New York City Council passed what was described as a groundbreaking piece of legislation, sponsored by Bronx Council Member Eric Dinowitz (C.D. 11), on Thursday, Feb. 8. The bill aims to ease the burden on the City’s older adults living in City-run, Mitchell-Lama housing when applying to the older adult rent freeze program.

According to officials from the councilman’s office, the newly passed bill, Int. No. 0025A-2024, establishes a streamlined system through which Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) forms are pre-filled with essential information for tenants residing in such City-run, Mitchell-Lama housing. They said the initiative is designed not only to assist individuals renewing their rent freeze benefits, but also to proactively reach all eligible tenants, particularly older adults, who they said are among the most vulnerable in the City, and often live on fixed incomes.

The councilman said having grown up in Mitchell-Lama housing, himself, he understands, first-hand, how important affordable housing is to uplifting communities. “Everyone deserves to age with dignity and security,” Dinowitz said. “When we talk about affordable housing, it’s not just about a roof over our heads, it’s about the life-sustaining stability that affordable housing provides.”

The bill is a win for the councilman, who represents the Bronx neighborhoods of Norwood, Bedford Park, Kingsbridge Heights-Van Cortlandt Village, Kingsbridge-Marble Hill, Riverdale-Spuyten Duyvil, Williamsbridge-Olinville, Eastchester-Edenwald-Baychester, Wakefield-Woodlawn, as well as green areas, Woodlawn Cemetery, Van Cortlandt Park, and Bronx Park.

Situated on the border of Norwood and Bedford Park, within walking distance to NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx and Montefiore Medical Center, and adjacent to the Mosholu Parkway subway station is the North Bronx landmark that is Tracey Towers, a Mitchell Lama, twin tower housing complex, home to several older adults living in its 871 one and two-bedroom apartments.

The Towers, which opened in 1974 and which are designed by architect, Paul Rudolph, are part of NYC Department of Housing, Preservation & Development (HPD)’s Mitchell Lama affordable rental and cooperative program for moderate and middle-income families. The housing development is the 2nd largest Bronx Co-op, according to HPD, and is also home to a large Ghanaian community, among other residents. Many joyfully attended last year’s Black History Month on-site celebration hosted by State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) and others.

The bill mandates that the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) utilize existing data collected from city-run Mitchell-Lama tenants, such as age and income, to automatically populate SCRIE forms. Under this bill, HPD must also digitalize all income
affidavits that applicants provide. This new system not only streamlines the application process but also ensures that eligible individuals are reached proactively.

The pre-filled information also recognizes the diverse needs of older adults, some of whom may not have access to SCRIE or be aware of this program. The councilman’s team said the approach aligns with the council member’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity.

In 2021, the councilman’s father, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81), who represents much of the same section of the North Bronx, together with former State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (S.D. 34) passed a piece of State legislation to ensure Co-op shareholders could access reverse mortgages on cooperative apartments in the same way as other types of homeowners can.

Of the latest bill, the councilman concluded, “With this bill, we will ensure that our older adults can live independently and with peace of mind. By simplifying the SCRIE process for city-run, Mitchell-Lama tenants, we’re not only giving much-needed support to our older neighbors, but also setting a precedent for future measures to enhance the affordable housing stock, especially for vulnerable populations.”

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.