Our office is here to assist you in navigating New York City government agencies, such as the NYPD and the Departments of Transportation, Aging, Education, Finance, Parks and Recreation, Health and Mental Hygiene, and Housing Preservation and Development, among others. For instance, we can often help expedite the process for receiving reimbursements from certain agencies, mitigate issues stemming from ongoing public works and construction projects, and address quality-of-life concerns on our roads and in our parks.

We encourage constituents to take advantage of our free over-the-phone legal clinic staffed by two CUNY School of Law alumni, including one specializing in tenants’ rights. Please contact our district office to schedule an appointment.

We have fought to improve sanitation around District 5 in a number of ways. Using discretionary funding, we delivered a record increase in litter basket pickup (to four times a day) and additional sidewalk cleaning services. Additionally, our office secured smart composting bins and has funded 35 new Better Bins to replace malfunctioning garbage receptacles throughout the district, and we are eager to bring more this year.

Our office took the unique step of allocating money from the Cleanup NYC initiative to directly support a rodent extermination service, specifically focused on tree pits. The exterminator partnered with neighborhood association leaders to target especially impacted areas, and our initial efforts were hugely successful. We saw a more than 90% reduction of burrows on 86th Street after our pilot program, and we have been continuing to target blocks flagged by constituents. If you are aware of rat breeding holes in any local tree pits, please share the location with our office so that we can add your tree pit to our extermination team’s wait-list. 

We are also working to address the frequent complaint of dog waste in the district. Council Member Menin introduced a bill, Intro. 1100-2024, directing the Department of Sanitation to install and fill dog waste bag dispensers on public litter baskets. Our office also established a contest, where residents and students of the district created graphics that urged dog owners to “Curb Their Dogs.” The winner of this contest was Ellen Young, and we printed 250 12 in x 18 in aluminum signs with her design that were distributed around the neighborhood.

Ensuring New Yorkers are safe and feel safe is among our office’s greatest concerns. To that end, we have helped obtain the resources to add six new officers in the 19th precinct, 24 new officers in our transit district, and more than 35 new NYPD security cameras in our neighborhoods, a number which is due to increase soon. A representative from our office is generally in attendance at 19th Precinct meetings to hear constituents’ concerns, but please let us know if you have other issues that require our attention.

Our office has received numerous complaints from constituents regarding illegal smoke shops selling adulterated marijuana products marketed to young kids, and we are committed to cracking down on this illegal activity in our community. Council Member Menin joined the Sheriff’s Department as they conducted raids on numerous shops near schools. She introduced legislation that requires the City to create a public awareness campaign on the dangers of purchasing cannabis products from unlicensed retailers. Council Member Menin also co-sponsored legislation, which has since become law, penalizing landlords who rent to unlicensed smoke shops. We will continue to work with local and state partners to address this ongoing quality-of-life issue, and we are grateful for the work that the NYPD and Sheriff’s Office have done to close nearly all of the illegal smoke shops in District 5.

We want streets and sidewalks to be safe for everyone. Council Member Menin introduced multiple bills to enhance safety for pedestrians, including legislation to require curb extensions at certain dangerous intersections. New Yorkers are not allowed to bike on the sidewalk, bike in the wrong direction, or break any of the other related laws. Our office has been working with local police precincts to increase safety and enforce these laws, and we will continue to do so. Council Member Menin will continue to prioritize safer streets and push for the installation of traffic-calming and -controlling measures at intersections throughout the district. We have also sponsored guided rides, delivery-worker outreach, and free helmet and safety equipment distributions and fittings.

The proliferation of scaffolding across the city, including scaffolding remaining up for far too long due to landlord neglect, is a major issue. That is why Council Member Menin supported a package of legislation that the City Council passed aimed at reforming the City’s scaffolding laws. We have also reached out to the Department of Buildings regarding numerous sites in our district and encourage you to contact us with any concerns.