Latest news with #WilliamFarrington
New York Post
19-05-2025
- New York Post
NYC's child services agency keeps cases secret due to state loophole, but investigators say it's time for a change
The Big Apple's beleaguered child service agency is able to keep its records secret because of a state loophole — but fed-up city investigators are now backing a bill that would force them to loosen their grip on their closely guarded books. Department of Investigation officials said they have been blocked from reviewing at least a dozen child neglect or abuse cases handled by the Administration for Children's Services since 2023 that raised 'red flags,' all because state law keeps the files sealed — regardless of the consequences for battered children. Most troubling are abuse claims deemed 'unfounded' by ACS with no explanation or scrutiny. 'If one of the unfounded rulings was flawed in some way, we have no insight into that whatsoever,' DOI Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber told The Post. 'We need [the state Office of Children and Family Services] to get approval, so we have to tell them what it is we want and if they ask why we want them, we have to tell them. 3 New York State Social Services Law largely shields ACS from the city's Department of Investigation. William Farrington 'That is not typically how independent oversight works,' she said. 'You don't typically want the entities that you are overseeing [to have] access into what you are investigating.' The Post reported earlier this month that at least seven children died under the lax supervision of ACS caseworkers in the past year, with staffers encouraged to keep children in potentially abusive homes and offer troubled families services rather than launching investigations that could save young lives. The tragic tots were as young as one month when they met horrific ends. Cases included several kids who starved to death inside homes where ACS either returned them to their parents or were allowed to remain despite allegations of mistreatment, the report found. 3 The Post revealed on May 5 how at least 7 children died in abusive homes while unfer ACS supervision. The soft approach by ACS is based on an initiative adopted by the agency in recent years known as CARES, or Collaborative Assessment, Response, Engagement and Support. 'There's been a lot about this program called CARES,' Strauber said, 'but as of now we don't have access. This is yet another blind spot. 'We won't be able to evaluate if that program is working the way it is supposed to work,' she added. 'Obviously there are unique interests with the privacy of families, but in our view when there's a risk to children there should be transparency and oversight. 'What we are really focused on is the systemic issues. We are not looking to re-traumatize these families.' New York State Social Services Law shields ACS from outside scrutiny — even if the agency goofed by not removing a child from an abusive home or launching an investigation into the parents. DOI officials are looking for help from Albany, and are backing a bill introduced this month by state Assemblyman Andrew Hevesy (D-Queens) that looks to remove the ACS blinders. 3 New York State Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi is sponsoring a bill to increase scrutiny of the city child services agency. Hans Pennink 'Even though child fatality cases known to ACS have declined 18% within the last decade, out of an abundance of caution this bill will provide the professionals from the NYD Department of Investigation access to confidential records to assist in their investigations,' Hevesi said. The bill would allow more scrutiny of child fatalities and incidents inside juvenile detention facilities — but it has yet to find a required sponsor in the state senate. In a statement to The Post on Monday, a spokesperson for ACS said the agency 'look[s] forward to further discussions about the bill,' and addressed the DOI push for more access. 'ACS is committed to transparency, and we appreciate the important oversight role of DOI,' they said.
New York Post
15-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
NYC's public housing funding could be slashed by half as local Dems call Trump admin ‘reckless'
The New York City Housing Authority's funding could be slashed in half due to federal belt tightening, officials warned — as local Democrats called the Trump administration's budget cuts 'reckless.' Trump's 'skinny' or preliminary budget for the 2026 fiscal year looks to cut the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) funding by roughly $33 billion, with $26.7 billion of those dollars specifically affecting public housing and housing voucher programs like NYCHA. 4 Section 8 and Section 9 housing would both be affected by the potential cuts to HUD and ultimately NYCHA. William Farrington Advertisement 'If Trump's reckless cuts go through, NYCHA residents will pay the price,' said City Council finance chair Justin Brannan (D-47) after a budget hearing on Wednesday. The cuts, which would be an estimated 43-45% blow to the housing authority's current ask of $80 billion, could dramatically exacerbate an already grim city affordable housing market, officials said. The lack of funding would directly affect Section 9 housing, which is controlled solely by NYCHA with money from outside the city's budget, according to a recent report by the city comptroller. Advertisement 'Explain to me how gutting public housing for working New Yorkers makes any sense when billionaires and big corporations keep getting massive tax breaks they don't even need,' Brannan said.. 'As finance chair, I refuse to let Trump balance the budget on the backs of our most vulnerable neighbors. NYCHA families deserve better—and we're gonna fight like hell to protect them,' he said. 4 The Trump administration's cuts to NYCHA would slash their budget in half, officials say. Getty Images Section 9 refers to housing facilities owned by the government, while Section 8 housing units are homes where residents receive vouchers based on their income to offset rent costs. Advertisement 4 Matthew McDermott The Housing Preservation Department (HPD), which controls Section 8 housing, works closely with NYCHA to determine how many residents it can accept in each type of affordable housing based on need. HUD — which oversees both NYCHA and the HPD — is given funding based on every unit of public housing available — but the 'block grant' the Trump admin is proposing wouldn't work that way, NYCHA said. NYCHA's Chief Financial Officer Annika Lescott-Martinez said a new model would mean one figure for all programs, with the state left to figure how to carve it up. Advertisement Federal funding currently accounts for almost 70% of NYCHA's operating budget, which is largely used to support renovations and reconstruction of dangerous and aging buildings. 4 for New York Post Mayor Eric Adam's administration stressed how many types of NYC housing would be affected by the cuts. 'Federally funded housing programs — like public housing and Section 8 vouchers — are critical to the housing security of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, including formerly homeless veterans, people with severe mental illness, and other vulnerable populations,' said William Fowler, a spokesperson for Mayor Adams. 'These programs also support tens of thousands of homeowners and landlords, especially in the outer boroughs, helping them meet their monthly mortgage payments,' he added The administration said it will closely monitor the federal proposals and advocate for the resources the city needs to ensure New Yorkers' housing security.
New York Post
22-04-2025
- New York Post
Wall Street Bull painted over by environmental activists — who frantically cleaned up when cops came
All bull, no bite. A group of climate activists vandalized the Wall Street Charging Bull with bright green graffiti early Monday — but then swiftly wiped it all down when they spotted cops nearby. 3 Environmental protesters descended upon the Wall Street Bull sculpture at Bowling Green in Manhattan, Tuesday morning. William Farrington Advertisement 3 The activists spray-painted the bull with 'GREED = DEATH.' William Farrington Members of the activist group Extinction Rebellion sprayed the words 'Greed = Death,' plus their organization's symbol, on the iconic bronze statue in a morning rush hour display on Earth Day, photos from the scene show. But as a handful of cops casually stood by, the easily-spooked vandals scrubbed down the front and sides of the bull, attempting to erase any evidence of the graffiti, video shows. Advertisement 3 The vandals quickly tried to clean up as cops arrived. William Farrington The NYPD did not immediately have any information on the act of BS vandalism, and it is unclear whether any arrests were made.
