Nasdaq: New York City Criticizes Verizon on FiOS Delivery
By Dow Jones Business News
June 17, 2015
New York City says Verizon Communications Inc. has failed to live up to a 2008 promise to deliver fiber-optic connections for television and high-speed Internet to anyone who wants them.
Councilman Mark Levine, who represents a large swath of Upper Manhattan, said constituents complain to him about not having fiber service and frequently ask when it is coming. His building doesn't have the service, he said.
"I think the demand is greater than they are recognizing," he said.
Gotham Gazette: How We Got Here: City Creates New Office of Civil Justice
By Erika Wang
June 16, 2015
On Tuesday, June 16 Mayor de Blasio signed Intro. 0736 into law, establishing an Office of Civil Justice and creating a new Civil Justice Coordinator position...
The bill creating the civil justice office was sponsored by Council Member Mark Levine and Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, and comes as the city has been increasing funding and efforts to ensure that more low-income New Yorkers have access to attorneys in civil matters.
DNAinfo: Officials Seek Small Business Protections After Uptown Shops Booted
By Lindsay Armstrong
June 10, 2015
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — A host of longtime retail stores are being forced to close to make way for a large restaurant on Broadway, leading officials to press for more protections for small businesses...
Levine said that communities need to raise the alarm about small businesses threatened by higher rents.
“Collectively, the businesses on this block have been in operation for over 80 years," Levine said, adding he has been working with Legal Aid's Community Development Project to support small businesses.
The Yeshiva World: Greenfield and Levine Denounce Rise in Anti-Semitic Crimes And Call for Security Guards for Schools
By The Yeshiva World
June 10, 2015
Councilman David G. Greenfield and Councilman Mark Levine condemned today the rise of anti-Semitic crimes citywide. This past year to date, anti-Semitic crimes throughout New York City have spiked 29 percent according to the NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force...
"The rise in hate crimes against Jewish New Yorkers should alarm us all," said Councilman Mark Levine, Chair of the Jewish Caucus. "We must do everything we can to reverse this trend, and to protect those most vulnerable – particularly children at Jewish schools."
Observer: Strong Rent Regulation Is Needed to Address Crisis of Affordability
By Melissa Mark-Viverito, Mark Levine, and Jumaane Williams
June 9, 2015
New York City is facing an unprecedented crisis of affordability. Skyrocketing costs of living citywide threaten to price working families out of their longtime homes and communities. At the same time, thousands of affordable housing units, created as a safeguard against demanding market forces, lapse out of rent regulation laws...
El Diaro: Comunidad toma la palabra en debate de alquileres
By Juan Garnham
June 8, 2015
A partir de hoy la Junta de Regulación de Rentas realizará reuniones públicas para saber cuánto subirá el arriendo en las viviendas reguladas...
Al respecto, el concejal Mark Levine, quien dará testimonio en la reunión de hoy, invitó a la gente a asistir a estas reuniones y a apoyar a los inquilinos, ya que esto puede balancear hacia un lado u otro las posiciones en la junta. “El año pasado la diferencia fue de un solo voto, que se decidió en el último momento. Estoy seguro de que este año va a pasar lo mismo”, explicó Levine. “Si mostramos un gran nivel de apoyo, esto puede decidir el voto final. Con muchos inquilinos ahí, podemos asegurar un resultado bueno”.
Gothamist: Does NYC Need To Hire More Parks Enforcement Officers?
By Emma Whitford
May 27, 2015
At a City Hall Parks and Recreation hearing yesterday, councilmembers grilled Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver on the preliminary 2016 executive budget, which they fear will leave city parks short on Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers...
"New Yorkers who are not fortunate enough to live next to a park which receives significant private contributions face the realities of our city's underinvestment in parks every day," said Parks Committee Chair, Councilmember Mark Levine, whose district includes Morningside Park and Riverside Park.
Capital: Council approves Office of Civil Justice Coordinator
By Gloria Pazmino
May 27, 2015
The City Council on Wednesday passed a bill to create the city’s first Office of Civil Justice Coordinator to help New Yorkers facing eviction, bankruptcy or child custody proceedings receive legal counsel.
The bill, which was co-sponsored by Councilman Mark Levine, would create an office within the Human Resources Administration and have a budget of about $2 million. The office would work with city agencies to collaborate with nonprofits, pro bono programs and advise the mayor on implementing legal services as well as make budget recommendations.
Gotham Gazette: Building One Livable City
By Mark Levine and Tupper Thomas
May 27, 2015
New York is embarking on a building boom, and upzoning neighborhoods around the boroughs, with the laudable goal of making the city more affordable. But will it be more livable?
The answer depends, in part, on whether we plan for green space and open space to match all the new construction. With residential towers set to rise in at least 15 neighborhoods in line for new zoning, and the pace of building picking up city-wide, it's critical that we account for the infrastructure of public life. This means investing in new parks, playgrounds, street trees, and "green" features like bioswales as our city expands.T
Telemundo 47: Edificios con conexiones ilegales de gas
By Telemundo 47
May 19, 2015
Al menos 8 edificios en la ciudad son descubiertos con conexiones ilegales de gas. Todos pertenecientes al mismo casero según denuncia un concejal de nuestra área calificándolos como bombas de tiempo.
