🍎 citymeetings.nyc #30
NYPD Gang Database, Brooklyn Museum, TCOs, Shelter Food Quality, NYCHA Transparency
Hi!
Happy preliminary budget hearing month to all who celebrate.
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I have two announcements before getting to this week's meeting highlights.
I'm hiring a part-time intern
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- The position pays $20/hr, can be done remotely, and timing is flexible within a few hours after meetings end.
- On any day there is a NYC council hearing, I expect there to be between half an hour to 3 hours of work, with March and May skewing high.
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The role may expand to help me train AI models and publish content, like this newsletter. I'll be working with you directly.
I'm looking for candidates who:
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Though not strictly necessary, it helps a great deal to have an interest in local NYC politics.
If you know someone who might be interested, please forward this email to them!
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This week's highlights are from hearings on:
- NYPD's Gang Database
- Layoffs at Brooklyn Museum
- Temporary Occupancy Certifications (TCOs) for Buildings
- Food Quality in NYC Shelters
- Transparency at NYCHA
For a complete listing of published meetings, visit https://citymeetings.nyc.
Hearing on NYPD's gang database and juvenile DNA collection
A member of the Bronx 120 case gives testimony.
CM Yusef Salaam and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams introduced:
- Intro 125 restricting juvenile DNA collection without parental consent
- Intro 798 abolishing the NYPD's criminal group database
This was a hearing on those two bills.
- NYPD's Deputy Commissioner states the gang database is not shared with employers/schools/landlords/immigration authorities and cannot be used as grounds for arrest or as evidence in court. Link
- The NYPD's gang database has decreased from 18,000 individuals in 2019 to 13,200 currently, with juvenile entries dropping from 440 to 60. Link
- NYPD confirms 99% of individuals in the gang database are people of color, noting that 96% of shooting arrests and victims were also people of color from 2019 to 2024. Link
- Chief Lipetri states 99% of juvenile DNA samples in the last three years were linked to felony arrests, with 75% connected to gun arrests. Link
- In 2023, the gang database had 201 additions and 1,633 removals, continuing a trend of more removals than additions since 2020. Link
- NYPD Chief Lipetri argues approximately 65% of NYC shootings have a gang nexus, making the database essential for preventing violence across multiple boroughs. Link
- Public Advocate Williams questions the database's effectiveness, noting the percentage of gang-related shootings hasn't decreased despite its existence. Link
- A tense exchange when Public Advocate Williams strongly objects to the implication that he cares less about violence victims than law enforcement, asserting he has attended more funerals of violence victims than the NYPD officials. Link
- CM Ayala describes collecting DNA from juveniles as lazy policing and questions whether samples are being held "just in case" of future crimes. Link
- Craig Lewis from the Bronx 120 case pleaded guilty to a crime he didn't commit to avoid a longer sentence after being mistakenly included in the gang database while a full-time student. Link
- Anthony Posada shares a case of a 28-year-old man placed on the gang database since his teenage years for a minor social media post, leading to repeated police stops. Link
- Victor Dempsey describes attending police raid debriefings where community members detailed home disruptions and exclusion from NYCHA leases. Link
- Keli Young from the Innocence Project cites that in the Bronx 120 case, 115 of 120 defendants pleaded guilty due to RICO sentence threats, with 70 becoming felons through vicarious liability for the conduct of acquaintances over nearly a decade (rather than their own actions). Link
Hearing on Brooklyn Museum Layoffs
Henry Garrido from DC37 gives testimony.
This hearing examined upcoming layoffs affecting 47 workers at Brooklyn Museum in the midst of the museum's financial difficulties.
- The Brooklyn Museum welcomes approximately 650,000 visitors annually and houses over 500,000 artifacts. Link
- City funding for the Brooklyn Museum increased by 27% under the Adams administration, reaching $8.5 million this fiscal year, yet this represents only about 20% of the museum's total operating costs. Link
- Cultural institutions citywide face financial pressures from decreasing philanthropic support, uncertain federal funding, reduced corporate donations, and rising inflation. Link
- According the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), NYC's creative sector generated a $110 billion economic impact and employed 300,000 workers in 2019. Link
- The Brooklyn Museum plans to lay off 47 staff members, with layoffs set to take effect on March 9. Link
- The museum reported losses exceeding $11 million in FY2024 and projects another $10 million loss in FY2025. Link
- The museum plans to cut 40% of its education and public programs and has suspended its First Saturdays free event program. Link
- DC37 Executive Director Henry Garrido claims the museum violated union contracts by approaching workers directly instead of working through union representatives. Link
- Unions proposed alternatives including furloughs and minimum admission fees on certain days, but museum management rejected these proposals. Link
- In 2016, the Brooklyn Museum faced a similar financial crisis but implemented furloughs instead of layoffs. Link
- Two paintings conservators currently care for over 6,000 works in the museum's collection. Link
- A curator facing termination manages a collection of 30,000 objects at the museum. Link
- DC37 will fight "tooth and nail" against the proposed layoffs, insisting all alternatives must be exhausted first. Link
Hearing on NYC building temporary occupancy certification
DOB officials give testimony.
NYC law requires buildings to have certificates of occupancy (COs) that certify compliance with building, fire, and electrical codes before being occupied
This oversight hearing examined temporary COs, which are issued when there are outstanding issues that must be resolved before a final CO is issued.
- Temporary certificates of occupancy (TCOs) generally expire after 90 days but can be renewed. An expired TCO is considered an administrative issue rather than an immediate safety concern. Link
- Buildings constructed before 1938 are not required to have certificates of occupancy unless they undergo alterations that change their use, egress, or occupancy. Link
- A city controller's audit identified 637 office buildings without valid final certificates of occupancy, with some lacking approval for over 12 years and 88 buildings having immediate hazardous violations. Link
- DOB currently monitors expired Temporary Certificates of Occupancy primarily through 311 complaints rather than using alternative notification systems to trigger inspections. Link
- Expired Temporary Certificates of Occupancy may continue to be in use without automatic follow-up if no complaints are received or if building owners do not initiate renewal procedures. Link
- DOB has 499 active inspectors out of a budgeted 594 positions to oversee approximately 1.1 million buildings in NYC. Link
- DOB has the authority to revoke Temporary Certificates of Occupancy but not final COs, which can only be set aside by the Board of Standards and Appeals. Link
- The Fire Department reviews multiple fire safety systems before approving them, which is required before an applicant can apply for a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy. Link
- DOB is actively training staff on City of Yes zoning changes, which are expected to increase construction, particularly residential buildings, and result in more applications for temporary certificates of occupancy. Link
Hearing on food quality in NYC shelters
Matt Jozwiak from Rethink Food gives testimony.
This was an oversight hearing examining food quality in city shelters for homeless individuals and asylum seekers
- The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) serves over 14 million meals annually in NYC shelters through direct contracts with vendors, provider subcontracts, and on-site preparation. Link
- DHS holds three direct food contracts worth over $160 million with per diem rates ranging from $11.50 to $14.25 per person for three daily meals. Link
- CM Julie Won introduced Intro 905, which would require food service contractors with city contracts over $100,000 to provide standardized feedback surveys quarterly. Link
- DHS logged approximately 1,479 complaints about food and meals in 2024, with a standard response time of 14 days. Link
- Only seven inspectors are responsible for monitoring food quality across over 400 shelters in NYC. Link
- Food costs vary widely across shelters, from $6 to $15 per person per day for similar setups. Link
- Janet Jackson, a former shelter resident, described inadequate facilities including one microwave for an entire building and failure to accommodate special diets despite doctor's letters. Link
- Rethink Food spends over $800,000 annually providing extra meals in shelters due to poor food quality. Link
- An NYPD clergy liaison reported instances where only 50 meals were provided for 300 people in East New York and Brownsville shelters. Link
- The Interfaith Center of New York created 54,000 iftar meals for shelter residents after inadequate meals were provided during Ramadan. Link
- DSS is launching workshops to help local restaurants develop large-scale food service capabilities for shelter contracts. Link
- Current DHS food contracts expire at the end of fiscal year 2026, with plans to incorporate lessons learned into new RFPs that may prioritize quality over lowest price. Link
Hearing on NYCHA transparency
A panel of NYCHA residents gives testimony.
This hearing examined transparency issues at NYCHA with particular focus on the RAD/PACT program that converts traditional public housing to private management.
- NYCHA serves as both a public authority and landlord to over 300,000 residents. Link
- NYCHA officials reported 24,584 apartments across 92 developments have been converted to PACT with another 14,574 apartments in the predevelopment stage. Link
- Cost estimates for Fulton/Elliott-Chelsea renovations jumped from an initial $344 million to approximately $1 billion, with current demolition and reconstruction now estimated at $1.7 billion. Link
- The Comptroller's audit found NYCHA does not seek resident feedback on contractor work quality, with 30% of surveyed residents rating contractor work as poor. Link
- Eviction rates at PACT properties are higher than in traditional NYCHA units and vary significantly among property managers, ranging from 0% to 1.11%. Link
- Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Tenants Against Demolition presented a petition with 949 signatures opposing the demolition of their developments. Link
- Dr. Keisha Crawford testified about decades of poor living conditions at Stuyvesant Gardens, alleging recent intimidation tactics to force residents into PACT conversion. Link
- A resident of Penn-Wortman Houses testified that since her development's conversion to PACT, she has been harassed, followed, and had her apartment targeted for forced entry. Link
- NYCHA officials acknowledged there is no specific target for resident support and no requirement for formal resident voting before proceeding with PACT conversions. Link
- The Comptroller's Office recommended creating a "Yelp-like" tool for residents to review contractors and guide NYCHA's contractor selection. Link
- Residents and advocates called for a moratorium on RAD/PACT conversions pending an independent study of the program's impacts on residents. Link
Thanks for reading!
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