agreement between the City of New York and the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC). The agreement was approved for two 25-year terms, granting the City the authority to negotiate with RIOC to continue operating the unique aerial tramway from Tramway Plaza on Second Avenue in Manhattan over the East River onto Roosevelt Island. As the Village Voice and Roosevelt Islander blog reported: “The Tram” has been managed by the State through RIOC since 1995 despite a bureaucratic quirk. The new agreement settles past issues that forced interim agreements to become the norm by allowing for the continuation of advertising on the interior of the cars and stations but prohibiting advertisements on the exteriors of the stations and tram cars. It is clear now that the Roosevelt Island Tram is here to stay and after 20 years of needless bureaucracy, we’ve protected it. To find out more about this deal read the coverage in the Village Voice and Roosevelt Islander blog and read the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases


Focus on Safety for Our Most Dangerous Streets 

Soon after taking office, we launched a "Livable Streets" program to promote safety for drivers, pedestrians, and bikers alike. We asked 60,000 families in my district to identify dangerous intersections and streetscape improvements and compiled your responses into two reports on Livable Streets, highlighting our Dangerous Intersections and proposing Street Improvements as covered by the Daily News. Following the report, the DOT and NYPD also released a Vision Zero Borough Pedestrian Safety Plan for Manhattan. They included included priority corridors on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Ave as well as intersections from my report: Lexington Avenue and East 86th Street, 2nd Avenue and East 79th Street, East 75th Street and 1st Avenue, East 62nd Street and 1st Avenue, 3rd Avenue and 57th Street, and 2nd Avenue and East 53rd Street. Years later we continuing to see repaving, medians, neckdowns, and other safety improvements added and maintained on many of the intersections we presented to the City as part of Vision Zero. You can help improve our streets at BenKallos.com/livable-streets


Extra Time for Pedestrians to Cross York Avenue 

My office worked with the MTS Community Advisory Group (CAG), fellow elected officials and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to make safety improvements to the intersections surrounding the Marine Transfer Station site: agreeing to adjust signal timing on the intersections on York Avenue. Leading Pedestrian Interval Signals (LPIS), where the walk sign shows before cars get a green light, have been installed at 19 of the intersections. This will allow pedestrians on these corners the opportunity to enter the crosswalk before cars begin to turn. Leading Pedestrian Interval Signals (LPIS) were installed along York Avenue at the following streets: 65th, 68th, 70th, 71st, 74th, 75th, 76th, 78th, 80th, 81st, 82nd, 83rd, 84th, 85th, 86th, 87th, 88th, 89th, and 90th.


New Citi Bike Stations on the Upper East Side and Incentivized Safety Class

During my first term, Citi Bike opened 25 stations on the Upper East Side in my Council District. Thank you to the hundreds of people who provided feedback, online and in person at community forums working with Department of Transportation and my office to find the right place for each station to benefit local businesses and residents. I wanted bike share users to be as safe as possible, so CitiBike provides a monthly 90-minute bike safety class at my office with the offer of a free day pass or additional month on an annual membership. For more information and to RSVP visit BenKallos.com/events

 
Bike Safety Program Expansion to the Entire Upper East Side and Midtown East

Drivers, riders, bikers, and pedestrians have all expressed concerns about their safety, so we’ve expanded our Bike Safety Program with Council Member Garodnick to cover the Upper East Side and Midtown East within the 17th and 19th precincts stretching from East 30th Street all the way to East 96th Street. Injuries are down for motorists and pedestrians. When I launched the Bike Safety Program, Pix11, CBS2, WNBC, and amNY, reported on its goal of making our streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists to share with Education, Equipment, and Enforcement.
 
FREE Equipment with Education: Vests, Lights, Bells, and Helmets for delivery bikes following training class:

• A 90-minute training class in English, Spanish, and Chinese for delivery bikes,
• Lights and Bells for recreational and commuting cyclists coupled with education,
• Free Helmets,
• Bikes for NYPD Bike Patrol,
• Grading restaurants on use of safety equipment and e-bikes with East 72nd Street Neighborhood Association.

Learn more at  BenKallos.com/BikeSafety


Accessible Sidewalks for All 

After hearing from seniors and disabled members of the community who couldn't cross the streets because sidewalk ramps were inaccessible for walkers and wheelchairs, I introduced legislation that would require landlords to fix crumbling curb cuts to ensure the 889,219 New Yorkers with disabilities and nearly one million residents 65 or older can cross the street safely.



IMPROVING AND CREATING NEW PARKS 
 
Expanding and Rebuilding the East River Esplanade with  $200 Million

When I came into office, the East River Esplanade was literally falling into the river. Working with Congress Member Carolyn Maloney as co-chair of the East River Esplanade Task Force, I have secured and overseen $201 million in spending from public and private sources to rebuild parks infrastructure from 60th to 125th Streets:

• $1 million from my office in 2017 for irrigation from 96th to 90th Streets.
• Opened the 90th Street Pier in 2016 to the Public.
• $35 million for renovations from 90th to 88th Streets funded in 2014 with work started in 2017 for 2018 completion.
• $1.8 million from Council District 5 funding to modernize Carl Schurz Park Playground on 84th Street.
• $500,000 from my office in 2016 to renovate John Finley Walk following recommendations of CIVITAS from 84th to 81st.
• $1 million secured from Brearley to renovate the overhang above John Finley Walk following recommendations from CIVITAS from 83rd to 82nd.
• $16 million to rebuild the crumbling stairwell from 81st to 78th opened in 2017.
• $1 million secured from Hospital for Special Surgery for a master plan from 78th with irrigation, planters, and noise barriers from 72nd to 70th with maintenance in perpetuity.
• $1.25 million from my office in 2016 for irrigation and planters from 70th to 68th
• $10 million secured from Rockefeller University in 2014 for 68th to 62nd with work started in 2016 on a seawall, new design, irrigation, noise barriers, and maintenance in perpetuity.
• $29 million in public-private funding secured as a community benefit from Memorial Sloan Kettering to build Andrew Haswell Green Phase 2B from 61st to 60th.
• $4.6 million to rebuild Andrew Haswell Green under the Alice Aycock sculpture with accessibility, game tables, seating, and a new lawn opened in 2017.
• $100 million in funding in 2016 from the Mayor with completion slated for 2022 to connect the esplanade from 61st to 53rd.

 For more information visit BenKallos.com/parks


East River River Greenway Construction on Esplanade Continues

 In 2017 the final design plans for the East River Greenway construction were announced. The $100 Million project is in the process of connecting the gap on the East River Esplanade between 53rd and 61st streets. The formal announcement made by the Mayor, myself and other Eastside electeds puts Manhattan a little closer having a 32-mile contiguous walkway around the island. The project is currently on-going, when complete residents will finally be able to run, bike or walk the entire length of in District 5 from Midtown East to East Harlem. For more information watch the press conference or visit BenKallos.com/Press-Releases


Completed 81st Street Pedestrian Bridge

My office’s efforts to improve the East River Esplanade and make it accessible to all residents reached an important milestone in late 2017. Joined by New York City Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver and officials from New York City Department of Design and Construction, we cut the ribbon on the East 81st Street Pedestrian Bridge. The bridge connects the East River Esplanade’s lower level to the upper promenade, known as the John Finley Walk, with an ADA-accessible ramp. The $16 million construction, replaced the old, deteriorated bridge, which had been there since 1942. The new bridge features several design improvements suggested by City agencies, my office, CIVITAS, Community Board 8, and the East 79th St Neighborhood Association. The new pedestrian bridge features glass walls to preserve beautiful views of the East River, stainless steel railings and fencing, fresh concrete and new bridge bearings. For more information on the project, read the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases


Opened a New Park on East 90th Street Pier 

In late 2016, alongside Congress Member Carolyn Maloney and Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver, I inaugurated the 90th Street Pier Park. Now there are an additional 2,000 square feet of new park land on the Upper East Side. Thank you to Friends of the East River Esplanade chair Jennifer Ratner for helping make this park a reality for the community. Since 2014, I have been advocating for the Department of Transportation and the New York City Parks Department to work together and with local leaders to turn this unused space into a much-needed park. Read more about the new 90th Street Pier Park in the Upper East Side Patch and Manhattan Express.


Rockefeller Ground Breaking on $9 Million Esplanade Renovation

Our Town covered our groundbreaking on a public/private partnership to repair the East River Esplanade. I was proud to work with Rockefeller University during their application to construct a new building over the FDR, to provide community benefits that included $8 million to repair the East River Esplanade seawall as well as design a new park from 64th - 68th with a $1 million trust for maintenance in perpetuity. Rockefeller president Mark Tessier-Lavigne led a ceremony with Manhattan Parks Commissioner Bill Castro, Minna Elias on behalf of Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, and Deputy Borough President Matthew Washington on behalf of Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. Following seawall repairs the Esplanade will see improved landscaping, new seating and lighting, designated bike lanes, and a new noise barrier along the FDR Drive for a more peaceful park.

Hospital for Special Surgery Renovates East River Esplanade

Since I was elected, I've been working to establish public-private partnerships to renovate and care for the East River Esplanade in perpetuity. In 2015 as part of a approval for a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) for new construction, I asked Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) to renovate the esplanade from 70th to 72nd street and create a master plan from from 70th to 78th street for future construction and care for that stretch of land in perpetuity. In October of 2017, I had the pleasure of breaking ground on this new partnership with the President and CEO for HHS, Louis A. Shapiro, Congress Member Carolyn Maloney, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and Parks Manhattan Commissioner Bill Castro, and Friends of the East River Esplanade President Jennifer Ratner. In working with my office, HSS agreed to:

• Master Plan – Work with key community stakeholders to develop a Master Plan for the East River Esplanade from 62nd Street to 78th Street, in partnership with Rockefeller University, led by the Council Member.
• Noise Barriers – Noise barriers eight-feet in height under its East Wing Building between East 70th and East 71st Street.
• Water Fountain and Irrigation – Water for the Esplanade at 71st Street for a water fountain and irrigation to keep plants alive.
• Greening the Esplanade – Key esplanade improvements between 70th and 72nd include:
  • New planting beds and landscaping,
  • Improved lighting through repair and replacement of light fixtures,
  • Repair and repainting of railings as well as new seating and paving.
• Maintenance in Perpetuity – Maintenance in perpetuity provided by HSS from 70th street to 72nd street for the landscaping, seating, lighting, water fountain, and water source.

For more information read coverage on Patch, the release, or watch the press conference at BenKallos.com/videos


Secured One Million Dollar Public-Private Partnership with Brearley to Repair Overhang Above the Esplanade

As reported by Our Town the overhang or pier structure located between 82nd and 83rd Streets on the East River Esplanade’s John Finley walk will be getting a million dollar makeover, thanks to a public-private between my office, the Brearley School, CIVITAS and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services. The structure, which has been on the Esplanade for decades, has for a long time been in need of repair and maintenance. When I realized the Brearley School’s lease was up for renewal with the City, I began talks with the school and the City on a plan that would benefit the community as a whole. We partnered with CIVITAS and conducted a survey in the neighborhood about what residents wanted to do with the pier, and we brought the suggestions and feedback we received back to the school. For more information on the million dollar investment, Brearley will be making to the pier see the coverage in Patch and read the release at BenKallos.com/press-releases

Some of the work Brearley will be undertaken includes:

• Million Dollars to Rehabilitate the Pier: Repair Leaks, Removing Netting, Remove Chain Link Fence, New Fencing, and Ongoing Maintenance.
• Contemporary Lighting for Public Safety. Contemporary lighting will be installed in strips along the building wall to provide sleek lighting for public safety without impacting neighbors. Groundwork for additional lighting will be included for installation if necessary.
• Green Wall. Privacy barriers will be green, with planters and climbing plants to create a living wall visible to pedestrians below, with and a south wall of six to eight feet and a north wall of four feet to reduce shadows cast to the Esplanade below.
• Planters, Water, and Conservancy. Planters will be provided to the south at the entrances to John Finley Walk at 81^st, 82^nd, 83^rd and 84^th Streets, with seasonal plantings fed with water from the school and cared for through a partnership with the city and community.
• Colorful Public Design. Brearley and Council Member Ben Kallos will work with CIVITAS to seek public feedback on colors and patterns from the community for structural surfaces.

Conservancies and Funding for Local Parks

There is less park space per resident on the Upper East Side than almost anywhere else in the City, which means we need to invest and care for every inch. I’ve been proud to work to help fund or support and fund numerous conservancies including for Sutton Place Parks ($26,000 since 2015), East River Esplanade ($21,000 since 2014), St. Catherine’s Park ($38,000 since 2014), John Jay Park ($3,000 since 2016), and Upper Green Side ($15,000 since 2015). Capital funding from my office amounted to:

• Carl Schurz Playground - $2.5 million
• Sutton Place Park Play Water Fountain (to Replace the Sand Pit) - $675,000 ($500,000 from the Speaker)
• John Jay Park Senior Space - $350,000

Revitalizing the Waterfront Management Advisory Board

As sea levels rise and New York City continues to recover from Hurricane Sandy, we need to do as much as we can to protect our City from the dangers of climate change. In 2016, legislation I introduced to revive the Waterfront Management Advisory Board (WMAB) became law. This legislation reconstituted the role of the City’s Waterfront Management Advisory Board, ensuring it plays an important part in advising New York City on how to best revitalize and protect our 520 miles of shoreline. Under the new law, membership to the board is expanded to include more diverse voices as well as every level of government. Read the law, release with the full list of benefits, and from coverage on SiLive.com.



QUALITY OF LIFE

A New Trashcan on Every Corner 

We have cleaned up the Upper East Side with 284 new large trash cans covering 104 intersections, which I purchased with $154,780 in initiative funding from my office back in 2017. These new cans supplement the 38 I purchased in 2016 with $20,710 in initiative funding as part of a successful pilot with the East 72nd and East 86th Street Neighborhood Associations. The East Sixties Neighborhood Association (ESNA) joined prior participants in requesting an expansion. The large cans feature a smaller opening designed to keep trash from spilling over onto the street with reports from the pilot of a decrease in litter and rodents. In addition to these efforts alongside DSNY,  I continue to work to get a Business Improvement District (BID) organized that will help keep the streets clean in perpetuity. Learn more about the cleanup efforts by reading the most recent press releases on the 284 trash cans, watching the press conference or WNBC or reading coverage in the Patch and DNAinfo. I promised to replace every small wire trash can with a new large trash can on every corner that needs one and add another on those corners that need it, so please email me at BKallos@BenKallos.com to request your new large trash can if you still see the wire cans in your are.


A Plan to Take Down Unnecessary Scaffolding

In 2017 the City Council held a public hearing on my scaffolding bill (Int 1389).  This hearing was a pivotal step in getting the City to reform the laws governing the use of scaffolding. Under my bill which is still undergoing changes and updates, Landlords would have up to 90 days to fix dangerous facade conditions and an additional 90 days for owners to fix dangerous conditions upon extension. After the 180 days, the city would step in do the work to correct the dangerous condition and bill the owner for all the costs.
 
Under the current version of this legislation, new construction would need to continue without more than seven days of interruption until the new development is safely capped off or completed. Exemptions in the legislation provide for weather, stop work orders, time awaiting permit renewals or in cases of safety risks. For more information on the bill see coverage in  The New York Times,  PIX11, FOX 5, New York 1.


Improved Quality of Life Enforcement 

More than $1.6 billion in quality of life violations are in the process of being collected by the City after legislation I introduced became law and went into effect. Environmental Control Board (ECB) or quality of live violations are issued to owners who do not clean or shoveling sidewalks, leave out excessive trash, or engage in noisy construction before or after hours. Prior to this package of legislation becoming law, many of the fines would go unpaid or paid as a “cost of doing business.”  Prior to my law going into effect, we offered an amnesty program through Department of Finance to pay any outstanding violations without penalties or interest. This new law ensures that bad actors change their behavior or face the consequence of losing their license. For more information read the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases


Automatic Benefits Study Passes Council 

No one should go hungry, lose their home, or go without healthcare in  New York City, one of the wealthiest cities in the world. We are a City with hundreds of programs designed to help those in need. Over the past four years, I worked with experts in the Federal government, academia, non-profits and the private sector to advance legislation and research the regulatory framework to legally provide benefits automatically, so New Yorkers get the benefits they qualify for. In our work, we have secured millions in funding to research Automatic Benefits policies and even helped make the software necessary freely available to the public. In December of 2017, the City Council passed a measure to study the feasibility and possible effectiveness of implementing my Automatic Benefits legislation. The city’s study is now well underway and it will save taxpayer dollars by taking advantage of the legal research, grants, and software that we’ve already secured for the city and this plan. Later this year, we’ll have the information we need to eliminate the bureaucracy, and unnecessary hurdles that prevent our poorest from accessing and keeping the assistance they need to be lifted from poverty. For more information read the BenKallos.com/press-releases


Supporting the Homeless with ETHOS

Homelessness continues to rise with 21,692 children, 12,258 family members, 4,210 single women, and 11,096 single men in our shelters, and more than 2,794 people on the streets. In 2016, I launched the Eastside Taskforce for Homeless Outreach and Services (ETHOS) with Borough President Brewer, Senator Krueger, Council Member Garodnick, Department of Social Services (DSS), community and faith leaders and service organizations. We hope to get every unsheltered person living on the street the help they need. If you see one of our City’s most vulnerable on the street, please call 311 or use the NYC 311 App (Android/iPhone) to ask them to dispatch a “homeless outreach team.” They will ask where you saw the person, what they looked like, and offer report on whether the person accepts our city’s offer of shelter, three meals a day, health care, rehabilitation, and job training. By connecting our dedicated nonprofits and religious institutions with city services, ETHOS is really making a difference. Learn more about the coalition and our members at BenKallos.com/homeless


Fresh Food Box

Fresh Food Box which began as a pilot program between my office and Grow NYC back in the spring of 2016 is now a fan favorite for residents.  In just two years the program has served hundreds of residents looking to get locally grown farm fresh vegetables at an affordable price.

Fresh Food Box is at my district office on Thursdays between 3:30pm and 6:30pm. The program allows you to place your order and pay just $14 (cash, credit/debit, SNAP/food stamps, greenmarket bucks) and pick up a bag of farm fresh produce the following week.

GrowNYC's Fresh Food Box Program lets customers benefit from fresh farm to table produce from a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share, with the flexibility of week-to-week purchasing.

Sign-ups begin every year in June and the season runs through November. Learn more visit grownyc.org/greenmarketco/foodbox

 

 

PROTECTING TENANTS AND FIGHTING OVERDEVELOPMENT

Victory Against Overdevelopment: Rezoned the Sutton Area  

In late 2017 together we accomplished what many predicted would be impossible by winning first of its kind grass-roots community rezoning in the City of New York. After years of out-of-control out-of-scale over-development, I wanted to put residents over real estate, and we did. With the invaluable help of the committed members of the East River Fifties Alliance, we stopped the march of super-tall buildings for billionaires from 57th Street into the Sutton Area. The rezoning removed the grandfather clause and will protect the Sutton Area East of First Avenue from 52nd to 59th st from supertall towers by limiting zoning lot mergers, limiting the width of towers, and forcing most of the air rights to be used in the base of a building. We were able to accomplish this thanks to the support of residents like you. Heroes like Herndon Werth and Charles Fernandez stood up to buyouts and threats from billionaires. Leaders like Dieter Seelig, former President of the Sutton Area Community got us started and Alan Kersh, Robert Shepler, Jessica Osborn, and Lisa Mercurio put countless volunteer hours into ERFA.  Read the local coverage on historic rezoning and if you have not already joined the fight against overdevelopment at BenKallos.com/petition/StopSuperScrapers


Thousands of Subsidized Units will Return to Affordable Housing Under Legislation I Authored

The Wall Street Journal reported on the thousands of units of affordable housing that will now be registered and available to the public after Introduction 1015-A which I authored, aged into law in January of 2018. The new law requires landlords who receive tax breaks for building affordable housing to register thousands of previously unaccounted for units or face steep fines. The law also seeks to solve problems that have long plagued New York City’s decentralized network of affordable housing by requiring upgrades of Housing Connect to include existing affordable housing with notification for eligible units so residents can apply all in one place. This legislation which was introduced with the support of Manhattan Borough President Brewer came about in response to a ProPublica report estimating that New York City has paid developers $100 million for 50,000 affordable units that might not be offered for affordable rates. For more information read the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases or coverage in the  Wall Street Journal.


Lowering the Volume on After Hours Construction Noise in New York City Passes Council

As Fox 5 reported, noise has been New York City’s top 311 complaint for years now. Construction at all hours of the day and morning and sometimes night is something too many New Yorkers are familiar with. In 2017 The New York Times covered a bill authored that went on to become law which requires the city to respond to noise complaints for nightlife and construction within two hours or on a subsequent day within an hour of the time of the complaint. The law is designed to increase the likelihood that inspectors will identify the source of the noise, issue a violation, and restore quiet.  For more information read the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases or coverage in the New York Daily News.


Challenging Skyscrapers in Residential Neighborhoods Built Using Loopholes

Construction of at 524-foot skyscraper at 180 East 88^th Street was stopped through most of 2016, as reported by the New York Times. The stop work order was issued by the Department of Buildings after Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, State Senator Liz Krueger, Carnegie Hill Neighbors, local Planner George M. Janes, and I pointed out that the developer was creating a “four foot lot” loophole in order to build much higher than is legally allowed on the side streets in our neighborhood. The Wall Street Journal reported on our most recent zoning challenge mounted against the building, which came after the Department of Buildings approved new “amended” zoning plans. We will continue to fight overdevelopment alongside community groups, to join the fight sign the petition at BenKallos.com/petition/stop-super-scrapers 


Won Two Rent Freezes 

Tenants and I continue to rally together calling on the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) to roll back rents for all 1 million rent-stabilized tenants. In 2014, we won the lowest rent increase in history at 1%. In 2015, we won the first-ever rent freeze from the RGB, and in 2016, we won a second consecutive rent freeze from RGB. These were huge victories, but it is only a small respite for tenants who lived through far-too-high increases over the previous 20 years when rent has outstripped inflation by 14%. The increases were particularly burdensome during the Bloomberg Administration when rent increased significantly despite the economic recession. We need a roll back to correct for these increases so the more than 1 million rent-stabilized apartments continue to be affordable for the residents living in them. The Wall Street Journal has even reported that the numbers support our cause. Join our fight BenKallos.com/petition/RentRollBack


Safer Construction with Law to Count Every Life

From 2015 through 2017, a record 33 construction workers have been killed on the Job in New York City, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Department of Buildings (DOB) does not count all of them, especially non-workers who are injured. The New York Daily News reported on the Constructions Safety legislation that introduced and recently became law. Under Local Law 78 of 2017 construction companies will be forced to report on all details surrounding injuries and deaths at constructions sites or face fines up to $25,000. We must count every injury and every life, so that we will know the who, what, where and why around every injury or death to help make construction in our city safer. For more information read coverage in the New York Daily News or watch NY1.


Freezing Rents for Seniors and Disabled New Yorkers 

I was proud to cosponsor and vote for an expansion of the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and Disabled Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE). The legislation expanded income eligibility for those receiving SCRIE and DRIE benefits to $50,000 from $29,000 – which will help many more seniors and disabled residents live at ease in New York City. Learn more at NYC.gov/RentFreeze


Ending Downsizing of Seniors into Studio Apartments

We rallied together with tenants to demand a moratorium on Section 8 Downsizing, a policy that was pushing seniors and disabled New Yorkers into smaller homes. Since then, we have won a huge victory as HPD has ceased downsizing of elderly couples and families from one bedroom to studio apartments. Learn more at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases


Protected Quite Side Streets on the Mid-Block From Overdevelopment 

When the Mayor’s housing plan called for adding height to the contextual height caps that protect the East Side’s quiet side streets, I opposed the measure with Borough President Gale Brewer and Senator Liz Krueger, so developers wouldn’t tear down rent-stabilized buildings to get more height. The Department of City Planning heard us and agreed to protect the midblock.


Mandatory Affordable Housing for New Neighborhood Plans 

As amended and passed by the City Council, Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and Zoning for Quality and Affordability (MIH/ZQA) requires new affordable housing to be built whenever developers are given additional height or density to build in Manhattan.

In ZQA I fought for and won:

 

 

• No height increases in R8B districts protecting the quiet midblock with a 75-foot height cap on the East Side.
• Reduced height increases, bringing the maximum R10A increase from 50 feet to 25 feet with different heights for narrow and wide streets of 210 feet and 235 feet.
• Protected seniors from being squeezed into 275 square foot micro units.
• Protected the Sliver Law which prevents towers narrower than 40 feet wide.

In MIH I fought for and won:

• Housing for lower-income New Yorkers at 40 percent of Area Median Income (AMI): $31,000 for a family of three.
• An additional option for 20 percent at 40 percent of AMI.
• Required HPD to track, register, and monitor new affordable housing as would be required by Introduction 1015, legislation I authored.

Learn more at BenKallos.com/MIH-ZQA


Protected Landmarks Citywide

After marking the 50th anniversary of the landmarks law, the law came under attack, first with a proposal to remove hundreds of buildings from protection without review, and then with legislation that would have created a five-year moratorium incentivizing historic communities to be razed. In response and in opposition we forced the Landmarks Preservation Commission to review each and every site in the backlog and a version of the legislation did pass in 2016, after my advocacy it was amended to remove the moratorium and added more time. Read my statement at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases


Recognized for Leading Preservation

I was honored to receive a Grassroots Preservation Award from the Historic Districts Council (HDC). I have great respect for HDC because of the work they do to keep New York quintessentially New York. HDC has been a valuable partner while I have been in office, contributing to my fight against over-development. In the 3 years and months since I took office, I have worked with HDC on more issues than we ever could have expected, including:

• Protecting the First Avenue Estates’ landmark status from appeal;
• Stopping the Landmarks Mass De-calendaring;
• Fighting Introduction 775, the bill that would shorten the landmarking timeline and institute five-year landmarking moratorium;
• Protecting the Sliver Law, Mid-Block, and Historic Districts from MIH/ZQA;
• Landmarking the Wooden House at 412 East 85th Street;
• Authored and passed into law reforms to Board of Standards and Appeals that will make it harder to have laws that protect landmarks waived for developers;

Tenant Blacklist Regulation Proposed
 
The New York Times covered legislation I introduced in August of 2016 with Public Advocate Letitia James and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, along with support from Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell and State Senator Liz Krueger. If you have been to housing court whether you won your case or not, you are likely on the Tenant Blacklist. The legislation I introduced ensures that tenant screening companies who create “tenant blacklists” would be regulated and forced to provide fair and complete information, including court records that show when tenants were in the right. The aim is to decrease the number of prospective tenants who are being denied a place to live because they were involved in a housing court case. This bill would go hand in hand with another bill I introduced in 2015 that allows tenants to file complaints with the New York City Commission on Human Rights if they are discriminated against based on housing court information. Under my tenant blacklist bill, screening companies would be required to obtain a license from the Department of Consumer Affairs and pay a fine for inaccurate reporting. Anyone who believes they have been harmed by an inaccurate screening report could bring their own case in court. Learn more by reading the release or checking out the coverage by DNAinfo, Real Deal, Curbed, and the New York Times.


Opening Up Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS)

PIX 11 covered how over 538 publicly owned spaces or (POPS) that are attached to 329 buildings now have the provide the amenities they promised or face steep fines for bad landlords who do not follow the rules, thanks to legislation passed by the council which I helped author. The law I authored requires additional signage of all POPS detailing amenities, hours of operation, along with a website for the public to find out more information where complaints can be registered. For more information read the coverage by Wall Street Journal or the release at BenKallos.com/Press-Releases


Passed Tenant Safety Legislation

A package of legislation totaling 12 bills some of which I authored aimed at stopping landlord-tenant harassment in New York City became law in 2017. Whether it is unreasonable construction noise or safety violations by landlords putting tenants at risk this is a pressing issue in our City that needs to be stopped. My legislation, Int. 931would force landlords and property owners to actually respond to the violations and summonses they are given by the City for failing to make repairs, or else face the threat of foreclosure on their properties. For far too long some landlords and building owners have neither fixed recurring problems on their properties nor paid the fines that go along with those violations, putting tenants in unsafe conditions sometimes for years on end. If my bill becomes law, that would stop. For more information on my bill and the rest of the package of legislation read the Stand for Tenant Safety release and coverage in City Land.


Reformed the Board of Standards and Appeals 

Legislation I authored designed to reform and improve the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) became law last year. In the past developers have been able to circumvent city zoning laws restricting building forms, use, height, density by using the BSA as a  rubber stamp. The changes and variances have been approved by the BSA despite objections from local Community Boards and elected officials. This legislation which I am proud of how it changed how applications, decisions, notifications and staffing is done. The legislation has also improved transparency at the BSA making it more accountable to the public.
 
The BSA is a five-member body tasked with reviewing requests for variances and special permits related to affordable housing and city planning in the zoning law. The legislative package included nine bills and featured bipartisan support from sponsors from myself, Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, Minority Leader Steven Matteo, Council Members Karen Koslowitz (D-29) and Donovan Richards (D-31). For more information on the laws read the coverage in Commercial Observer, Queens Chronicle, Sunny Side Post and the Staten Island Advance.



MARINE TRANSFER STATION

Fighting the Marine Transfer Station

We continue to fight the Marine Transfer Station and thanks to your support we've already accomplished:

• Questioned increase of $120 million per year in waste export costs;
• Introduced legislation to mandate source separation in public places to improve dismal commercial recycling rates;
• Ensured zoned trash pickup is done fairly to protect the East Side;
• Brought attention to dangers of garbage trucks in residential neighborhoods following the tragic death of local resident hit by a garbage truck;
• Moved the ramp one block north to protect 35,000 children from all over the city who play at Asphalt Green in partnership with P2P and the local community;
• Introduced air quality monitoring legislation to protect us from pollution;
• Forced commitments from DSNY under oath to limit use to only 1,800 of the total 5,200 tons per day capacity, keeping more than 300 garbage trucks off our streets;
• Advocated for and secured funding for guardrails on garbage trucks and other large city vehicles;
• Advocated for and won a citywide goal of zero waste and introduced legislation to make Marine Transfer-to-landfill obsolete by 2030;
• Exposed high costs increasing from $93/ton to $278/ton for a total price tag of $632 million;
• Built a three borough coalition against garbage dumps in residential neighborhoods;
• Forced the Department of Sanitation to commit to drastically reduce the expected number of trucks processed through the facility versus the 500 trucks a day that were feared and 200 trucks a day we had at 74th Street Garage as reported in Our Town there will be an estimated 40 to 50 trucks per day.

Join the fight at BenKallos.com/MTS



GOOD GOVERNMENT REFORM AND TRANSPARENCY 

Eliminated Outside Income and Legal Bribery

When I ran for office, I promised to work for you full time without taking money on the side from private employment as a lawyer. I also promised to work for you, not the Speaker of the City Council, foregoing the common practice of receiving tens of thousands in personal income called a “lulu” for being a Committee Chair, which the Daily News long called “legal greas.” 47 Council Members were offered a stipend of between $5,000 and $25,000 for serving as committee chairs or leadership. 34 council members made a pledge to Citizens Union as council candidates in 2013 to limit stipends to the Speaker and Minority Leader. Despite their pledges, only 10 members refused the money in 2014 and for their entire terms with two more joining in 2015. So I kept my pledge, the Daily News saluted my integrity calling me a “Hero” and I wrote the law that made outside income and lulus illegal so that all city elected officials would work exclusively for their constituents.


Online Voter Registration Becomes Law, In New York City

 In the 21st Century, Democracy should be just one click away. CBS 2 and New York 1 covered how legislation I authored expanding voting rights for New York City residents was signed into law. Thanks to this now law residents of New York City can register to vote entirely online. Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia offer different forms of online voter registration and soon New York City will be one of them. For more information on the law read the release or coverage by WNYC and the New York Dailey News or watch the bill signing at BenKallos.com/videos


Opened the City Budget to the Public
 
In late 2017 how New York City spends its $89 billion budget got a lot more transparent as legislation I introduced which requires all documents that pertain to New York City’s budget be released to the office of Management and Budget (OMB) and posted onto their website. Since I was elected I advocated that every New Yorker should be able to see how every penny of their tax dollars was being spent. In May of 2016 I introduced the Open Budget bill. Intro 1776 requires budget documents that previously were excluded from being published online to be published. For more information read the release at BenKallos.com/press-releases


Weakening the Influence of Specials Interest Money in Politics

New York City’s model campaign finance system was protected and improved by a package of legislation the Council passed into law in December of 2016, as reported by the New York Daily News and the Gotham Gazette.
We passed the following key laws:

• Closing Campaign for One New York Loophole (Law 181 of ’16, co-prime sponsor) – by limiting contributions to non-profits controlled by elected officials and disclosing donors.
• Quelling Special Interests Dollars (Law 167 of ‘16) – by ending the practice of matching funds bundled by lobbyists and special interests with public dollars.
• Early Public Fund Payments (Law 168 of ‘16) – to help campaigns that take public dollars get on the ballot and reach voters.
• Better Debates (Law 169 of ‘16) – by only including campaigns that are spending money to win.
• Save Paper and Money on Voter Guide (Law 170 of ’16) – by allowing voters to opt-out of receiving mailers.
• Same Day and Online Registration Advocacy (Res. 1061 of ’16) – to pass state constitutional amendment.

Voter Information Portal Law Enacted

Following problems at the Board of Elections in the presidential primary, the City Council passed my Voter Information Portal legislation into law. Nearly ten years after I launched VoterSearch.org, the portal will allow any voter to look up their voter registration status, poll site location, and voting history. It allows voters to track the status of an absentee ballot from request to submission, ensuring that even if someone can't physically vote at a poll site, they can still ensure their ballot gets counted. Had this voter portal been in place for April's primary election, hundreds of thousands of voters would not have had to find out they could not vote at their poll sites, when, for many, it was too late to do anything to fix it.


Won Affordable High-Speed Internet for Low-Income New Yorkers
 
In 2013, I promised to secure affordable broadband for low-income New Yorkers from our Internet franchisers. In 2015, when Charter Communications sought to merge with Time Warner Cable, I joined Public Advocate James testifying at hearings and advocating for the Public Service Commission to require any company acquiring Time Warner Cable help bridge the digital divide by providing low-income residents with low-cost, high-speed broadband Internet.

In March of 2017, I fulfilled my promise by announcing Spectrum Internet Assist, a new low-cost, high-speed broadband program, alongside Public Advocate Letitia James and Charter Communications. It is my hope that this initiative will help close the digital divide by providing nearly one million people with affordable high-speed Internet access for the first time.

Spectrum Internet Assist
$14.99 per month for 30 Mbps downloads and 4 Mbps uploads, email and more
No contract, no cost for modem and no activation fees
Eligibility: Families with children in public schools who receive free or reduced-cost lunch &
Seniors (over 65) who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

For more information read the release, see the coverage on NBC 4, NY1, DNAinfo or West Side Spirit, or visit www.SpectrumInternetAssist.com.


Millions for the Community Voted for by Residents in Participatory Budgeting 

Since taking office I have taken part in the Council’s Participatory Budgeting (PB) initiative. PB is a hyper-local process in which residents directly decide how to spend part of their Council Member’s discretionary funds. In other words, you get to decide how your tax dollars get spent. PB is grassroots democracy at its best. It helps make budget decisions clear and accessible. It gives real power to people who have never before been involved in the political process. And it results in better budget decisions - because who better knows the needs of our community than the people who live there? Learn more at BenKallos.com/PB


Demanded Answers on the Rivington Nursing Home Scandal 
 
As chair of the Committee on Governmental Operations, I have held a series of oversight hearings, covered in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal where we have investigated and gotten many answers about what really happened at the Rivington nursing home. After deed restrictions were lifted, the property was sold becoming luxury condos. By questioning City Hall officials under oath and in public, we got a detailed account of what went wrong and passed a law to prevent it from happening again. Now, as covered by the Daily News, the City is putting new deed restriction modification applications through a new review process that includes greater community input.


Focusing on Better Managment 

Since I took office, I have argued that the city needs to use the Mayor’s Management Report (MMR) effectively and transparently so that New Yorkers can judge for themselves how well our city is being managed. As the Wall Street Journal reported, I warned that the “bar was being set too low” in the MMR on important issues like public safety, public health, or helping homeless off the streets. After three years of work on this issue as chair of the Committee on Governmental Operations, we have made significant progress. In late 2016, the Mayor’s Office of Operations announced that agency rulemaking and agency spending would now be more transparent and accurate in its reporting. The Citizens Budget Commission supports my assertion that New Yorkers should have details on how their tax dollars are being invested in improving our city. The Mayor’s administration had made a commitment to continue to work together on getting our management reporting and the city back on track.


Get Big Money Out of New York City Politics 

New York City’s campaign finance system matches the first $175 of contributions from residents by 6 to 1 and gives participating candidates a partial public matching grant of up to 55% of the spending limit in competitive races. This leaves more than 1/3 of the funds outstanding between the public matching grant and the spending limit, which must be reached to be competitive. The “big dollar gap” for Mayor is $2.5 million.

Introduction 0732-A that I authored and introduced with Council Members Lander and Cabrera, increases the public matching grant from an arbitrary partial match of 55% to a full match. Every small dollar raised from city residents would be matched 6 to 1. Candidates could still raise contributions of $4,950 for Mayor, but would be incentivized to seek small donations from many more residents by matching every small dollar.

As covered in the Gotham Gazette, I rallied with activists from: Citizen Action, New York Immigration Coalition, New York Communities for Change, Patriotic Millionaires, Strong Economy for All, Urban Justice Center, Tenants and Neighbors, Historic Districts Council, colleagues and candidates to get big money out of city politics with Introduction 1130-A. Following the rally, I held a hearing of the Committee on Governmental Operations at which a diverse coalition of good government, immigration, women in politics, housing, preservation, and economic justice groups testified in support of the bill. We also received supportive testimony from the Mayor’s office.

If you support Int. 0732-A contact your Council Member and ask them to sign on. For more information, read the Gotham Gazette article, watch the press conference and the hearing, and sign the petition at BenKallos.com/BIGMONEYOUT



PASSED LEGISLATION

QUALITY OF LIFE ENFORCEMENT

• Catching Scofflaws (Law 45 of ’16) – Information added to all quality of life violations will help identify who is responsible and collect fines.
• Stopping Repeat Offenders (Law 47 of ’16) – City agencies that issue quality of life violations are now required to deny, suspend, or revoke licenses and permits for unpaid fines or repeat offenders.

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

• Counting Every Life on the Construction Site (Law 78 of '17) - by forcing contractors to report injuries and deaths at constructions sites or face fines up to $25,000 to count every injury and every life, so that we will know the who, what, where and why around every injury or death to help make construction in our city safer.

PROTECTING NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING FROM OVERDEVELOPMENT

• Application Requirements (Law 103 of '17) - for developers to show why zoning laws should not apply to them with fines of up to $15,000 for knowingly falsifying information.
• Financial Expertise (Law 102 of '17) - provided for the city with a state certified Real Estate Appraiser to review and analyze developers' financials.
• Protecting Neighborhood Plans (Law 101 of '17) - by designating a coordinator at City Planning Commission to defend the city's plan from unnecessary variances.
• Reporting on Variances (Law 104 of '17) - including the number of pre-application meeting requests, number of applications, number of variances approved or denied, and the average length of time for decisions.
• Map to Prevent Rezoning by Variance (Law 105 of '17) - with an interactive online map of all variances and special permits granted since 1998.

ETHICS REFORM

• Prohibiting Outside Income (Law 20 of ’16) – The City Council now works full time for the people without the influence of other sources of income.
• Eliminating “Legal Bribery” (Res. 980 of ’16) – Former Speakers used to reward Council Member allies with payments in lieu of compensation, or “lulus,” a practice that the Daily News called “legal bribery.” My resolution banned it from the City Council.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

• Closing Campaign for One New York Loophole (Law 181 of ’16, co-sponsor) – by limiting contributions to non-profits controlled by elected officials and disclosing donors.
• Quelling Special Interests Dollars (Law 167 of ‘16) – by ending the practice of matching funds bundled by lobbyists and special interests with public dollars.
• Early Public Fund Payments (Law 168 of ‘16) – to help campaigns that take public dollars get on the ballot and reach voters.
• Better Debates (Law 169 of ‘16) – by only including campaigns that are spending money to win.

ELECTION REFORMS

• Voter Information Portal (Law 65 of ’16) – Will empower voters to track an absentee ballot, find poll site location, view ballots, and verify registration status and that votes were counted.
• Pro-Voter Law Expansion (Law 63 of ’14) - requires 25 city agencies to provide voter registration forms and assist individuals with completing them, so everyone gets registered.
• Online Voter Guide (Law 43 of ‘14) - saving the environment and money, while increasing access to information in off-year uncontested elections.
• Save Paper and Money on Voter Guide (Law 170 of ’16) – by allowing voters to opt-out of receiving mailers.
• Same Day and Online Registration Advocacy (Res. 1061 of ’16) – to pass state constitutional amendment.
• Teens on Community Boards (Res. 115 of ‘14) – opens community boards to our best and brightest 16 and 17-year-olds

TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT

• Open Legislation (Res. 184 of ’14, co-sponsor) – as part of the Council’s rules reform process, I provided language requiring posting legislation online and public engagement.
• Open Mapping (Law 108 of ’15) - standardizes address and geospatial information so Open Data has location information.
• Law Online (Law 37 of ‘14, co-prime sponsor) – puts our city’s law online for you to search, download, and read.
• City Record Online (Law 38 of ‘14) – public notices from the city, previously published in a daily newspaper, are now online and fully searchable so you can learn what is happening in your community.

COASTAL RESILIENCY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

• Reforming Waterfront Management (Law 96 of ’16) – resuscitates an advisory board for advocates, experts, and all levels of government to use and protect over 500 miles of shoreline.

WOMEN’S ISSUES

• National Women’s History Museum (Res. 354 of ‘14) – supporting Congress Member Maloney’s successful passage.

Best City Council Members

As my first term wrapped up City and State created “a comprehensive ranking of the best – and worst – members of the New York City Council.” There are 51 Council Members that represent New Yorkers in the City Council who were rated on attendance, number of bills introduced, number of bills passed and even how responsive each office is to the press and to constituents. I am proud to report that whether it was best overall, attendance, or bills introduced and passed into law, my office and I consistently ranked among the best as the top 5 Council Members for my first term.  Read the complete list and story by City and State.