Vol. 32, No. 10 First Class U.S. Postage Paid — Permit No. 4119, New York, N.Y. 10007 October 2002 ANTI-GRAFFITI MURAL BIG DRUG BUST PAL-Miccio Center Reopens AWARDS CEREMONY AT CYPRESS In Red Hook, Brooklyn HILLS HOUSES esidents of Cypress Hills Houses in Brooklyn can Rbreathe a little easier after Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly and Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes an- nounced the arrests of 45 gang members at a press conference at One Police Plaza on September 25. A six month NYPD under- cover investigation during which THERE SHOULD BE PEACE ON EARTH This mural, entitled narcotics detectives made more “New York City,” was one of the 12 winners of the Anti-Graffiti Mural than 100 purchases of illegal Contest. It was created by children from the Borinquen Plaza CC. drugs led to the arrests. Mr. Kelly said that five sepa- By Eileen Elliott rate drug gangs were involved, WORKING TOGETHER NYCHA Chairman Tino Hernandez (right) each operating in an assigned set he walls inside the gymnasium at the Rutgers Community Cen- joins PAL Chairman Robert M. Morgenthau at the PAL Miccio Center of buildings, with dealers selling ter in Lower Manhattan were covered with graffiti on September Grand Opening. The background mural was unveiled at the ceremony. T19, 2002! But unlike the “tags” that can show up uninvited on drugs in the lobbies and halls and NYCHA buildings around the City, these colorful renderings were en- lookouts watching out for them. By Eileen Elliott couraged by the Housing Authority, and by the Operations Services He said the 45 suspects sold an es- he PAL Miccio Center at the corner of Smith and West Ninth Anti-Graffiti Unit in particular. This graffiti was created over a period timated $1.5 million in cocaine, Streets in Red Hook, Brooklyn, had its official Grand Opening of six weeks by seniors and children, ages 8 to 12, at 20 Community heroin and marijuana this year, Ceremony in the “gymnatorium” on a rainy September 26, 2002. Centers that are part of NYCHA’s Citywide Anti-Graffiti Program. This and that the gangs, “…had a T Visitors streamed through the sparkling lobby of the facility to celebrate graffiti did not deface anyone’s property, rather residents painted it onto stranglehold on the Cypress Hills the completion of over $3 million of renovations, paid for by the New canvases with the help of Harborview Art consultants, as expressions of complex.” These gangs are now York City Housing Authority, and the reimplementation of a full sched- their visions of a post 9/11 future. The single unifying theme of the mu- dismantled. ule of programs for area residents for the first time since the Center was rals was “Tomorrow's Vision Through Youthful Eyes.” The case was particularly im- closed for the renovation in 1995. portant, Mr. Kelly said, “because NYCHA staff, residents and and the Department of Operations we were able to show that the “Don’t call it a comeback,” a Resident Association Presidents many of the young artists gath- Services, which collaborated on leaders of these gangs colluded banner near the entrance read, Dorothy Shields and Carmen ered at Rutgers late in the after- the project. She also thanked Joy to sell narcotics.” Eight allegedly “we’ve been here for years.” To be Cruz, respectively, and Joseph A. noon of the 19th for the Anti- Suarez from Jerry Joy Music who high-level leaders face conspiracy sure, the Police Athletic League Miccio III, the grandson of slain Graffiti Mural Ceremony to view visited the children at the sites to charges that could land them life (PAL) has been serving Brook- Police Officer Joseph A. Miccio, the art and learn which 12 of the teach them about the importance sentences. lyn’s youth at the PAL Miccio for whom the Center was named. murals would be chosen for a of respecting private property and “It’s the greatest thing that’s Center since 1963. PAL also man- Center Director Natasha 2003 calendar. the positive effects of constructive ever happened at Cypress Hills,” ages the Miccio Day Care Center Campbell welcomed everyone to Operations Services Citywide creativity. said Resident Association Presi- across the street and a PAL Head the event, saying the new facility Anti-Graffiti Unit Coordinator “The goal of NYCHA’s Anti- dent Dwayne Faison a week after Start Center next door. addressed a serious need in the Jacqueline Gathers gave credit Graffiti Program is simple and the arrests. “I’m so glad the New Distinguished guests seated community. where it was due, first, to the De- straight forward,” Ms. Gathers York City Police Department did on the dais included Manhattan “It was not easy to convince partment of Community Operations District Attorney and PAL Chair- everyone that the Red Hook com- (Continued on page 5) what they did. It’s like a new day. People aren’t afraid to come out man Robert M. Morgenthau, PAL munity is worthy of such a beauti- anymore. I’ve seen some of our Executive Director John J. Ryan, ful building,” said Red Hook seniors who I haven’t seen since NYC Department of Youth and Houses East Resident Association Inside: summer,” he laughed. “And the Community Development Com- President Dorothy Shields. “We kids are out playing. That’s the missioner Jeanne B. Mullgrav, are all grateful and will strive to • Office of School Safety best thing.” and from NYCHA, Chairman work together. This is truly a won- and Planning . page 2 Cypress Hills Houses, located Tino Hernandez, General Manag- derful gift — a dream come true.” er Douglas Apple, Secretary PAL Executive Director John • Apartments Available For Seniors . page 3 in the East New York section of Brooklyn, has 15 seven-story Frank Marín, and Department of Ryan was beaming as he thanked • New Computers For Brooklyn . page 4 buildings, which house an esti- Community Operations Deputy NYCHA, calling it a fabulous mated 3,526 residents. The devel- General Manger Hugh B. Spence. day. “It couldn’t have been done • 2002 Garden Competition Awards . page 8 opment was completed in 1955. Also seated on the stage were Red without the Housing Authority Hook Houses East and West (Continued on page 2) DON’T FORGET TO VOTE —NOV. 5TH Page 2 THE HOUSING AUTHORITY JOURNAL October 2002 Message From The Mayor PAL-Miccio (Cont’d. from page 1) Department of Education’s New Office of School Safety and Planning staff,” he said, thanking in partic- ular Chairman Hernandez, Mr. am pleased to announce the creation of a new office designed to Spence, Department of Design make our schools safer — the Office of School Safety and Plan- and Capital Improvement Direc- ning. This office will work collaboratively with the New York I tor David Burney and Deputy City Police Department (NYPD) Director Effie Tsitiridis, and and the Mayor's Criminal Jus- Brooklyn Borough Community tice Coordinator to implement Operations Director Mary Starks. a comprehensive, new school NYCHA Chairman Tino Her- safety plan. This will provide nandez called the PAL Miccio support to all schools on the Center “the achievement of a vital effective, coordinated use of and truly productive partnership disciplinary tools, truancy pre- between NYCHA and PAL, vention programs and school which reaches back 40 years.” He safety resources. also congratulated the many peo- First and foremost, students ple involved, saying that Detec- and teachers coming into our tive Miccio, his sons and grand- schools must have a safe and or- sons, a number of whom became derly environment. Children New York City police officers and cannot learn and teachers cannot firefighters, “are truly a family of teach if they are scared or intimidated, and although New York City heroes.” has made real progress in addressing issues of crime and safety in The highlight of the ceremony recent years, there is still more that can be done. This collaboration was when Joseph A. Miccio III, will ensure that principals, teachers, and school safety personnel in told his grandfather’s story. When every school are working together effectively. This level of intera- Joseph A. Miccio returned from gency collaboration will serve to demonstrate the power of the new World War I in 1941, he was a school governance structure. hero. He had a medal, a Purple One component of the plan is SchoolSafe, a data driven strate- Heart, but he was unable to walk. gy, whereby the Office of School Safety and Planning will work to Though the doctors told him he identify those schools with the worst criminal incident rates and im- would never walk again, Micco plement comprehensive action plans. The plans will draw on new didn’t let that get in the way of his and existing resources such as programs for truancy, attendance, and dream of becoming a police offi- discipline. SchoolSafe will focus on the 10% of schools with the cer. Not only did he achieve that highest incident rates. These schools account for over one-third of dream, he also realized his greater reported school-based crime, with criminal incident rates exceeding dream of becoming a detective. the average by 150% in the middle and high schools. Students from He was shot while on duty in these schools also score lower in key academic performance areas. Brooklyn on December 7, 1942, Graduation rates are 30% below average and the number of students and died the next day. who meet minimum academic standards is 16% below average. Mr. Miccio III was himself a A joint committee comprising representatives of the Department Housing Bureau patrolman in the of Education, the NYPD, and the Criminal Justice Coordinator’s of- Red Hook developments before WELCOME BACK (top photo) Young residents, mostly from the fice will monitor these schools and measure the effectiveness of new he became a firefighter.