Rosie Mendez District 2 - Council Member - Democrat
General Information
Entered City Council: 01/01/2006
Current Term Expires: 12/31/2013
Represents: Lower East Side, East Village, Gramercy Park, Rosehill, Kips Bay; southern part of Murry Hill
Chair of the Committee on Public Housing; Sits on the following Committees: Health; Housing & Buildings; Land Use; Landmarks, Public Sitting & Maritime Uses (Sub-committee); Lower Manhattan Redevelopment
The Councilwoman has staff to help constituents with everyday problems, whether it’s a NYCHA transfer or a noisy bar. If you would like assistance from our office, please call 212-677-1077 for an intake. You may also use the “Contact Us” form provided on this website. Your case will be assigned to the appropriate staff member, who will then contact you directly for assistance.
Scheduling
To request a meeting or invite the Councilwoman to an event, please contact her scheduler, Barbara Sherman, at bsherman@council.nyc.gov
Interested in receiving monthly email updates from Councilwoman Mendez? Send a blank email to rmendez@council.nyc.gov with the subject “Add to E-Newsletter”
Biography
Rosie Mendez has demonstrated a life-long commitment to her
community through her activism, legal advocacy, and government
service.
Rosie began her professional career as a tenant organizer and
then became a housing specialist at the Parodneck Foundation. Her work with
tenants inspired her to enter law school. Upon graduation and being admitted to
the Bar, she received an IOLA Legal Services Fellowship and began work at
Brooklyn Legal Services representing tenants in housing and welfare matters and
counseling community-based organizations. She joined the Legal Services Staff
Association and became a member of the United Auto Workers.
Through her
professional and volunteer positions at many non-profit organizations, Rosie
gained first-hand experience dealing with issues that affect all New Yorkers.
She was the director of the People's Economic Opportunities Project of the Lower
East Side, where she developed a loan program to assist small business and
property owners. She has held internships with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense
and Education Fund, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Legal Action
Center, and a judicial internship with Civil Court Judge Richard Rivera. Rosie
served as the Public Interest Career Counselor at Rutgers Law School-Newark,
where she was responsible for assisting a record number of students in obtaining
fellowships in non-profits and public interest law firms.
Rosie served as Democratic District Leader for four terms, and
served as Chief of Staff and Legislative Aide to the prior Councilwoman of
District 2, Margarita Lopez.
Rosie received her B.A. in
Metropolitan Studies and Political Science from New York University, and
received her law degree from Rutgers School of Law in Newark. She was a 2003-04
Fellow in the Charles H. Revson Program for the Future of the City of New York
at Columbia University. Rosie was born in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to Puerto
Rican parents, where she lived in public housing and attended New York City
public schools.
In November 2005 Rosie was elected to serve as a member
of the New York City Council in the Second District and took office in January
2006 serving the neighborhoods of the Lower East Side, the East Village,
Gramercy, and Murray Hill. Rosie serves as the Chair of the Council
Sub-Committee on Public Housing and is a member of the Landmarks Sub-Committee
and the Housing, Land Use, Health, and Lower Manhattan Redevelopment
Committees.
First Term Accomplishments
Rosie Mendez took office as the Council Member in Manhattan's Second District
in January 2006. During her first term in office, Rosie is proud of her
accomplishments in the following areas:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING ● Securing tax abatement for
affordable housing developments in the district to assure long-term
sustainability. ● Securing funding to assist in the development or
rehabilitation of affordable housing developments. ● Backing residents’
efforts to maintain their buildings in government assisted housing programs when
original terms expire. ● Fighting for the preservation of affordable
housing for low- and middle-income New Yorkers by introducing legislation
to: ◊ Renew rent regulations in New York City; ◊ Prevent owners from
evicting tenants under the false pretense of a building demolition; ◊ Provide
legal assistance to low income seniors who are threatened with eviction or
foreclosure; and ◊ Require owners of large residential complexes to notify
the city prior to sale.
PUBLIC HOUSING ● Leading the City Council’s fight
for the preservation of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) as the Chair
of the Council’s Public Housing Sub-Committee. ● Fighting for more
federal, state, and city funding to bridge NYCHA’s substantial budget
deficit. ● Pressuring NYCHA to improve the level of service to residents
and responsibly maintain the city’s largest stock of affordable
housing.
ENFORCEMENT OF BUILDING CODES ● Maintaining the
mid-rise character of the district by improving local enforcement of zoning and
building codes. ● Continually pressuring the Department of Buildings to
monitor development to ensure that all buildings remain within allowable zoning
limits. ● Leading the fight to expand citizens’ ability to challenge the
legality of new buildings or expansion of existing ones.
COMMUNITY BASED REZONING ● Gaining approval of
Community Board #3’s rezoning plan, which passed the City Council in November
2008. The new plan addresses out-of-scale development in a 111 square block area
south of 14th St and east of 3rd Avenue, and creates an incentive for affordable
housing in appropriate areas. ● Working with City Planning and
community leaders to implement a similar plan for the 3rd to 4th Avenue
corridor.
LANDMARKS AND PRESREVTION ● Working to preserve the
history and character of the community by gaining landmark designation for over
a dozen individual buildings in District 2 as well as the expansion of the NoHo
Historic District. ● Introducing legislation to prevent owners
from altering a landmarked building under a pre-existing work permit.
QUALITY OF LIFE ● Working with community partners to
reduce noise, congestion, and sanitation issues that result from irresponsible
bars and sidewalk cafes. ● Continuing dialogue with the NYS Liquor
Authority to establish tighter guidelines for licensing, monitoring,
enforcement. ● Carefully reviewing issuance of sidewalk café permits for
legal compliance. ● Introducing legislation to regulate backyard
and rooftop bars. ● Bringing together relevant city agencies to
aggressive tackle rat infestation in the district.
DEMOCRACY ● Standing up for democracy by voting “no”
on extending term limits for City elected officials. Although opposed to
term limits for members of the City Council, Rosie voted no on the extension law
because she felt that any change should have gone back to a popular
vote.
EDUCATION ● Directing more than $5.6 million to
schools in her district for capital improvements, including science labs,
computers, and other upgrades. ● Joining the parents in District 1 to
preserve controlled choice in school admissions. ● Working with parents
and DOE to find solutions to overcrowding in District
2. ● Fighting for better public education by advocating for
policies more responsive to community concerns.
LANGUAGE ACCESS ● Guaranteeing equal access to city
services for those speaking languages other than English by introducing
legislation that resulted in Executive Order 120 - requiring city agencies
to ensure meaningful access to services in multiple languages.
CIVIL RIGHTS ● Defending members of the LBGT
community from unlawful arrests. ● Standing up against police misconduct
by calling for the State Attorney General to establish a Special Prosecutor’s
Office with jurisdiction over police corruption. ● Introducing
legislation in support of police accountability and against restrictive and
constitutionally vague rules for parade permits.
HEALTH ● Advocating for the health of New Yorkers by
introducing legislation to reduce asthma causing toxins in
homes. ● Introducing a resolution to support microbicide research for
HIV prevention. ● Working to raise breast health awareness and improve
access to free mammography and breast health services.
TRANSPORTATION ● Fighting hard for transit riders by
taking a strong stance against proposed MTA cuts including the elimination of
the M8 bus. ● Voting for Congestion
Pricing. ● Supporting the soon to be implemented Bus Rapid Transit line
on 1st and 2nd Avenues, including the inclusion of protected bike lanes. ●
Recommending safety measures to the Department of Transportation for problems at
specific streets where seniors, children and other pedestrians have been at
risk. ● Assisting bicyclists by requesting bike racks and bike lanes in
District 2 and funding education for cyclists on their rights and
responsibilities. ● Working for the fair treatment and regulation
of the pedicab industry.
SMALL BUSINESSES ● Taking action against a
discrepancy in commercial parking rules that caused unfair parking tickets.
After the discrepancy was exposed, the Department of Finance reimbursed
thousands of dollars of fines.
Rosie Begins Second Term in Office and Renews Priority Legislation: On January 1, 2010, Rosie began her second term as City Councilwoman for the Second District. She plans to continue her focus on housing issues, education, quality of life, and community preservation, as well as expand her work on women’s issues. At the first City Council meeting on January 6, Rosie submitted for re-introduction a number of pieces of important legislation from last term. These bills include laws that would: ban the display of exotic animals, establish the right to counsel for seniors, decriminalize unpermitted first amendment assemblies, and require mold abatement in dwellings with asthmatic tenants. Rosie will also reintroduce several resolutions relating to the fiscal crisis at NYCHA, and others calling on the federal government to establish a cabinet-level Department of Peace and to fund research on microbicides. Rosie looks forward to the introduction, support and passage of these and other bills in the new term.
Rosie Submits Amendments to the Department of Education’s 2010-2014 Capital Plan: Working with the Community Education Councils (CEC) and individual schools, Rosie submitted to DOE a listing of new or prioritized projects for physical improvements to schools in her district. These requests include new bathrooms, electrical upgrades and science labs for schools in both District 1 and 2. Without input from local elected officials and local education advocates, DOE Capital Plan is often too remote from the actual needs and priorities of those using the facilities. Rosie is hopeful that local priorities are given more credence by the DOE in this plan.
Rosie Joins Colleagues in Condemnation of NYCHA Section 8 Voucher Cancellation: A few days before Christmas, NYCHA notified approximately 3,000 households, who had been awarded vouchers but who did not yet have housing approved for eligibility, that their vouchers had been cancelled. NYCHA had apparently given out more Section 8 vouchers than the agency had funding to support. The vast majority of these 3,000 households were formerly homeless, survivors of domestic violence, or facing other emergencies. To date these families have been left without housing assistance, and some have already received eviction notices. Rosie and her colleagues consider this situation unsatisfactory and insist that a solution be found to immediately reinstate assistance for all the households that NYCHA reneged on. The NYS Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA) could intervene to provide assistance to the vast majority of these households, but approximately 600 families would still be left in the lurch. Stimulus funding, HUD support or HPD vouchers, are all funding possibilities that should be explored. Rosie believes that the City government has a moral responsibility to find emergency funding so that every family that was originally told they had a voucher gets immediate housing support.
Rosie’s Subcommittee Holds Hearing on the NYCHA Pet Policy: On Dec.17th, the Public Housing Subcommittee, chaired by Rosie, conducted a hearing on NYCHA’s Pet Policy. Pet owners living in NYCHA and animal advocates, who understand the how important the companionship of a pet can be, were outraged when NYCHA last year suddenly banned certain breeds and dogs of over 25 pounds. Tenant and animal advocates testified that NYCHA residents did not receive sufficient notice with regard to changes in the policy causing tenants to have to choose between giving up their dogs or their tenancy. Many housing advocates believe that Annual Plan amendments such as pet ownership policies are indeed “significant”, but have not been placed before the Resident Advisory Board (RAB) for review nor given a public hearing, as mandated by federal law. Although NYCHA subsequently placed a moratorium on the dog ban, Rosie urged NYCHA to continue to work with animal advocacy groups to develop a more thoughtful plan which does not penalize responsible dog owners and urged the Authority to hold others who permitted uncontrolled or dangerous behavior of dogs to be held accountable. Furthermore, Rosie asked that NYCHA explicitly define “significant” modifications in its Annual Plan Process and called upon the Authority to strengthen its transparency efforts by including all plans and amendments online.
Rosie Is Pleased to Have Sponsored the Co-naming of Dr. Saul J. Farber Way: On Dec. 21 the City Council passed and on Dec. 28, the Mayor signed the bill naming the northwest corner of 30th St. and First Avenue, after Dr. Farber, a recognized leader in medical education. Dr. Farber was a prominent figure in at Bellevue Hospital Center and New York University School of Medicine for more than 50 years. A celebration of the co-naming and sign installation is being planned for the warmer months.
Everyday Rosie’s office hears from constituents who are not being treated
fairly. Rosie and her staff work hard to resolve the problems District 2
residents face, often with substantial results. Here are some examples:
Residents of a small, self-managed cooperative building on 10th Street
contacted Rosie after several days without gas service. Plumbing work had been
done in the building, which required Con Ed to turn off the gas – but the
residents were unable to get the utility company to restore service. After Rosie
called, the residents had their gas and hot water restored the next day.
A resident using a wheelchair reported difficulties getting on and off at the
M15 limited bus stop at 14th Street. The uneven cobblestones and lack of curb
cuts on the median strip between the Stuyvesant Town service road and 1st Ave.,
where the stop was located, made wheelchair access nearly impossible. Rosie
contacted the Dept. of Transportation and the strip was repaved.
A resident of a Mitchell-Lama cooperative faced eviction because of a dispute
over her status as a tenant/shareholder. Rosie solicited assistance from MFY
Legal Services who proved that the resident was indeed a co-signatory of the
original lease, along with her now deceased husband. With MFY and Rosie’s help,
the resident retained ownership of the apartment and became the undisputed
primary lease holder.
A little league approached Rosie’s office regarding needed repairs for
equipment and facilities in the East River Park where the children play ball.
For weeks the bathrooms were closed due to leaks and the backstop in the ball
field had holes losing dozens of balls into the East River every time a foul
ball was hit. Rosie called a meeting with parks officials and the repairs were
quickly made.
Fiscal Year 2010 Allocations
Each year as part of the City’s budget process, Councilwoman Rosie Mendez has
the privilege of granting awards to community organizations that provide
services directly in Council District #2. Rosie is proud to have directed
approximately $450,000 from the Fiscal 2010 expense budget to nearly 100
non-profit organizations that provide critical services to our youth, the
elderly and all citizens of this district. These small contributions, the vast
majority of which were for $3,500, help non-profits continue the critical work
they do during hard economic times when fundraising is even more difficult than
usual.
Nightlife Town Hall: Please join your neighbors,
along with various elected officials and city agencies for a discussion with the
New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) on February 4th, at 6:30pm, PS. 20, 166
Essex Street. Spearheaded by State Senator Squadron at the request of Rosie, the
Nightlife Town Hall will give community residents in Community Boards 1, 2 and 3
the opportunity to speak directly to newly appointed Chairman Dennis Rosen
regarding nightlife and quality of life issues. Rosie encourages all concerned
neighbors to join this important discussion. Please feel free to call Jessica
Nepomiachi of Rosie’s District Office at (212) 677-1077 or Mary Cooley in the
Office of State Senator Squadron at (212) 298-5565 with any questions.
Community Board 2 3 Washington Square Village, #1A New
York, NY 10012 Phone: 212-979-2272 Fax: 212-254-5102 Email: info@cb2manhattan.org Website: www.cb2manhattan.org
Community Board 5 450 Seventh Avenue, Suite 2109 New
York, NY 10123 212-465-0907 Fax: 212-465-1628 Email: office@cb5.org Website: www.cb5.org
Community Board 6 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite
308 New York, NY
10017 Phone:
212-319-3750 Fax: 212-319-3772 Email: mn06@cb.nyc.gov Website: www.cb6mnyc.org
