Community News & Politics - Soho

"I have a past, but I'm looking towards the future," said Project Comeback graduate Douglas Rucker as he took the stage at the TriBeCa Film Center to receive his certificate during the graduation ceremony on Friday.


Lower East Side Activist Rob Hollander is fuming over changes made to the procedure for challenging new developments, implemented by Mayor Micheal Bloomberg and Department of Buildings Commissioner Robert Limandri. This is in response to Monday's announcement that, among other major reforms that included making diagrams of proposed buildings available online, limited the time period citizens have to challenge new buildings to 30 days. 
 

After well over a hundred letters in a hundred hours the DOB agreed to meet with the CAAAV.


The New York State Assembly passed a legislative package on Monday that will reform housing regulations to increase rent-regulated units statewide.


Ever since the economy has tanked, downtown activists have been especially fierce regarding housing issues. The ramifications of displacement are more dire then they’ve ever been and activists are doing everything they can to keep families in their homes. Recently, despite adverse efforts, the residents of 81 Bowery were evicted for unsafe conditions— a shallow reason, protestors believe, because it should fall on the landlord to institute repairs.


Thanks to Rob Hollander for the heads up.


Council Member John C. Liu introduced three pieces of anti-idling legislation yesterday. Two of the pieces strengthened existing laws, while Intro. 631-A, for which Liu is the prime sponsor, will reduce the legal idle time in front of a school from three minutes to one minute.


Members of the Transport Workers Union manned subway stops in Brooklyn today, handing out flyers protesting service cuts in the MTA’s 2009 budget, warning that the lack of service will have dire effects on both riders and the economy.

The problem: Overcrowding in lower Manhattan schools.
The solution: Create two new schools—PS 276 in Battery Park City and the Spruce Street/Beekman School.
New problem: Schools take a long time to build.
Temporary solution: Fall classes in a National Hisoric Landmark.

Doris Diether, Downtown activist, zoning expert and political luminary, had a special birthday celebration at the Judson Memorial Church on January 10th.