How to vote on what neighborhood projects receive capital funding from City Council

Participatory Budgeting Vote Week is underway in NYC. 

Per the city: 

Between Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, April 6, residents across New York City will cast their ballot and vote for locally developed projects to improve schools, parks, libraries, and other public spaces in their community. Voting is open to everyone ages 11 (or at least in 6th grade) and older who lives in or has a special connection to (i.e., goes to school or works) in one of the 23 participating Council Districts. Help shape the future of your community by casting your vote today. 

City Councilmember Carlina Rivera's District 2, which includes the East Village, Gramercy Park, Kips Bay, the Lower East Side and Murray Hill, has $1 million in funds available ... and nine projects up for a vote.

• Lower East Side Playground Soccer Field Redesign

• Bathroom Upgrades at Washington Irving School 

• Bathroom Upgrades at Bard High School Early College 

• Sensory Gym at P.S. 19 East Village Community School 

• Auditorium Air Conditioning at P.S. 63 STAR Academy and The Neighborhood School 

• Union Square East and West Median Refurbishment

• STEM Lab for M361 The Children's Workshop School 

• Tree Guards for District 2 Street Trees

• Argus Cameras for PSA4, 6th, 9th, 13th Precincts 

You may vote (once!) online here until Sunday, April 6. Or! You can vote in person (once!) at the following locations...

From pizza to politics: Eleven B serves up a new campaign HQ on Avenue B

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

In recent months, we've received several inquiries about the status of Eleven B, the pizzeria owned by Vincent Sgarlato and his family on the southwest corner of 11th Street and Avenue B. 

A large for-lease banner arrived on the 11th Street side in the fall, though it remained in business.

Now, though, Sarah Batchu, a Democratic candidate for the open City Council District 2 seat, has debuted a campaign office inside the restaurant. This is a temporary, four-month lease agreement with Eleven B for the corner space. The restaurant and bar will (physically) remain the same, pending possible reopening once the campaign office lease is up.

"We are holding the space for him, happy to help," says Batchu of Sgarlato. 

Batchu says she will host community events here, including constituent services.

In the interim, the Express slice shop remains in service on the 11th Street side, offering slices and whole pies.

Meanwhile, one block away, we ran into local Assembly Member Harvey Epstein, another Democratic District 2 Council candidate. He has opened a campaign office on 12th Street and Avenue B.

The other candidates for this District 2 seat (Carlina Rivera has been term-limited) are:

• Andrea Gordillo (Democrat)

• Jason Murillo (Republican)

• Allie Ryan (Democrat)

• Gail Schargel (Democrat)

• Anthony Weiner (Democrat)

The primaries take place on June 24.

Election results: Rivera, Marte win local City Council races

Carlina Rivera has won another term as District 2 City Council member. 

According to tallies from the Board of Elections, Rivera easily topped indpendent candidate Juan Pagan and neighborhood candidate Allie Ryan with nearly 80 percent of the votes.

In the District 1 race for City Council, which includes Chinatown, Little Italy and the Lower East Side, Christopher Marte had more than 70 percent of the vote in beating Republican candidate Jacqueline Toboroff and independent Maud Maron.

Here's Rivera's statement...

✅ IT'S OFFICIAL ✅

Thank you, District 2. I am so proud and grateful to announce that we've decisively won our re-election to the City Council.

Tonight's win belongs to us all + mandates our continued pursuit of progress in our communities and citywide. My full statement ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/hEtVrmiJT9

— Carlina Rivera 利華娜 (@CarlinaRivera) November 3, 2021

And from Marte's camp... 

   

And as expected in the race for mayor, Eric Adams "cruised to victory" in the general election over Republican Curtis Sliwa. You can find the full NYC results here.

Primary victory for Carlina Rivera in District 2 City Council race

In yesterday's Democratic Primary, Carlina Rivera handily won the District 2 race to succeed City Council member Rosie Mendez.

Rivera, a former Mendez staff member who grew up on the Lower East Side, received nearly 61 percent of the vote, according to election information published by NY1.



The seemingly runaway race wasn't without its last-minute drama. In a rare political turn, former New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter reportedly threw his weight behind Ronnie Cho with an endorsement released Monday night.

Turns out that while Jeter may have nice things to say about Cho, he wasn't endorsing him. As the Post followed up: "There was a communications mix-up and a draft release was sent out prematurely."

In addition, supporters of Rivera's opponents on Monday were also peddling since-deleted Facebook photos of her husband, CB3 chair Jamie Rogers, sailing on his father's yacht during races in recent years. Other critics questioned why/how they were living in Section 8 housing. The Villager explores that angle here. Rivera and Rogers both said that "it’s perfectly legal for them to live in the apartment and that their incomes were fully vetted under the requirements of the Section 8 program."

Finally, as The Lo-Down reported, developer Gregg Singer, who owns the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on East Ninth Street, began campaigning against the District 2 candidates, including Rivera, who might try to force his hand at returning the property for community use.

In other election news, Mayor de Blasio won big.



The Villager has other local election results here. According to the Daily News, there was "terrible voter turnout" yesterday.

New City Council legislation aims to protect tenants from construction as harassment

[Photo Wednesday via @RosieMendez]

On Wednesday, City Council passed comprehensive legislation as part of the “Stand for Tenant Safety” package that aims to provide greater tenant protection.

Per DNAinfo: "The bills range from increased fines for landlords, requiring a 'Safe Construction Bill of Rights,' stricter preventative measures to address construction as harassment, and the creation of an Office of the Tenant Advocate inside the Department of Buildings."

City Council member Rosie Mendez introduced the "Safe Construction Bill of Rights" legislation, which requires landlords to notify tenants before undertaking significant renovation projects.

Mendez shared this statement:

For far too long some of the city’s worst property owners have used devious, despicable tactics, as well as construction renovations to harass and intimidate tenants. Tenants living in buildings that are undergoing substantial construction usually do not know where to turn.

Therefore, the passage of the “Safe Construction Bill of Rights” legislation would require landlords to provide tenants prior notice of significant construction projects and periodic updates about the status of such construction projects. I believe this is common sense legislation and its passage will demonstrate that New York City will ensure that construction is safe with tenants in place and that tenants will be informed. The overall impact of this legislative package is that New York City will be the best and safest place to live.

Read more about the legislation in the City Council press room here.

City Council candidates to discuss 'Historic Preservation Issues' on the Lower East Side

An array of neighborhood groups are hosting a forum on Monday night (May 1!) with candidates for City Council Districts 1 and 2 to share their thoughts on "Historic Preservation Issues."

Per the invite:

You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions about their plan to preserve the historic architecture, streetscapes and character of the Lower East Side, from Chinatown to 14th Street.

The event takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Third Street Music School, 253 E. 11th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Find more details and to RSVP here.

Your District 2 City Council candidates

In this week's issue, The Villager profiles the two candidates for District 2 City Council, which includes the East Village, part of the Lower East Side and Union Square, among other neighborhoods.

Read the profile on Pastor Richard Del Rio here.

Read the profile on two-term Councilmember Rosie Mendez here.

High school junior aims to unseat Rosie Mendez on City Council

Meet 18-year-old Dodge Landesman. And his campaign his raised $6,500 so far, thanks to contributions from Julianne Moore and Danny Meyer. District 2 includes the East Village and the Lower East Side. (NY1)