Community Corner

🏠 New Supportive Housing Initiative + Rising Eviction Rates in Queens

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Queens.

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(Patch Media)

Good morning, Queens! ⭐️

  • 🏠 Mayor Eric Adams announced a new initiative to connect people experiencing homelessness to affordable homes with support services.
  • 🚪Eviction rates in Queens are almsot double what they were last year.
  • 💸 Essential Kitchen, a commercial kitchen space in Springfield Gardens, Queens, was just awarded a $200,000 grant to support its work.

🌫 Dense fog will lift. High: 73 Low: 64.

🏡 Attention, real estate pros in Queens! We're now offering an exclusive sponsorship opportunity for an agent interested in attracting local clients and standing apart from the competition. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top stories in Queens today:

1. Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday in front of the T-Building in Jamaica his new initiative to connect people experiencing homelessness to affordable homes with support services. The T-Building, the former tuberculosis ward of Queens Hospital, was recognized as the downstate affordable housing project of the year by the New York State Association for Affordable Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH), and was converted into 200 apartments, 75 of which are supportive housing for patients in the NYC Health Hospitals system who are experiencing homelessness. "It's time to look at the full picture of New Yorkers' health challenges, and to treat these challenges holistically," Mayor Adams said. "It's not enough to care for unhoused New Yorkers in the emergency room and then discharge them if they have no home to recover and heal in. Adults experiencing homelessness have three times as many hospital and emergency visits compared to those with stable housing, so it's time we break this vicious cycle."

Queens Courier


2. According to data from the Department of Investigation, seven commercial tenants and 13 households have been evicted this year in Forest Hills and Rego Park after the city's eviction moratorium expired on Jan. 16. Evictions started to increase at the beginning of the year, and the true number of is likely even higher than recorded since it's common for marshals to report evictions weeks after execution. Queens County has registered more than 15,700 eviction filings this year, over double the approximately 7,000 filings the county registered last year, according to government data. However, Queens County still trails Bronx, Kings, and Manhattan, which have the largest eviction filings in the state.

Patch


3. Dianna Rose, the executive director of Essential Kitchen, was just awarded with the David Prize, a distinction for New Yorkers working to create a better city at a grassroots level that includes a $200,000 grant. Located in an industrial section of Springfield Gardens, Queens, Essential Kitchen is a commercial kitchen space designed to give home chefs, entrepreneurs, and small business owners a place to create. The kitchen opened in January, and grew out of a successful farmer's market Rose launched during the pandemic in the hope of bringing heathy foods into Southeast Queens. Now, Essential Kitchen has a waiting list of over 50 people. "One of the barriers that we often find in historically dis-invested communities is the lack of infrastructure," said Rose. "So while we wanted to bring everyone into the market, we also knew that they had to cook out of a commercial space. And not having one locally was such a barrier that we just decided to open our own commercial kitchen."

Spectrum News NY1


4. New York Attorney General Letitia James is facing off against Republican Queens attorney Michael Henry in a re-election campaign that has received little attention or notice. "I am bringing my message to every corner of the state of New York speaking to constituents and voters about issues they care about," James said. "What they care about is public safety, which is why I want them to know that this office and I in particular am very concerned about public safety." James also added that there needs to be more mental health care in the state. Her opponent, Henry, also focused his campaign on public safety and crime. "This transcends party affiliation," Henry said. "And I want all New Yorkers to know that their safety is a concern of mine, whether they voted for me or not." The last public polling in the race in October found James was ahead by 11 percentage points.

NY State of Politics

🗞 Hankering for more headlines? 👀 Look no further:

  • Ex-NYC buildings boss Eric Ulrich spent $40K at eateries with past reported links to mobsters (New York Post)
  • Is Eric Adams hitting the campaign trail hard enough? (City & State New York)
  • City Announces 2022-23 Public Artists In Residence To Focus On Pressing Civic Issues Including Urban Infrastructure, Homelessness, Hate Crimes, And Gun Violence (City Life Org)
  • Flushing native organizing 120-mile run to raise awareness for gun reform nonprofit (Queens Courier)

🗓 To Do Today in Queens:

  • Video Lab for Kids: Making a Movie Trailer (12 p.m.)
  • Flushing Meadows Corona Park Family Time (2 p.m.)
  • KIDS Stop Motion Animation (2 p.m.)
  • How Was It? Storytelling Show & Mic (5 p.m.)
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream: Queens College Drama, Theatre & Dance Dept (7 p.m.)
  • Transplants Comedy (7:30 p.m.)
  • Harvest Celebration (7:30 p.m.)

To Do Sunday:

  • Love & Hiking Date For Couples (Self-Guided) (7 a.m.)
  • Rinat's Family Fun Day (10 a.m.)
  • Queens Farm Farmstand (11 a.m.)
  • ArtAccess: Museum Explorers (ages 8-12) (11:30 a.m.)
  • Photo Lab for Kids: Fun Family Portraits (3 p.m.)
  • The Queen's Poet: Poetry, Spoken Word & Singer/Songwriter Open Mic (3 p.m.)
  • Mexico Beyond Mariachi Concert — Dia de Muertos: Mexican Myth, Legend, and Ancestry (3 p.m.)

🗣 Queens Chatter:

  • 🧠 Get your brain BetterHelp: "It can be dizzying and confusing to keep up with all that's happening in our world at the moment. But you don't have to struggle alone.
    That's why I've partnered with BetterHelp to connect #Queens residents to free mental health services. To claim your free sessions, visit betterhelp.com/queensbp.." (Queens Borough President Donovan Richards via Facebook)
  • 🗳 Make your voice heard: "This afternoon, my mom and I went to #vote at the @BoysClubNY. You still have time to cast your ballot and make your voice heard during this year's election. Vote this weekend from 9AM-5PM or on Tuesday from 6AM-9PM. Find your polling site https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc" (Councilmember Sandra Ung via Twitter)
  • 🏃‍♂️Get pumped for the marathon: "Get pumped up for the NYC Marathon with us! This Sun, athletes will be running right by PS1, which nearly marks the halfway point of the race. Stop by @on_running's Fan Fuel Station outside our main entrance for free , , from sazón department, and sign-making supplies!" (MoMA PS1 via Twitter)
  • 🐦 Bird bonanza: "See you this weekend for a bird walk, literary reading and ewaste recycling event! We are open Tuesdays through Sundays, 8am to 4:30pm. From November through March, general Garden admission is free at Queens Botanical Garden! (Offsite at Lou Lodati Park in LIC on Saturday, come for #QBGPumpkinSmash with @qbgcompost!)
    Enjoy the splendor of fall foliage and stroll around to experience the indoor and outdoor art in the Garden. Plus! Be sure to check out our calendar for more on this month's events and programs. See you around the Garden!⁠ ⁠ Check our website for more: https://queensbotanical.org/calendar" (Queens Botanical Garden via Facebook)
  • 📂 For small business owners: "Did your business have extra expenses as a result of the pandemic? New York State has a new tax credit program of up to $25,000. The program is first come, first serve, so don't wait to apply. Visit https://esd.ny.gov/covid-19-capital-costs-tax-credit, or the link in our (QEDC's) bio. You may contact info@queensny.org for assistance.." (Queens Economic Development Corporation via Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you soon!

— Emma Radu Fighera

About me: Emma Radu Fighera is a reporter born and raised in Queens, New York. She studied Literature and Studio Art at Hamilton College, where she helped run the only daily publication on campus, The Daily Bull newsletter. This past spring she earned her M.S. from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Queens Daily? Contact me at queens@patch.com

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