WHEN: Saturday, Sept 28, 3-5p WHERE: location upon RSVP WHAT TO BRING: A laptop, a phone, and headphones. (It’s easiest to work with both a laptop and phone, but you can also just use your phone).
WE’LL PROVIDE: Snacks, scripts, training, paper, pens, and background materials. HOW TO PREPARE: Create an ActionID account, if you don’t have one already.
Text young voters with Voters of Tomorrow ahead of the 2024 election! Note: On Tuesdays, we will be texting in coordination with the DCCC! Register here.
Assemblymember Grace Lee detailed Proposition 1, also called the Equal Rights Amendment, which will be on the ballot in November.
To raise awareness for Prop 1, GSD members will be tabling on Sunday, September 29th from 12 noon to 2:00 pm. Emailmarion@grandstreetdems.nyc to volunteer.
Councilmember Chris Marte went over several of the proposals that will also be on the ballot this upcoming election. GSD will send out more details in advance of early voting, but be prepared to Flip The Ballot!
Thank you to the home healthcare workers via Ain’t I A Woman, who bravely shared their stories of deplorable work conditions, which led to Councilmember Marte’s “No More 24 Act” (24 hour workday for home health providers) bill. They advocate tirelessly for City Council to pass Int 175.
Andrew Berman of Village Preservation shared VP’s view on rezoning with the “City of Yes” and how it affects the LES and broader NYC (less green space, air rights, less affordable housing).
GSD member Alec Appelbaum detailed canvassing and made it more accessible for hesitant first timers. Slots are still available for this Saturday, September 21st carpools to Bethlehem to doorknock forAnna Thomas (PA-137) with Sister District. Sign up to carpool here!
Thank you to our community for coming to our general meeting this past Monday, and for listening to our City Councilmember Christopher Marte and his Director of Land Use and Housing, Conor Allerton, talk about the “City of Yes” proposal (attached). They laid out the three main components of it: Carbon Neutrality, Economic Opportunity, and Housing Opportunity. They gave us the latest on the City Council’s perspective, including Councilmember Marte. We will keep our eyes open for changes to the proposal as it is readied for a vote and opportunities for public comment. We appreciate all of their work in deciphering this huge document and helping us understand it.
The Traffic Working Group provided an update on local traffic updates (report attached). We held our club vote to endorse President Biden, which passed unanimously. We also welcomed our two newest youth members who will work with Kim Sillen on furthering voter registration in New York City high schools.
Once again, please look out for our upcoming Primary Kick-off on June 11th from 6-8 pm in Hester Street Lot, where GSD will meet and hear from some of our endorsees for the June 25th Primar
We are basically waiting to see what shakes out when congestion pricing rolls in at the end of June; the DoT has taken a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to any more big changes in the neighborhood;
Some of the recurring issues:
No Right Turn from Grand to Clinton Pilot Program:
It appears that the level of illegal turns have subsided somewhat, both at Grand and Clinton and at Grand and Norfolk.
There are occasionally traffic enforcement agents (TEAs) who try to prevent illegal turns, but no one I know has reported seeing the NYPD issuing summons for illegal turns
Matt Marello waged a persistent campaign writing to Google to remove the illegal right-hand turn from its directions, and Google finally did so;
Unfortunately, Google Maps is now telling drivers to go south on Clinton and then make an illegal u-turn in order to go north to the Williamsburg Bridge. We will need to do a crowd-sourced complaint to Google in order to get that to stop;
The DoT is supposed to reassess the ‘pilot’ after a year, which will be coming up sometime this July, but again, they will probably wait until congestion pricing shakes out before they make any more changes.
Some Good News: The NYS Assembly and Senate passed “Sammy’s Law”, allowing NYC to lower the speed limit on some streets from 25mph to 20mph;
Other efforts by GSD members:
Tony Alfieri has been waging a persistent letter writing campaign with our NYS elected officials:
To support the “Red Light Camera” bill to allow NYC to install and operate more red light cameras;
To push the DoT and MTA to install more air quality monitors in the area of Grand and the FDR in preparation for congestion pricing;
Tina Carr was struck by a car turning left at Clinton and East Broadway on Valentine’s Day. Tina escaped serious injury, but her dog ran away and was eventually found that day in Brooklyn! Tina is working on having a rally-type event on the corner to push the DoT to:
Include Sundays on the rule prohibiting LEFT Turns from East Broadway onto Clinton from 4pm-12am) be extended to include Sundays.
Designate the intersection of East Broadway & Clinton as a “Don’t Block the Box” intersection, with street markings and signs stating the penalties of blocking the box.
Assign traffic enforcement agents to monitor that intersection to prevent illegal left turns and blocking of the box, and to give summonses for the latter.
The tentative date is Sunday, May 19th.
Elevator Accessibility at Essex-Delancey Subway Station:
We continue working on a campaign to push the MTA to upgrade the Essex-Delancey subway station (the 29th busiest station in the entire subway system of 400+ stations) with elevator accessibility in the MTA’s next Five Year Capital Plan (2025-2029).
Multiple community organizations have been involved:
Daisy Paez, local district leader from the 3 Bridges Democratic Club;
SALT (Senior Advocacy Leadership Team);
Manny Cantor Center;
UA3 Food Pantry
We have gathered over 1300 signatures on petitions (in Spanish, English, and Chinese);
Daisy, Chi Loek of UA3, and I presented the petitions to the MTA at a full MTA board meeting at the end of March. An MTA representative contacted us to arrange a meeting about the issue;
Simaultaneously, our elected officials (Goldman, Kavanagh, Lee, Marte) had a second meeting in March with the MTA, and more importantly, including the Delancey Street Associates (DSA), the people responsible for Essex Crossing, because there is some contention whether an an easement from DSA is needed to build the elevators near the old Essex Market building;
We have developed maps that illustrate that at least, and maybe three of the elevators, can be installed without the need of an easement.
This is a work-in-progress.
If you want to join the Traffic Working Group, point your phone here …
Sunday, January 14th-Canvas for Tom Suozzi. The special election for NY Congressional District 3 is February 13th. Democrats elected Tom Suozzi to run for the seat vacated after George Santos was ousted from Congress. Democrats must take back the House seats in NY! GSD is proud to join this impressive list of folks in co-sponsoring Manhattan For Suozzi, as we bus out to Bayside and knock on doors to Get Out The Vote for Tom Suozzi!! Click here to RSVP
DoT came to a CB3 Transportation Committee meeting on 12/5/2023 to discuss local traffic. Issues:
No Right Tu:rn from Grand to Clinton Pilot Program: There was a lot of discussion about the “No Right Turn from Grand to Clinton”
Impact at Grand Street traffic turning onto Clinton
Impact at Grand Street traffic at Norfork
Impact on Clinton Street traffic at E. Broadway
Other Intersections
Based on community input, DoT has since: Installed a promised stop light at Broome & Clinton; Clarified “No Left Turn” for eastbound traffic on Grand trying to turn onto Norfolk; Added more TEAs on Norfolk to enforce the turning regimen.
DoT claims they are going to re-assess when the pilot is over after 1 year.
If you want to join the Traffic Working Group, point your phone here …
This past Tuesday, GSD threw its annaul fall party. The bar was packed with members, district leaders, and judical candidates. All the pizza was eaten! Thank you to every local elected offical for sponsoring (CM Marte, Rep. Goldman, State Senator Kavanagh, Assemlymembers Lee and Epstein, District Leaders Laskow and Fariello, and State Committee Member Minsely). We were thrilled to present awards to amazing community leaders Debbie Cox, Don Hong and Eric Diaz. We look forward to another party in the near future.
Join us at Donnybrook NYC on Tuesday, October 17th. We will gather together for drinks, food and good conversation and to honor local activists. Tickets for non-GSD members and/or for sponsorship opportunities: purchase here.
Thank you to our sponsors:
State Senator Brian Kavanagh – Sustaining Sponsor
Assemblymember Grace Lee – Sustaining Sponsor
Councilmember Christopher Marte
Assemblymember Harvey Epstein
Congressmember Dan Goldman
Scott Stringer
District Leader Caroline Laskow
District Leader Vittoria Fariello
State Committee Member Morton Minsley
TICKETS FOR CURRENT MEMBERS: GSD membership has been renewed every two years since 2017. This October marks the renewal date. Membership is still $60 for two years (or “no pay” option for those who need). This year instead of a free t-shirt included, we are offering a free ticket (& drink) to the GSD Party on October 17. Renew membership here.
Join us one week from today for our September General Meeting on Thursday, September 28th, 7-9pm, in-person at the Seward Park Community Room on East Broadway. We plan to livestream the meeting on Facebook Live. We preemptively appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate the technology! On the agenda is a vote on a “Resolution for Making the Essex-Delancey Subway Station Fully ADA-Accessible”.
Currently, the Essex-Delancey the subway station is not at all elevator accessible. The closest elevator accessible subway stations to our neighborhood are:
The L Train at First Avenue and 14th Street;
The Broadway-Lafayette Station (B, D, F, M, 6)
Canal Street (6 train only) All of these are far from the Lower East Side / Two Bridges neighborhood.
We need to back up the politicians’ letter with more community support, partially to keep the elected officials convinced this is an important community issue. We also want to bring in Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to our effort. We need to talk it up as much as possible in the community. Resolution: 1) The executive committee of the Grand Street Dems supports the community’s demand that the Essex-Delancey Subway Station be made fully ADA- accessible in the next immediate round of subway station modifications. 2) We request that our elected officials bring their influence and authority to bear on the MTA, the DoT, and the management team of Essex Crossing to include plans for an elevator-accessible station in the upcoming re-design of the neighborhood transportation and traffic infrastructure; 3) We request Community Board 3 bring its influence and authority to bear on the MTA, the DoT, and the management team of Essex Crossing to include plans for an elevator-accessible station in the upcoming re-design of the neighborhood transportation and traffic infrastructure.