Dear Neighbor,
Thank you for the opportunity of a lifetime to serve you over the past eight years. Together we’ve accomplished more than I ever thought possible.
We took on corruption. I wrote the laws to eliminate outside income making the job full and banning the Speaker’s “lulus” to pay Council Members for their obedience. The new “full” public matching campaign finance system that I authored helped candidates of all backgrounds run for office and win, many like me, refusing big money from real estate developers.
When real estate developers got billions in tax breaks without giving the affordable housing they promised, I wrote the law to force hundreds of thousands of affordable homes back on the market. We won the first of its kind community-led rezoning to stop Billionaires’ Row and made buildings with unlimited empty spaces illegal in the district.
Here in the neighborhood, we won pre-kindergarten for 4 and now 3-years-olds, funding for hundreds of school seats, more than half a billion dollars for our parks, improved commutes with a new subway, select bus service, bike share, and even ferries. Not to mention cleaning up our streets with a new trash can on every corner.
Our work has left an indelible mark on our city, on politics, on affordable housing, on our children, and on our skyline.
Sincerely,
Ben Kallos
BY THE NUMBERS
1,932 School Seats Secured or Funded for the Neighborhood
568 New Trash Cans on Every Corner
98 Years of Waiting Ended by Opening the Q Train
79 New Buses
46 Ferries a Day and 2 Ferry Stops
Ranked Best Law Makers 1st and 2nd Term by City & State
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS WITH MORE THAN 1,000 IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AFFORDABLE HOMES COMING BACK ON THE MARKET
THE NEW YORK TIMES
25 Million Applications: The Scramble for N.Y.C. Affordable Housing
"Before this, you had waiting lists and you had folks who might be politically connected with an official who knew buildings that had affordable housing.” said Council Member Kallos.
6/15/2020
Hundreds of thousands of affordable homes are coming back on the market thanks to a law I authored. In 2016, we worked with a whistleblower and ProPublica to bring attention to 15,000 buildings in New York City where owners received billions in tax breaks but failed to register 50,000 affordable homes, which meant they were probably rented at market rate. With the passage of my law, developers receiving city subsidies must offer new and existing affordable housing at HousingConnect.nyc.gov.
1,000 AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
HELPING THE HOMELESS
PATCH
Supportive Housing Facility Opens on Upper East Side
8/21/2019
amNY
Supermarket-style food pantry opens in Upper East Side
12/10/2020
CURBED
Upper East Siders Embrace a Homeless Shelter, Unlike their Crosstown Neighbors
“No fanfare, no problem. The men can stay,” said City Councilmember Ben Kallos, who actually advocated for the shelter (imagine that!).
1/22/2021
I co-founded the Eastside Taskforce for Homeless Outreach and Services (ETHOS) and have helped the homeless off our streets with new supportive housing, a food pantry, and plans for a new “safe haven” shelter.
STOPPING BILLIONAIRES’ ROW
The last thing New York City needs is more supertall towers to give billionaires better views. When a developer tried to force seniors and local heroes Herndon Werth and Charles Fernandez out of their affordable housing in Sutton, I helped found the East River Fifties Alliance. In 2017 we won the first of its kind grass-roots community rezoning to stop Billionaires’ row. In the end, Mayor de Blasio grandfathered the building, though the building’s height was capped.
BANNING MECHANICAL VOIDS
We won a rezoning in 2019 that banned empty mechanical voids in residential districts in Manhattan. We even defeated 249 East 62nd Street, an egregious example of this abuse. Now the fight must continue to extend those same protections to “Billionaires’ Row” in the Central Business District, Hudson Yards, and the Financial District.
FIGHTING COMMERCIAL TOWERS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS TO PROTECT OUR PARKS
I first voted against the Blood Center’s expansion in 2006, then killed two proposals as Council Member. But the Blood Center won’t stop pushing a 334-foot commercial tower, with the same foot print as the Empire State building, across the street from JREC and St. Catherine’s Park. The tower would leave both in permanent shadow. CB8, Congresswoman Maloney, Senator Krueger, and I all oppose the project. This newsletter is going to print before the final vote in the Council where I hope to protect our neighborhood park.
COMMERCIAL OBSERVER
City Council Seeks to Reform the ‘Most Powerful Agency That No One Has Heard of’
11/28/2016
“The BSA is the most powerful city agency that no one has ever heard of,” said Council Member Ben Kallos. “It literally has the power to change how neighborhoods are planned without going through the regular city planning process.”
The Board of Standards and Appeals has let developers ignore zoning for far too long. That’s why I authored five laws to force the BSA to consider arguments from the community and even fine developers $25,000 for lying.
OPENING 2 NEW UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES + INCUBATOR
ROCKEFELLER RIVER CAMPUS
On my first day on the job, we began negotiating the new 160,000 square foot, $500 million Stavros Niarchos Foundation-Rockefeller River Campus. In 2019, we cut the ribbon on the new building, featuring brand new biotech labs. As part of a public-private partnership we formed, Rockefeller invested $15 million to rebuild the East River Esplanade from 63rd Street to 68th Street, with maintenance in perpetuity.
CORNELL TECH ON ROOSEVELT ISLAND
After fighting for Roosevelt Island in the land use process, I was proud to break ground and cut the ribbon soon after on Cornell Tech, the Tata Innovation Center, and a new hotel. I’ve even enjoyed stopping to guest lecture or drop-in on Cornell programs at the senior center and P.S./I.S. 217.
$9 MILLION BIOTECH INCUBATOR AT ROCKEFELLER
While negotiating the new campus, I asked Rockefeller University to open up old space as a bio-tech incubator to keep jobs here in New York City. In 2021, we secured $9 million from the city to convert academic research labs to the Tri-Institutional Translational Center for Therapeutics to incubate discoveries from Rockefeller, MSK, and Weil Cornell into local high growth companies.
INVESTING $940 MILLION IN OUR PARKS
During my time as your City Council Member, I have Co-Chaired the East River Esplanade Taskforce with Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. We have fought tirelessly to make investments in the Esplanade all the way from East Midtown to East Harlem. We have now secured a total of $927.5 million dollars for the East River Esplanade:
? In construction for 2023Esplanade, 53rd - 60th St., $154 MillionWe broke ground in 2019 on a $100 million extension of the East River Esplanade from 60th St down to 53rd St
✅ Completed 2019 Sutton Place Park, 56th - 62nd St., $2.8 MillionWe connected Sutton Place Park with the pocket park at 56th St. We also invested $171,000 from our office for new security cameras to keep parks safe
Andrew Haswell Green Park, 60th - 61st St.
✅ Completed in 2017, Phase 2A, $4.7 Million
? In construction for 2022 Phase 2B, $33.6 Million
? Funded, Structural Rehab, $18 Million
In November 2017, we celebrated the completion of Andrew Haswell Green Park Phase 2A, a $7 million project that sits underneath the famous Alice Aycock “East River Round About.” Phase 2B will continue the Esplanade for 2 blocks, adding a hill with a green space to enjoy waterfront views.
✅ Completed 2019 Rockefeller University, 64th - 68th St., $15 Million
Our first public/private partnership with Rockefeller University stemming from their new river campus resulted in $15 million for a new resilient Esplanade, repaired seawalls, and a $1 million trust for maintenance in perpetuity.
? In construction for 2022 Esplanade, 68th - 70th St., $2 Million
After public-private partnerships funded renovations for much of the Esplanade, we invested capital dollars from our office to fill this gap.
Hospital for Special Surgery
✅ Completed in 2019 70 - 72nd St, $1.8 Million
? Funded 72nd to 78th St., $6.6 Million
We formed a public/private partnership with the Hospital for Special Surgery to renovate 2 blocks of the Esplanade and develop a Master Plan to continue north to 78th St. The plan includes noise barriers, water fountains, and irrigation, along with maintenance in perpetuity.
✅ Completed in 2017 81st St. Pedestrian Bridge, 16 Million
We replaced the 50-year-old crumbling stairwell connecting the upper and lower Esplanades with a new accessible ramp including glass viewing portals, rest points and a garden below.
? Funded in 2021 John Finley Walk, 81st - 90th St., $80 Million
This project will renovate the esplanade between East 81st and 90th streets, which runs past Carl Schurz Park. Visible changes will include smoothing over uneven walking surfaces, replacing streetlights, benches and pedestrian railings, and improving drainage systems.
? Funded Brearley Overhang, 82nd - 83rd St., $1.5 Million
After years of neglect by the City, Brearley negotiated a public-private partnership with our office to take over the overhang, fund renovations, and maintain the overhang in perpetuity.
✅ Opened 2016 90th St. Pier
The 3,000 square foot 90th Street Pier was closed to the public, only visible through the bars of a gate. It is now a public park thanks to our advocacy alongside Friends of the East River Esplanade.
✅ Completed in 2020 Esplanade, 90 - 92nd St., $14 Million
I secured $35 million in 2014, long before this section of the Esplanade fell into the river and emergency work began in 2017 and was completed in 2020
? Funded Esplanade, 92nd - 94th St., $28.5 Million
? Funded Esplanade, 94th - 107th St., $187 Million
? Funded 107th St. Pier, $28 Million
? Funded Esplanade, 114th - 117th St., $38 Million
? Funded Esplanade 118th - 124th St., $69 Million
? Funded Harlem River Drive, $227 Million
Completed in 2020
Carl Schurz Playground
$3.4 Million from Kallos & Brewer
$ Funded in 2021
Ruppert Playground
$9 Million from Kallos, Powers, Brewer, Quart & Council
FREE TENNIS AT THE QUEENSBORO BUBBLE
After years of advocacy alongside CB8, we’ve opened the tennis bubble for 22 weeks of FREE tennis in the Spring and Summer. During the Fall and Winter there are now $10 drop-in programs for Seniors and free programs and scholarships for Youth.
CLIMATE CHANGE & PROTECTING OUR PLANET
THE NEW YORK TIMES
N.Y.C. Bans Pesticides in Parks With Push From Unlikely Force: Children
Ben Kallos, the district’s council member, said ‘a bunch of kindergartners’ persuaded him to propose a city ban on pesticides in 2014.... He recalled holding ‘the best, cutest hearing ever’ in 2017. Children mobbed the floor of the council chambers singing ‘This Land Is Your Land.’
4/25/2021
PLASTIC BOTTLE BAN
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Could New York City Parks Be Going Plastic Bottle-Free?
“You see plastic bottles everywhere,” [Councilman Kallos] said. “It makes New York look like a dump and we can do better.”
4/20/2018
THE VERGE
“New York City is Cracking Down on Plastic Bottles”
2/7/2020
In 2018, I authored legislation to ban plastic bottles from being sold in city parks or bought by the city. In 2020, Mayor de Blasio adopted my proposal by Executive Order.
DECLARING A CLIMATE EMERGENCY
CNN
New York City declares a climate emergency, the first US city with more than a million residents to do so
6/27/2019
Climate change is real. Between wildfires in California, superstorms, floods and sea levels rising, it is clear we have a climate emergency. I am proud to have authored and passed a resolution declaring one in New York City, making international news as the largest city to do so.
OFFSHORE WIND FOR NEW YORK CITY
We won a $191 million commitment to build offshore wind and other renewable energy to power New York City with 100% clean electricity by 2040.
WINNING NEW SCHOOL SEATS, INVESTING IN SCHOOLS, AND BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
WINNING 1,243 PRE-KINDERGARTEN SEATS FOR 4 AND 3-YEAR-OLDS ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE
SECURING FUNDING FOR FREE PRE-K FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS
THE NEW YORK TIMES
... Political Might in Pre-K Push
2/7/2014
I ran for City Council on the promise of making pre-kindergarten free for four-year-olds and joined the Mayor in winning funding from Albany in 2014, but was disappointed to only get 154 seats to serve over a thousand kids.
RALLYING FOR FREE PRE-K SEATS ON UPPER EAST SIDE
After years of fighting, we finally won the funding to build three new
pre-kindergarten centers, adding over 800 seats, all of which opened by 2020.
While we were fighting for seats for 4-year-olds, Mayor de Blasio had already
rolled out free pre-k for 3-year-olds with the promise of going citywide by
2021. However, I knew the program was stalled without enough funding.
Mayor de Blasio tied citywide expansion to Federal pandemic relief dollars.
When Congresswoman Maloney delivered billions, I collected on the
promise and we won 3K for all of Manhattan, including the Upper East Side.
WINNING 1,243 PRE-KINDERGARTEN SEATS FOR
4 AND 3-YEAR-OLDS ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE
INVESTING $24.75 MILLION IN SCHOOLS: STEM, GREEN ROOFS, PLAYGROUND, & LAPTOPS
... Political Might in Pre-K Push
2/7/2014
SECURING FUNDING FOR FREE PRE-K
FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS
RALLYING FOR FREE PRE-K SEATS
ON UPPER EAST SIDE
More Pre-K Seats Planned for Upper East Side
12/28/2018
FOX5
Upper East Side Parents Need More Pre-K Spots; Council Member Kallos calls for more seats
6/6/2016
I led a rally calling attention to the fact that the Upper East Side still didn’t have enough free pre-k seats. Hundreds of parents and children, and every elected official joined our action.
WINNING 800 ADDITIONAL PRE-K SEATS
WALL STREET JOURNAL
More Pre-K Seats Planned for Upper East Side
12/28/2018
After years of fighting, we finally won the funding to build three new pre-kindergarten centers, adding over 800 seats, all of which opened by 2020.
WINNING FREE 3-K ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE
BLOOMBERG
NYC Plans Citywide Expansion of Free Preschool for 3-Year-Olds
3/24/2021
While we were fighting for seats for 4-year-olds, Mayor de Blasio had already rolled out free pre-k for 3-year-olds with the promise of going citywide by 2021. However, I knew the program was stalled without enough funding. Mayor de Blasio tied citywide expansion to Federal pandemic relief dollars. When Congresswoman Maloney delivered billions, I collected on the promise and we won 3K for all of Manhattan, including the Upper East Side.
WINNING 864 SCHOOL SEATS FOR THE UPPER EAST SIDE
When I was elected, the city had no plans for more school seats on the Upper East Side, despite all the new construction. So, I authored laws forcing the city to share information on the students they turned away and how they planned for new seats. In the fight, we won $92.85 million for 640 new K–8 school seats. Then, when the law went into effect, we won an additional 184 school seats for a total of 864 new seats for our district by 2024.
INVESTING $24.75 MILLION IN SCHOOLS: STEM, GREEN ROOFS, PLAYGROUND, & LAPTOPS
As a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science, I have invested over $24.75 million in discretionary funding from my office to support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education.
- P.S. 6 - $100,000 Security cameras + technology
- P.S. 59 - $100,000 Auditorium upgrades
- P.S. 77 - $1,520,000 Playground*, A/C*, & laptops*
- P.S. 151 - $2,463,000 Rooftop play space* & laptops
- P.S. 158 - $564,000 Security cameras, technology, & laptops
- P.S. 183 - $1,654,000 Hydroponics lab*, A/C*, & laptops*
- P.S. 198 - $1,520,000 Playground*, A/C*, & laptops*
- P.S./I.S. 217 - $1,590,000 Green roof*, new gym & technology
- P.S. 225 - $275,000 Technology & laptops
- P.S. 267 - $135,000 Technology & laptops
- P.S. 290 - $2,430,000 Green roof*, restrooms*, smartboards, & laptops*
- P.S. 527 - $1,300,000 Auditorium, cafeteria lighting, security cameras*, & technology*
- Hunter Elementary & H.S. - $200,000 Glass box campus addition
- M.S. 114 ESMS - $1,108,000 Tech lab, whiteboards, & laptops*
- M.S. 177 Yorkville East - $415,000 Security cameras, technology, & laptops*
- Bronx Science H.S. - $70,000 Technology
- Brooklyn Tech H.S. - $35,000 Technology
- Eleanor Roosevelt H.S. - $1,286,000 New library, new music room, water fountains, whiteboards, & technology*
- Life Science H.S. - $275,000 Bathroom renovations, new lighting, technology & laptops*
- Manhattan International H.S - $275,000 Technology and laptops*
- Talent Unlimited H.S. - $330,000 Auditorium improvements, technology, & laptops
- Urban Academy H.S. - $383,000 Technology & laptops
- Vanguard H.S. - $275,000 Technology & laptops
*Funded by Participatory Budgeting
THE NEW YORK TIMES
New York City Offers Free Lunch for All Public School Students City Councilman Ben Kallos, ... recounted his own experience with the stigma of subsidized school meals.
“I had to choose between friends and food,” Mr. Kallos said. “I hope no child makes the same poor choices I did.”
9/6/2017
We won Breakfast After the Bell and Universal Free lunch to provide two free meals a day for all 1.1 million public school students. I hope we can win free dinner as part of Universal Afterschool so we can finally end youth hunger.
BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
NBC4
NYC Seniors, Low-Income Families to Receive Affordable High-Speed Internet
6/9/2016
I campaigned on making broadband affordable for low-income New Yorkers. In 2015, I joined now-Attorney General Tish James in testifying at hearings and advocating for New York City and State to use our franchise powers to require any new Internet provider to help bridge the digital divide by providing low-income residents with low-cost broadband Internet. In 2017, I fulfilled my promise as we announced Spectrum “Internet Assist,” a new low-cost broadband program for students on free and reduced lunch and seniors on supplemental security income.
QUALITY OF LIFE
LOWERING NOISE
THE NEW YORK TIMES
New York Becomes the City That Never Shuts Up
“Noise is the No. 1 complaint,” said City Councilman Ben Kallos
7/19/2017
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Construction sites must lower noise during city’s quiet time under new law
“New York City may be the city that never sleeps, but that shouldn't be because of after-hours construction that wakes you up,” said Kallos
12/19/2017
When after-hours construction noise complaints skyrocketed, I wrote a law to turn down the volume by half and make it easier to crack down.
A TRASH CAN ON EVERY CORNER
NBC4
New Trash Cans Spread Across Upper East Side
6/9/2016
We’ve put more than 500 covered trash cans on every corner to reduce litter and clean up the neighborhood with $446,856 in funding. We’ve also partnered with FedCap’s Wildcat to sweep every street and even power-washed dirty sidewalks.
SCAFFOLDING & SIDEWALK SHEDS
Sidewalk Scaffolding, the Unwanted Neighbor, Is Under Scrutiny 12/5/2016
New York, a City Encased in Scaffolding 5/10/2017
Facades on 1,400 Buildings in New York Are a Threat to Pedestrians
“Regardless of who owns the building, they have to keep it safe — and the city should be helping out,” said Kallos. 1/30/20
Scaffolding is every New Yorker’s pet-peeve. There are over 300 miles of scaffolding with some old enough to vote. It’s bad for business and bad for quality of life. That’s why I authored legislation to make sure when scaffolding goes up, work gets done, and it comes down immediately. In 2019, the Department of Buildings adopted many of the reforms I proposed, but enforcement has fallen by the wayside. The real estate industry has thwarted this law fo far too long.
BETTER COMMUTES
OPENING THE SECOND AVE SUBWAY
After a Century of Fits & Starts
After a century of waiting, not to mention living through years of construction, we finally opened the Second Avenue Subway just in time for the 2017 New Year.
LAUNCHING FERRY SERVICE
A ‘ferry’ big deal: Mayor, local officials laud NYC Ferry extension…
8/28/2020
After years of advocacy, we won two ferry stops serving Roosevelt Island and the Upper East Side. In 2020 we connected them on a single route.
TRAM EXTENDED FOR NEXT 50 YEARS
After more than 20 years of operating on interim agreements, the City Council approved a 50-year franchise agreement for the Roosevelt Island Tram.
BETTER BUS SERVICE
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Express Bus Service Shows Promise in New York
“Ben Kallos, a city councilman, added that time saved translates into revenue for businesses whose taxes help pay for further transit improvements: a virtuous circle.”
7/19/2015
Over the years we’ve made buses faster with off-board fare payments and bus lanes for the M79 and M86, and even sped up the M15 with automated enforcement too.
GOTHAM GAZETTE
More Bus Data, Better Bus Service: Kallos, Hackers Nudge MTA
1/13/2015
PATCH
New Buses Coming to Upper East Side…
5/12/2017
When seniors complained about bus delays, the MTA denied it. So I worked with “civic hackers” to capture Bus Time data so I could prove that our bus service was bad. Turns out, our buses were unreliable because they were the oldest in the fleet. That’s why the MTA gave us a new fleet of buses with USB chargers and free Wi-Fi.
WIRELESS COMMUTES
amNY
Free Wi-Fi Comes to MTA’s Lexington Avenue Stations
“Subway delays, making you late to a meeting with no way to tell anyone was a part of being a subway rider. But now you’ll be able to get in touch and get work done,” said Kallos
1/13/2015
BIKE SAFETY
PATCH
Bike Safety Improves on UES …
8/21/2019
In 2015, we launched a bike safety program combining education, equipment, and enforcement. Delivery cyclists get trained on rules of the road and get a free safety vest, all cyclists get free helmets and bells, and the NYPD got bikes from my office to patrol bike lanes. Eight years later it is safer to be a pedestrian or a cyclist than it was before.