The local paper for Downtown wn AARON SORKIN HITS BROADWAY WITH AN ICONIC COURTROOM DRAMA ◄ P. 12
WEEK OF DECEMBER
20-26 2018
HOMELESS FOR THE HOLIDAYS NEIGHBORHOODS Complicated stories that defy expectations — and resources to help the most desperate in their times of need BY DEBORAH FENKER
I see it throughout the year,” said the doorman, who asked that his name not be used. “As the years have gone by, we’re getting more and more stuff.”
“Can you spare some change for the homeless?” It may be the most oft-heard plea on city streets, but just as shelling out coins won’t change most people’s status quo, no single individual’s experience defines “the homeless.” It is easy, maybe automatic, to lump all the homeless souls we encounter across the city — the addicts, the mentally unstable, the poor, the scammers — as one massive, baffling problem. And while those labels might apply to a portion of the growing homeless community, there are complicated stories among them that sometimes defy expectations. Drew, just 28, is not the face we normally associate with homelessness. When I met him recently at the Muhlenberg Library’s Coffee and Conversation meet-up in Chelsea, Drew (who did not want to use his full name) was wearing a coat that looked clean, natty. His hair was trimmed stylishly, the result of a salon-school cut that had begun to go awry in the hands of the student, so the instructor took over, giving Drew a professionalquality crop for just $4. The Muhlenberg Library program, held on the third Thursday of every month, is part of a greater initiative by the New York Public Library that aims to provide homeless individuals like Drew with vital resources. These include mental health care, job assistance programs, information about public assistance and even appropriate interview attire.
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Staff at residential buildings feel the brunt of the online retail surge in December, fielding increased package deliveries. Photo: Michael Garofalo
ONLINE PACKAGE BOOM DELIVERIES How residential buildings are adjusting to the new normal of online shopping BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. But not for the doorman at an East 80th Street condominium building. “It sucks,” he said with a wry smile, gesturing to a row of cabinets in the building’s lobby filled with residents’ package deliveries. As New Yorkers increasingly rely on Internet retailers for their holiday shopping, he said, doormen are often left holding the box. “It’s definitely more emphasized at Christmas, but
In certain buildings, the guys at the front door may spend all day just logging packages and then distributing them throughout the building.” John Santos 32BJ vice president
An ironic juxtaposition. Photo: Deborah Fenker Downtowner
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WEEK OF APRIL
SPRING ARTS PREVIEW < CITYARTS, P.12
FOR HIM, SETTLING SMALL CLAIMS IS A BIG DEAL presided over Arbitration Man has three decades. for informal hearings about it He’s now blogging BY RICHARD KHAVKINE
is the common Arbitration Man their jurist. least folks’ hero. Or at Man has For 30 years, Arbitration court office of the civil few sat in a satellite Centre St. every building at 111 New Yorkers’ weeks and absorbed dry cleaning, burned lost accountings of fender benders, lousy paint jobs, and the like. And security deposits then he’s decided. Arbitration Man, About a year ago, so to not afwho requested anonymity started docuhe fect future proceedings, two dozen of what menting about compelling cases considers his most blog. in an eponymous about it because “I decided to write the stories but in a I was interested about it not from wanted to write from view but rather lawyer’s point of said Arbitration view,” of a lay point lawyer since 1961. Man, a practicing what’s at issue He first writes about post, renders and then, in a separatehow he arrived his decision, detailing blog the to Visitors at his conclusion. their opinions. often weigh in with get a rap going. I to “I really want whether they unreally want to know and why I did it,” I did derstood what don’t know how to he said. “Most people ... I’d like my cases the judge thinks. and also my trereflect my personalitythe law.” for mendous respect 80, went into indiMan, Arbitration suc in 1985, settling vidual practice
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MANHATTAN'S APARTMENT BOOM, > PROPERTY, P.20
2015
In Brief MORE HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESS
The effort to help small seems to businesses in the city be gathering steam. Two city councilmembers, Robert Margaret Chin and Cornegy, have introduced create legislation that wouldSmall a new “Office of the within Business Advocate” of Small the city’s Department Business Services. Chin The new post, which have up told us she’d like to would and running this year, for serve as an ombudsman city small businesses within them clear government, helping to get through the bureaucracy things done. Perhaps even more also importantly, the ombudsman and number will tally the type small business of complaints by taken in owners, the actions policy response, and somefor ways to recommendations If done well, begin to fix things. report would the ombudsman’s give us the first quantitative with taste of what’s wrong the city, an small businesses in towards important first step fixing the problem. of for deTo really make a difference, is a mere formality will have to the work process looking to complete their advocate are the chances course, velopers precinct, but rising rents, -- thanks to a find a way to tackle business’ is being done legally of after-hours projects quickly. their own hours,” which remain many While Chin “They pick out boom in the number throughout who lives on most vexing problem. said Mildred Angelo,of the Ruppert construction permits gauge what Buildings one said it’s too early tocould have the 19th floor in The Department of the city. number three years, the Houses on 92nd Street between role the advocate She Over the past on the is handing out a record work perThird avenues. permits, there, more information of Second and an ongoing all-hours number of after-hours bad thing. of after-hours work the city’s Dept. problem can’t be a said there’s with the mits granted by nearby where according to new data jumped 30 percent, This step, combinedBorough construction project noise Buildings has data provided in workers constantly make efforts by Manhattan to mediate BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS according to DOB of Informacement from trucks. President Gale Brewer offer response to a Freedom classifies transferring they want. They knows the the rent renewal process, request. The city They 6 “They do whatever signs Every New Yorker clang, tion Act go as they please. work between some early, tangible small any construction on the weekend, can come and sound: the metal-on-metal or the piercing of progress. For many have no respect.” p.m. and 7 a.m., can’t come of these that the hollow boom, issuance reverse. owners, in business moving The increased beeps of a truck has generto a correspond and you as after-hours. soon enough. variances has led at the alarm clock The surge in permits
SLEEPS, THANKS TO THE CITY THAT NEVER UCTION A BOOM IN LATE-NIGHT CONSTR NEWS
A glance it: it’s the middle can hardly believe yet construction of the night, and carries on full-tilt. your local police or You can call 311
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