How to enhance voter awareness of the Public Advocate's office
Friday, 6/5/2009
This post authored by Ben, from zipcode 10025
To: Mark Green, Candidate for Public Advocate
Issues & Ideas
Housing & Transportation
- Create an online affordable housing list with a simple unified application.
- Develop new affordable housing by improving the 421-a tax benefit.
- Provide homeowners with a new source of income by allowing them to offer affordable housing through a new building code for an "accessory dwelling unit."
- Protect tenants in rentals facing foreclosure by transforming properties into community assets.
- Leverage public-private partnerships through an Employer-Assisted Housing (EAH) program to make more affordable housing available.
- Reduce homelessness by expanding supportive housing.
- Protect tenant health by passing the "New York City Asthma-Free Housing Act."
- Prohibit tenant blacklists through the New York City Commission on Human Rights by adding a protected class to New York City Human Rights Law.
- Empower communities through local neighborhood planning.
- Ease congestion, improve mobility and expand to under-served areas by implementing a Bus Rapid Transit system.
- Create a single regional transit pass, joining PATH, Metro-North, the LIRR and the city’s subways and buses.
What are your ideas?
Submitted by Fellow New Yorkers
Funding mass transit.
Friday, 4/3/2009
This post authored by Paul
Increasing fares while decreasing service amounts to two bad ideas at once, but the second is worse than the first. Increased use of public, electric powered mass transit benefits all of us, through less congested roads, and cleaner air. Those who are concerned about global warming should also be eager to expand, not contract mass transit.
transportation for college students
Thursday, 4/2/2009
This post authored by Jean, from zipcode 11419
My child has to take the LIRR and 2 buses to get to college and yet there is not discount tickets for college students who pay tuition, but there is discount tickets for middle and high school students. This is grossly unfair, especially since college students struggle with their parents to pay tuition costs. Can we get a discount too?
Chinatown Buses - Unregulated & Unhealthy
Wednesday, 2/18/2009
This post authored by Chris, from zipcode 10002
The Chinatown bus industry is out of hand. I'm not sure what about the law that makes it legal to set up a bus depot out of any storefront. The buses clog traffic, park for hours in front of hydrants, pollute the air while idling for hours, and the passengers (most who come from other neighborhoods) loiter and litter on the sidewalks because there are no facilities for them. This puts an unfair burden the neighborhood.
Potholes!
Tuesday, 2/17/2009
This post authored by Emily
There are way too many potholes! Especially on the ramp under the Manhattan Bridge. They've been there for way too long. How long does it really take to fill up a pothole?
Traffic
Friday, 2/13/2009
This post authored by Michael, from zipcode 10002
I think there is too much traffic in the city. I support Mayor Bloomberg's various initiatives to reduce traffic, including congestion pricing and declaring no car zones on weekends and holidays. I also support bridge tolls across the East River. As public advocate, which of Mayor Bloomgerg's initiatives would you support and which would you oppose?
Biking New York
Thursday, 2/12/2009
This post authored by Christiane, from zipcode 10009
Compared to other U.S. and European cities, New York City is way behind the times in providing for bikers. If we had convenient (separate) bike paths on some of the avenues, Manhattan would be highly navigable because it's flat. We also have 9 months of decent weather. In Paris the city has in the past 18 months set up bike rental locations all over the city. You use your credit card to take a bike from one of the parking lots and then return it to a parking lot close to you destination. It's an amazingly efficient enjoyable and (Mark) Green way to cross the city.
Yes, but...
Wednesday, 2/11/2009
This post authored by
The city is not set up to create bike lanes. It's simply not practical. What we need is greater public transportation service - the completion of the second avenue subway line, the extension of the 7th avenue line and better bus service. Less traffic will make biking easier.
Need a contiguous bike lane from Brooklyn to Manhattan (and back...)
Tuesday, 2/10/2009
This post authored by , from zipcode 11217
There is still no way to bike from Brooklyn to Manhattan without risking your life getting to and from the bridges. There should be a dedicated bike lane that is strictly enforced and safe to ride, but that also doesn't require bikers to go around in huge circles and detours.
It's almost as if the DOT is just interested in letting cars in and out of the city, rather than PEOPLE. Just imagine if car drivers had to stop their car and carry it on their shoulder to get on the Manhattan Bridge!