Petition to NYCHA - CON-ED - Bloomberg - Restore Power Now; Cuomo Offers Jobs to Rebuild New York

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson It should come as no surprise that the Bloomberg administration has taken great care of his Manhattan upper east side cronies, while those in the NYCHA houses continue to go begging. Interesting isn't it how you can see and hear about the continued plight of those in Long Island, while those in our own five boroughs are going largely ignored. https://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-bloomberg-nycha-and-hud-restore-power-to-all-nycha-residents# While there are threats against LIPA by Governor Cuomo - and indeed, the LIPA President has stepped down - what of the negligence of our brothers and sisters on the part of dear old Con Edison? Where are the threats of contract cancellation by Governor Cuomo against them? And, while we're at it: How does the Transit Authority get to fix its mouth to say they won't extend Metro Cards for those who had paid for theirs, but were without service for a week, and at the same time, have the temerity and the gall to ask for a fare increase???? By the way, who's running the rails these days? Another import from anywhere but here, who never took a train, but is getting a great big salary to continually provide poor service at our expense? My friends and associates, Brother Zach Husser, and my Sister/Soror/Friend, Bea DuPont, recently forwarded this petition to me; and I'm passing it on to you. It's really time we took this to a whole 'nuther level! https://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-bloomberg-nycha-and-hud-restore-power-to-all-nycha-residents# We now have re-elected our President; Job 1 = COMPLETE. And we did it despite a whole hurricane that threatened to wipe us out, and very nearly did. We even got Bloomie to cancel the New York Marathon, so that the monies and enerigies could be repurposed for those who needed it the most. But we are now going into the third week since the devastation, and it appears that we now have to put the ersatz mayor on notice that New York likewise belongs to the people - all the people - not just the East Side, or the Park Ave/Haves -- but all of us, and we demand our due service restored - immediately, if not sooner! Of course, if in the time this is published, so much the better. However, the fact remains, the least of those (financially speaking, not spiritually) are being neglected. Time to sound off and sign the petition. https://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-bloomberg-nycha-and-hud-restore-power-to-all-nycha-residents# If this election showed us anything, it showed us how powerful we really are. It showed us that we really do know how to stick together, unify, and get things done. It showed us that we are a power and a force to be reckoned with; that united there is nothing we can't do, and that includes getting the power restored to NYCHA Houses; getting paid for the jobs that are now proliferating to rebuild New York - for indeed they should start right here with us, not some outside entities looking to get paid off our plight. ** (see job info from Sen. Eric Adams, below) We not only can rebuild and repair our homes, we can make them even better than before, because this time we can have an actual say in what gets done, and who does it. Don't let this petition just become a gripe session, where we bash the authorities and point fingers of blame. Yes we were hammered, and the damage is done, and there are those who have responsibilities in the turn around - and right in the middle of that is WE, THE PEOPLE - Black or otherwise. So, complete the petition, pass it on, and also apply for those positions. Let's not get left out of our own self salvation! https://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-bloomberg-nycha-and-hud-restore-power-to-all-nycha-residents# Stay Blessed & ECLECTICALLY BLACK Gloria Dulan-Wilson The letter from Zach and Bea follows: From: Zach Husser, Sr. Date: Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 4:27 AM Subject: Re: Restore Power to all NYCHA residents -- sign and call We need to go to all of the New York City Housing Developments in Far Rockaway, Coney Island, and Staten Island and help out. We are the ones who will do what is needed. Bring some food, clothing, water, etc. along with YOU. Black People are NEEDED to help Our Sisters and Brothers! This is what WE need to do right now! In the Interest of Doing The Work, Brother Zachary C. Husser, Community Organizer Subject: Restore Power to all NYCHA residents -- sign and call https://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-bloomberg-nycha-and-hud-restore-power-to-all-nycha-residents# CALL MAYOR BLOOMBERG: THE CITY’S RESPONSE TO OUR NYCHA NEIGHBORS IS UNACCEPTABLE!! Twelve days and counting after Sandy hit on October 29, children, parents, families, the elderly and disabled remain without lights, heat, hot water or power in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). This is true for houses in Gowanus, Red Hook, the Rockaways, Coney Island and elsewhere. John Rhea, the chairman of NYCHA, told The Huffington Post that he and the organization have been doing the best they could. Unfortunately, he said, these buildings happened to be located in the areas hardest hit by the hurricane. Yet, power in those hard hit areas has been restored – just not in NYCHA housing. Mayor Bloomberg has not addressed or remedied the failure of his city’s response. Nor has the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which funds NYCHA in part, sent federal contractors or generators to help coordinate this unacceptable human emergency. Instead, thousands of individual volunteers, and community-organizing and health organizations like Occupy Sandy, Children’s Health Fund, Masbia Soup Kitchen, Red Hook Initiative, Make the Road NY, CAAAV, Doctor’s Without Borders (launching it’s first effort ever within the United States), and numerous religious institutions have tried to fill in where Mayor Bloomberg and NYCHA have failed NYC residents in desperate need. CALL MAYOR BLOOMBERG TODAY: 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675). Tell him the response has been unacceptable. CALL HUD’s NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS TODAY: (202) 708-1112. Tell Secretary Shaun Donovan that their response has been unacceptable. See/Read: Lucas Kavner, For Public Housing Residents After Sandy, ‘A Slow-Motion Katrina’, The Huffington Post, Nov. 9, 2012 Alan Feuer, Where Fema Fell Short, Occupy Sandy Was There, N.Y. Times, Nov. 9, 2012 Greg Smith, A Living Hell in NYCHA Houses: Agency Ignores Blackout Victims Trapped Since Hurricane Sandy, N.Y. Daily News, Nov. 7, 2012 Greg Smith, Housing Authority Scrambling to Restore Power to 11 Developments in Queens and Brooklyn by This Weekend, but Mayor Bloomberg says, “I’m not sure we can make it,” N.Y. Daily News, Nov. 9, 2012 https://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-bloomberg-nycha-and-hud-restore-power-to-all-nycha-residents# Beatrice DuPont www.ardysslife.com/magicminute Protect Your Health & Thrive Additionally, State Senator, soon to be Brooklyn Borough President, Eric Adams sent out this alert: From the Desk of NYS Senator Eric Adams: Governor Cuomo Announces Over $27 Million Federal Grant to Hire Workers to Clean Up Communities Impacted by Hurricane Sandy Grant Targets New Yorkers Who Lost Employment Due to Hurricane Sandy or are Unemployed and Not Receiving Unemployment Benefits Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York State has received $27,792,296 in federal Disaster National Emergency Grant (NEG) funds. The grant will be used to hire workers who lost their jobs as a direct result of Hurricane Sandy in Bronx, Kings, New York, Richmond, Queens, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester counties to help clean up impacted communities. "This federal grant will provide funds to hire much-needed extra workers to help clean up and recover communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy and put unemployed New Yorkers back to work," Governor Cuomo said. "I thank Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis for her quick response to deliver assistance to our state." To be eligible, workers must be unemployed as a result of Hurricane Sandy or unemployed and not receiving unemployment benefits or other types of income support. Workers interested in this program should call 1-888-4-NYSDOL (1-888-469-7365). The New York State Department of Labor will work with local officials to recruit and hire workers. Information will also be available at local Disaster Recovery Centers and One-Stop Career Centers. A list of One-Stop Career Centers can be found on the State Department of Labor's website. Counties eligible for cleanup assistance under this grant are those covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance. They include Bronx, Kings, New York, Richmond, Queens, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester counties. https://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-bloomberg-nycha-and-hud-restore-power-to-all-nycha-residents# Those of you who can, please donate food, clothing, and yes, shelter, to the brothers and sisters who have been displaced and devastated by this freak of nature. And everyone should be praying daily for the complete and total recovery of neighborhoods, throughout New York, New Jersey and other areas hit. Stay Blessed & ECLECTICALLY BLACK Gloria Dulan-Wilson