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Dear Neighbor,

I hope this email finds you healthy and well. 

Since being sworn in at the beginning of January, I have worked to ensure that Co-op City residents have access to vaccines, COVID-19 economic relief, and infrastructure that meets the needs of this unique community. I am writing today to share a few updates on what I am advocating for at the federal level to benefit Co-op City and offer my assistance in supporting you and your family as we work collectively to emerge from this pandemic.

Penn Station Access

Expanding and enhancing our transit network in the Northern Bronx is essential for fostering more equitable communities. Since taking office, I have been working hard with the MTA and Governor Cuomo’s office to get this in motion. I am excited that we were able to work together to resume the construction of the Metro-North station at Co-op City. Once completed, this infrastructure investment will reduce the trip from Co-op City to Penn Station to only 25 minutes. This train station, along with the other three additional train stations receiving funding through this project, will help reduce our dependence on cars and make many people's commutes more seamless. I look forward to continuing to work with local officials and agencies to ensure that this project is completed as expediently and effectively as possible. 

Improving Access to Green Space and Promoting Waterfront Resilience in Co-op City

In April, I had the opportunity to submit 10 Community Project Funding requests to the Congressional Appropriations Committee for projects in our district that support local infrastructure and programmatic needs. As part of this process, I submitted a request for $500,000 for the Riverbay Fund to begin the restoration and revitalization process for a currently polluted, unused strip of waterfront land in Co-op City. If the Appropriations Committee approves this funding request, it will provide new green space in an area with few public parks and promote environmental resilience in the process. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven how important access to green space is for the health and wellbeing of our communities, and I’m proud to have taken this step toward promoting access to new waterfront green space in Co-op City. 

Advocating for Increased Capital Funding for Co-op City 

The devastating power outages in several Co-op City developments this past February highlight the urgent need for additional funding for capital improvements. That’s why I am proud to be working alongside Senator Schumer to push the Biden Administration to approve a loan refinancing process for Co-op City that would generate an estimated $100 million for desperately needed repairs. We recently sent a letter to Secretary Fudge at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to outline the importance of increased funding for Co-op City and loan refinancing, and continue to work with the relevant stakeholders to push this important work forward. You can read more about these efforts here.

COVID-19 Vaccine and Economic Recovery Update

As of this week, 45% of Co-op City residents are vaccinated, providing a new level of hope that we can overcome the challenges faced by this tragic pandemic. I am proud to have helped secure a vaccination site for Co-op City, and am continuing to advocate for increased vaccine access in the Northwest Bronx and for homebound seniors. 

In addition, I am working to ensure that COVID-19 relief generated from the American Rescue Plan, which I voted for in March, is accessible for all those in our district. This federal relief package included new stimulus checks, enhanced Child Tax Credit benefits, unemployment assistance, rent relief, and more. If you have any questions related to how to access these programs, please do not hesitate to contact my office. You can fill out a casework request form on my website, or call us at one of the numbers below.