I strongly believe that one of my most important responsibilities is to listen carefully, answer questions and help solve your problems. Along with my experienced community office staff, I can assist you with a variety of important services and help to resolve community problems.
Medicare Mix-up
Ms. M, a retiree, solicited the help of Assemblywoman Weinstein when she was refused
medical care. Following the expiration of Cobra insurance, Medicare was supposed to be
switched from secondary to her primary insurance. The problem was compounded by the
fact that Medicare did not have a Russian translator. The Assemblywoman’s Russian
speaking staff member called Medicare to investigate and Medicare coverage was
established.
Billing Blunder
Mr. A received an exorbitant bill for blood work he hadn’t authorized and after having informed
the doctor that he was uninsured and had limited resources. Assemblywoman Weinstein
reached out to the lab, and after conversations with several representatives, they waived the
entire balance.
Housing Repairs
After numerous unsuccessful attempts to have repairs done to his cold, mold-ridden, and
storm-damaged apartment, Mr. B, a senior and public housing resident, reached out to
Assemblywoman Weinstein. The Assemblywoman contacted the New York City Housing
Authority and she was able to coordinate the different contractors and much-needed repairs
were completed.
Correcting Dangerous Conditions
Following a thunderstorm, Con Edison cut down a tree top touching one of their power lines,
leaving the bottom half untouched and branches strewn all over Mrs. G’s sidewalk. She called
Assemblywoman Weinstein who reached out to both Con Ed and the NYC Parks Department
who working together cut down the rest of the tree, removed debris and eliminated the hazard
to residents.
Safer Streets
When the Department of Transportation installed a much-needed traffic signal only to leave a
large groove spanning the width of the asphalt, Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein reached
out to the DOT Borough Commissioner, notified him of the unfinished work and danger it posed
to vehicles. Within days the road was repaired to grade.
Solving Water Bill Problems
Mr. L came to Assemblywoman Weinstein’s office after receiving erroneous and exorbitant
charges on his quarterly water bill. He specified that the charge followed a recent meter change,
the second meter replacement in just over a year. Assemblywoman Weinstein asked the
Department of Environmental Protection to initiate an investigation, which uncovered an error made
during meter replacement and the bill was corrected from the over $750 billed to $143.
Major Capital Projects – Recently Completed
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Kings Bay YM-YWHA gymnasium – Installation of Air Conditioners;
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Madison High School – Summer School Classroom Air Conditioners;
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Friends United Youth Center – New Computer Lab;
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Kings Bay Youth – Sports Facility Renovations;
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Sephardic Community Center – Renovations.
Major Capital Projects in the Pipeline
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63 & 67 Police Precincts – Auxiliary Patrol Vans and bikes for 63, 67, 69 & 70
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Avenue D and Utica Avenue – Installation of Bus Pads;
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Caribbean Chamber of Commerce Trade Center;
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COJO of Flatbush – A New Consolidated Site;
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East Flatbush Senior Center – Renovations;
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Marine Park Community Center – New center;
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Flatbush Hatzolah – Total communication upgrade;
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Flatlands Volunteer Ambulance Corps – New Ambulance;
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Harry Maze Playground – Security Lighting;
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Homecrest Senior Center – New Kitchen;
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IS 285 Meyer Levin – New Music Instruments;
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Met Council – New Food Pantry Trucks;
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Public School 208 – State-of-the-art Science Lab;
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Wyckoff House Museum – Barn Project.
It is vital we make certain that Health Insurance premiums are set according to the true cost of doing business, not to pad insurance companies’ bottom lines. In an effort to curb this abuse, Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein supported a new law that takes effect October 1st, requiring the State Insurance Department to approve health insurance premium rate changes before they can take effect.
“Bringing back regulation of this industry will ensure greater accountability to families and businesses that can’t afford ever-increasing health insurance premiums.”
Over the years Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein has helped hundreds of individuals fight and correct erroneous charges on their water bills. With rate hikes and the current economic downturn, even paying correct bills is more difficult. Assemblywoman Weinstein is supporting two bills to prevent future sharp increases in water charges.
Currently, all seven members of the New York City Water Board, which sets the annual rates for water and sewer fees charged to home owners, are Mayoral appointments, offering little in checks and balances. To provide better accountability Assemblywoman Weinstein sponsored legislation (A11060), which passed the Assembly, limiting the Mayor to three members of the Water Board and splitting the remaining 4 appointments between the New York City Council and the Comptroller.
Additionally, the Assemblywoman is sponsoring legislation (A11167) to protect rate payers/home owners from excessive rate increases by limiting Water Board hikes to no more than five percent annually or the current rate of inflation, depending on which is higher.
Assemblywoman Weinstein has long been supportive of local volunteer Ambulance companies and their volunteer EMT’s who provide life-saving services, saving not only lives, but also saving New York millions of dollars a year.
Assemblywoman Weinstein has secured $125,000 to enable the Flatlands Volunteer Ambulance Corp to purchase a new ambulance in 2011. The company already benefits from the Assemblywoman’s annual operating expense funding and boasts another ambulance, purchased in 2006 with funds she had secured.
Most recently the Assemblywoman secured a capital grant of $445,000 for Hatzalah Volunteer Ambulance Corp to cover a complete overhaul of the communications system at their new central command center in Flatbush. Command central receives 50,000 calls a year which are routed to their numerous local divisions. The new communications system will route calls faster and more efficiently, helping the dedicated network of volunteers respond to emergencies as fast as they can.
Helene Weinstein Brings the Senior Half-Fare MetroCard Bus to the Community Office on the third Thursday of every month.
November 21st, 2010
December 16th, 2010
January 20th, 2011
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon
at 3520 Nostrand Avenue
Apply for the Senior Half-Fare MetroCard and Receive One on the Spot
Proper age, (65 plus) and photo identification is required
Monday–Thursday: 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. • Friday: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Please call or stop in if you have a problem or a question!
We speak English, Creole, Russian and Yiddish.