"This Friday (tomorrow), June 7, Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and president of the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights, will be visiting Buffalo to rally for the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act alongside Senator Tim Kennedy.

The rally will be held at 11 a.m. at the Massachusetts Avenue Project, specifically their Growing Green Urban Farm located at 389 Massachusetts Ave. in Buffalo. We’re asking everyone to arrive early at 10:45 a.m.

Senator Kennedy is cosponsoring the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act (S.1743/A.1792) because it aims to ensure farm-workers gain the basic labor rights that have always been enjoyed by nearly every other worker in the state. It will mean fairness for workers who have long been denied it.

Will you join us and help push for this positive social change? Will you rally with us and help ensure all New Yorkers have basic labor protections like a day of rest and a fair day’s wage?"

About the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act

Farm-workers work just as hard – if not harder – than those employed in other fields. They deserve fair treatment and the labor protections that have long been provided to other New Yorkers, such as a day of rest, overtime pay, disability insurance, unemployment benefits and collective bargaining – all of which have been denied to farmworkers for decades.

The Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act will extend those basic tenants of fairness to those individuals and families who toil every day to tend to and harvest the healthy foods that end up on our dinner tables and in our children’s lunches.

Most family farms treat their workers well. They know their workers and their families, and they treat them with great fairness. This bill aims to protect those workers who do not yet work under those positive and fair working conditions.

California has provided farm-workers with labor rights for four decades, and over those years, their agriculture industry has thrived and prospered. It’s time New York State ensures fairness for all workers.

You are invited to Designing to Live Sustainably's inaugural Design Celebration and Gala. Please join us Saturday May 18th from 6-9 PM, at the CEPA Gallery, 617 Main St. Buffalo, NY. Our design celebration will exhibit designs submitted by entrants showing their visions for a better and more sustainable Buffalo. Please RSVP via facebook or email. www.facebook.com/d2lsBuffalo or d2lsbuffalo@gmail.com

Leaving Our Legacy would like to invite you to our 2nd Annual Recognition Event "Our Lives, Our Voices”.

Leaving Our Legacy, an Erie 1 BOCES program, is a youth-driven peer leader program in which a passionate group of young change agents work to positively impact attitudes and behaviors concerning adolescent sexuality.

Celebrate with us as we recognize young leaders in our community, and unveil plans for our youth-led sexual health resource center to reduce the instances of HIV, STIs and unintended teen pregnancy.

Space is limited! Please RSVP to leavingourlegacy@gmail.com or, for more information, contact Sue Donovan at (716) 821-7511.

Free admission, food & beverages! What more could you ask for?!

Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,
Leaving Our Legacy

America’s War on Drugs has been waged for decades. Despite having very little impact on curbing the flow of illegal drugs into our communities, it has been very costly on many fronts. The United States has one of the highest rates of incarceration in the world. The disparity in the sentencing guidelines for users/sellers of "rich" drugs versus those of "poor" drugs is very wide, with those being illegally caught with poor drugs receiving the most prison time.

The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy in conjunction with the Drug Policy Alliance and some other groups present Leading the Way a 2 day conference on Drug Policy Reform in New York State. This Thursday and Friday this 2 day conference will take place in Buffalo NY.

Day 1 - Thursday May 1, 2013 – 6-9pm – Screening & Panel Discussion

@ Lafayette Hotel, 391 Washington St, Buffalo NY, 14203

Screening of the award winning documentary film “The House I Live In” – a film produced by Danny Glover, John Legend, Brad Pitt, and Russell Simmons

Followed by a panel discussion featuring:

Christopher St John – a producer for the documentary
Elizabeth Glazer – Deputy Secretary for Public Safety, New York State
Crystal Peoples Stokes – NYS Assembly Member, Buffalo
Nuno Capaz – Ministry of Health, Portugal
Karima Amin – Organizer with Prisoners are People Too
Soffiyah Elijah – Correctional Association of New York
Svante Myrick – Mayor of Ithaca
Moderated by – Asha Bandele – Drug Policy Alliance

Day 2 – Friday May 2, 2013 – 8:30am – 5pm – Conference Day

@ Ramada Hotel and Conference Center, 2402 North Forest Road, Getzville NY

Call Gabriel to register 646.335.2264 or email ny@drugpolicy.org

you can also register online here

We caught up with North District Buffalo School Board candidate Wendy Mistretta on Grant St in Buffalo to gain her insight on education in the Queen City. Over a couple delicious mugs of coffee this is what we talked about.

PB: So you’re running for the Board of Education seat in the North District?

WM: Yes, But I live just barely on the other side of Richmond. So where I live I also feel very much connected to the West District because my kids go to school in the West District.

PB: In what part of the city is the North District?

 you can see original map here

WM: It hits North Buffalo but touches different parts of the city.

PB: Are you a lifelong Buffalo/Western New York resident, what’s your story?

WM: Yes I am. My children attend Buffalo Public Schools.

PB: Tell us about your professional background, educational background.

WM: I have a Ph.D. in Higher Education with concentration in Comparative Education, a MS in Student Personnel Administration, and a BBA in International Management. I have been a Parent Facilitator at International School #45, a Assistant Director of International Education at Buffalo State College, on the Buffalo Public School’s Strategic Plan Steering Committee and the Emergent Bilingual Grant Team at International School #45. I am also the District Parent Coordinating Council (DPCC) Representative for International School #45.

PB: Why are you running for this seat?

WM: The system seems to be set up benefit the people currently working in it and there isn’t really a plan on how to fix the schools. Although, the strategic plan I have some hope will address this. But, I’ll have more hope if there are people on the board who when the strategic plan goes into effect it will be implemented by them. I don’t see where the district has a good record of implementing plans. It has been a year since the wellness plan has been adopted but that process is moving slowly.

PB: What are your thoughts on Say Yes Buffalo?

WM: I think it’s an amazing opportunity for all of our students.

PB: Where do you see Buffalo’s Public Education system in 10 years?

WM: I want to make sure that we really look at the district as whole and make sure that no matter where you live every single community has a good school that meets the needs of all the students. We know how to do it, we have Olmsted, we have City Honors, and we have the charter schools we just have to do it properly. I see true parent partnership, and true community partnership. I think that we will find our way back towards neighborhood schools.

PB: Does having a good public education system fit in with living sustainably?

WM: The idea of sustainability is to keep families in good housing, to keep them safe, and keep them secure. I think I’m doing the same thing in education. I’m trying to keep the parents a part of the school so that they can be a part of the community and be a part of their children’s education.

To learn more about Wendy's campaign visit here

So tomorrow is 4/20 or April 20th. What is 4/20? It’s a date that in North America has come to symbolize the modern version of an old problem – the cannabis version of Prohibition.

Today (if you’re 21 and over) you can walk into any 7-11 and get an ice cold Bud, a Labatt, or a Coors light. This wasn’t always the case. As some of us may know from history, or from watching Boardwalk Empire on HBO, Prohibition was a time in American history when alcohol was illegal. The illegality of alcohol in some cases – such as in the city of Milwaukee destroyed whole economies, and in others created a deadly underground economy. Today after all of that – decades of economic hardships and hundreds of dead bodies later, alcohol has been legalized and brought under government regulation.

So tomorrow is 4/20 or April 20th and the legalization of cannabis which is a relatively harmless drug has so many positive reverberations.

We’re working with a statewide group called Compassionate Care NY. They’ve been working on the benefits of the legalization of cannabis for medical purposes and there are many in New York who would agree with them. Cannabis for medical use has been made law in 18 states already. And, there are physicians and medical professionals coming to this same conclusion seemingly on a daily basis.

VOCAL NY down in New York City has been working on something called Stop and Frisk. It’s when the possession of very small amounts of cannabis leads to a high number of unnecessary arrests. This phenomenon has been primarily used in inner city lower income neighborhoods throughout the state. This makes this a civil rights issue as most of those affected are of Black American and Hispanic ethnic background.

Above all of this, regulated legalization of cannabis saves taxpayers millions of dollars per year in unnecessary court and criminal justice system proceedings for multiple arrests of possession of small amounts of what most people will agree is a harmless drug.

In Buffalo there is movement underway to right these wrongs. There is an event planned for tomorrow for the passage of The Buffalo Marijuana Act. There is also a corresponding online petition going around. The organizers of this are asking for 3 things:

1. The legalization for medical marijuana
2. Lowest Police Priority and decriminalization for under 35 grams (Up from 25 grams in NYS)
3. The right to grow industrial hemp

The event starts at 12 noon and goes until 6pm. Happy 4/20 everybody, we just thought you should know.

Keeping up with our promise on aiming a spotlight on education in the city of Buffalo, we caught up with Sue Gillick who is running for a seat on the city of Buffalo Board of Education. We encourage residents to learn about the candidates running and to go out and vote. The election for the Board of Education is coming up on May 7, 2013. She is running in the North District which primarily includes a large section of North Buffalo. Over a couple of mugs of some delicious coffee at Sweetness 7 Café over on Grant St we discussed some things. Here’s what happened.

PB: What district are you running in?

SG: North.

PB: What geographical boundary in Buffalo does this cover, approximately?

SG: Mostly North Buffalo.

you can see original map here

PB: Are you a lifelong Buffalo/Western New York resident, what’s your story?

SG: I’m a lifelong resident; I am a Buffalo Public Schools graduate, I graduated from Riverside High. This has always been my home.

PB: Ok, go Riverside, so you’re home grown, and you’re familiar with Buffalo’s ups and downs – the golden era?

SG: Yes I am the golden era and error. And, also the blindness of the past couple of decades but it seems as though we’re coming out of it a little bit though.

PB: You have a PHD in clinical psychology?

SG: Yes

PB: What does that mean for those who don’t know? Exactly what does a clinical psychologist do?

SG: A clinical psychologist is one that actually does therapy with patients. I worked specifically with children so when I first started in Children’s Hospital (Buffalo) I was doing all kinds of therapy with children. When I moved to the schools I continued doing therapy with children there, and I also did testing/evaluations for learning disabilities, handicaps, or strengths.

PB: With that background, what are some of the problems or some of the things that you noticed that were working in the Buffalo Public Schools?

SG: Of course there is the school climate, it’s very bad. We’re hoping the Code of Conduct will improve that. In cities where it has been used before like Denver and Baltimore it has reduced suspension rates by 40% in one, 60% in the other, and reduced truancy which are the key factors for predicting graduation rates. Because it was previously a punitive punishment based system, I want to make sure that goes away. In terms of special ED, very simply Buffalo does not follow the law. They need Help. There’s no communication between the Central Office and the schools. Decisions are made without really knowing what’s going on in the schools. We have to have consistency throughout the district. You can’t have a preschooler thrown out for 5 days for saying “no” to a principal in one school and that being OK in another school, or somebody being thrown out for 7 weeks because they have a cell phone. So, I want consistency throughout the district, I want all the schools brought up. Now at this point we have a couple of schools that are performing well, but the idea is to bring up all the schools so that every child can have an opportunity to fulfill their potential.

PB: What are your thoughts on the Say Yes program?

SG: I think it has a lot of promise. I’ve been very pleased with it so far. Not only are they offering scholarships but they’re working with the kids. They are offering mentoring, tutoring, counseling – the kind of help the kids need. What an opportunity. I know that the statistics are not clear but we’ve already seen a little bit of a change of attitude in the kids towards school. I would love to see all the people who raced to the suburbs to run away from Buffalo Public Schools to just kick themselves for doing that.

PB: How long have you been involved with Citizen’s Action (CA) of WNY? How important is the advocacy work that they do around education?

SG: I’ve been working with them for about a year or so. CA was working on the Code of Conduct most recently and the Buffalo Board of Education fought us on this in the beginning. We protested, and protested. Our last protest was in September on the Buffalo City Hall steps. Since then there has been a turnaround. The Superintendent has been cooperative but I want to see this happen more often.

PB: Do you think that having a good education system fits in with living sustainably?

SG: I think absolutely it does because we want all of our children to have an opportunity to do what they can do. When you drop out of school you lose a lot of opportunity. It’s not a thing of this is better or worse, but it just gives you more opportunity. I don’t believe that there should just be one kind of diploma. I think this regent’s diploma business is not fair because all of our kids have different gifts. There should be apprenticeships. A good education allows every citizen to evaluate the type of politics we have going on.

You can follow Sue and her campaign on FB or learn more about her here

Do you have an idea or concept for improving a piece of property in Buffalo? Designing to Live Sustainably (d2ls) is encouraging you NOW to enter our competition. Our mission is to use a highly inclusive competition to inspire the public and private sectors to submit YOUR ideas on ways to improve YOUR neighborhood or an area you know is ripe for a real face lift. The competition is open to anyone (professionals and community members, students) who can help create a livable and sustainable Buffalo in the 21st century and beyond.

D2LS seeks entries from every demographic and discipline to be catalysts to drive this conversation. From interiors and new or adaptive re-use built environment to landscape and site plans. From high school through university students to professionals and block clubs. From those who have only a great box of crayons to those with sophisticated design software.

Entrants may enter as a team or individually and are allowed to submit more than one entry. The registration fee is only $40, per submission, whether one person or multiple members work as a team. The submissions will be displayed during the Competition Celebration at the CEPA Gallery, 617 Main Street on May 18, 2013. Developers will be invited to meet and talk with the entrants with the hope of moving designs into realty! Please visit www.d2lsbuffalo.com to enter the competition and for further information. You can enter NOW and your actual illustration/design is not due until May 3rd. So get in the contest! Thank you.

PUSH has recently joined a state wide coalition fighting for the decriminalization of medical marijuana – that is the decriminalization of marijuana for medical purposes. The name of this movement is called Compassionate Care NY. We think that legalization of marijuana for legitimate medical purposes is not only progressive it’s long overdue.

Voices of Community Activists & Leaders or VOCAL NY, and the Drug Policy Alliance are 2 of the organizations leading this effort. They’ve been busy helping to build awareness for this change to happen down state (in New York City, NYC), in Central New York, and here up in Western New York.

One of the things they’ve found out through their work is that in NYC alone almost half a million marijuana related arrests were made during 2002-2012. A half million MJ arrests in NYC equals approximately 1,000,000 hours of police time. This is time that police officers might have otherwise spent investigating and solving serious crimes. And, not surprisingly the majority of those being arrested are Black and Latino. "We cannot afford to continue arresting tens of thousands of youth every year for low-level marijuana possession…we can't afford it in terms of the negative effect it has on the future prospects of our youth and we can't afford in terms of police hours…we need legislative action to fix this madness” said Alfredo Carrasquillo, civil rights organizer with VOCAL-NY.

A recent development has come to light that needs our attention. This issue remains a sticking point in the New York State budget talks. Lawmakers on both sides are making moves, or taking no action on the issue. From where we are standing one thing is clear – the solution to this problem has to be a statewide and all encompassing solution, all or nothing.

In January, Governor Andrew Cuomo said one of his top priorities for 2013 was to fix New York’s marijuana’s law. A fix to the law is desperately needed: last year, nearly 50,000 people were arrested for marijuana in New York, costing taxpayers over $75 million a year. Marijuana possession is the number one arrest in NYC. And, nearly 85% of those arrested are mostly Black and Latino youth. While the numbers of arrests are lower in Western New York, the racial disparities in the region are actually higher than in New York City. Buffalo’s racial disparity percentage for marijuana arrests ranks in the top 10 counties in the United States. Nothing has changed, and the State legislature hasn’t acted. We need real reform – now.

We need your help. Can you take two minutes now to help end racially biased, costly marijuana arrests in NY?

2 Minutes, 2 Actions

1st minute:

Call Governor Cuomo.

Please call Gov. Cuomo’s office to ask him to take action. You can leave a quick message at his desk – they track every message, so each call counts!

(212) 681-4579

Sample message:

“Hi, my name is ____________. I am calling to ask Gov. Cuomo to pass his marijuana decriminalization proposal immediately. It will reduce racial bias, save the state tens of millions of dollars, and bring greater equity to our state’s marijuana policies. Thank you.”

Once you’ve called the office, ask your friends to do the same.

2nd minute:

Send Albany lawmakers a message: End Marijuana Arrests Now!

Click here to email NY State legislators demanding reform. Let’s end these wasteful and racially biased arrests.

send this to three of your friends, and ask them to engage in Two Minutes for Justice. 

Today Wednesday March 13 at 11 AM, PUSH Buffalo, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper (BNR), the Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA), the WNY Regional Economic Development Council, New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC), and Judith A. Enck of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a major initiative to promote green infrastructure, storm water management, and green jobs in PUSH's Green Development Zone (GDZ) on Buffalo's West Side.

PUSH and Riverkeeper will announce the launch of PUSH Blue, an intensive effort to combat Combined Sewer Overflow. With funding from the state’s Environmental Facilities Corporation, PUSH will complete 25 green infrastructure projects in the GDZ over the next two years, including rain gardens, green roofs, bios wails and catchment systems. “Traditional storm water systems are already at or near capacity in many places and storm water runoff can overwhelm existing sewer systems, leading to pollution of waterways and even homes,” said Suzanna Randall, AICP Green Infrastructure Coordinator for the New York State Environmental Facilities Corp (EFC). “PUSH Blue is a community-based way of addressing the sewer overflow problem while creating green jobs in our neighborhood” adds Jen Mecozzi Director of Community Organizing at PUSH.

People United for Sustainable Housing better known as PUSH Buffalo, is a leader in sustainable green development. The Green Development Zone is PUSH’s internationally recognized effort to grow a new community economy in a 25-square block area of the West Side in the city of Buffalo NY. “The Western New York Regional Economic Development Council is pleased to support PUSH and Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper’s Green Development Zone with a grant through the state’s Consolidated Funding Application,” said Howard Zemsky, WNYREDC Co-Chair and Managing Partner at Larkin Development Group. “As a council, thanks to Governor Cuomo’s leadership, we are embracing projects that stress strategic public and private investments to build a new, innovative and sustainable 21st century economy for Western New York. Buffalo’s West Side will greatly benefit from today’s launch of PUSH Blue” expresses Zemsky.

Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper is a community based organization focused on the environmental health of Buffalo area waterways – including the Buffalo River, and the mighty Niagara River. Their Blue Economy Initiative insures that Buffalo area water resources are protected as they support recreation, eco-tourism, fish, wildlife, manufacturing, waste processing, power generation, trans-shipment, and drinking water. “Overflow issues have, for too long, been a drain on public health and quality of life along the Buffalo and Niagara Rivers and throughout the Lake Erie basin, which is why I fought so hard to help bring state support to this effort” said State Senator Tim Kennedy. Not only will this project benefit the aesthetics of the community, it will prove beneficial to the health of Scajaquada Creek" said Jill Jedlicka Executive Director of Riverkeeper. “PUSH Buffalo and Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper have set a tremendous example for other communities looking to improve their water quality,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck.

We'll keep you posted about the actual launch date and other information about PUSH Blue. Stay tuned!

There’s been a lot of talk lately about this thing called sequestration. What is it, what does it mean, how does it affect me?

Sequestration according to Dr. Paul Johnson of Auburn University was “originally a legal term referring generally to the act of valuable property being taken into custody by an agent of the court and locked away for safekeeping, usually to prevent the property from being disposed of or abused before a dispute over its ownership can be resolved.” Nowadays the term has been high jacked by congress to mean a certain type of financial policy. “If congress cannot agree on ways to cut back the total (or does not pass a new, higher Budget Resolution), then an "automatic" form of spending cutback takes place. This automatic spending cut is what is called sequestration" Johnson says.

Suddenly in March of 2013, only 3 months into the New Year – all hell (fiscally speaking) has suddenly broken loose. Has US President Barack Obama put the ball in the court of Congressional Republicans, or is it the other way around? No one seems to know. “I don’t know whether it’s going to hurt the economy or not” says House Speaker John Boehner R-Ohio in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press about sequestration 2013. GOP members of Congress have indicated that they’d be open to granting the Obama administration flexibility in choosing what to save and what to cut. President Obama however has maintained that he does not want to be made the sole decision maker of difficult or painful budget cuts.

The problem with a potential automatic form of spending cutback (or any cutback for that matter) is that nobody wins in the end. Services that are already flesh wounds get cut to the bone, and agencies that are underfunded fall by the wayside. The people who often work with the least end up getting cut into the most. These potential automatic federal budget cuts would affect among other things social service programs, and education. It remains to be seen what specific effects the sequestration would have on Buffalo NY, but it doesn’t take a mind reader to figure out that it wouldn’t be good.

When big corporations don’t pay their fair share the pie is undone. Would you eat a cherry or an apple pie with just the filling and not the crust? It’s not a pie then, is it? Now add to our revenue crisis, a budget crisis, and a sequestration, what do we do now?

Plain faced wickedness, political gamesmanship, or a sincere gentlemen’s disagreement – whatever it is we have to figure something out quick.

PS. You can check out this link to see who pays the price for these cuts and to take action against them. 

"The community benefits by partnering with groups like PUSH Green. As the districts' representative, I applaud the program and its staff. Home improvements and energy efficiencies help homeowners, neighborhoods, and our next generation."

- Erie County Legislator Lynn Marinelli

As some may, or may not know PUSH Green, a newly formed arm of PUSH Buffalo, has been created to:

1. Expand access to weatherization services across Erie County for all residents, regardless of income.
2. Work with homeowners who are interested in lowering their utility bills and making their home more comfortable through energy efficiency improvements like insulation and high-efficiency furnaces that help to reduce our region’s energy usage
3. Offers free comprehensive energy assessments of your home. If you choose to proceed with home improvements, we can help you access a new NYSERDA program that will allow you to finance improvements right on to your utility bill, eliminating the need to pay up-front.

We need your help in spreading the word about our Share the Savings program! You can help in two simple ways:

1. Improve Your Own Home. Schedule an appointment for a comprehensive home energy assessment, today! Call (716) 886-1780 and ask to speak with a PUSH Green Energy Advocate to get the process started!

2. Serving as an advocate for homeowners who are interested in lowering their utility bills and making their home more comfortable through energy efficiency improvements like insulation and high-efficiency furnaces that help to reduce our region’s energy usage. Your PUSH Green Energy Advocate is only a phone call away throughout the upgrade process.

The link to the online referral form is HERE

We’ll be tallying up the referrals and announcing the winners of Share the Savings the first week of March.

Prizes for those who refer the largest number of homeowners interested in learning about PUSH Green are as follows:

First Prize: $200 Gift Certificate for Buffalo Chophouse
Three Runners Up:
$50 Gift Certificate for Allen Street Hardware
$50 Gift Certificate for Lexington Co-Op
$50 Gift Certificate for Black Rock Kitchen & Bar

Have questions? Contact PUSH Green Program Manager at Kate@pushbuffalo.org or 716-886-1780

Let’s work to green our community while creating quality jobs in the process through Share the Savings.
#staygreen and #LIVEBetter friends! #ShareTheSavings

About eight years ago when PUSH Buffalo was first beginning to form, one of the biggest, most immediate concerns that we noticed about housing conditions (as they relate to the West Side of Buffalo) at that time was that the area had a surplus of dilapidated housing. The city of Buffalo as a whole has a surplus of dilapidated housing. Simultaneously there was a lack of living wage job opportunities for people of all types, living all over Buffalo. We all know the story – as an international economic climate changes, a once great Northeastern industrial city falls into stormy hard times. No doubt our fallen economy can be blamed for our fall from industrial grace into the nation’s 3rd poorest city.

Our mission has always been to develop solutions to these two blaring problems that smack most of us in the face on a daily basis (jobs & housing). If you can’t find good work, you won’t be able to afford a home, or rent an apartment for that matter. Or, if you find good work you want quality affordable housing to live in regardless if you own, or rent.

With any new endeavor – whether a non-profit, or business, etc… the best strategy is to focus energy on a target area. It made sense to the founding members of PUSH Buffalo to concentrate our efforts on the West Side of Buffalo first, using the experience gained here to spread to not only other parts of Buffalo, but also to other areas of the state/nation.

Buffalo has too many problems too numerous to mention, and the problem of its dilapidated housing – like our other problems, won’t be solved overnight. Unfortunately there is no exact science, or recipe for mixed use, rust belt revitalization. We have found as we are constantly seeing, that it will take a combination of a variety of ways to create a healthy, and sustainable community.

“Let the market drive the price”. We don’t believe in repeating this wheel. Unfortunately much of our nation’s past infrastructure was built on segregated practices. To create strong neighborhoods with high quality, affordable housing (available to a large cross section of our residents), and to decrease the rate of housing abandonment (in the 3rd poorest city in the US) – low-income residents have to be involved. They become involved by reclaiming empty houses from neglectful public and private owners, and redeveloping them for occupancy. We develop neighborhood leaders capable of gaining community control over the development process and planning for the future of the neighborhood. Creating a city of good neighbors where a high quality of life exists for some and not many others is not only cold, it lacks basic humanity.

In the housing development work that we do, we generally start with some of the worst buildings and vacant lots on the street. These long-vacant and derelict properties are expensive to bring back to life. After years of deferred maintenance and abandonment, they generally need full gut rehabilitation – including new roofs, facades, and systems. We often find ourselves putting in all new roofs, plumbing, heating, and electrical systems. We find ourselves rebuilding foundations, floors, walls, and ceilings. It’s a lot of work, and we try to do it in a way that is as sustainable and durable as possible. In order to create housing that will be affordable for the long term; we use public funds to subsidize the costs of this work. Those funds require us to correct every code violation –this includes finding and removing every environmental hazard such as lead, asbestos, and mold. These are typical issues we deal with that we find in the buildings we work on. To create a home that meets some very high standards, not surprisingly, it takes a large amount of money. Without such funds, these projects would not be possible as the costs would lead to rents far higher than the market could bear, let alone be affordable to the neighborhood residents for whom we do this work. The other option of course is to play The What If Game. “What if someone grabs this very nice, but falling apart house and rehabs it? What if someone magically comes along and transforms this vacant lot into something nice? What if the housing fairy comes along and transforms this old apartment building into a vibrant, livable community haven?”

If you walk or drive down Massachusetts Avenue, I honestly believe that everyone reading this would be convinced that our strategy is working. Beautifully renovated buildings that had been vacant and doomed to demolition, a huge new park planned by PUSH members, and huge community gardens built and maintained by PUSH on parallel streets.

All of this development has been achieved through constant community planning. We have monthly planning meetings with periodic mass events and surveys.

We acknowledge that we may have had a learning curve or that there may be some minor issues with some other properties – and we are diligently working to find the best solution to correct these. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Progressive greatness takes some time to develop.

It must also be noted that PUSH has recently secured funding to weatherize more than 80 low-income homes on Buffalo’s West Side. Adding to this, we are not alone in our efforts to create a stable and vital mixed-income neighborhood on the West Side. Hundreds of home owners and small property owners have rehabbed and maintained their properties.

Other organizations also work on affordable housing, economic development, and community revitalization. PUSH hopes to continue its partnerships with all of these efforts. As such, instead of creating new programs at PUSH that replicate what already exists to promote homeownership, or assist homeowners with repairs – we partner and support groups like Habitat for Humanity, Westside Ministries, Home Front, and West Side NHS. PUSH thinks that high quality affordable rental housing is part of the mix that creates strong neighborhoods, and as the neighborhood continues to become a place where people want to live, we want to make sure there are housing opportunities for people at all income levels.

We welcome all to become PUSH members and be part of our work. We have meetings and events almost every week and our offices serve as a thriving youth center. For more information, go to www.pushbuffalo.org

She came through like a thief in the night

She was so seductive, so beautiful, but yet so deadly at the same time. She came in, got what she wanted, but ended up destroying the apartment in the process. She crept in for a one night stand that we’ll remember for the rest of our lives. Her name was Sandy, and may we never forget it.

So Hurricane Sandy has come and gone. Or, at least the hurricane is gone, but she ransacked our homes, and our communities. It’s almost like she went through our pockets, and stole all our TVs and appliances while we were asleep. When we awoke our stuff was gone, our pockets were rabbit ears, and we had no cash to live off of.

New York State governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State Address (SOS) has roared through, and dissipated – like Hurricane Sandy. But, understandably being drowned out by all of that loud noise there is one thing to consider – sustainable democracy.

Relief for New Yorkers still coping with Sandy’s aftermath

Sandy was the most devastating natural disaster to hit New York in years. And, in the wake of the storm’s aftermath it looks like a replaying of what happened after Hurricane Katrina. That is disaster relief efforts are working quite well for some New Yorkers, and not so well for others. Playing out like a skipped CD, the situation is unfortunately all too familiar – people with access to power make things happen, while regular working and lower income folks make do.

“Now more than ever, we can’t afford to have a city that serves some New Yorkers and not others” said Alexa Kasdan, Director of Research and Policy at the Community Development Project at the Urban Justice Center. “As we recover from the storm, we have an opportunity to rebuild the city in a smart, sustainable, and just way that addresses economic equality and gives real decision making power to those that are most affected.” “Three out of four immigrants in devastated areas have been unable to access relief” says Deborah Axt, Co- Executive Director, Make the Road New York. “Many of our members……are traveling to their jobs in communities that have fully recovered from the storm. Unfortunately, they are going back home to neighborhoods that are still facing severe devastation from the aftermath of Sandy” expresses Pat Purcell from UFCW 1500.

Falling skies - The big issue here though is climate change

As the 2013 rolls in this is the predicament that we find ourselves in. New York State (and especially New York City, and the tri-state area) is not the typical hurricane prone region of the United States. Hurricanes typically haunt the mid-west and western parts of the country. But with the advent of climate change – anything weather wise is possible in any part of the world. Consider that in 2010 according to the associated press, it snowed in 49 of the 50 states of the union. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, or meteorologist to see that something is wrong (or out of the ordinary) with the weather.

The big issue here though is climate change. Many of the world’s top scientists have already gone on record, and many more are starting to come to a similar conclusion – our weather is just not what it used to be.

Many have attributed our falling skies with the rise of global warming. This is the idea that as the planet (Earth) heats up, the weather on all continents is affected. The heating up of the planet is due primarily to mankind’s burning of fossil fuels (and other environmentally altering practices) into the air. This is not something that I just made up there is plenty of research done by some of the world’s most brilliant scientists that backs up what I’ve said.

The solution is a simple one - if we don’t like snowstorms in Florida, or hurricanes in New Jersey, we have to be more sustainable in our energy, and life choices. And, the burning of fossil fuels should be about as extinct as the dinosaurs. It’s either that, or we can expect many more unexpected visits from thieves in the night.

The bigger issue is the decentralization of energy production

I just watched the Mad Max movie marathon on AMC. In a post nuclear holocaust, apocalyptic world, a loner travels the roads and fights evil. In this world gas or energy is a valuable commodity. In the second movie of the series The Road Warrior, our hero Max (Mel Gibson) runs into group of people who have built a community around an underground gas well. They have extracted many gallons of gas. Max ends up helping the group do battle against a crazy biker gang hell bent on destroying their community, and taking all of their gas.

Taking some power out of the few big energy company’s hands would place more control of energy (gas, lights – resources which we need to live), at the neighborhood level. Why in the world would somebody want to do that? Well for starters a huge power system wouldn’t get knocked out all at once if another natural disaster like a surprise ice storm, a hurricane, or a blizzard hit a community. Another thing to consider is that there are alternatives to producing the energy that we need to live much cheaper at the neighborhood level. The NYS 2100 commission (one of a few that were created by Cuomo after Hurricane Sandy) suggested that decentralization of large utilities be explored, and that the state study other methods of creating energy like co-generation, combined heat/ power, and solar power.

More oversight of utility companies

To his credit the Governor is making some moves in the right direction. The current system has been “skewed in favor of the utility companies” Cuomo recently stated. Alluding to the aftermath of Sandy he has expressed the idea of giving more power to the NYS Public Service Commission (PSC). The PSC which is charged with regulating utility companies in NYS is working in an environment where “the utility companies are very powerful” he said.

The National Fuel Accountability Coalition (based out of Buffalo NY) has been in a struggle with National Fuel Gas to create more sustainable housing in their community. The coalition believes that its weatherization efforts in an area that desperately needs it works in tandem with the progressive suggestions put forth by the 2100 Commission. “This goes along with what we’ve been saying all along, and weatherization reform is a part of that process” says Jen Mecozzi Director of Organizing for PUSH Buffalo, a member of the coalition.

The ban fracking movement held a rally the same day as the SOS, making peaceful noise downstairs from the speech. What does fracking have to do with sustainable democracy? Anytime a drilling process destroys a natural resource like water, it can’t be taken seriously as a sustainable practice. This leads to the big picture item of looking into renewable and clean energy alternatives, and there are some that do exist – they’re just not getting the attention they deserve.

Instead of having a few super huge energy grids, why not create a series of smaller, more neighborhood concentrated grids? Add to that the possibility of running these grids with cleaner alternative energy producing methods – the possibility is limitless. Some of these methods could work no doubt, but we’ll never know for sure until we try.

The Minimum Wage Increase

In his SOS speech Governor Cuomo called for an increase in the NYS minimum wage. This is an increase that would potentially raise the minimum wage to $8.75 (up $1.50). Although it’s not a very large financial windfall, this is certainly a step in the right direction. Citizens of Buffalo (now one of the top 5 poorest cities in the nation) as well as residents across the State certainly can use any wage increase. This is a band aid approach at best. The next step is to tie the minimum wage increase to inflation, and continue the conversation around creating a living wage.

The biggest issue: Neighborhood input all the way

A big storm hits, and housing is destroyed on a mass scale. A huge grid is knocked out, thousands (if not millions) of people lose their utility service at the same time. The never ending story of two communities begins again. One community (the one with the more expensive housing) gets services restored in a timely manner, while the other is still waiting. Service isn’t restored for many for months afterward, and worse still these same people go without proper shelter for this same amount of time. These are the types of things that can happen when regular folks are completely left out of the decision making process.

We have an opportunity here albeit out of a natural tragedy to build energy efficient, and a smart green sustainable development infrastructure that works well for all members of our community. Good things are happening. Take for example PUSH Buffalo and PUSH Green’s (PUSH Buffalo’s energy efficiency arm) recent announcement that funding has been secured to weatherize more than 80 homes in lower income parts of Buffalo. PUSH Green also has money, and energy saving programs available for people with incomes both above, and below HEAP eligibility.

The State has been working with community based groups statewide in a few different capacities to lay the foundation for this work. People know what they need where they live, and they know they need access to power to better direct what happens in their local communities. This won’t happen unless we get the powers that be to see the big picture. The big picture includes eliminating the political absurdity and gamesmanship being played out over disaster relief, and sustainability efforts.

It’s New York City in 1971. It’s nighttime - about 40 minutes before the Ali/Frazier fight. You’re walking into Madison Square Garden, and it looks like something out of a movie. All you could see outside for blocks are lines of expensive cars – Ferraris, Benzes, BMWs, and Bentleys. Your eyes behold the most exquisite looking people rocking tuxedoes, silk night gowns, Chanel purses, chinchilla coats/hats, fur coats, silky smooth suits of all styles, and colors.

That’s almost what the New York State (NYS) State of the State Address (SOS) is like. The SOS is coming up real soon - this Wednesday (tomorrow January 9th) in fact. And, it's a big deal.

Once you reach the top, the only place left to go is down. This is the precarious position NYS governor Andrew Cuomo finds himself in. Based on what he has to say in this 30, or so minute speech - the governor will either buy time to keep his political career going, or create new hordes of enemies that would work to knock him off the wall like Humpty Dumpty.

It's a new year with resolutions, and new perspectives, but old habits die hard. The SOS has traditionally been the forum where NYS governors past (if even only for lip service) lay out, and signal important statewide initiatives for the coming year.

People, officials, and organizations that stand on differing sides of progressive issues, go to the SOS every year. Many go to see if their lobbying has paid off. They listen for buzz words in the governor's speech, or for straight up, direct references to their issue. Others like the anti-fracking movement aren't taking any chances, and they go to make some peaceful noise.

Before my baptism into activism/organizing, I used to think that the New York SOS was just another show. It is, but annually it's one of the most prolific shows in the month of January in NYS. It’s going to be like the 1971 Frazier vs. Ali fight at Madison Square Garden. Everyone’s going to be in the house. Education, climate change, weatherization, energy efficiency, environmentalists, arts groups, community based groups, big business, the minimum wage, unions, transportation you name it – the pro, and con of every issue will be present. And, just like Frank Lucas in 1971, the most important or well-connected people (issues) will have seats closer to the ring.

The during, and the aftermath of what happens at the SOS for cities like Buffalo is important. With the decline of industry, and less and less private investment coming into the region, the loss (or gain) of any government funding, or support has become more important. In the face of a changing economic, and physical climate regular working New Yorkers need all the support they can get.

On Wednesday some of us will have ring side seats while many others of us will be lucky to catch the fight on pay per view. Either way, we’ll be listening, waiting, or watching to see what the Governor has to say.

   

Two highlights of the conference that stand out in my mind are the different issues that groups across the country are working on, and a panel discussion that featured Congressman Keith Ellison of Minnesota.

They say that all politics is local, and this statement was never more true at this conference. VOCAL NY down in New York City is working on "Stop and Frisk", and on Medical Marijuana legislation, Take Action Minnesota has just beat a proposed voter ID restriction bill in that state, many groups in the Midwest, and out West are battling ant-immigration issues. Groups in Detroit Michigan are contending with of course housing issues. Keith Ellison's visit by far surprised me. Many say that compared to his colleagues in Washington he is pretty radical. I thought to myself "yeah right", but to my surprise he had some pretty interesting insights. He said "Washington can be like crack" or in other words as he broke it down later - a politician who stays in Washington DC around power, or influence long enough disconnected from the people who don't have the resources to fight on a large scale will become addicted to the power and the influence of Washington DC. He went on to give advice to organizers as how to keep their elected officials close to the common man on the street.

I am sometimes usually skeptical about events like this one, but from the opening session until the end I learned new information, connected with organizers doing similar things in other cities, and I came home empowered to continue doing my work.

You can also read this post on the goodneighborhood.com 

The PUSH Buffalo Annual Holiday Party is coming this Friday (December 21, 2012). Ring out the holiday season with us as we go into winter vacation resting up for a sustainable New Year!

In past years our holiday party was held inside the Grant Street Neighborhood Center (GSNC) which is located downstairs from our offices. We'll, we've grown as a family over the years so we are having our annual holiday celebration in a larger venue. Our Lady of Loretto Church which is also located in the same community as the GSNC has teamed up with us this year to provide the best possible holiday celebration ever.

The venue may have changed, but our cross cultural, and cross denominational invitation remains the same. Come one, come the small, the large, the old, the young, the black, the white, the brown, come all!

WHAT: PUSH Buffalo Annual Holiday Party

WHEN: Friday December 21, 2012 (starting at 5pm)

WHERE: Our Lady of Loretto Church, 172 15th St (use 14th St or back entrance, 301 14th St), Buffalo NY

We've recently had a victory. Funding is available RIGHT NOW, (that's right I said it....RIGHT NOW!!!!) to weatherize over 80 houses on Buffalo's West Side.

Check us out this Monday, December 3rd from 1pm - 3pm at the first job site (the 1st house to be weatherized) located at the corner of Massachusetts Ave, and Winter St. We'll be gathered in the heart of the "Green Development Zone", at the home of Mark, and Tammy Blouin.

When the insulation starts to fly warm up with some coffee, and cocoa. You'll be able to talk with the PUSH Buffalo/PUSH Green weatherization team to see if you qualify for this free program.

Together we can weatherize the West Side, because we know that going green isn't just a lifestyle, it's about survival!

What: FREE Weatherization Kickoff

When: Monday December 3rd, 2012

Where: Corner of Massachusetts Ave & Winter St in Buffalo NY