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Co-op City in the Bronx is not only a bastion of affordable housing. As a state-sanctioned Mitchell-Lama housing program, it’s also composed of incredibly civically engaged residents of color that make for a very strong voting bloc—an asset for any candidate going into the June primary.
The housing cooperative prides itself on being a multi-generational, multi-ethnic space. Its resident demographics are about 60% Black, 27% Hispanic, and 12% White, and it is considered the largest Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) in the nation with many residents over the age of 65.
“My family was amongst the first families that moved into Co-op City,” said Ebony Hollingsworth, the outreach chair for the Bronx chapter of the Working Families Party (WFP). “Both sides of my family. My great grandmother on my dad’s side lived in the building across from my mom. Her daughter babysat my mother as a toddler. We have greenways. We have community here.”
True to its name, the area operates like a small city within the northeast section of the Bronx, housing about 50,000 residents across 35 high-rise buildings and seven “townhouse clusters” near the Baychester and Eastchester neighborhoods. Co-op City has a power plant for hot water and electricity, three shopping centers, three community centers, eight parking garages, a public library, a firehouse, childcare centers, several houses of worship for different faiths, professional offices, parks, an elementary through high school, and its own public safety officers on the property.
The grounds are operated by the Riverbay Corporation, a 15-member volunteer Board of Directors that are elected annually, and supervised by the state’s Housing and Community Renewal (HCR). The idea for the housing cooperative program that created Co-op City belonged to Abraham E. Kazan, a Russian Jewish immigrant that made his way to New York City in 1904. Kazan dedicated his life to eradicating the city’s abject housing crisis with what was considered
philosophically “progressive” and “radical” solutions at the time, and would later famously clash with real estate mogul Frederick Christ Trump Sr., former President Donald Trump’s father.
With the backing of the United Housing Foundation (UHF), a coalition of labor unions established by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACW), former Governor Al Smith, and former Mayor Al Smith, Kazan launched his first housing complex in 1927. He utilized the New York State Housing Law of 1926, which had “limited dividend” tax abatements for developers that built safe and affordable housing. Later in 1955, the Private Housing Finance Law, or the Mitchell-Lama law, was sponsored by Senator MacNeil Mitchell and Assemblymember Alfred Lama. It financed the building of Co-op City with a mission to house middle-income working families.
“To be here, supporting candidates that I truly believe in is so special to me,” said Hollingsworth, as she got ready to canvass door-to-door in Co-op City buildings for the upcoming congressional election. “We need people that actually hear us.”
Some of the most pressing issues the community faces are increasing housing costs and funding for capital repairs to the aging infrastructure.
Congressmember Jamaal Bowman, who’s running for reelection this year, was a fresh face to politics and an established Cornerstone Academy for Social Action Middle School (CASA) founder when he was elected in 2020 over former Congressmember Eliot Engel.
“During 2020, we had Eliot Engel who had served as an elected official for 40 plus years. We appreciated his leadership, however, there’s a time you have to learn to pass the baton and get fresh ideas and make sure you are changing with the times. And that’s something we all saw in Congressmember Bowman at the time when he was just Jamaal Bowman or Principal Bowman,” said Katrina Asante, field captain for Bowman’s campaign for reelection and a 23-year Co-op City resident.
Political watchers agree that the Black and Brown voter turnout in the district as well as an energized progressive wave in New York helped Bowman oust Engel. During his early days in office, Bowman pushed for capital repair funding and mortgage loan refinancing for Co-op City and had to deal with a loss in his voting base when the developments were briefly redistricted out of the 16th congressional district.
“We were devastated and heartbroken to lose Co-op City after my first year because of redistricting. So when I ran in 2022 it was in a whole new district. We only had Co-op City for a short period of time,” said Bowman.
By 2022, Bowman had secured $124 million for upgrades to the heating, ventilation, electrical, and air-conditioning system. “We helped to refinance their mortgage. Free up [$124] million dollars for much needed repairs in Co-op, including replacing the convectors which is key because those convectors were causing fires all throughout Co-op,” said Bowman. “But I think
the biggest thing I’ve done is before I got to Congress I served here as a middle school principal, and so many of the families from Co-op City came to my school. That’s why we continue to have so much support here.”
It’s the combination of dedicated middle- and working-class families with access to fairly stable housing that’s really helped Co-op City become such a sought after voting bloc.
In May, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Assemblymember Michael Benedetto, Senator Jamaal Bailey, and Councilmember Kevin Riley announced a $51 million allocation in the enacted state budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25. The money is intended to help with capital expenses, operating costs, and the proposed 8.1% carrying charge or “rent” increase on residents, who in the cooperative are encouraged to think of themselves as shareholders, not tenants.
Co-op City also holds its own internal elections for the Riverbay Corp Board of Directors every year, a stirring force for civic engagement locally. Sonia Feliciano is the current Riverbay Corporation President.
“There are so many facets of running a development of this size. We are not perfect but we all strive everyday to ensure Co-op City will always be the best place to live,” Feliciano wrote in her president’s report, which is published in the Co-op City Times’ weekly newspaper.
At present there are 12 certified candidates running for the board in the Riverbay Corp elections: Jaqueline Smith, Mary Pearson, Aaron Carnegie, Shanauzelda Montgomery, Bernard Cylich, Ezekiel Springer Jr., Corazon Fernandez, Sheila Richburg, Kyshawn White, Kevin Foggie, Leah Graham, and Andrea Leslie.
Voting for the board elections caps on June 14, right before the state primary on June 25.
Community members have shown up en masse to make calls and tell their neighbors about Bowman. A plethora of canvassers—including the WFP, Protect Our Power, Jewish Voice For Peace Action, Jews For Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ), Met Council on Housing, Churches United for Fair Housing (CUFFH), Voices of Community Activists and Leaders (VOCAL-NY), and New York Progressive Action Network—are also knocking on the doors of Co-op residents and seizing the opportunity to directly reach out to constituents ahead of election day.
“I work specifically in Co-op City to rally my residents, my people, my neighbors, my family, my friends, everyone, to get out to vote. It’s important to have people-power in an election of this size,” Asante said. “And that’s only because you have money that’s coming from all different directions. Such as Republican, MAGA money for a Democrat.”
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s audacious move to strike down affirmative action in the admissions process prompted New York State officials to strike back at “privileged” legacy admissions, which have been in practice since the 1920s.
New York has the largest number of institutions in the country that consider legacy status in the admissions process—at least 42% compared to the 28% of schools across the country. Schools like Fordham, Syracuse, Sarah Lawrence, Bard, Columbia, and Cornell University take legacy into consideration with admission, but City University of New York (CUNY) and State University of New York (SUNY) colleges don’t.
The racial reckoning of 2020 ushered in a wave of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in government, education, and workplaces that centered the advancement of people of color. And in standard American fashion, a conservative backlash against racial progress has led to relentless right-wing activists with wealthy donors that want to dismantle DEI.
Plenty of modern civil rights activists consider this racist anti-DEI playbook old hat at this point and are ready to counter with their own policies.
Assemblywoman Latrice Walker is leading the charge to ban legacy admissions in New York for two years with the Fair College Admissions Act (A1423A/S4170A). She said she’s proud to be the bill’s sponsor.
“I represent communities in Central and Eastern Brooklyn like Brownsville and Ocean Hill, and parts of East Flatbush, Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant. These are communities in which most of the public-school students are Black or Brown,” Walker said. “These students deserve equal access to a college education. The Fair College Admissions Act seeks to level the playing field for low-income and working-class families who want to send their children to college in New York. It will eliminate the structural barriers created by legacy admissions policies, which tend to reward connected and affluent white students and discriminate against first-generation students and students of color.” According to the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), affirmative action in college admissions helps young people of color, likely impacted by redlining and school segregation, to get a college degree. And a quality post-secondary education is key to reducing the racial wealth gap.
Legacy preferences in college admissions have racist and antisemitic origins and were an effort to maintain a primarily white, male, and Protestant student body at prestigious institutions, according to NYCLU.
“Imagine lining up to run a 100-meter race. But first, your legs are tied together and a boulder is strapped to your back,” Walker said in a statement. “Then your competitors get to start the race 15 meters ahead of you. The starting gun goes off and despite your best efforts and years of training, you have no chance of winning the race. That is legacy admissions in a nutshell. Eliminate these structural barriers. Take the boulders off the backs of our young people and let them compete for admission to the colleges of their choice.”
The bill ban against legacy admissions would also put the money for any penalties incurred for violating the ban towards tuition assistance awards to eligible undergraduate students. Schools can ask applicants about legacy status after they are admitted and have received financial aid.
The legacy admission ban has gained some support in other states, namely Maryland, Virginia, and Colorado. Similar measures have been debated in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Minnesota so far.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visitinghttps://bit.ly/amnews1.
The last time security guards in the Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ (SEIU 32BJ) bargained for a new contract, it was four years ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Security guards risked their lives as they showed up to work while most of the city remained on lockdown. They won some concessions, but it was in no way on par with the agreements won for security guards in residential and commercial establishments.
That meant as negotiations started for a new contract this year, 32BJ security division workers were ready. After seeing 32BJ commercial building service workers gain a four-year deal with a 12.6 percent wage increase, they made their intentions clear.
“Coming into this contract cycle, after our commercial brothers and sisters in December ratified and won a great contract with the best wage increases they’d ever got, it was our mandate to be able to do the same for our 20,000 security officers in New York City,” said Israel Melendez, vice president of 32BJ and director of its security division. “It was wages, protecting our health, and protecting our benefits and training program––making sure that stays 100 percent employer paid ––and also winning Juneteenth as a paid holiday; that was very important to the membership.”
Members had, in the past, had 10 holidays that they could get paid extra for working on. Only Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and Labor Day were paid holidays. 32BJ members wanted to add Juneteenth as a paid holiday because a lot of places, such as commercial offices, are not closed, while city agencies are. The union wanted to make sure that members got paid and did not lose any pay if their work site was closed.
After a series of tough negotiations, the 32BJ security division won a new contract that members are excited about. The new agreement promises a 22-percent wage increase—more than double what they got in 2020, and the highest the union has ever acquired.
Last Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1, members came in to ratify the contract. “We had two days where members came in in person and voted for it,” Melendez told the AmNews. “We had a whole program and summary for them.
“They were very excited––a lot of members were very excited about the contract, very thankful. And they participated in it at a high clip rate. This was our first time since 2016 putting a field plan together. We had 40% of the 20,000 members participate in at least one action for their contract campaign, and that made the difference—they really moved the needle.” The new contract was an important win for the union security guards: It demonstrates an appreciation of their importance as essential workers. “Coming off the pandemic, where we had some members that passed away from COVID, and a lot of members were out there on the front lines coming in every day…and securing buildings and facilities during the protests and everything––we had people out there during the protests, making sure that they they’re securing the properties and making sure that the tenants are safe,” Melendez said. “This was a huge, a huge endeavor to make sure that these contractors and building owners make the same commitment to the security industry as they did with the commercial industry back in December.”
All-time MLB great and reigning home run king Barry Bonds has ripped up the record books when it pertains to offensive productivity over his career. For a five-year period, pitchers were so afraid to throw to him that intentional walks were pretty much the norm and drew boos from the crowd…when his team was on the road.
Bonds will unfortunately be defined by allegations of using banned performance-enhancing substances that arose while he played for the San Francisco Giants from 1993–2007. His detractors forget or consciously ignore that Bonds was one of the sport’s best players in his time with the Pirates and one of the most influential superstars in franchise history.
Gaining election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame with the 75 percent needed 10 years on the ballot due to the banned substances controversy, Bonds will be inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame on August 24.
The Pirates drafted Bonds with the sixth pick in 1985 after his outstanding collegiate career playing for Arizona State, and the next seven years were filled with awards as he helped elevate the Pirates to a World Series contender. His time with them included:
• A hitting slash of .275/.380/.503 that adds to the OPS+ advanced stat of 147
• The only player in franchise history with two MVP awards
• Won two Silver Slugger awards and three Gold Gloves
• Ranks fifth on the Pirates franchise list in homers with 176.
• Only player in franchise history to have at least 175 home runs and 200 stolen bases
• Three straight NL East titles in his final three years
• 1992 NL championship series matchup with the Atlanta Braves
“As an organization, we are proud to add three significant members to the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement. “Included in this year’s class is a two-time MVP award-winner in Barry, a two-time Manager of the Year-winner in Jim (Leyland), and a two-time World Series champion with the Pirates in Manny (Sanguillen).
“All three inductees are very deserving of this prestigious recognition. We look forward to celebrating their induction with our fans and sharing their stories with generations to come.”
The Mets season has taken a turn for the worse in the past month.
While not expected to contend for the World Series this season, the losses have been repetitive. They were 26-35 after defeating the Washington Nationals 6-3 on the road on Tuesday night. It was their second win in a row after Monday’s 8-7 win over the Nationals. Yet, from May 6 to June 4, the Mets were just 9-17.
Blowing late leads has been damaging and thus far been one of the causes of their fleeting prospects of challenging near the top of the National League East. They were in fourth place and already 16.5 games behind the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies, which were 43-19 and tied with the Yankees for the best record in all of MLB, going into yesterday’s slate of games.
The Mets’ bullpen has been a major factor in their demise. Two-time MLB Reliever of the Year, Edwin Diaz, was being counted on to be a reliable closer—but he has four blown saves and a 5.40 earned run average in 20 appearances.
Maybe injuries were a factor: Diaz is presently on the disabled list. Without him, others have been pushed into the closer’s role and the results have been low. Minus Diaz, the other relievers have eight blown saves in May. Additionally, the Mets have five extra inning losses over the last month!
The offense also shares the blame. They were held to two runs or less in 10 losses in May and were batting just .238 mid-week as a team. Designated hitter J. D. Martinez led the regulars with a .275 average in 131 at-bats as of yesterday. He didn’t join the team until late March after signing a one-year, $12 million free-agent deal.
Second baseman Jeff McNeil has labored at the plate, sitting out Tuesday’s win with a .227 average and only 14 runs batted. Centerfielder Brandon Nimmo has also been a disappointment, hitting only .222 after going 2-4 on Tuesday.
As a team, the Mets are in the bottom half of most major hitting categories. The absence of catcher Francisco Alvarez, who is recovering from surgery in April to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, has been a big void in the lineup.
A team-only meeting after a loss to the Dodgers last week has produced some improvement, but it couldn’t get much worse. While the trade deadline is next month, it has been suggested that the Mets should deal All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso. He’ll be a free agent after the season and is represented by powerful agent Scott Boras.
While team owner Steve Cohen has accepted this as a rebuilding year, he might not want to spend big bucks on Alonso. Others could be trade candidates. However, for now, the Mets may be patient less than four games out of a wildcard spot but must be realistic about their postseason chances.
The Yankees 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins in the Bronx on Tuesday evening had them neck and neck with the Philadelphia Phillies for the best record in Major League Baseball at the start of their game last night (Wednesday) versus the Twins. They were 43-19, grabbing first place in the American League East, 2.5 games in front of the second place Baltimore Orioles (39-20), last year’s division champions. The Yankees went into last night’s second game of the three-game series against the Twins on a six-game win streak and 17-4 over their previous 21.
Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil continued his sterling campaign on Tuesday, tossing six-innings of one-hit ball to raise his record to 8-1 in 12 starts this season. It was Gil’s seventh straight win and he ended his night tied for second in all of MLB in wins and second in ERA at 1.82 behind the Phillies’ Ranger Suarez’s 1.70. Although the 26-year-old righty from the Dominican Republic pitched 29.1 innings for the Yankees in 2022 and four last season, he is still considered a rookie and the early favorite for the American League Rookie of the Year honor.
Through an interpreter Gil noted that the “experience I’ve been gaining, little by little, is definitely a plus.” With Gil coming off Tommy John surgery, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the team will take a prudent approach to his workload.
Boone noted “there may be outings along the way, assuming everything continues to go well, where I pull back on pitch count or whatever,’’ said Boone. “There’ll be some strategic things like that.’’
Center fielder Aaron Judge and right fielder Juan Soto have been the drivers of a potent offense and arguably the top two AL MVP candidates as the competition stands today. Soto entered last night’s game with fourth in the league in batting at .319, tied for fourth in home runs with 17 and tied for second in RBI with 53. Judge led all of baseball with 21 homers and was fifth 49 runs batted in.
The Yankees finish up with the Twins tonight, face the Los Angeles Dodgers for three games this weekend at home and will take on the Kansas City Royals beginning on Monday four games on the road.
Today, to mark both the fifth anniversary of Local Law 97, enacted in spring 2019, and World Environment Day 2024. The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) released a comprehensive report titled ‘Powering Change: Over 15 Years of Decarbonizing NYC Government,’ detailing the significant progress the City has made to reduce government greenhouse gas (GHG)…
In the whirlwind of software development, particularly in the alpha and beta testing phases, regression testing emerges as a beacon of stability. It is instrumental in ensuring that new features, bug fixes, or updates do not adversely disrupt the existing functionality of the software. The Agile environments demand a strategy that harmonizes speed with meticulous…
