Throggs Neck BID
The Throggs Neck BID will be partnering with the 45th Police Precinct to present a fun and informative Fall Festival on October 16, from 11am–3pm, at 2877 Barkley Avenue. We look forward to seeing you there!
On September 12, The Throggs Neck BID arranged a “tour” of our neighborhood to illustrate recent successes and current challenges. Elected officials, including Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and City Council Member Marjorie Velazquez visited some of the oldest and newest businesses in the BID. Bronx Chamber of Commerce President Lisa Sorin attended as well.
Pictured left to right: Chamber President Lisa Sorin, BID Director Bob Jaen, Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Pastosa Staff, City Council Member Marjorie Velazquez.
We have received the following information from the Mayor’s Office re Hurricane IDA relief:
The deadline for Hurricane IDA relief has been extended to October 3, 2022.
You can apply if you have not received any monies from FEMA or from your insurance company OR
if you did not receive adequate monies to cover your damages/repairs.
he Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations’ (“HRO”) Ida Supplemental Funding Program (the “Program”). The Program provides funding to homeowners who have applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) benefits and received less than the amount needed from FEMA or insurance to complete repairs that would make the home habitable.
Homeowners may submit the following documents as soon as possible to be considered for the Program:
1. Completed Intake form (blank form is attached)
2. Completed FEMA form (blank form is attached)
3. Completed Insurance Consent and Release form (blank form is attached)
4. Copy of government-issued photo ID for all owners on the deed
5. Copies of FEMA award/denial letters
The following are considered flood resiliency measures. A determination of whether a flood resiliency measure is reasonable is made in the sole discretion of HRO.
If a basement is not a legal apartment unit, then repairs to that unit would not be eligible expenses. However, the Program may still cover minimum repairs necessary to make the home habitable (For example, heat, hot water, electricity, mold removal, flood resiliency measures as mentioned above).
If you have any questions about this email, please contact Customer Service at (212) 615-8329 or email us at IdaAssist@recovery.nyc.gov.
Once we have all the documents and confirmed preliminary eligibility, a damage assessment will be conducted at the property. Following the damage assessment, homeowners will need to submit receipts for completed work and contractor estimates for remaining work to be done. These receipts and estimates will be used to calculate a grant award to be paid to the homeowner. Please note that HRO may only cover certain costs associated with the minimum repairs necessary to make the home habitable (For example, heat, hot water, electricity, mold removal, flood resiliency measures). Any other repairs, like new cabinets or additions to apartments that aren’t listed on the home’s certificate of occupancy, are not allowable expenses of the program.
You may also direct interested homeowners to call us at (212) 615-8329 or email us at IdaAssist@recovery.nyc.gov and we’ll respond with detailed instructions on how to apply.
Sincerely,
Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery
IDA Repairs Team
(212) 615-8329
Get relevant forms:
fema_authorization-release-information-under-privacy-act-form_HRO.pdf
TESTIMONY TO THE NYC CITY COUNCIL ON BRUCKNER UPZONING, September 7, 2022
I am Frank Vernuccio, and I represent the Throggs Neck Business Improvement District.
The Throggs Neck Business Improvement District is in complete opposition to the Up Zoning proposal threatening our community.
There are several key reasons for this.
As evidenced by last year’s devastating flooding following Hurricane Ida, our local drainage infrastructure is already inadequate. Adding this massive and out of scale development would result in rapid and severe danger to the homes and businesses of our area.
The traffic in this neighborhood is already severe. Adding the significant number of people in the current proposal would render that issue even more troubling, causing a dramatic deterioration to our local quality of life. We remind all that no there is no subway service to this area, and bus service is already inadequate.
One of the most significant challenges to the business community throughout the Throggs Neck BID is parking. The proposed Up Zoning does not even remotely provide adequate parking for the influx of people it calls for. This would seriously harm both residents and enterprises throughout the area.
There are procedural matters that must be mentioned, as well. In the Planning Board’s hearing on this matter, Chairman Dan Garodnick incorrectly refuted concerns over height matters, stating that the area was not in the approach zone for LaGuardia Airport. It most certainly is.
The Throggs Neck BID, Community Board 10, and the overwhelming majority of local residents oppose this proposal. The ruinous impact is clear.
In prior hearings on this topic, particularly at Community Board 10, the overwhelming majority of those speaking on behalf of this project neither live, work, own property or do business in the area affected.
It is difficult to imagine any justification to allow it to go forward.
Indeed, considering the near-unanimous local community opposition to it, an approval would make an utter mockery of the entire concept of citizen input into the future of their neighborhood.
The City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises has scheduled its public on the Bruckner Sites Rezoning for Wednesday, September 7 at 10 A.M. at the City Hall Committee Room. You can attend this meeting in-person. If you wish to call in or join by ZOOM, please use this link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=SH9iCmVrfkWUN3M-Tf3b5jXo3g8lhxVBq22ytwkYZrVUMTg2UFpDWkJPNFVCMEdFME0yQkxTRDc0US4u.
The Throggs Neck BID has actively opposed up zoning.
In response to complaints from the Throggs Neck BID, NYC addressed the weeds defacing the Derosa-O’Boyle Triangle. The spot has become a special location for our community, hosting celebrations such as the BID’s Holiday event.
Scam Warning! Eater magazine is warning of an online scam affecting NYC restaurants. Online scammers are impersonating Regalis Foods, offering seafood, especially items such as crabs, to restaurants at extremely low prices. Of course, the goods are never delivered. Online scams in general have skyrocketed since March 2020, particularly over Facebook Marketplace, the publication notes.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson toured the Throggs Neck BID with Executive Director Bob Jaen recently. The BID has already produced significant improvements in the area, and plans for future significant upgrades were discussed.
Doing business in NYC is, under the best of conditions, difficult. The additional challenges from COVID made that task even more challenging.
Our community, however, is thriving and growing. Our existing enterprises largely survived, and a significant number of new businesses have opened since the worst of the pandemic ended. Food retailers, insurance companies, meeting venues, health care facilities, personal care and beauty businesses, educational facilities, and restaurants have opened their doors or are planning to do so in the near future.
We welcome all these new entrepreneurs, and will provide details about them in the coming weeks.
The Board of Directors and staff of the Throggs Neck BID wishes all a happy and meaningful Independence Day!