This month, I testified before the New York State Department of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) on behalf of rent control tenants, calling for a rent-freeze on all rent control leases for the next year. In June, the Rent Guidelines Board announced a rent increase freeze for one-year leases and a 2% adjustment for two-year leases. Residents who live in rent control apartments are no less deserving of a rent freeze. I hope that DHCR will recognize the need for a rent freeze and rule in the favor of rent control tenants.

As you may know, Hudson River Park Trust, in partnership with the Diller - von Furstenberg Family Foundation, is proposing the creation of a new pier- Pier 55. This would replace Pier 54 currently located between Little West 12th and 13th Streets. Pier 55 is proposed just north of Pier 54, in what is currently undeveloped water. It would rise 71 feet above shore-line and the whole project would involve the drilling of 896 new piles. The project also includes the mooring of a 4,000 square foot barge for events.

Since this plan was first unveiled, I have advocated for a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be conducted in order to determine the true impact this project would have not just on the water and wildlife, but also the surrounding community. There are serious concerns that drilling into previously untouched water and riverbed will be detrimental to the sensitive marine habitat. Furthermore, the impact the drastic change of use will have on the surrounding community is yet to be understood.

Prior to being able to move forward with development, this project needs permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The public comment period for the Army Corps review concluded in November. The public comment period for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has just been announced.

I strongly urge you to submit written comments about this project and the potential environmental damage this pier would have for our sensitive marine sanctuary. All comments in writing must REACH the NYSDEC offices by January 8th (address below). This will require you to leave time for mail delivery, and so I urge you to attend to this quickly.

Iver M Anderson
NYSDEC
47-40 21st Street
Long Island City, NY 11101-5401

I have requested an extension of this timeline, but have not received information that will happen, so please plan to have comments in by January 8th.

I am pleased to announce that I have joined with a coalition of local elected officials, including Senator Daniel Squadron, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and City Council Member Margaret Chin, to continue the mission of the overcrowding task force for Lower Manhattan. The taskforce has accomplished a number of victories since its existence in 2008, and will continue to serve the local community under our new collaboration.

Historically, the task force has tackled overcrowding issues in downtown schools. Along with community advocates, parents and principles, the taskforce also addressed the need to site new schools to address the downtown development boom. Moving forward, we will continue to address these issues along with a number of other topics impacting the Lower Manhattan community. I look forward to serving on the taskforce and working with education stakeholders to ensure the community's educational needs are addressed.

On December 16th I testified before the City Planning Commission regarding the two zoning text amendments, Zoning for Quality and Affordability (ZQA) and Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH), which are proposed as City-wide amendments to zoning regulations. In their current forms, these proposals threaten the unique quality of our neighborhoods and I hope that the Department of City Planning (DCP) will recognize the public opposition to these plans and make the appropriate modifications.

As proposed, ZQA would increase overall heights for buildings from 5 to 25 feet regardless of historic districts or zoning and contextual districts, overriding the local regualtions aimed at curbing out of scale increases in height or bulk. Our communities have spent a generation strengthening community continuity and fighting to address overdevelopment and these proposed amendments would undo all of that work. Neighborhood plans should be added to these proposals and allow for a greater amount of local control.

MIH would require affordable housing to be included in new construction in the City. While this is a laudable goal, many loopholes still exist that allow developers to skirt affordability requirements and build tall luxury housing developments when affordable and senior housing are truly needed. Additionally, this proposal also contains a weak Payment in Lieu Option that allows developers pay into a fund for affordable housing that may never be used in the same community or for affordable housing at all.

I called on the Department of City Planning to listen to the individual communities that stand ready to offer solutions within their neighborhoods to preserve and expand affordable housing. For more information about ZQA and MIH, you can read about the proposals at http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/. The public comment period is open until December 28th, and you can submit written comments to the Department of City Planning, 120 Broadway 31st Floor, New York, NY 10271.

Street homelessness is an issue that has been on everyone's lips these days and now you have a chance to be a part of the solution by volunteering for New York City's annual HOPE count.

HOPE Count 2016 is taking place on Monday January 25th and will be operating a volunteer location out of PS 41. The participation of fellow New Yorkers in this survey is critical to its success. The City is striving to secure 3,500 volunteers to help survey the number of homeless individuals living on city streets, parks and in other public spaces throughout New York City. The City currently has 1,200 volunteers registered, and they've asked for our help reaching their 3,500 volunteer goal. The more volunteers they have to help them perform the count, the more accurate their numbers are and the more resources they will garner to address street homelessness. Registration is simple and be done so by clicking this link.

Please contact New York City's Department of Homeless Services with any questions you may have at 212-361-7900.

As the chair on the Committee on Higher Education, I have always advocated for an appropriate way to measure student progress that includes a well-rounded educational experience for elementary and secondary students. While tests can be a helpful tool, the recent shift to focus so heavily on high stakes testing is unacceptable. Recently, President Barack Obama announced a 2 percent cap on high-stakes test preparation. In the policy shift, the President also pledged to work more closely with individual states and school districts around the country, which is crucial in addressing the tension we are experiencing regarding the nation's obsession with testing.

I wrote to the President to thank him for his efforts. My office often receives input from constituents concerned about the amount of classroom instruction time spent on preparing for exams. Taking a step back from "teaching-to-the-test" and changing course in the United States pedagogical system is welcomed news.

Just this week, the NYS Board of Regents voted to de-link test scores and teacher evaluations. The high stakes testing protocol distracted the educational process. Having student test grades used as 50 percent of a teacher's evaluation was an additional inappropriate distraction. It clearly discouraged teachers from taking on the most challenging students, but it drove much of the "teach to the test," mania. So I'm glad the adults have all taken a step back in order to make more rational policies.

While not all aspects of the budget are positive, I wanted to remind you of a positive feature of our last State budget that is important to high school students and their parents. Last year's budget established a special STEM scholarship program for students who commit to this area of study in SUNY or CUNY colleges and who have graduated in the top 10% of their high school class.

Students receiving a STEM scholarship are entitled to an annual award for up to four academic years of full-time undergraduate study, or five academic years if the program of study normally requires five years. If a scholarship recipient fails to complete his or her degree in STEM or does not work in New York State for five continuous years upon graduation in a STEM field, the scholarship would be converted to a student loan, plus interest. Full details and requirements of and application for the program are available at this link.

I am thrilled that the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) has listened to the concerns of the community and decided to withdraw the application for a beer garden on Pier 62.

While certain "park related uses" are allowed on non-commercial piers, such as food kiosks, a full sit down restaurant and bar seem out of keeping with the intended park nature of non-commercial piers. The process through which a beer garden was deemed appropriate at this site in the first place has highlighted some other questions.

I wrote a letter to the HRPT to try to get an understanding as to how this location was determined to be "underutilized." Open space is at a premium and especially as there continues to be a significant increase in the development in neighborhoods adjacent to the waterfront, there will be many more park users. I asked for clarification as to how the use was evaluated. Was this designation done through a survey? Was the survey random without any indication as to the individual status such as: neighborhood residents, cycle commuter, tourist, etc.? I look forward to hearing back from the HRPT in order to ensure that we do not lose pieces of our park to inappropriate commercial development in the future.

This month, I wrote a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio highlighting the spike in the number of demolition permits granted by the City of New York's Department of Buildings and Department of Community and Housing Renewal in Lower Manhattan.

In the letter, I requested a moratorium on demolition permits in buildings where seniors and, or rent-stabilized tenants live. I also highlighted the trend in which landlords let buildings fall in disrepair, then file for a demolition permit as a way to push tenants out, and move market rate residents into apartments in the area. As the area continues to experience an overwhelming development boom, I want to make sure that the City policies are the best possible to prevent displacement of rent stabilized tenants and senior citizens.

On Monday, January 11, 2016 at 6:30PM at the Clinton School for Writers and Artists, 10 East 15th Street,the 75 Morton Community Alliance, along with Community Education Council District 2, and Community Boards 2 and 4 will host an Admissions Meeting for parents and community members to discuss their ideas for the new middle school. This is a fantastic opportunity for parents of future or current middle school students to ask questions and gain a better understanding of how admissions at 75 Morton will be structured. The planning meeting will also include breakout sessions and opportunities to speak with CECD2 administrators and staff about specifics regarding admissions. The school at 75 Morton will open in September 2017 for current 4th grade students. Child care, translations, and refreshments will be provided.

Earlier this month I wrote to the William Macklowe Company, the developers of 110 University Place, encouraging them to use bird-safe glass as their construction is a significantly taller building than was previously at that address. This building, which sits close to Union Square Park and along a potential flight path for birds leaving Washington Square Park, poses a life threatening risk for birds that are unable to see windows and distinguish reflective glass from the sky. Birds are fundamental to our environment, and frequently our own development can be harmful to their continued existence. Bird strikes and bird deaths are a growing concern in the City where hundreds of thousands of birds die annually. Building technologies and glass designs have advanced to the point now where these deaths are mostly preventable. We should be more mindful of our interactions with animals within New York City, and understand that our actions have consequences for other lives. I hope that the William Macklowe Company considers the wide range of impacts their building will have on this community which is permitted as of right, at the least they should choose to use bird-safe glass.

Planned Parenthood of NYC Action Fund is conducting a full day of training for individuals interested in learning ways to ensure women's reproductive rights are protected. The training session is Saturday, January 9, from 10am-4pm at 26 Bleecker Street. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided.

The training is intended to help everyday New Yorkers get involved in advocacy work by equipping participants with skills in sex ed advocacy, health center escorts, fundraising, political action, field outreach, messaging and other workshop topics. For more information please visit the ppnyc web site.

The MTA is currently hiring for many positions, including positions which require examinations. The deadline to apply to take an exam for many of the current positions are open through December 22nd. Details on the exams and other open positions can be found on the MTA website at: http://web.mta.info/nyct/hr/