The Riverdale Press

Heating upgrades for Marble Hill not one, done

The announcement that Marble Hill Houses will get much-needed heating upgrades was great news for those living at the public housing complex. more

5/2/22

Parishioners at St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church in Marble Hill say it’s in dire need of repairs. They must raise $50,000, but there isn’t enough attendance between the church’s English and Spanish congregations to collect the funds fast enough.

St. Stephen's starts showing age

When believers think of a place to worship, they likely imagine a beautiful, peaceful temple visitors can pray at and enjoy. For many who attend services at St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church in Marble Hill, that’s typically what they’d get. more

By JOSEPH DE LA CRUZ | 2/14/22

The Major Deegan Expressway has many rough patches as it snakes its way around the Bronx. It’s enough to create confusion — so much that exits like the one at West 230th Street has picked up new signage from the state’s transportation department letting drivers going the wrong way know they’re going the wrong way.

New signs dot Major Deegan, but are they enough?

It seems every corner of the Major Deegan Expressway has a story, at least in the eyes of Melba Taveras. “There’s been an accident there, there, over there, and there,” says Taveras, manager of Fiesta Liquors, just off the expressway on West 230th Street and Bailey Avenue. more

By SARAH BELLE LIN | 2/7/22

Barbara Lauray, the president at Fort Independence Houses tenant association, worked to get the New York City Housing Authority to fix the Bailey Avenue complex’s heating system. The result? A temporary external boiler to keep residents warm. But those same tenants say it’s not working.

Heating issues plague NYCHA

The new year started in the 20s with a threat of snow that never came. But for many living at Fort Independence Houses, the fear wasn’t about getting to work or school — it was about simply staying warm. more

By JOSEPH DE LA CRUZ | 1/9/22

A woman sits outside of the West 238th Street Rite Aid, one of many in the city who are homeless. Some say she could be joined by so many more unless New York’s now-expired eviction moratorium is not re-upped. Gov. Kathy Hochul could call for a special session to address the moratorium as early as Wednesday.

Could eviction moratorium return?

Time’s up! The eviction moratorium has expired. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s federal eviction moratorium, it’s now up to states like New York to help keep tenants financially affected by the coronavirus pandemic in their homes. more

By JOSEPH DE LA CRUZ | 9/6/21

Hispanic tenants at Marble Hill Houses say they feel like they’re treated differently because of a language barrier between themselves and those who work for the New York City Housing Authority that manages the buildings. Community Board 8 last year released a Spanish language version of its 2017 housing guide, in hopes of breaking down some of the city’s more complex landlord-tenant laws.

Housing challenging enough without language barriers

For Spanish-speaking residents like Stephanie Rodriguez, housing resources can be very limited. Living at Marble Hill Houses, Rodriguez often finds it difficult to get the help she and her family needs when it comes to some of the even most basic issues. more

By JOSEPH DE LA CRUZ | 8/29/21

A homeless man sits on the steps of Woodlawn’s subway station just a stone's throw from a men's overnight shelter. Some in this part of the Bronx are concerned the city's hasty move to transfer homeless people back to congregate shelters and out of the hotels they stayed in during the height of the coronavirus pandemic may result in more loitering and trespassing issues, disrupting residential and retail neighborhoods.

Were homeless rushed out of hotels, back to shelters?

Tony Edwards says he’s witnessed some activity at Marble Hill Houses he believes is evidence of just how hasty a move it was from Mayor Bill de Blasio to relocate homeless people out of the coronavirus pandemic-era hotel rooms they were staying in. more

By JOSEPH DE LA CRUZ | 8/7/21

Paulette Shomo is still active in her Marble Hill Houses community after living there for more than a half-century. For her, it’s seems there was always a struggle in managing three different council members for a single community, but admits having that much representation can be advantageous as well.

Three councilmen, one NYCHA community

Marble Hill Houses is one of the more unique public housing complexes in the city. It straddles the border shared by both the mainland borough and Manhattan, creating a community where residents in one building could be represented by a completely different set of elected officials than those immediately next-door. more

By JOSEPH DE LA CRUZ | 7/5/21

Electric scooters could soon make their way to the northwest Bronx as part of a pilot program. Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez — who’s also the city council’s transportation committee chair — hosted an e-scooter demonstration recently at the Marble Hill Houses Community Center to introduce the potential new way of getting around.

Scooting along to the rest of the Bronx — and beyond

The city’s transit landscape fundamentally changed in 2013 when the blue behemoth of Citi Bike began popping up around the city. Eight years later, the popularity of those bicycles remains strong, providing a number of options ranging from leisurely rides through Central Park to a quick cross-town trip when a subway or bus might not be available. more

By ROSE BRENNAN | 2/7/21

State funds tapped for lighting, safety at local NYCHA houses

Scaffolding for repair work outside the Ft. Independence Houses has made the area so dark, one visually impaired resident said she waits outside at night until someone can help her enter the … more

By Shant Shahrigian | 3/23/16