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Neighborhood Notes: Free Tenant and Small Business Support Services

Tenant Support Unit
The Mayor’s Tenant Support Unit offers tenant outreach help to New Yorkers at risk of displacement or tenant harassment. Residents can get connected to free legal services, learn about their rights, get help applying for rent freeze programs and more on Jan. 17, 24 and 31, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Office of Assemblyman Victor Pichardo, 2175 Jerome Ave.; Jan. 17, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at UNHP Refuge House, 2715 Bainbridge Ave.; and Jan. 18, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Office of Assembly Member Jose Rivera, 1 Fordham Plz. For more information, call 311.

College Scholarships for DREAMers
TheDream.US is offering scholarships for qualifying students pursuing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree who are recipients of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and TPS (Temporary Protected Status). Applications are accepted through Feb. 28 at thedream.us/scholarships/.

Small Business Services
The office of Council Member Fernando Cabrera will offer free services for local small businesses on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month starting on Jan. 24, at 107 E. Burnside Ave. For more information, call (347) 590-2874 ext. 209.

ATTAIN Computer Lab
The SUNY Bronx Education Opportunity Center is offering a free, four-week Microsoft Office Certification class. The first session is Jan. 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Interested students should sign up beforehand at bronxeoc.org/attain. For more information, call (718) 530-7034.

Heating Assistance
Applications for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) for older adults and low- and middle-income New Yorkers will be accepted by local departments of social services. Eligibility is based on income, household size and how the home is heated. Residents can apply online at https://on.ny.gov/2Fn062M and mail it to NYC DSS/HRA/ HEAP, P.O. Box 1401, Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008. For more information, call (212) 331-3126.

Right to Counsel
Right to Counsel (RTC)— which assigns a free attorney to those sued for eviction in housing court and in NYCHA termination of tenancy hearings and who are income eligible—is available to tenants who live in Bronx zip codes 10457, 10467, and 10468. If a tenant is not income-eligible, they have the right to a one-off legal consultation or advice session. Tenants facing eviction or harassment from management can call Nova Lucero at the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition for support at (917) 952-5494.

Crime Victims Support
Crime Victims Support Services, a 501(c)3 group at 1138 Neill Ave., offers victims help in navigating the criminal justice system. Free confidential services include claim assistance, case follow-up, crisis counseling, and victim advocacy. The group accepts donations. For more information, call (718)823-4925.

Lehman College Choruses
Two Lehman College choruses are accepting new members. Residents are welcome to join, and participation is free. Lehman College Chorus meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. The first rehearsal is Jan. 28. Lehman College Community Chorus meets on Tuesdays, 7 to 9:30 p.m., and starts rehearsals Jan. 29. Both choruses rehearse in the Music Building on Lehman campus at 250 Bedford Pk. Blvd. W. Some previous choral experience is recommended. For more information, call (718) 960-7795.

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.

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