Community Voices Heard

CVH Members Speak out on Poverty Statistics

Submitted by dominique on Wed, 2008-08-27 19:16. As the poverty statistics were released on the morning of Tuesday August 26th CVH members gathered in our offices to speak with members of the media about the poverty statistics as well as living in poverty in America. While the overall statistics showed that there was last poverty in America and in the State of New York then there was the year before, the statistics also showed that The Bronx and Brooklyn still had alarmingly high percentages of people living below the poverty line. The statistics also showed that there was a huge gap between rich and poor in New York. 

Tragic Death in NYC Public Housing Highlights Impact of Underfunding

Submitted by sondra on Fri, 2008-08-22 17:09. A five-year old public housing resident in Bushwick fell to his death on Tuesday, August 19th after trying to get out of a a NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) elevator that got stuck.  Years of poor upkeep and unmet maintenance calls led to this tragedy, coupled by disinvestment of all levels of government funding for public housing.  Ray Rivera of the New York Times wrote an excellent piece that connected this tragedy to the priorities of our campaign demanding full funding for public housing.  How many more lives will need to be lost before public housing residents are valued?  The article r

Town Hall Meetings Hear Poverty-Fighting Demands

Submitted by sondra on Tue, 2008-08-05 15:34.

CVH Leaders Brenda Beal, William Cerf, and Randolph Robinson had their issues aired once more in this article in the City Limits Weekly on the last of the state Economic Security Cabinet hearings held in Harlem. Brenda Beal spoke about the inhumanity of people having to live in poverty in such a rich state; William Cref spoke about the need for REAL job training and job search assistance rather than simply a hand-off of a list of websites for people to search under; and Randolph Robinson spoke of the challenges of finding work as a former felon.

CVH Supports Partner Group in Brooklyn Fighting Developer

Submitted by sondra on Tue, 2008-08-05 15:22.

CVH Sustainable Communities Project sent 5 members to Brooklyn to support partner group Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE) in their battle against John Catsimatidis, a developer who demolished grocery store and hasn't been quick enough to put new stores in their place. Read the attached article to find out more about the demonstration. See CVH members Keith Gamble and Larry Gadson standing behind Council Woman Leticia James.

CVH Puts Pressure on Newburgh City Officials to Address Low Income Housing Crisis in Upcoming Development Plans

Submitted by jenny on Tue, 2008-07-29 15:22.

On Tuesday, July 29th, CVH members met face to face with 3 of the most powerful Newburgh City Officials. Mayor Nick Valentine, City Manager Jean-Ann McGrane, and Director of Planning and Development Bob McKenna came to the Forum to answer to CVH's concerns about housing policies in the Master Plan and the planned Waterfront Development. 6 CVH members gave testimony about their experiences with housing living as a low income resident of Newburgh, and then asked a specific question to each of the City Officials.

CVH Voter Project Coordinator Henry Serrano Talks about CVH Voter Power Project on GRITtv

Submitted by sondra on Sat, 2008-07-26 20:19.

GRITtv with Laura Flanders did a piece this week called "Election Roundtable: Getting out the Vote in '08".

Town Hall Meeting Hears Poverty-Fighting Demands

Submitted by jenny on Thu, 2008-07-24 17:31.

On July 24th in Newburgh, CVH members from three different chapters came together to tell OTDA Commissioner David Hansell and other State Officials what they need for economic security. Governor Paterson's Economic Security Cabinet held a series of Town Hall meetings around the state to hear poverty-fighting recommendations. CVH members Korrenthea Catts from Poughkeepsie, Johannsis Peralta from Beacon (Dutchess County), and Alya Russell from Yonkers testified about their experiences with Social Services and gave recommendations to the Cabinet members present.

City's Poor Look Different Through New Assessment

Submitted by sondra on Mon, 2008-07-21 00:00.

Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs unveiled a new poverty measure created by New York City's Center for Economic Opportunity in an effort to evaluate poverty more accurately than the measure created 40 years ago that is currently used. The new measure which better incorporates rising housing costs as well as the impact of government supports, moved the City's official poverty rate from 18.9 percent of the city's population to 23 percent. Even more startling, the share of the population living below 150 percent of poverty leaps from 27.8 percent to 44.3 percent.

CVH Stands Out at Event Celebrating State Funds Coming to Support Waterfront Development

Submitted by jenny on Mon, 2008-06-30 22:50.

On Monday, June 30th, the City of Newburgh held a small, exclusive press event announcing $1.25 million in state funds coming to support the proposed waterfront development. State Senator Bill Larkin and Secretary of State Lorraine Cortes-Vasquez were the invited guests, and Congressman Maurice Hinchey made a surprise appearance. Although the event was announced only days before, and was held under a tent set up to accommodate about 25 people, 5 CVH members made our way there.

CVH Testifies at the first oversight hearing of the New York City Council’s Committee on Community Development

Submitted by mike on Tue, 2008-06-24 13:30.

4 Community Voices Heard Members gave testimony at the first oversight hearing of the New York City Council’s Committee on Community Development. Members testified on the problem of poverty in NYC, gave recommendations on waht the Committee should focus on in the next year and a half in order to effectively address the City's poverty problem. We were covered in the black start news. Below are copies of the 4 testimonies as well as the press coverage. The original article can be found here.