NYC DOE: High School Admissions Information Sessions

The NYC Department of Education (DOE) designed information sessions for parents to learn about the high school admissions process. For your convenience, below is a schedule of the upcoming meetings in Brooklyn. You can also download flyers for distribution or your use from the High School Admissions web page.

Brooklyn:
Tuesday, May 10: Boys & Girls High School, 1700 Fulton Street
Thursday, May 26: Brooklyn High School of the Arts, 345 Dean Street
All sessions will take place from 6:00 – 8:00pm

If students or families have any specific questions, they can also talk to their school guidance counselors, call the Office of Student Enrollment at 718-935-2399, or visit the DOE website at http://schools.nyc.gov/ChoicesEnrollment/High/default.htm.

ATTENTION: Black Girls Rock, Inc. Host Summer Leadership Camp

BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Inc. will launch its two-week summer leadership camp for exemplary teenage girls of color from various social, economic, and geographic backgrounds in upstate New York. Participants will be chosen through a strict and highly selective application process. The goal is to foster the participant’s intentional pursuit of excellence, integrity, self-discipline, and collective accountability so that they may be prepared to be sound leaders in academics, public service, and civic engagements.

Teenage girls aged 12-17 are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is June 18, 2011. The application is available here: http://blackgirlsrockinc.com/live/sites/default/files/Summer%20Camp%20Application.pdf

For more information, you can contact the organization at 718-789-ROCK (7625).

ATTENTION: DOT To Install "No Standing Anytime" Signs in CrH

The Department of Transportation will install "No Standing Anytime" signs at Schenectady Avenue and Lincoln Place in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, following a department analysis.

CM James Calls on Home Health Agencies to Restore Senior/Disability Services

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
MAY 4, 2011

Contact Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191

COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA JAMES CALLS ON HOME HEALTH AGENCIES TO IMMEDIATELY RESTORE SERVICES TO THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED
Many have lost home care due to arbitrary, illegal decisions and are currently at grave risk

(Brooklyn, NY) Last month, the way Certified Home Health Agencies (CHHAs) are reimbursed by Medicaid was changed. In response, CHHAs have illegally reduced the services they provide. In some cases they have stopped providing care altogether.

Regarding this sad situation, Council Member James stated, “Can you imagine being a 90-year old person, living alone, and having no one to care for you? People who had been receiving 24-hour care for years are suddenly receiving only 12 hours of care, or worse. I am appalled that this is happening in a country that prides itself on taking care of our own.”

James continued, “New York Legal Assistance Group filed a lawsuit recently, and I trust the courts will ultimately put an end to this terrible mistake. But until that happens, dozens of disabled and elderly people are in grave danger. I urge the CHHAs to immediately restore all services to those affected by their recent, arbitrary decisions. Our most vulnerable should not suffer because of greedy corporations trying to pinch pennies.”

NYLAG's press release is attached and includes stories of those actually affected by these changes, including a 90-year old holocaust survivor whose care was terminated with no notice, as well as an 87-year old with severe dementia whose care was cut in half, also without notice.

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ATTENTION: Internship Available At Office of CM James

The Office of Council Member Letitia James is looking for summer interns. Please note this is an unpaid summer internship but applicants will have invaluable experience for future careers in social advocacy, political affairs, and community activism. Interns should be motivated and have a passion for public service. The ideal candidate must possess outstanding organizing skills, the ability to gather data, as well as communicate and listen to constituent needs.

• You will be assigned to a specific project developing from areas such as Housing Development, Homeless Issues, Environmental Issues, Public Health, Education and After-School Programs as well as other needs.
• You will be required to work outside of out of the office at least three days per week.

All interested parties should email cover letter and resume to Ms. G. Davis-Elliott, Chief of Staff at gdaviselliott@council.nyc.gov

ATTENTION: 2011 NYC Lien Sale

Let’s Talk Lien Selling:
A lien sale is when the City sells debt to a private collector (known as a lien holder) who assumes the right to collect the debt, and move to foreclosure if owner remains in arrears. In a lien, the lienholder assumes the debt, not property. The lien sale is the City’s primary enforcement tool to collect delinquent debt owed by property owners

Property Tax Debt:
You are at risk if you own— a 1-3 unit residence, a condo/co-op, a small business with 1-2 residences, or vacant land zoned for residential use
-any of the above categories with minimum $1,000 in property taxes for 3+ years
You are at risk if you own— a 4+ units
-the above category with minimum $1,000 in property taxes for 1+ years

Water/Sewer Liens:
You are at risk if you own— a Tax Class 1 property other than a single-family residence
-the above category with minimum $2,000 in debt for 1+ years
You are at risk if you own— a Tax Class 2 multi-family home, a commercial property
-the above categories with minimum $1,000 in debt for 1+ years

Emergency Repair/ Alternative Enforcement Program:
You are at risk if you own— any property other than a 1-3 family residence
-the above category with minimum $1,000 in debt for 1+ years

All 1-3 unit properties will be excluded from the lien sale with the exception of non-owner-occupied 3-unit buildings in the Alternative Enforcement Program.

Property tax liens will NOT be sold on 1-3 family homes with the Veteran or Active Military Personnel Exemption; Senior Citizen Homeowner Exemption; Disabled Homeowner Exemption; or the Real Property Circuit Breaker Personal Income Tax Credit (PIT) for 2010.

Stats on At-Risk Properties:
-Total Eligible CityWide- 25, 937 (Brooklyn- 11,375)

Important Dates:
May 2- 90-Day Publication
May 3- 90-Day Mailing
June 1- 60-Day Mailing
July 1- 30-Day Mailing
July 22- 10-Day Publication & Mailing
August 1- Last Day to Pay

Customers can call 311 for questions related to the lien sale.

To be removed from the lien sale list, customers must either pay in full or enter into a payment agreement.
Department of Finance- for property and ERP/AEP debt
www.nyc.gov/liensale
For general lien sale inquiries:
(212) 504-4039
taxlien@finance.nyc.gov

Department of Environmental Protection- for water and sewer debt
www.nyc.gov/dep
(866) 622-8292
For general lien sale inquiries:
(718) 595-7000
ombuds@dep.nyc.gov

Housing Preservation and Development- for ERP/AEP debt
For general lien sale inquiries:
(212) 863-5300
taxlien@hpd.finance.gov

Lien Sale Outreach Dates:
Outreach sessions will be held in each borough from 5PM- 7PM.
Brooklyn’s session is—
July 28, 2011
Brooklyn Finance Business Center
210 Joralemon Street, 1st Floor
Please call Finance's Outreach Unit at 212-669-8745 for more information.

ATTENTION: Environmental Assessment on Admiral's Row Property Transfer Available

The Section 106 Process is an important tool that ensures private citizens and state, tribal, and local governments have a voice in Federal decisions that impact historic properties.

The National Guard Bureau, in alliance with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, is complying with all Federal regulations pertaining to the transfer of the Admiral's Row section of the former Brooklyn Navy Yard. Located in the Fort Greene/ Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, New York, Admiral's Row will be transferred from the Federal Government's ownership to the City of New York as per Public Law 100-202.

The Environmental Assessment (EA) provides detailed analysis of two proposed alternatives for transferring the 6.07 acre property from Army ownership and control. The EA will be available for public review and comment from April 24, 2011 to May 10, 2011 both electronically and at select Brooklyn Public library locations.

The electronic version may be viewed here: http://www.nan.usace.army.mil/business/buslinks/admiral/pdf/DraftEA21Apr11.pdf

Additionally, the National Guard Bureau will host a public review and comment meeting on May 4, 2011 at—

Brooklyn Borough Hall
209 Joralemon Street
Brooklyn, NY 11209
5:00PM- 8:00 PM

Please contact the Office of Council Member Letitia James for more information at 212-788-7081.