Tangible ways to address the NYC housing crisis

Manhattan: Re “Fix 421-a to produce more affordable housing and good jobs” (op-ed, March 28): Mayor Adams is right to call for greater investments in affordable housing, but with thousands of families on the brink of homelessness due to the expiration of the state’s eviction moratorium, it’s critically important that New York City and state leaders take action to ensure that families with children can stay in their homes and out of shelters.

Households with children, especially those headed by women of color, have been hit hardest by the economic insecurity brought on by the pandemic. To prevent a tidal wave of children and families from entering the shelter system, state legislators must fully fund the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) in the FY2023 State Budget, which would provide a long-term, sustainable rent subsidy, and invest in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which would address the short-term emergency assistance needed by New Yorkers who fell behind on their rent during the pandemic.

Additionally, city leaders must commit to expanding and improving CityFHEP rental assistance supplements and address the staffing issues at the city’s housing and homelessness agencies that are preventing too many families from accessing affordable, stable housing.

New York is at an inflection point — we can end the vicious and chronic cycle of generational homelessness once and for all. Nicole Branca and Baaba Halm, co-leads, Family Homelessness Coalition

Panacea

Astoria: There is a synergistic irony to Bob Gangi’s opinion piece about broken windows policing (”Broken windows: Ineffective & unjust,” March 31) appearing next to one about bail reform (”The facts on bail,” editorial, March 31). They presuppose that so-called people of color are disproportionately victimized by the former, thus should be beneficiaries of the latter. The simple answer to both issues is that if people tried something novel like obeying the law and acting in a civilized manner, neither the former nor the latter would be necessary. Bradley Morris

Who is harmed?

Scarborough, N.Y.: In his op-ed stating that broken windows (quality-of-life) arrests are ineffective and unjust, Bob Gangi cites loud parties, public drinking, graffiti and spitting as examples. What about shoplifting, turnstile-jumping, public urination and drag racing on neighborhood streets? Does Gangi condone that behavior? If there is no risk of punishment, more people will commit these crimes. I want all the liberals who condemn quality-of-life arrests to move into neighborhoods like East New York and the South Bronx for six months. Subject yourself to these daily degradations heaped upon Black and Hispanic mothers and fathers who are hard-working taxpayers trying to raise their children in lawless communities spawned by the de Blasio administration. Thomas F. Comiskey

Whatever it takes

Astoria: Council members are going off on Mayor Adams’ program that is trying to remove guns from the streets. I didn’t see them doing anything in their districts to reach out to community leaders or youth in these troubled areas to stop crime and get guns out of their districts, where children are getting shot. When innocent kids and bystanders are getting shot, bring back the Anti-Crime Unit or whatever it takes to stop this. Anthony Gigantiello

Not so simple

Rosedale: In response to Voicer Doreen Geralyn: I have two words for you: Kalief Browder. Shirley Jordan

Hard on the ears

Manhattan: New York’s noisy streets are getting worse. When traffic lights turn green, too many motorists start honking because cars far in front of them haven’t moved fast enough. Ambulance sirens are painfully loud — especially those of the FDNY and Hatzalah. Now we have something new: talking buses. Announcements in newer buses mention every stop in numbing detail. A few have external repeated warnings: “Watch out! Bus is turning!” At nighttime, especially, this noise is noisome. Fulvia Madia McCrie

Funny stuff

Flushing: To Voicer Helen Murphy: Comic strips are supposed to have sight gags and slapstick. Does it also bother you when Mr. Dithers kicks and beats Dagwood, which is a running gag? If you are that easily offended, perhaps you should avoid reading the comics. Lisa and Howard Fein

Bare minimum

Long Island City: It seems that we are giving the Ukrainians just enough weaponry to lead to a stalemate with Russia while large swaths of the country are reduced to rubble and thousands of civilians are killed and maimed. The talking-head retired generals on the cable stations are all saying the same thing, but it does not seem that the U.S. and NATO countries are coming through with the weapons that Ukraine needs to enforce a no-fly zone itself and thus win the war. That would be long-range air defense systems that reach higher altitudes, and artillery and missiles that can knock out the Russian artillery and missiles that hammer Ukraine on a daily basis. We should also give weapons that can completely take out every Russian ship in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. There is no reason the Ukrainians should not have real-time targeting technology. Paul Camilleri

Reasonable rhetoric

Omaha: I’m not a fan of President Biden, but I have to credit him for stating that Putin of Russia “cannot remain in power.” Why all the fuss? Tom Dahulick

Elites

Staten Island: To Voicer Chana Schwartz: Are you kidding me? Don’t you think the Democrats would have done the same thing? Wake up and smell the coffee! No matter what party is in office, the same b.s. carries on. Political parties are not for you and me but for their own gain and interest. If you believe otherwise, start drinking Kool-Aid. Michael Modafferi

Cognitive dissonance

Melville, L.I.: As shocking as the Oscar slap was, it pales in comparison to America’s divisions in our perception of reality. Reactions have ranged from some calling it “the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen” to others saying they were “sickened” and “traumatized.” Why should any of us be surprised by this? After all, 74 million Americans voted for a man to be our president who is appealing to Vladimir Putin — not to end the slaughter in Ukraine, but to provide some dirt on a political opponent’s family. They voted for a man who extorted the president of Ukraine during a “perfect” phone call, an offense for which he was impeached and tried. We had better come together with some shared vision of reality or we are going to face some dire consequences. Dennis Joyce

Evidently wrong

Bronx: Let me see if I have this right: Mark Pomerantz, an extremely well-respected and experienced prosecutor who has worked solely on the Donald Trump case in the Manhattan district attorney’s office for many months, believes Donald Trump is a criminal and can prove it. Cy Vance, the previous DA who made the decision to retire before this important investigation was completed, was also convinced of Mr. Trump’s guilt. And now our new DA, Alvin Bragg, having been on the job only three months, isn’t interested in pursuing the case any longer. Something’s not right! Georgine Sheridan

Retirees

Itasca, Ill.: Former middleweight boxing champion “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler and Johnny Carson were two of a kind. Both retired at the top of their professions — and stayed retired. No goodbye tours or manipulative contract holdouts. Carson is still the standard for late-night comedy, and Hagler, despite losing his last fight, left with his dignity firmly in place. Posthumous kudos to boxer Rocky Marciano for retiring with a 49-0 record, and Boston Red Sox great Carl Yastrzemski. I assume they all wanted to spend more time with their families. Enter former — I mean current — NFL quarterback Tom Brady, who just un-retired after 40 days. Someone joked that he gave up football for lent. I hope that when Brady retires for good, he can still enjoy quality time with his family, which I believe was the reason he gave for his first retirement. Jim Newton

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