Flower vendors have increased their bouquet prices in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, as agriculture tariffs have affected imported flowers by some 10 percent, according to a recent report by CNN News.  

“A bouquet of 15 dollars with carnations and four roses has increased to 20 dollars with two roses and more carnations,” said a local customer in the Bronx, Gina Rossi. 

Vendors, in turn, expressed frustration with customers who complain about the increases. “Many customers don’t understand and complain about the increase on the bouquets, and we explain to them that it’s becoming expensive for us to get the flowers available for them,” said vendor Jose Mirelba. Florists are not profiting from tariffs.”

Countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and the Netherlands are the largest exporters of flowers and floral material such as vase, foams, plastic flowers, etc. to the United States. According to a 2005 American University report, 85 percent of the flowers sold in the U.S are Imported from these countries. 

Ecuador is the dominant exporter of cut flowers throughout the world. It sells the most roses, carnations, and lilies, to most countries, with the U.S. as their top buyer. 

After Trump’s tariffs on agricultural goods affected the flower industry, prices are increasing and are affecting customers’ pockets and causing doubts to purchase flowers depending on the occasion.

Flower costs have varied wildly through the year, typically price changes based on season and vendor. As of this year common flowers such as Carnations are 2-3 dollars per stem, a dollar increase then last year. Orchids start at 20 dollars a bunch, Baby’s Breath at 15 dollars a bunch. Red Roses could vary from 40 dollars a bouquet or more, other colored roses prices are much higher. 

“Bulk purchases for events like ceremonies and weddings could range from 100 dollars to thousands, customers look for alternatives to achieve their ideal flower arrangements because 500 roses could cost an eye,” said floral designer Jessica Montez. 

Tariffs increase on imported flowers began in May before Mother’s Day. These tariffs significantly impacted South American imports, raising prices on carnations, tulips, roses, plants, and even supplies like foam and vases.

For corner flower shops such as Juquilita Flowers, tariffs prices have had an effect on their customer count. The flower shop, located near Saint Raymond’s Cemetery in the Bronx, mainly sells to customers who purchase for lost loved ones,. The flower shop has been open for over a decade and they are committed to keeping the store open. 

“Before the tariffs increase we sold mixed cardinal bunches for 7 and 10 dollars, we purchased our flowers from Ecuador and the prices have increased for us and we try to keep the prices as low to keep the store open,” said vendor Juan Lucas.

Most flowers are grown in countries with ideal cultivating conditions and low labor costs, Before tariffs increased in May, purchasing flowers grown locally could cost almost double the price of imported flowers due to labor and operation cost. 

“Local flowers are more fresh and better for the economy but more out of reach, most flowers found in local stores are imported and cheaper, and with the rush of the city life it will be difficult to search for local grown flowers,” said customer Carolina Mendez. 

“Every week I come to Juquilita because they are usually more affordable than bigger flower shops. I always purchased the same flowers for 15 dollars, but now the same flowers cost me 23 dollars after taxes,” said local customer Andrea Vincent. 

The flower shop has replenished merchandise less often this month and it’s concerning for the shop’s revenue. 

Hunts Point flower market is the wholesale outlet hub for many flower shops throughout the Bronx. The market was opened in 1967, and later relocated to the flower district on 28th street in Manhattan. 

“Our flowers are imported from South America and many Bronx flower shop owners purchase their flowers here. They ask for discounts or payment plans as the cost of flowers increase,” said florist Ramon Diaz. 

Florists worry that tariffs will increased further, but for now they’re hoping the tariff will stop at 10 percent or get reduced.

A new affordable housing project is set to be built in Bath Beach, with the remodeling of the New Utrecht Library and the adjacent parking lot, to create new apartments that will be part of a new city program called “Living Libraries.” 

Living libraries are a city initiative that is part of the “City for Yes for Families” led by the city government, as well as the Economic Development Corporation, the Brooklyn Public Library, and Housing Preservation and Development. The program involves remodeling existing libraries and adding affordable housing. 

Over the last few years, the Bath Beach/Bensonhurst area has seen many changes, including business openings and closings, and project delays. Still, one of the major topics under discussion is adding housing to the area.

In 2023, the area received notice of a new homeless shelter under construction, and the community’s reaction was adverse. Both Councilmember Susan Zhuang and Assemblymember William Colton, along with many residents, protested for over 100 days straight to hope that the shelter wouldn’t be built. 

The reasoning is that the homeless system is flawed, and businesses and schools surround the location at 2501 86th St. The current fight is ongoing as the neighborhood approaches the demolition date of the building that will become a homeless shelter. 

In late September, Mayor Adams announced the redevelopment of the New Utrecht library as part of the “Living Libraries program.” Its goal is to develop more affordable housing. His administration, earlier this year, announced that it “created, preserved, or planned approximately 426,800 homes for New Yorkers. This will include the 69-year-old library and the parking lot next to it. 

“Earlier this year, I told New Yorkers that we would make our city the best place to raise a family; projects like New Utrecht and how we get it done. This ambitious project will deliver affordable housing, high-quality services, and a state-of-the-art library, all in one location,” said Mayor Adams.  

The current stage of the process is the community engagement section, which seeks to understand the community’s views, including those of the public and government officials who represent it.

“At this very early stage in the process, my priority is to determine how our residents feel about the project,” said District 47 Assemblymember William Colton. “For this reason, I am reaching out in a variety of ways to those who live and work in the area, to determine what questions and issues they may have about what is being proposed, and any concerns that they may feel need to be addressed. My intention, once I clarify this, is to advocate strenuously on behalf of my constituents, to make sure that their needs are taken into account.” 

As of now, Community Board 11 hasn’t taken a stance on the project. They are waiting for residents to contact them. 

The library project isn’t new in New York; in 2017, the Fifth Ave Committee announced plans for an affordable housing project at the Sunset Park Library in Sunset Park. The project includes a renovated library and 50 units around it, which were reopened in November 2023. 

At the time, people were mixed on the project, as it could lead to gentrification or displacement from the community. Another issue is that some residents aren’t able to access that housing due to costs and background checks. 

“Yeah, it’s affordable for some people, and that’s great, but the reality is that a lot of people in Sunset don’t have the paperwork necessary to even apply for this type of housing. Not to mention the process is long and tedious,” said Antonio Meza, who has been a resident in Sunset Park for 15 years. “Overall, I’m more for more affordable housing, but the process to obtain it needs to be improved.”

As of now, there is no set date for the construction or demolition of the New Utrecht Library, but the questionnaire regarding people’s reactions to the NYC Housing Preservation and Development deadline is scheduled for December 19. 

New York District 9 Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke used her October 8 telephone town hall to blame President Donald Trump and the Republic Party for the impact of the government shutdown on Brooklyn residents.

“At the start of the shutdown Democratic leader and our fellow Brooklyn Senator Minority Leader Schumer and House Minority leader Jeffries went to the White House to negotiate a resolution to avoid the shutdown in good faith,” said Clarke. “But Donald Trump and Republicans have nothing but bad intentions.”

It’s was the seventh day of the government shutdown and residents who attended the telephone town hall had the opportunity to share their questions and concerns.

Clarke collaborated on the Q&A with panelists from the New York City Health Department and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

Brooklyn seniors expressed concerns about the stability of their pensions and Social Security benefits during the shutdown. “The issue is that these are central services to our communities and it is my understanding that Social Security benefit payments are not affected by annual appropriations bills and payments as expected,” said Clarke.

Camille Hastick, the Vice President of External Affairs and Government Relations at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, was asked about the potential fallout for small businesses if the enhanced premium tax credit expires at the end of 2025. Hastick stated, “Tax credit system will revert to the pre-enhancement ACA standard, which means stricter income limit, less general subsidies and more out of pocket cost for many individuals.”

Health care was another big topic for Brooklyn local residents. New York State of Health Deputy Director Sonia Sekhar answered questions about the shutdown’s effect on health care. Under the republican plan current tax credit will expire and health care premiums will go up,” she said.

Following up on healthcare, the CEO of One Brooklyn Health Sandra Scott, spoke on potential changes with Medicaid. "Individuals should understand the eligibility that impacts them, but most importantly to know about our wellness and stay healthy to avoid the emergency room,” Scott said.

Many research programs addressing health imbalances at SUNY Downstate have been affected over the past nine months, said SUNY Downstate Health Science University President Dr. Wayne J. Riley “Downstate has received significant impact in terms of loss or suspension of federal research grants that are focused on addressing health disparities and health equities in central Brooklyn and in New York City. Because of the current administration’s posture, any research grant that has anything to do with DEI they
suspend and agree to not fund those grants.”

Clarke closed off thanking everyone for attending the call and stating, “The Trump administration allies and congress are not here to play by the rule of law, or abide by the Constitution, they are not here to ensure that your voice in democracy continues to be heard, they want silence.”

As federal housing protections weaken, New York City officials say they are stepping up local enforcement efforts to ensure tenants can still access fair and legal housing without facing discrimination based on vouchers or source of income.  

In an Oct. 3 City Council hearing, District 27 Council Member and Chair of the Committee on Civil and Human Rights Nantasha Williams stressed the urgency of addressing ongoing housing discrimination, particularly against New Yorkers who rely on housing vouchers. Her comments follow reports that two civil rights lawyers were fired from the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) for speaking out against the current administration’s effort to debilitate enforcement of the Fair Housing Act.   

“Some landlords continue to use tactics to sidestep the laws, while other landlords cease all communication with prospective tenants upon learning that they will use a voucher to pay their rent, and that’s true,” said Williams. “I actually did like a secret shopper thing and that happened to me as I pretended that I was looking for an apartment, and had that experience as well.”

Williams described the situation as New York City’s “worst housing crisis” and called attention to the layered forms of discrimination people face when looking for accommodations. She noted that this source of income discrimination disproportionately affects people of color, individuals with disabilities, and people with children.

City Council Member Rita Joseph of District 40, who also serves on the Committee on Civil and Human Rights, echoed these concerns, highlighting persistent voucher discrimination in her Brooklyn district. 

“I recall in 2022 when I first came into office, I got a report that my district was one of the districts that faced a lot of discrimination from landlords who did not accept vouchers,” said Joseph. “My neighboring council members have the same issue. We definitely would love to see more work done around that.” 

To address these concerns, the Council called on NYC’s Commission of Human Rights (CCHR), the agency tasked with enforcing the Human Rights Law, which prohibits housing and employment discrimination based on a wide range of factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, citizenship status, and source of income.

At the hearing, representatives from CCHR discussed how they are taking steps to educate all New Yorkers on their housing rights. This includes housing rights workshops at adult centers, free courses for brokers through their collaboration with the Fordham Real Estate Institute, multilingual ad campaigns, and even educational theater performances. 

“In fiscal year ‘25, the commission achieved a new milestone engaging with more than 150,000 New Yorkers, which is the highest since I’ve been at the commission. One consistent and growing pathway of engagement is our free facilitated trainings,” said JoAnn Kamuf Ward, Deputy Commissioner of Policy and External Affairs at CCHR. “The commission works diligently to meet New Yorkers where they are across the five boroughs. This is increasingly important in the current time when there is a lot of government mistrust.”

Ward emphasized that community outreach is only part of the work CCHR does. Many discrimination complaints are resolved through settlements, which can result in broader benefits for tenants. 

“The commission is proud to have effectively utilized settlements and source of income cases to increase housing availability for voucherholders,” said Ward, “through set asides and broker incentive programs.” 

Kevin Farley, Associate Commissioner of Investigations and Operations at CCHR, explained how the agency conducts its testing to catch illegal practices in the housing market. 

“You will have an inquiry from someone posing as a voucher holder about the availability about renting an apartment, and then you have someone posing as someone with earned income trying to rent an apartment,” said Farley. “We’re looking for differential treatment there to determine if discrimination is happening.”

For many New Yorkers, the effects of housing discrimination are deeply personal. Muhammad Musah, Lead Community Organizer at African Communities Together (ART), testified at the hearing and shared his own experience of being removed from his apartment of three years.

“One day without warning, I discovered my name was no longer on the building’s virtual doorman list,” said Musah. “Despite paying my rent religiously, I could no longer access my home. Weeks went by before the management company finally told me the reason. The landlord had been illegally leasing the unit to me.”

He continued, “I’m Muslim and there’s not many Muslims in that building. I often had to wait hours outside hoping someone would let me in while worrying about how I might be perceived just for trying to enter my own home. I felt unsafe, I felt invisible, and I felt powerless.”

Musah’s experience was one of several presented at the hearing as examples of how housing discrimination continues to affect tenants across NYC. Council members expressed support for expanding CCHR’s capacity to investigate and enforce the law, especially as federal regulations continue to get rolled back. While CCHR is not federally funded through HUD, changes at that level can still impact local enforcement.   

“That work must be visible and accessible so that every New Yorker understands their rights and trusts that we are standing with them,” said Williams. 

Pens, pencils and backpacks are a staple for any retailer this time of year looking to cash in on the back-to-school rush. Labor Day is seen as one of the best times for the last-minute crowds to get what they need to start the year off strong.

Even retailers that don’t typically get flooded with business see an increase in sales. Reebok, with only one store left in all of New York State, at Tanger Outlets in Deer Park on Long Island, reported an increase of about $800 in sales over Labor Day last year.

However, some students say they have been deciding to hold off on back-to-school shopping this year. Those with a conservative budget may skip the deals, reusing what’s left of supplies from previous years to save money for more important endeavors, such as paying for textbooks whose prices continue to climb.

Jordan Gordon, an upper junior at Brooklyn College, decided on saving his money this year. “Honestly speaking, I didn’t really do back to school shopping. Aside from buying clothes, I typically have all my materials already at home, A couple of years ago, I went to Muji and I bought a lot of notebooks, a lot of pens. I still have leftovers, so I’m just using what I have leftover.”

Gary (who declined to give his last name), is a sophomore Brooklyn College on a budget. “I always go to like, really cheap, like 99 cent stores or sometimes Staples,” he said. “No Target or Walmart because like, I just think that’s pretty expensive … plus it’s really far, so it’s like, not really convenient. Online shopping, I do that sometimes. So mainly just 99 cent stores and Amazon.”

These college students probably do not represent all students.

Many young people still shop the outlets and big box stores. Tanger Outlets in Deer Park drew more than its standard number of customers, including city dwellers and suburbanites, over the Labor Day weekend. Big name brands are the first to reap the rewards of such spikes in traffic, with places like Nike and Adidas drawing in masses of people looking for backpacks and sneakers with apparel to match that will be put to the test for the coming school year.

Still, a number of students are being more conscientious of their spending. Nia, another Brooklyn college student, said she avoids the stores. “I’ll use Amazon sometimes, but only if I’m out of time before classes and I need to, like, get something real fast.”

Brick-and-mortar retailers may continue to face a tightening of the belt from spenders who, if they don’t feel like they are truly getting a good deal, will move on to the next place in search of better. Even cheap places like the 99 cent stores have moved on from the 99-cent price point, particularly chain stores such as Dollar Tree that has rebranded pricing to $1.25, and some items there being sold for as much as five dollars.

Price inflation, and tariffs continuing to rise, add to the urgency of getting discounted deals. For financially conscientious families, it is paramount.

The MTA is partnering with community boards to gain feedback from residents on the proposed Interborough Express Line (IBX). The line, which will run from Jackson Heights, Queens, down to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, is currently in the planning phase. On Monday, September 16th, members of the MTA’s IBX project team held a pop-up event in East New York, Brooklyn, to discuss the development process, proposed stops, and the potential impact on the community. 

Earlier this year, the MTA secured $52 million from Governor Kathy Hochul to greenlight the Interborough Express Line. This light railway will transport commuters from Brooklyn to Queens without entering Manhattan. The proposed route will use an existing 14-mile freight corridor. The IBX will service nearly a million New Yorkers living in both boroughs and anticipates cutting the commute time between Brooklyn and Queens in half. However, some residents are concerned that the MTA isn’t doing enough outreach to keep residents informed on the project’s progress. “They’re not speaking about the component of community work,” stated Community Board 5 Chairwoman Alice Lowman.

The IBX railway will service the most diverse population in the city. According to the project data conducted by the MTA, the line is home to over 900,000 commuters (7 in 10 people of color) and over 260,000 jobs. The MTA anticipates ridership along the IBX will promote community growth and increase the number of residents by 41,000 and jobs by 15,000 by 2045. The route will be a multipurpose line for passenger rail and freight. The line will use two existing rails to complete the route. These lines are the  Bay Ridge Branch, which starts in Bay Ridge Brooklyn and ends in Glendale, Queens, and the CSX rail line, which begins in Glendale, Queens, and ends in Astoria, Queens. The section of the CSX from Jackson Heights to Astoria will be used for freight only, while the section from Jackson Heights to Glendale will provide passenger service. Neither of these lines has served passengers since 1924. 

The new subway line will add 19 new stations with 17 new connections to other subway lines and the LIRR, as well as 51 new bus line connections. One concern for Fredrick Wells, a Queens resident who regularly travels to Brooklyn, is having enough free transfer stops along the route and using his MetroCard less. He said he hopes that “Instead of me having to tap when you get off, you can transfer and only use one fare as opposed to being forced to use another fare.”

In its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the MTA explored all possible routes to construct the line, taking into consideration the community impact as well as the environmental impact. When exploring mode selections between light, conventional, and bus rapid transit, MTA determined that light rail offered the greatest benefits, including capacity, reliability, constructability, vehicle specialization, and cost per rider. According to Charlie Gans, who oversees the construction of the development, “Light rail has a variety of benefits. It achieves good speed. It’s got very strong competitive capacity levels and can make tight turns. It’s just a very flexible mode, and it’s cost-effective.”

For the past year, the MTA has been trying to reach out to communities along the proposed route to get their feedback for the line with both town halls and pop-up events. At the September 16 pop-up, attendees were allowed to go to different stations and ask project teammates questions. They were asked to write suggestions on Post-Its and stick them on the station closest to them on a giant map on the IBX line. However, there was no Q and A session after the presentation, which made some residents uneasy while others felt left out. 

According to Albert Scott, an East New York resident and member of the East New York Coalition for Community Advancement, “We’re usually excluded, and here’s where community and local talent could participate. They’re throwing numbers at us about funding when this could have been addressed with a Q and A.” Chairwoman Lowman felt similarly, stating, “We need to have more sessions like this because we need to know the feedback and what they discovered tonight. We need to have a Q and A session; that’s what was missing tonight.” Some of the residents had concerns about how funding was being allocated, whether or not this project would involve eminent domain, remediation, traffic impact, and environmental issues. “My main concern is Wilson Ave. because the right-of-way is too narrow,” states David Kuperberg, Vice President of the Bus Advocacy Passengers United. 

Chairwoman Lowman is working with district leaders to organize another event in October with the MTA with a Q and A session for residents with questions and concerns. She hopes the MTA makes more effort to keep the community in the loop as the planning process continues. The MTA did not respond for comment.

Services designed to support older adults struggle to maintain pace with the aging population in New York City. Between 2011-2020, the number of adults over the age of 65 in NYC grew by 36%, while those below the age of 65 declined by 2%. NYC Health projects that the number of older adults will increase an additional 41% by 2040.

In response to these demographic changes, the New York City Council Committee on Aging held an oversight hearing on September 23rd to evaluate the future of the city’s Community Care Plan, a five-year initiative launched in 2021. The plan aims to meet the needs of older adults by prioritizing services that allow them to age in place and remain in their homes and communities rather than being moved to institutional care.

The Department for the Aging allocated $179.2 million, largely from temporary COVID-19 relief funds, to support the Community Care Plan from 2022 to 2025. However, with pandemic-related federal funding set to expire by the end of 2024, DFTA has not secured additional resources to cover the impending shortfall. The DFTA currently has $17 million allocated for 2025 and is asking for an additional $78.2 million for at-home care. Without this financial support, many services could face cuts, which would place additional financial burdens on families.

The Community Care Plan includes expanded home care services, caregiver support, and programs that address the social, health, and nutritional needs of older adults. It also works to increase access to mental health services, transportation, and affordable housing resources for the aging population. Additionally, aging in place as supported by the plan reduces costs to the city, according to data cited by Lorraine Cortéz-Vázquez, the Commissioner of the Department for the Aging. Keeping a person in their home costs $32,000 annually, compared to the required $154,000 a year to maintain a person in institutional care.

People who remain in their homes “are more likely to physically thrive for longer periods of time than when placed in institutional care,” said Commissioner Cortéz-Vázquez. According to the Community Care Plan, 90% of older adults expressed a strong preference for aging in their communities as opposed to being placed in institutionalized care. Aging at home is said to improve physical and mental health, increase community involvement, and decrease social isolation. 

“Data show that community care helps people stay healthy longer and avoid institutional care,” said Chair of the Committee on Aging Crystal Hudson. “Community care is the best way to help older New Yorkers support their health,” Hudson continued. Hudson sponsored a 10-year plan to support aging in place (INT 1054-2024). The bill builds upon the current 5-year plan, with a focus on investing in programs that allow older adults to age in place across the city. 

However, a home is required in order to age in place, and New York City’s older adult population is disproportionately impacted by the housing crisis. The number of homeless individuals aged 65+ increased by over 300% between 2004 and 2017. “You can’t have a home care aid if you don’t have a home, the rate of older adult homelessness is growing at a rate three times higher than younger populations,” said Kevin Kiprovski, Director of Public Policy at LiveOn NY. 

Without additional funding, essential services could be reduced or eliminated, placing a greater financial burden on families. Advocates called for increased state and local funding to fill the gap left by the end of COVID-related federal funds.

Tara Klein, the Deputy Director of Policy and Advocacy for United Neighborhood Houses said that “any programs that shrink or close are catastrophic for the older adult population. We need investments and not cuts.” 

Comptroller Brad Lander expressed frustration with the Fiscal Year 2025 State Budget, criticizing housing policies for not adequately addressing tenant protections, or unsafe basement units.  

“A better housing deal was possible: one that built more housing all across the state, genuinely protected tenants from eviction with no good cause, made basement units safe instead of sweeping them under the rug.” Lander said. 

New York City’s Fiscal Year budget, at $112 billion, was adopted by the New York City Council and Mayor Eric Adams after a extensive negotiation. The budget includes funding for libraries and early childhood education. However, reversals of earlier cuts were limited. 

 Lander praised the increase in funding for asylum-seeker services and emphasized the importance of improving the city’s infrastructure. He also called for reforms to streamline capital project processes and stressed the need for better debt management.  

The Comptroller’s Office estimates that the City’s costs for asylum seekers in FY 2025 will be $2.11 billion, with the State covering $1.31 billion. Future financial risks remain because there is no guarantee of continued State aid. The City could face an extra $176 million in costs by FY 2026, $1.18 billion in FY 2027, and $2.69 billion in FY 2028. These estimates may change due to evolving federal policies and adjustments in City shelter and procurement methods. 

“The State increasing the City’s debt capacity by $14 billion over two years will allow the City to fund its capital needs for schools, transportation, and housing without risking the city’s credit rating.” Lander said. 

Lander expressed concerns over how mayoral control of public schools was handled in the budget process. 

“Mayoral control of public schools is such an important issue that it should have been considered outside the budget, rather than crammed into the budget at the last minute.” 

In a significant development in the world of home financing, prospective homebuyers now have an alternative to the traditional and ideal 20% down payment. This new program, designed to help individuals avoid mortgage insurance fees, is slowly being welcomed into the world of real estate and so far, Cross Country Mortgage is confirmed to be offering this program to their clients.

This new development allows potential home-buyers the opportunity to put 15% as a down payment  rather than 20%, without having to pay additional fees for private mortgage insurance.

According to Investopedia, Private mortgage insurance is a form of insurance that a borrower may need to purchase when obtaining a conventional mortgage loan. PMI is typically mandated by most lenders if the homebuyer’s down payment is less than 20% of the property’s purchase price. This is primarily because when the borrower’s down payment is less than 20% of the property’s value, it results in a loan-to-value  ratio of over 80%, which is considered a higher risk profile for the lender.

Jarek Kwiatowski, a senior loan officer from Cross Country, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, saying, “This is great news for people who have been struggling to save up that dreaded 20% down payment. Now, some can put 15% down, which avoids them having mortgage insurance added to their monthly payment, allowing them to not take on additional fees.”

However, there are specific eligibility requirements for this program. To qualify for the 15% down payment option, applicants must have a relatively high minimum credit score of 740. Additionally, this program applies primarily to 1-2 family homes and condominiums and the debt-to-income ratio should not exceed 43%.

Traditionally, the 20% down payment has been the goal for homebuyers, as it helps them avoid additional costs associated with mortgage insurance. Still, for many prospective buyers, saving up such a substantial amount can be extremely difficult. In addition to the down payment, buyers have to keep in mind other expenses, such as closing costs, repairs, remodeling, furnishings, emergencies, and other savings needs.

Rafael Reyes, another loan officer from CCM, mentioned how he strongly believes that programs, like the 15% down payment program, are a stepping stone to a better financial journey for those who may not be ready for that 20%. “Why in the world would someone want to take on paying an extra $200-300 a month all because they only had enough to put 10% down. That money adds up quickly.” says Reyes.

Lenders say it’s essential for interested parties to carefully assess their eligibility and consider their financial situation before taking advantage of this new option.

]]> https://journalism.blog.brooklyn.edu/2023/10/uaw-put-the-brakes-on-corporate-greed/ Thu, 05 Oct 2023 20:50:37 +0000 https://journalism.blog.brooklyn.edu/?p=11805 ...[read more]]]> BY: MAXWELL SCHUSS

The UAW and middle-class workers around the country are looking to eliminate wage tiers, a compensation system which they say reduces pay, healthcare, and other benefits. They are also fighting for the reinstatement of cost-of-living adjustments, allowing wages to match the inflation in housing and food.

“Cars aren’t made by the multi-billionaires, they are made by people like you and I,” said Jeff Purcell, president of UAW Local 3039 in Rockland County. Purcell addressed the crowd as other members of the UAW congregated on the southeast corner of Central Park, right outside the General Motors Building. New Yorkers joined the picket line in solidarity, holding signs reading; “End tiers! Equal pay for equal work” and “No contract? No peace!”

“They want us to buy American? Well, pay American workers with the dignity and respect that they deserve,” said Purcell. As auto corporations such as General Motors, Stellantis, and the Ford Motor Company are currently making record profits, workers nationwide have left the assembly lines and joined the picket lines.

Jamaal Bowman, representative for New York’s 16^th congressional district, shared his support for the union on X (formerly Twitter). “The Big Three auto companies have already raked in $20 billion in profits this year. Their CEOs make millions. They can afford to pay their employees a living wage,” said Bowman. The UAW is also looking to establish profit-sharing, a 32-hour work week, a 30% raise over the next 4 and a half years, and improve retirement for workers.

“This is about essential workers taking power and no longer taking the crumbs the big corporations want to offer us,” said Purcell.

The union promises they will continue to strike until a deal is met with The Big Three for a fair share of the profits. According to UAW President Shawn Fain, a deal with the Ford Motor Company is nearing agreement, but not as close to an arrangement with Stellantis and General Motors. In a September 27^th story from Spectrum News 1, Stellantis stated that they are looking forward to bargaining “in good faith” and would like to reach an agreement with the union that will both protect the ability to provide good jobs and conserve the competitiveness of the company.

The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund on Wednesday moved to allocate $125 million for overlooked humanitarian crises, the largest amount since the fund’s establishment in 2005. These allocations will substantially scale up humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, Yemen, and 12 other countries facing hunger, disease, and environmental disaster.

This move raises CERF’s total assistance to a record $270 million dollars this year through its underfunded emergencies window. This is the largest annual amount ever delegated to the highest number of countries. This is “a reflection of skyrocketing humanitarian needs,” Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said.

This comes on the same day that The United Nations World Food Programme announced it lacks funding to feed up to 15 million people in Afghanistan, a record setting number. “For the 15 million people who do not know where their next meal comes from in Afghanistan, we’re only able to provide three million people with emergency food assistance,” Hsiao-Wei Lee, WFP Representative and County Director in Afghanistan said.

Among other countries, Burkina Faso will receive $9 million, Myanmar ($9 million), Mali ($8 million), and Haiti ($8 million). Refugee operations in Bangladesh ($8 million) and Uganda ($6 million) will also garner support.

Furthermore, Venezuela ($8 million), the Central African Republic ($6.5 million), Mozambique ($6.5 million), Cameroon ($6 million), the Occupied Palestinian Territories ($6 million), and Malawi ($4 million) will receive support as well.

This year’s global humanitarian funding requirements have surpassed $55 billion dollars to support 250 million people affected by the crises. However, less than 30% of the necessary funding has been met.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York held a hybrid discussion on the benefits and disadvantages of working from home as a result of the pandemic on employers, employees, and the overall economy on March 31^st.

Nicholas Bloom, professor of economics at Stanford University, presented the research he carried out during the pandemic in 2021. He studied which group of employees would be the most likely to work in a hybrid way—working some days from home and working in the office the other days. His study concluded that “front line employees, mostly non-graduates and lower-paid, are more likely to work entirely on-site,” said Bloom. He went onto say that “professionals and managers, mostly graduates, higher-paid are more likely to work hybrid, and specialized roles, payroll are more likely to work from home.”

The panelists focused entirely on the second group, rather than essential workers who have to work in person, sometimes with the most challenging and often the lowest paid jobs.

Bloom, as a professor, said he experienced the hybrid workspace even before the pandemic. He highlighted the benefits–the commute, and productivity being his top two benefits. “Reading, writing, doing data, one-on-one zoom calls all of this stuff works better at home,” said Bloom. He pointed out that in his research “for quiet work, you are 3% to 5% more productive per minute at home,” Bloom said.

Chris Herd, founder and CEO of Firstbase, thinks differently. Herd believes that the circumstances in which New Yorkers started a hybrid workspace are not the same ones Bloom has experienced in the 20 years he has worked remotely. “This has been the worst possible version of remote work,” Herd said. “People have been working while homeschooling their kids. They couldn’t see their friends and family. They couldn’t do that intangible stuff that makes remote great.”

Edward Glaeser, professor of economics at Harvard University, debated the pros and cons. Glaeser agreed with Bloom when he said that one can make more calls and save time by working from home. Still, he does not see a benefit in the long run since having face-to-face contact is essential for employers and workers. “I continue to think of the learning component of basic contact is incredibly powerful,” Glaeser said.

Alexander Heil, vice president of the research Citizen’s Budget Commission, said he believes that working remotely will benefit workers by making daily tasks easier for example, online medical appointments.

However, after the pandemic outbreak, many people didn’t feel comfortable being around too many people, and that’s what Heil believes will continue to be a problem when people return to the office part-time. As people stay home three days a week and come to the office two days a week, “One thing that is clear is that 50% of people are uncomfortable about getting into a packed elevator, ” Heil said. “When you come on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, everyone is going to rush up in elevators. A lot of people are not happy to do that. “

Feminist recovery is a new plan for a more equitable New York City, as advanced on Wednesday night, March 30, by NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, Councilwoman Shahana Hanif and Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán, along with several other women activists gathered on a Zoom panel.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted existing gender and racial inequality in NYC, exacerbated unequal rights within women of color-dominated spaces, and spotlighted the need for a feminist-focused solution, they said. Going forward requires a new, non-patriarchal approach.

The panel also included Beverly Tillery of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, Marrisa Senteno of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Prathana Gurung of Adhikaar, and Chanel Porchia-Albert of the Ancient Song Doula Services.

 Hanif, of the 39th council district in Brooklyn, and Cabán of the 22nd district in Queens, shared their plans to create a future for NYC that dismantled what they claimed to be the city’s current patriarchal solutions to policy issues such as worker’s rights, homelessness, and public safety.

Cabán said, ”Patriarchal policy includes punishment, separation, exclusion, competition, violence, force, control, threat, and hierarchy, and patriarchy’s strategies include policing, prosecution, incarceration, eviction [and] destruction of homeless encampments,” alluding to Mayor Eric Adams’ current strategies to “clean up” the city.

She continued, ”In contrast, feminist recovery is characterized by care, compassion, replenishment, growth, restoration, transformation, cooperation, and connection. And feminist tactics include guaranteeing comfortable housing, meaningful employment, and a healthy environment.”

Instead of managing the fallout from not meeting people’s needs the way patriarchal policy does, feminist recovery would actually meet those needs. “Getting to the city we want for all of us will require dismantling patriarchy,” Hanif said.

Their proposed alternate recovery plan deals with the fallout of the pandemic. It isn’t meant to separate genders or races or put one on a higher pedestal than another. As Anthonine Pierre, deputy director of the Brooklyn Movement Center in Bedford-Stuyvesant, explained, ”Using the frame of feminism…it [recovery] has to be one designed around collective liberation.”

She talked about what most people call “quality of life,” tackling issues of public safety in Black and Brown communities. She said things like broken windows policing, getting fines for jumping turnstiles, and open alcohol container laws, would fall into the lines of patriarchal solutions.

Feminist recovery would start a conversation about actually meeting the needs of people of color and not pushing them to fear policies that are supposed to help them. Pierre said feminist policies would focus on things like affordable housing and equal access to mental health services.

These solutions require a budget, of course. As Ximena Bustamante, founder and coordinator of the Undocumented Woman’s Fund, which provides financial support to undocumented women in the workforce, told the panel, “The state’s money is the people’s money.”

Institutional money is needed for a feminist recovery, Bustamente said, to provide help for grassroots organizations that are aiding women and people of color. The government should be focusing on creating participatory budgeting, which is included in feminist policies, the panel explained.

As Cabán said, “We are the ones who will move our city towards the feminist future we know is the key to true public safety, true public health, and dignity and freedom for everyone regardless of their gender.”

At the peak of Women History Month, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander hosted a Zoom panel with City Council members Shahana Hanif, and Tiffany Caban on the evening of Thursday, March 30 to highlight the steps the city must take to ensure that women can fully recover from the Pandemic, naming it the “Feminist Recovery.”.

The next morning, the three released “The Path Forward to a Feminist Recovery” detailing 12 steps the city must take to advance gender equity, including expanded access to affordable child care, support for flexible work scheduling policies, and ten other steps.

“The pandemic spotlighted pre-existing inequalities along the lines of both gender and race, then it exacerbated those inequalities,” said Lander, “so it demands that we fight for a recovery that centers gender and racial equity, thats what a feminist recovery means.” He pointed out that nearly 220,000 women dropped out of the labor force during the pandemic, and nearly 50,000 more women are unemployed now than before the pandemic.

Hanif, who represents the 39th council district of Brooklyn, said that her lupus diagnosis opened her eyes to disability injustice. “When I think of democracy it is absolutely tied to ensuring we lead with feminist principles and values,” said Hanif.

Caban, councilwoman from District 22 in Queens and chair of the council committee on women and gender equity, proposed that “well funded health care resources, mental care, reproductive healthcare, and well funded violence prevention programs seek to actually meet people’s needs.”

Other panelist including Chanel Porchia-Albert and Marrisa Senteno are seeking funding for their organizations that are also working towards feminist recovery. “We are proposing a domestic workers initiative, one that will establish a peer led outreach and education program,” said Senteno, who is the New York Director at National Domestic Workers Alliance. “One that will inform domestic workers and employers about rights to build a capacity to better inform.”

Porchia-Albert, founder of Ancient Song Doula Services, made the closing statements that hospital systems are not set up to respect the medical needs of poor, undocumented women, and women of color. “Coming from a culturally congruent space that understands impacts of racism, sexism, gender equity and understanding,” she said, “the hospital-based systems are not set up in a way to really center the birthing person.”

Cyber security and data protection experts made a clear point clear at the Digital New York Summit on Mar. 17: hackers are two steps ahead of the private and public sector.

“The bad guys are winning,” John S. Shegerian, CEO of Electronic Recyclers International (ERI) told the audience.

Carlos P. Kizzee, senior vice president of the Center for Internet Security and the moderator of the panel agreed. “Threat actors are planning ahead. We need to plan ahead as well,” he said. Individuals and companies need to be prepared for cybernetic attacks.

Shegerian also said that cyber criminals were able to steal more than $6 trillion last year, up from $3 trillion in 2015. Cyber-attacks are growing exponentially both in numbers and the seriousness of the attack.

A real-life example of why data protection is important is the story he told about a financial organization that for five years rejected the services of ERI because they claimed that they know how to protect their data.

Then the day before the summit, the financial organization needed help with a private matter. “We told them that over seventy percent of their employees have cross contaminated their personal hardware and the information on their business hardware,” he said. In other words, employees compromised the company’s private information by using their personal computers and cellphones for business related matters.

Anna Mercado Clark, a lawyer and the leader of Phillips Lytle’s data security and digital forensics practice teams also said it is not enough to only work with top management but with people throughout the company.

“Some manufacturers and some companies think: ‘No one cares about me. I’m not going be a subject of a cyber-attack,’” Clark said. “These attackers are smart. They want to get the most bang out of your buck.”

One way that hackers are making profit out of citizens and private companies’ information is by ransomware: they lockdown any sensitive information, then they ask for money in return.

“If you don’t think that this an issue that concerns you, that’s incorrect,” Clark told the audience.