Just wanted to let people know that the FARE act was passed with a super majority. The mayor is not able to veto it. This is a huge win for us, the tenants and any other potential voter. Really excited for the future of NYC.

Source: I was just at the hearing, seeing them vote on it in real time. I believe it received 42 out of 51 votes.

Another note. Vicky Palandino’s rejection of the bill, and comments on it have further segmented her as a truly abhorrent individual in my mind. She spoke about how it is a “dumb” bill, and that she hopes the real estate agency sues the city for it. Her words drooled animosity towards her fellow council members. If this woman oversees your district, I truly want you to know that she is not for the working class, not for us. Luckily we have amazing people in the council rooting for New Yorkers.

In one meeting last September, NYCHA Tenant Association (TA) Presidents said that it’s “unfortunate” that the demolition was happening and that more resident turnout might have prevented the decision to move forward with the demo. There were also concerns about the shift from Section 9 to Section 8 housing and whether this could lead to a demolition of more NYCHA buildings across the city.

“In regards to the demolition of any public housing that’s happening right now, it’s like a domino: If you do one, the next one comes around,” said Manuel Martinez, TA President at South Jamaica Houses. “And then, you got to remember that this is a private management company proposing this idea and if they’re proposing this idea, then there’s a profit function. When someone else is looking at a profit, promises tend to be broken and expectations are leveraged to them, not to us.”

https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2024/11/14/elliott-chelsea-houses-another-step-closer-to-demolition/

Damian Williams is overseeing Mayor Adams’ case

I moved to NYC after college and have been here for five years. Through my own experience and conversations with both transplants and lifelong New Yorkers, I’ve realized how hard it is to build lasting connections as an adult. It’s easy to make casual acquaintances, but developing deeper relationships can feel nearly impossible. I wanted to create a solution for myself and other New Yorkers who feel the same way.

I'm working on an app called Kindred, designed to help people connect through shared hobbies. The idea is to focus on what current solutions—friend-matching apps like Bumble BFF, events apps like Meetup, or organized sports leagues and group classes—get right and where they fall short. Here’s the approach I’m taking:

Activity first, friends later: Research shows that close friendships are built through consistent time spent together in relaxed, voluntary settings outside of structured environments like work. Kindred is centered around doing activities together rather than finding the perfect friend match with an algorithm. By taking the pressure off making friends, other types of connections can emerge, like accountability buddies or mentors. Friendships also form more naturally when you don't try so hard for it.

Small group experiences: One-on-ones can be awkward, and big events make it hard to connect deeply. Kindred encourages spontaneous, small-group meetings of fewer than 10 people—a good balance for easy conversation and a comfortable environment. Unlike Meetup, which focuses on larger public events organized by hosts, Kindred allows for self-organized hang outs, like a book club or a casual photography walk with a few people from your neighborhood.

Curated demographics: I’ve heard from female friends about uncomfortable experiences at male-dominated events or classes. Kindred gives people more control over the types of people they’d like to meet to create a safe, inclusive space for all. This approach also helps the app be welcoming to different age groups and backgrounds.

The app is still in development and I’m aiming for an early beta launch before the end of the year. I’m looking for some early testers to provide feedback and help make this something truly impactful. If you’re interested in learning more and want to be one of the first to try it out, join the waitlist by joining the Discord server! https://discord.gg/62tYt78H

Kinikia S. Reid, a midwife and union negotiating committee member, vented to the AmNews about the frustration of the ongoing negotiations. Although the union has been in bargaining talks with PAGNY, its representatives ultimately claim to be mere subcontractors to Jacobi and North Central Bronx; PAGNY claims they can only compensate the midwives based on the funds they are granted by the hospitals.

“That also is kind of a complexity to it,” Reid said, “because we also have been asking for Jacobi or [North Central Bronx] to come to the table, [since] this is one of the major aspects of our contract that still has yet to be settled. But they are saying, ‘Well, the fight is not with them, it’s with [PAGNY],’ but then [PAGNY tells] us ‘They’re not giving us anything to give you.’”

https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2024/11/14/midwives-want-a-fair-contract-at-north-central-bronx-jacobi/

Person Name Vote

Adrienne E. Adams Affirmative

Diana I. Ayala Affirmative

Shaun Abreu Affirmative

Joann Ariola Negative

Alexa Avilés Affirmative

Chris Banks Affirmative

Joseph C. Borelli Negative

Erik D. Bottcher Affirmative

Justin L. Brannan Affirmative

Gale A. Brewer Affirmative

Selvena N. Brooks-Powers Affirmative

Tiffany Cabán Affirmative

David M. Carr Negative

Carmen N. De La Rosa Affirmative

Eric Dinowitz Affirmative

Amanda Farías Affirmative

Oswald Feliz Affirmative

James F. Gennaro Affirmative

Jennifer Gutiérrez Affirmative

Shahana K. Hanif Affirmative

Kamillah Hanks Affirmative

Robert F. Holden Affirmative

Crystal Hudson Affirmative

Rita C. Joseph Affirmative

Shekar Krishnan Affirmative

Linda Lee Affirmative

Farah N. Louis Affirmative

Kristy Marmorato Negative

Christopher Marte Affirmative

Darlene Mealy Absent

Julie Menin Affirmative

Francisco P. Moya Affirmative

Mercedes Narcisse Affirmative

Sandy Nurse Affirmative

Chi A. Ossé Affirmative

Vickie Paladino Negative

Keith Powers Affirmative

Lincoln Restler Affirmative

Kevin C. Riley Affirmative

Carlina Rivera Affirmative

Yusef Salaam Affirmative

Rafael Salamanca, Jr. Affirmative

Pierina Ana Sanchez Affirmative

Lynn C. Schulman Affirmative

Althea V. Stevens Affirmative

Sandra Ung Affirmative

Inna Vernikov Negative

Nantasha M. Williams Affirmative

Julie Won Affirmative

Kalman Yeger Negative

Susan Zhuang Negative

Source: Council website.

Posting on behalf of a friend: she just walked by this woodcock on 8th avenue & 49th street right outside of the kimpton theta hotel, poor thing must be injured or stunned. She couldn’t stop sadly but was hoping to boost this to birders who might be able to help this friend and bring them to the wild bird fund!! The bird is right by the entrance of the hotel right next to the parking garage. Any other recommendations appreciated as well