Press Room

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, with Congressman Jerry Nadler, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Assembly Member Danny O'Donnell, and Council Member Mark Levine have sent a letter to Commissioner Steven Banks, who oversees the Department of Homeless Services, strongly opposing a proposal to transition a women's shelter on the Upper West Side into a men's shelter. The planned transition, which was met with fierce objection at a September 24th Community Board 7 meeting, may be imminent and involve significant eviction and displacement.

In their letter opposing the plan, the elected officials said that "We take issue both with the process employed by your agency and, more pressingly, with the substance of the proposed change," and "We ask that you reconsider your proposed change to the resident population at the 107th Street shelter." The full letter is below and can be downloaded here. October 2, 2019

Dear Commissioner Banks:  We write in opposition to the proposed changes to the resident population at the HELP-USA-run shelter at 237 West 107th Street. We take issue both with the process employed by your agency and, more pressingly, with the substance of the proposed change. 

On September 16th, some elected officials received phone calls informing them of the shelter's transition from a women's shelter to a men's shelter. We asked the Community Board (CB) to take up this issue and on September 24th, over 70 shelter and neighborhood residents attended the CB 7 Health and Human Services Committee meeting. Everyone attending that night asked that the current shelter population of women remain. The Committee then unanimously passed a resolution requesting that the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) keep the shelter as is. No one from DHS attended that meeting, either to present information or to answer questions. In addition, on September 26th, CB 7 wrote a letter to HRA reiterating its position. On September 30th, over 100 shelter and neighborhood residents met in a nearby church. Shelter residents expressed anxiety about the lack of information, while neighbors expressed their strong support for the women at the shelter as well as their equally strong opposition to changing the current resident population to men. 

As the elected representatives of the neighbors and residents of 237 West 107th Street, we have a primary responsibility to advocate for our constituents. Many of the women who currently reside in the shelter have jobs (some work for the City of New York) and all are members of our community. We want them to remain here.  Because there has been no formal communication, presentation at the Community Board or for community residents, rumors abound. We are only able to determine your agency's proposed plans for the women and the building through individual phone calls to members of your staff. This is in itself a disservice to all who are actively engaged in our communities. 

We ask that you reconsider your proposed change to the resident population at the 107th Street shelter, and that your agency communicate with all involved. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to your response.

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams issued the following statement in response to the firing of Officer Daniel Pantaleo by NYPD Commissioner James P. O'Neill for his role in the 2014 death of Eric Garner.

STATEMENT BY THE PUBLIC ADVOCATE

" Commissioner O'Neill came to the right decision to fire Daniel Pantaleo. Finally. After five years of waiting, five years of pain, five years of justice delayed and denied, we have some action, providing a small semblance of justice deserved.

"But the work needed to prevent these tragic incidents, to bring real accountability and transparency which will continue the push toward true community-police relationships in this city and around the country, is only beginning. Supporting our men and women in blue and demanding accountability are not mutually exclusive, and we must reject the voices of those who try to make us choose.

"We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement today with law enforcement Fraternal Organization Leaders Anthony Miranda, Chair of the National Latino Officers Association, and Charles Billups, Chair of the Grand Council of Guardians, in response to the ninth NYPD officer suicide this year.

STATEMENT BY PUBLIC ADVOCATE WILLIAMS & FRATERNAL LEADERS

"We offer our condolences, empathy, and support to the families of those officers who have lost their lives in recent days, weeks, and months as this devastating trend continues and spreads. In the last five years, an average of five NYPD officers have taken their lives each year, and nine have died by suicide in the last eight months-- two in the last two days. It's vital that we all come together and respond with compassion, understanding, and resources. "This is a crisis that often goes unseen as officers suffer in silence, now made visible in tragedy and loss. It's often extremely difficult -institutionally, societally, personally - to talk about mental health or seek help in a time of need. We need to break down the stigma preventing officers from seeking help and ensure that such aid is there when needed. By policy or legislation, our city must also create a system that permits all officers to seek confidential mental health treatment. "It's critical that throughout the city and across all ranks, New York City's police force is equipped with the support systems and resources needed to address mental health concerns, both in times of emergency and proactively, to prevent such a crisis moment."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams will introduce legislation today to create a new Youth Employment Education Program for all school-age New York City residents. The new program would be a parallel, expanded program to the Summer Youth Employment Program, and would be open to all youth, regardless of immigration status.

To announce the legislation, Public Advocate Williams rallied this morning on the steps of City Hall with a broad coalition of advocacy organizations and elected officials ahead of the bill's introduction. Dozens of young people joined the effort to amplify the need for all of New York City's youth to have the opportunity to gain experience and education in work-related skills. Organizations present included the Brooklyn Neighborhood Improvement Association, Chinese-American Planning Council, the Campaign for Summer Jobs, Coalition for Asian American Children + Families, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC, Safe Horizon, Make the Road NY , the YMCA of Greater NY  and more.

"Youth employment education is vital for young people in our city," said Public Advocate Williams . "The legislation being introduced today helps build on the success  of the Summer Youth Employment Program so that all students in New York City, regardless of immigration status, have access to a job. It's about more than a paycheck. It's about learning vital skills and providing our youth with a positive path.  While Donald Trump and his administration are seeking to limit opportunity for immigrant communities - such as with his public charge rule - we in the city can step up and expand them."

The Youth Employment Education Program, as proposed in the legislation,  would be open to all youth of 14-22 years old, regardless of immigration/work authorization status. Besides legal status, other program differences include age range served, employment opportunities, and remuneration. The proposed program's age limit is 22 years old as per New York City's Department of Education requirements. Employment opportunities are focused on government offices and a grant of $1,500 or more will be provided to Youth Employment Education Program participants.

Council Member Debi Rose, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said, "Our city's Summer Youth Employment Program provides invaluable academic, employment and civic experience to tens of thousands of young New Yorkers - while revising employers opportunities to give back and learn from our young people - and I believe all young people deserve the chance to access those opportunities. We should not perpetuate a two-tiered system among our youth, and this bill would ensure that all young people could apply for this program. The Public Advocate has been a successful advocate for expanding the Summer Youth Employment Program over that last decade, and I am proud to join in him supporting universal access.

Council Member Margaret S. Chin, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said, "By providing our kids with invaluable hands-on job training, the Summer Youth Employment Education Program represents one of the City's best investments in the future of New York. The opportunities the Summer Youth Employment Education Program provides should never be denied to any child regardless of their immigrant status. I am proud to co-sponsor this bill alongside my colleague Council Member Rose, and I thank Public Advocate Williams for pushing for an expansion of this vital program."

Gregory Brender, Director of Children and Youth Services at United Neighborhood Houses, said,  "A first work experience is a powerful lesson in independence and maturity; we all remember the pride that comes with spending hard-earned cash and the discipline required to take on new responsibilities and manage relationships with co-workers. United Neighborhood Houses and the Campaign for Summer Jobs are proud to stand with Public Advocate Williams and call for work experiences to be the meaningful and accessible pathways we know they can be for all New York City youth."

Julie Shapiro, Executive Director of The Door, said,  "We at The Door applaud the Public Advocate for introducing this bill. The undocumented youth with whom we work are increasingly targeted and discriminated against by our federal government, individuals, and society at large. Including them in this program is an important step towards showing them how much they matter to our city. Decades of research have shown that summer jobs programs have a positive impact for young people and society alike. It is about time that undocumented youth unleash their full potential by being able to access the city's SYEP."

Ariel Zwang, CEO of Safe Horizon, said,  "We are proud to support Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and his efforts to make the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) all-inclusive. As one of the leading providers of services for homeless youth, we know access to employment and career exploration opportunities is imperative. This is an important step in offering youth career pathways and workplace skills."

Wayne Ho, President & CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council, said,  "As an organization that serves Asian Americans and immigrants of all backgrounds and status, CPC is thrilled to support this bill that would make SYEP accessible to all young people in New York City. CPC is one of the largest SYEP providers in New York City and knows firsthand how SYEP is critical to the development of young people. This bill is a huge step forward towards building a true sanctuary city."

Alicia Guevara, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, said,  "Young people benefit greatly when they have access to career development opportunities that prepare them to succeed in today's global knowledge economy. SYEP creates impactful workplace opportunities for career exploration and readiness that advance Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City's commitment to igniting the potential and biggest possible futures for all NYC youth."

Shijuade Kadree, Chief Advocacy Officer at The LGBT Community Center, said,  "Through The Center's robust Youth Program, we witness how employment and career development opportunities positively impact young people-particularly those who are part of historically marginalized groups. By giving more young people a path to employment and financial autonomy, we will begin to demolish barriers to equality that too many New Yorkers currently face."

Vanessa Leung, Co-Executive Director of the Coalition for Asian American Children + Families, said, "CACF, the nation's only pan-Asian children's policy advocacy organization, applauds our Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for pushing to expand NYC's Summer Youth Employment Program to include all youth age 14 to 22 years old to apply, regardless of their citizenship status. Asian Pacific American students make up more than 15% of the student population. Many come from low-income households. This change opens the opportunity to young people across the City to be able to benefit from SYEP which is a critical resource for our young people seeking employment. More importantly, SYEP provides young people an opportunity to gain and develop the competencies they need to be successful in their future jobs as well as explore their career options. This is especially helpful for youth from immigrant households who can benefit from the the exposure to jobs and increase their understanding of their employment options. We look forward to advocating on the expansion of SYEP to increase access for youth across the City."

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Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams and cyclist advocates rode from Brooklyn to Manhattan today in an effort to call attention to the emergency of cyclist deaths and to discuss what the city needs to do to prevent further tragedy. On Sunday, the nineteenth cyclist was killed this year, nearly double the total number of deaths in 2018.

Williams rode alongside a coalition of advocates from a number of transportation advocacy groups including Transportation Alternatives, Families for Safe Streets, Bike New York, and Outcycling, among others, through Downtown Brooklyn and across the Brooklyn Bridge. The group then held a press conference, joined by Council Members Carlos Menchaca and Brad Lander outside the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building. They discussed the need for all communities - motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians - to work together, and for government to act to address the emergency of cyclist safety in New York City.

The Public Advocate stressed the importance of all New Yorkers, including those who are not regular riders, to understand the cyclist experience and the dangers facing them on the road. He also spoke about the need for a cultural shift regarding the view of who 'owns the road,' noting that it was past time for such a discussion, especially for drivers.

"I was glad to have the opportunity today to see and experience cyclists' concerns firsthand," said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. "The crisis facing cyclists in New York City is immediate, and the scope and urgency of the city's action needs to meet it."

"These deaths are preventable tragedies, and the city is part of the cause," he added. "We can't encourage more ridership without providing the protections which would make that possible and safe. All of us need to be all in.  Addressing this emergency is going to require drivers and cyclist to work together in a  partnership, but we need to make sure we're doing this from the lens of those who are less privileged on the road, with the most at risk, and have the least protection."

Among the actions highlighted that would help save lives and make street more accessible to riders  were an significant expansion of real, protected, bike lanes - as well as a Department of Transportation review and redesign of areas where cyclist injuries and deaths occur and further implementation of safety measures at dangerous intersections.

The crisis of cyclist safety in New York City has reached new levels in recent weeks, with eight fatalities in the last two months out of the nineteen this year. In 2018, a total of ten cyclists were killed. There are about 200,000 cyclist who ride throughout the city each day. On Sunday, 52 year old Jose Alzorriz was killed in Midwood when a driver sped through a red light.

"The number of cyclists killed this year is staggering. We have now almost twice as many tragedies compared to all of 2018. We must come together and find prompt and effective solutions to stem the rise in cyclist related deaths," said C ouncil Member Ydanis Rodriguez , Chairman of the Committee on Transportation "For once, we must quicken the pace in which we install protected bike-lanes across the city to increase road safety for cyclists. I thank Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for taking the initiative with this Bike Tour across the Brooklyn Bridge to bring awareness to this untenable situation. I will continue working closely with my colleagues at the Council and Speaker Corey Johnson to ensure we bring an end to this safety crisis affecting pedestrians and cyclists."

"To the families of Maria del Carmen Porras Hernandez and Jose Alzorriz, we owe everything we can do to redesign our streets and get reckless drivers off the roads," said Council Member Brad Lander. "Thank you Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for gathering us together. There's a lot more work to do, and we need to do it faster before another family loses a loved one."

"With the current Vision Zero State of Emergency, we need bold plans to ensure that everyone, no matter how they travel, can do so in a safe way." said Marco Conner, Deputy Director for Transportation Alternatives. " We thank the Public Advocate for riding with us today and seeing, from a cyclists perspective, why we need to redesign streets with all users in mind and break dangerous driving behavior." "We're being reactive, waiting for people to be killed before we take action," said Jane Martin-Lavaud, a member of Families for Safe Streets. "Our patchwork bike lane network, which doesn't extend to huge swathes of the city, isn't enough to keep New Yorkers safe. Thank you to Public Advocate Williams for working to bring attention to this ongoing safety crisis." "The automobile has ruled residential streets for far too long," said Angela Azzolino, Executive Director of Get Women Cycling. "We all deserve safe street passage to our homes, places of worship, schools, businesses, and our personal destinations -- that means sharing roads we all paid for, with people who chose other forms of transportation such as walking or riding a bicycle. When did a stop sign, a traffic light, and a crosswalk stop being enough? We can't continue to allow the automobile and the people who drive them to take lives. Reckless driving, lack of education, disobedience of the law, lack of enforcement must all stop now. The safety of our streets and the lives of our loved ones is ours to control." "We would like to thank our Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for riding his bike and seeing what NYC cyclists experience on a regular basis," said Laura Shepard, Communications Coordinator for Bike New York. "Today's ride was short, but hardly seamless. We encountered rough pavement, potholes, blocked bike lanes, and streets with no bike lanes where we were at the mercy of aggressive, reckless drivers, and careless vehicle passengers who flung doors open without looking. We also rode over the Brooklyn Bridge, where cyclists and pedestrians are shoehorned into a narrow and inadequate space. We need coordination across city agencies to address these problems, expand, maintain, and enforce our protected bike lane network." "Safe streets are a public health issue," said Josh Bisker of the Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op, a nonprofit bike repair education center. "This year's tragedies represent an epidemic of preventable deaths, and city leaders need to prioritize protecting the public welfare over appeasing their most privileged and powerful constituents -- especially because it means protecting and supporting the most vulnerable, least dangerous public space users: people who walk and ride bikes. We're grateful to see the Public Advocate and other civic leaders like Carlos Menchaca, Brad Lander, and Antonio Reynoso champion this fight for a fairer, safer public realm."