Scott Stringer - Manhattan Borough President

12/22/2008 - Statement From Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer Calling For Broad Overhaul Of Building Safety Systems To Follow Morgenthau’s Indictments & Report

12/15/2008 - Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer Charges MTA Is Trying To “Balance Its Books On The Backs Of Disabled Riders”

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, joined by transit advocates and other elected officials, today said an analysis of the MTA’s planned reduction or elimination of 20 bus routes in Manhattan showed that the cutbacks would leave thousands of riders with disabilities without an option for mass transit at night and on weekends – and in some cases during the workday.

12/11/2008 - Metro Newspaper Op-Ed by Borough President Stringer: Fare Hike for the Disabled is a Distraction

11/22/2008 - Borough President Scott Stringer, Transit Advocates Call On MTA To Rescind Planned Doubling Of Fare For Travelers With Disabilities

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, joined by advocates for riders with disabilities and by other elected officials, today called on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to withdraw a proposal to more than double the current $2 fare for Access-A-Ride service for travelers with disabilities as part of its budget for the next fiscal year.

11/20/2008 - Testimony from Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer on Proposed MTA Fare Hike

10/19/2008 - Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer Demands Enforcement of Illegal Vending Laws at Ground Zero

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, citing a survey by his office that showed more than a hundred recent incidents of illegal vending at Ground Zero, today called on the Port Authority and New York City police to enforce a state law that outlaws most vending around the site.

10/3/2008 - Citywide Coalition Of Elected Officials, Parents, Educators And Community Groups Demand “A Better Capital Plan” At City Hall Rally

A broad coalition of elected officials, parents, educators, advocates and community groups – including Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, the United Federation of Teachers, Class Size Matters, the NAACP, the Hispanic Federation, the Alliance for Quality Education, the Center for Arts Education, ACORN, Advocates for Children and the New York City Central Labor Council – called today for “A Better Capital Plan” for new school construction.

9/26/2008 - Study By Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer Shows 75% Of Housing Authority Elevators Rated “Unsatisfactory”

Three-quarters of the thousands of elevator inspections in New York City Housing Authority buildings in the last five years have resulted in an “unsatisfactory” rating, according to a study made public today by Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, who criticized a “culture of neglect” that has made elevator operations a source of frustration and in too many cases a real danger for Housing Authority residents.

9/5/2008 - Still Crowded Out: Borough President Stringer Releases Updated Analysis Report on School Construction Failure to Keep up with Manhattan Building Boom

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today was joined by UFT President Randi Weingarten, Comptroller Bill Thompson, parents, teachers and school advocates at a press conference to demand a new capital plan for school construction.

8/11/2008 - Borough President Stringer Recommends Additional Affordable Housing, More Tenant Protections for Lower East Side

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today recommended conditional approval of the proposed rezoning of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, with the proviso that the city take a number of steps to increase affordable housing in the area while at the same time putting in place strategies to prevent tenant harassment and illegal evictions.

8/11/2008 - Borough President Stringer Recommends Disapproval Of Proposed Sanitation Department Salt Shed

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today recommended to the Department of City Planning that it disapprove the Sanitation Department plans for a shed designed to hold 5,000 tons of rock salt at Spring and Canal Streets, recommending that the Department work with the community to find an alternate site and that the city turn the current site into publicly accessible open space.

8/11/2008 - Stringer, Monserrate Demand Stand-Alone Hearings for Major Development Projects

At a press conference on the steps of City Hall, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and City Councilman Hiram Monserrate today called on the City Planning Commission to hold stand-alone separate public hearings on three major redevelopment proposals, rather than the single session now planned.

8/10/2008 - Borough President Stringer, Joined By Father Of Fallen Firefighter, Urges Federal, State Officials To Comply With City Building Codes

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, joined by Joseph Graffagnino, whose firefighter son died fighting a blaze in the Deutsche Bank building last August, today urged federal, state, and other entities to commit themselves to the stringent requirements of the New York City Building Code and to permit inspections by all city safety agencies.

8/3/2008 - Study By Manhattan Borough President Reveals 30 Million Square Feet Of Development Potential Up For Grabs In Manhattan, Equivalent Of 11 Empire State Buildings

The cash-strapped New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) – which owns enough open space and air rights to build more than 30 one-million-square foot skyscrapers inside and adjacent to its existing Manhattan projects – has no overall plan for disposing of this valuable resource, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer revealed today.

7/30/2008 - Cuong Nguyen named New Deputy Chief of Staff To Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer announced today the promotion of Cuong Nguyen as his new Deputy Chief of Staff.

7/25/2008 - Borough President Stringer Hails Signing by Governor Paterson of Vacant Land Legislation

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today thanked Governor David A. Paterson for signing a law to end the current special tax treatment of vacant residential lots above 110th street. The legislation was proposed by the Borough President last year and introduced by Assembly Member Herman D. Farrell, Jr. and Senator José M. Serrano shortly thereafter.

7/16/2008 - Statement By Borough President Stringer On Mayor’s Announcement On Safety, Oversight And Coordination Of Construction, Demolition And Abatement Operations

7/9/2008 - Borough President Stringer Announces Free Immigration Assistance Day For Chinatown And Lower East Side Residents

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer announced today that he will hold an additional Immigration Assistance Day this Saturday July 12th from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at I.S. 131, the site of the Chinatown YMCA Beacon Program at 100 Hester Street, where legal counselors will provide free citizenship, naturalization and immigration assistance to New Yorkers.

6/25/2008 - Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer and ACCION New York Announce Anti-Loan Shark Outreach Campaign

Today, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer and ACCION New York launched a joint awareness and education campaign to combat loan shark lending in New York City. Through multimedia advertising and grassroots outreach, the campaign will promote microloans as an affordable and safe alternative to borrowing from predatory lenders.

6/19/2008 - NYC to Albany: “Don’t Block the Bill”

Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, together with Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, today urged the State to pass legislation (S.6811/A.10071), sponsored by Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh and State Senator Andrew Lanza, that would change the law regarding tickets and fines for vehicles that “block the box.”

6/14/2008 - Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer Joins Residents in Protest at Building Owned by Notorious Slumlord

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today joined residents of 700 Fort Washington Avenue in Washington Heights in a protest over lack of buildings services, including more than two weeks in which the tenants could not use their stoves because of a shutdown of the cooking gas system.

6/4/2008 - Statement by Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer on the Mayor's Legislative Agenda to Increase Construction Site Safety

5/31/2008 - Manhattan officials call series of fatal construction accidents “A Public Safety Crisis”

A group of Manhattan elected officials, in the wake of the most recent crane accident that killed two construction workers, today called on the city to treat construction as a public safety crisis.

5/30/2008 - Statement By Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer On Tragic Crane Collapse on East 91st Street

5/29/2008 - Manhattan BP Scott Stringer Challenges City Tax Breaks For Fast Food, Gas Stations, Chain Retailers

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today released an analysis of nearly $9.5 million in city property tax breaks for Manhattan businesses this year that went to McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and other fast food restaurants; to gas stations, including one in Washington Heights that got $175,000 in benefits; and to a Toys R’ Us in Times Square that got $2.4 million.

5/21/2008 - Statement By Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer On Violation Of Zoning At Crane Collapse Site

5/20/2008 - Borough Presidents, City Council Members And Civic Leaders Oppose Budget Cuts To New York City Community Boards

Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro, joined by City Council Members, civic leaders and community board members, today urged the New York City Council to hold the line on the city budget and roll back proposed cuts for the city’s 59 community boards.

5/6/2008 - Buildings Department Reverses itself to Revoke Permits for parts of Columbus Avenue Construction where Wall Collapsed

The city’s Department of Buildings has reversed its earlier finding and has moved to revoke approvals and permits for parts of the construction of a major development on the Upper West Side.

4/23/2008 - Statement By Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer On Commissioner LiMandri’s In Depth Review Of High Risk Construction Activities

4/14/2008 - Manhattan Schoolchildren “Crowded Out”

Manhattan’s development boom, which has led to at least 40,000 new apartments approved for construction over the past eight years, has not been matched by an increase in seats in neighborhood elementary and middle schools, according to a neighborhood-by-neighborhood study released today by Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer.

4/13/2008 - Borough President Stringer, Assembly Member Kavanagh, Council Member Brewer Announce Legislation Promoting Youth Participation On Community Boards

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer was joined today by Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh, City Council member Gale A. Brewer and members of the organization Future Voters of America to announce the introduction of State legislation and a City Council resolution to clarify the eligibility of 16 and 17 year old individuals to serve as full voting members of New York City community boards.

4/10/2008 - Statement by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer on N.J. Passage Of Paid Family Leave Legislation

4/9/2008 - Report on West Side Building Collapse Shows Building Department “Still Doesn’t Get It” Says Borough President Stringer

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer joined by local elected officials and Park West Village residents, today called to task the city’s Department of Buildings, saying that a recent report on the retaining wall collapse at 808 Columbus Avenue pointed to system-wide monitoring problems and cast new doubt on DOB’s ability to safeguard New Yorkers from the dangers posed by development.

3/28/2008 - Statement By Borough President Scott M. Stringer On Moynihan Station

3/28/2008 - Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer Announces 2008 Community Board Appointments

For the third consecutive year in a row, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer has announced the 2008 appointees to Manhattan’s 12 Community Boards by the City Charter mandated April 1st deadline.

3/28/2008 - Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer Announces Fellows Selected For “Civic Leaders of Tomorrow” Public Policy and Advocacy Program

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today announced the students selected for the inaugural “Civic Leaders of Tomorrow” Public Policy Fellowship Program. The program is designed to promote future leaders in public policy and advocacy by placing students at not-for-profit and community-based organizations working in underserved areas of Manhattan.

3/27/2008 - Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer Announces Fellows Selected For “Civic Leaders Of Tomorrow” Public Policy And Advocacy Program

3/24/2008 - Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer Testifies Before City Council Hearing as Congestion Pricing Deadline Approaches

3/20/2008 - Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer’s Reaction To Arraignment Of Building Inspector Edward J. Marquette

3/16/2008 - Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, State Senator Liz Krueger, Assembly member Jonathan Bing, Council Member Jessica Lappin, other officials

Following Saturday’s crane collapse that cost four lives, left more than two dozen people injured and demolished or damaged six buildings, a group of public officials, including Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, today called on the city to create a new inspection strategy that would tighten its oversight of construction projects.

3/14/2008 - Manhattan Borough President To Oppose 8th Grade Promotion Policy

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer has decided to oppose a Department of Education proposal that would hold back as many as 5,000 eighth graders without specifying what services would be provided to help retained students meet academic standards.

3/12/2008 - Statement by Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer on David Paterson

3/3/2008 - Statement by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer on N.J. Senate Approval of Six Week Paid Work Leave

Today the New Jersey State Senate showed real leadership on a crucial issue by voting to grant six weeks of paid leave to new parents

3/1/2008 - Free Tax Preparation Offered To Manhattan Residents

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, joined by the Citizens Committee for New York, Ariva, Inc. and ResCare, Inc. today announced a free tax preparation program for low-income residents of Manhattan.

2/20/2008 - In Wake of OSHA Safety Violations at Deutsche Bank Building, Manhattan BP Creates Borough Construction Watch

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today renewed his call for more aggressive inspections of building sites and announced the formation of the Manhattan Construction Watch, which will act as the eyes and ears of the community and alert both regulators and neighborhoods to potential unsafe conditions and practices at construction projects.

2/11/2008 - Manhattan Borough President Stringer Outlines Policy Initiatives in Housing, Health, Small Business in 2008 State of the Borough Address

Saying that “We may never see another time when the opportunity to get things right – and the cost of getting things wrong – is so great,” Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer tonight outlined a series of current and proposed policy initiatives designed to increase the supply of affordable housing, protect the health of New Yorkers, help small neighborhood businesses and increase local democracy

1/31/2008 - Statement by Borough President Scott M. Stringer on Court Decision Reached on Randall’s Island Sports Fields

Borough President Scott M. Stringer praised the court order that voided a proposed deal that would have given priority in the use of Randall’s Island sports fields to a group of private schools

1/30/2008 - Manhattan BP Scott Stringer and NYU President John Sexton Announce Agreement on Principles for Future NYU Campus Development

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer and NYU President John Sexton today announced that NYU, elected officials, and local community groups had agreed to a set of principles to guide the University's future expansion.

1/27/2008 - Borough President Stringer Releases Report on Paid Family Leave

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer released a report today on the need for paid leave for New York’s workforce, authored in collaboration with the nonprofit litigation project A Better Balance, a group of attorneys who advocate for workplace accommodations for employees’ personal needs.

1/17/2008 - Borough President Stringer Calls For Office Of Special Enforcement To Take Over Construction Site Safety

Borough President Stringer today called for the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement or a similar agency to take over construction site safety. Special Enforcement is an elite unit staffed by police, fire and building inspectors.

1/16/2008 - Borough President Stringer Calls For Comprehensive State And City Anti-Warehousing Plan For Vacant And Underused Properties In NYC

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, working with state and city legislators, has spearheaded the creation of a comprehensive package of state/city measures that would remove an existing special tax treatment for many vacant residential sites and would require owners of vacant residential sites and buildings to annually register and pay a fee for holding their properties off the market. The city legislation also calls for an annual citywide survey of all vacant properties

1/14/2008 - Statement By Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer On Tragedy At 246 Spring Street

1/14/2008 - Borough President Stringer Releases “Go Green East Harlem” Cookbook

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today announced the publication of the Go Green East Harlem Cookbook¸ a compilation of healthy recipes contributed by East Harlem restauranteurs and community residents. The cookbook is part of the Borough President’s Go Green East Harlem health initiative

1/11/2008 - Borough President Stringer, West Harlem Art Fund And Ny State Department Select Design Team For “Take Me To The River”

Today Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, the West Harlem Art Fund and the NY State Department’s Division of Coastal Resources announced the design team for “Take Me to the River,” a project that will improve pedestrian access to the Hudson River from West Harlem to Washington Heights.

1/9/2008 - Borough President Stringer: “We Need A Plan For Harlem, Not Just A Plan For 125th Street”

Borough President Scott M. Stringer recommended today the conditional disapproval of the proposed 125th Street rezoning until it is modified to provide affordable housing opportunities for current Harlem residents, target assistance to local small businesses at risk for displacement, and create a preference for local non-profit arts groups. Stringer unveiled a blueprint for a Harlem-wide development strategy that should be paired with the rezoning

1/2/2008 - Borough President Scott M. Stringer Appoints New Communications Director

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer has appointed a new communications director with extensive experience in New York City government, as well as the private and non-profit sectors

1/2/2008 - Borough President Stringer Announces 2008 Community Board Application Available On New Website

The Office of Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today announced the availability of applications for membership to Manhattan Community Boards on his office’s website at www.mbpo.org

12/15/2007 - Borough President Stringer, Community Board 10, Central Harlem Residents Oppose Expansion Of Lenox Avenue Bus Depot

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, local elected officials, community board members and residents of nearby housing are demanding a halt to plans by the MTA to expand bus depot capacity at the Mother Clara Hale Bus Depot on Lenox Avenue at 146th Street in Central Harlem.

12/14/2007 - Borough President Stringer To Join Community Board 2 At Their First Full Board Meeting In Chinatown In Over Four Years

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer will join Manhattan Community Board 2 next Thursday, December 20th at its first full board meeting in Chinatown since September 2003

12/7/2007 - Borough President Stringer Proposes Plan To Relieve Pedestrian Congestion Around Future Moynihan Station Site

In his testimony yesterday’s evening at the public EIS scoping session for the proposed Moynihan Station, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer put forth a plan to transform 33rd Street from Broadway to the Hudson River into a magnificent pedestrian walkway that will link Midtown to Moynihan Station and the West Side Rail Yards.

12/5/2007 - Borough President Scott M. Stringer’s Statement On The City’s Implementation Of A Pilot Program For A Modern Emergency Communication System

11/28/2007 - Borough President Scott M. Stringer’s Statement On His ULURP Recommendation For The East Side Rezoning And Development Proposal

11/20/2007 - Borough President Stringer, West Harlem Art Fund And NY State Department Announce Consultant Finalists For Improved Hudson River Access Project Coming To Upper Manhattan In 2008

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, the West Harlem Art Fund and the NY State Department’s Division of Coastal Resources announced the three consulting team finalists for the “Take Me to the River” concept plan which will bring improved Hudson River access to all New Yorkers in 2008

11/13/2007 - Governor Spitzer, Mayor Bloomberg, and Speaker Silver Announce Plans to Build City's First-Ever Green School in Battery Park City

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer joined today Governor Eliot Spitzer, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to announce plans to build a new elementary/middle school in the Battery Park City area of Lower Manhattan that will add 950 seats to serve pre-kindergarten through the eighth grades, and will also include 100 seats for special education students.

11/9/2007 - Borough President Stringer Promotes Shaan Khan as his New Director of Community Affairs and Constituent Services

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer announced today the promotion of Shaan Khan as his new Director of Community Affairs and Constituent Services.

11/5/2007 - Elected Officials And East Side Community Win Commitments For Affordable Housing, New School At East River Development Site

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer today called on the City’s Office of Emergency Management to improve and modernize their emergency communications system in order to better relay essential information to the public in the event of an emergency. In response to the recent tragedy at the Deutsche Bank Building, and the confusion that ensued for many residents of the area, Stringer said that it was time for the City to better utilize modern technology to provide residents of lower Manhattan with vital information and answers to their valid questions when situations like the events of Saturday afternoon arise.

10/24/2007 - Borough President Stringer Launches Campaign To “Reforest” East Harlem

Today, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer was joined by City Parks and Recreation Manager for East Harlem Joseph Russiello to kick-off a community-based street tree planting campaign in East Harlem. The campaign will bring hundreds of new trees to a neighborhood with one of the nation’s highest childhood asthma rates.

9/26/2007 - BP Stringer Announces Agreement with Columbia University to Protect and Enhance West Harlem Community as Part of Columbia Expansion Proposal

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer and Columbia University President Lee Bollinger today announced that they have reached an agreement on a series of steps to benefit the West Harlem community as it relates to Columbia’s planned expansion of their Manhattanville campus

9/6/2007 - Military Recruitment at Select New York City Public Schools Violates Students’ Rights, Report Finds

The New York Civil Liberties Union and Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today released a report urging the New York City Department of Education (DOE) to take immediate steps to protect students against aggressive military recruitment practices in public high schools

8/24/2007 - Borough President Stringer and Community Board 1 Announce Bovis Lend Lease has Agreed to a Public Meeting With Lower Manhattan Residents

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer and Manhattan Community Board 1 jointly announced today that they have secured a written commitment from Bovis Lend Lease to appear at a public meeting with Lower Manhattan residents, Community Board 1 and elected officials at a date and time to be determined next week

8/20/2007 - Borough President Stringer, Lower Manhattan Residents Call For Improved And Modernized Emergency Communication System To Address Unique Safety Concerns Facing Lower Manhattan Residents

8/17/2007 - Stringer Files Legal Brief Challenging Erosion of Rent Stabilization

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer filed an amicus brief supporting a class action lawsuit by thousands of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village residents who were wrongfully charged market rates for their apartments and are entitled to significantly lower rent-stabilized rents

8/14/2007 - Borough President Stringer Appoints New Director Of Intergovernmental Affairs

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer announced today the appointment of Sascha Puritz as his new Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. Ms. Puritz, an attorney with experience in criminal defense and federal civil rights litigation, replaces Felicia Feinerman, who left the borough president’s staff in July to attend law school

8/8/2007 - Stringer Calls for MTA to Create Improved Public Information System

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer issued the following statement today in response to the massive failure of New York City’s subway system as a result of serious storms in the region

7/27/2007 - After Collapse of Retaining Wall, Stringer Calls for Investigation, Demands Developer Change Practices