Bill aims to stop car dealership sidewalk parking

From CBS 2:

Dealerships have been parking their cars where people walk, specifically in Brooklyn and Queens.

“I’m basically stepping over the bumper of a car to try and get into the street,” Calvin McGoldrick, of Bay Ridge, said.

In Bay Ridge, CBS2 busted a Hyundai dealer on Fourth Avenue. When it saw our cameras, it moved one of its cars that was illegally parked.

CBS2 also spotted four cars on the sidewalk at the Park Slope Auto Center. Even the image Google Maps snapped of it shows two cars illegally parked.

“It’s more than just an inconvenience, though. I think it’s a safety issue,” said Emily Porro, of Park Slope.

That’s why the City Council is pushing for a bill to revoke car dealers’ licenses if they become repeat offenders.

“Anytime when you have cars infringing on public space and pedestrians space, it’s a problem,” City Councilman Justin Brannan, of Brooklyn, said.
City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, of Queens, is sponsoring the bill.

Major World in major trouble

From NY1:

The commercials for the Major World Car Dealership promise no pressure sales tactics and affordable financing.

But according to the city's department of consumer affairs (DCA), the claims are misleading.

"These ads typically promise loans even when you have poor credit, and often result in predatory lending targeted at New Yorkers with limited English proficiency and with poor credit history," said Lorelei Salas, the commissioner of the department of consumer affairs.

The agency says the dealership targeted Spanish speakers by forcing the customers to sign contracts in English — even though the verbal negotiations were done in Spanish.

DCA also alleges that Major World inflated car values, sold defective vehicles, and even changed incomes and job titles on loan papers so applicants would qualify.

The DCA is seeking nearly $2 million in fines and restitution, and calling for the revocation of the dealership's license.

Fighting crime on Roosevelt Avenue is a long, hard slog

From DNA Info:

An ongoing effort to tackle crime and quality-of-life issues along Roosevelt Avenue in Corona and Jackson Heights should expand west to target problem bars and clubs in Woodside, lawmakers said Monday — likening the street at night to "old Times Square."

Elected officials called on city and state agencies to pour more resources into monitoring "bad actor" businesses along the corridor: bars that operate without proper licenses and attract drug use, prostitution and other problems, they said.

"Roosevelt Avenue is a vibrant avenue during the day," said state Sen. Jose Peralta, who's been pushing for several years to clean up the street, including a request to have NYPD lines redrawn so the avenue was united under one precinct.

"What happens at night is that it turns into something completely different," he said. "It's turned into the old Times Square, where you have prostitution, where you have $2 dance bars, where you have drugs, where you have fake IDs, and that needs to end."

While the stretch of Roosevelt Avenue located within Peralta's district has garnered much of the negative attention in recent years — including in Jackson Heights, identified as a problem spot for sex trafficking — its issues extend into Woodside too, officials said.

"Unfortunately, it's no different on this part of Roosevelt Avenue, a little bit further west," state Sen. Michael Gianaris said at a press conference on 65th Street Tuesday.

The NYPD did not immediately respond to request for comment.

The lawmakers say their focus is on getting the State Liquor Authority and the city's Department of Consumer Affairs to better enforce licensing rules, saying many bars on the avenue operate as dance clubs without the cabaret license that allows them to do so.

Peralta introduced legislation this summer that would increase fines for clubs that violate cabaret rules, and would temporarily suspend the licenses of bars found to be operating illegally.

Sidewalk cafes causing problems in Astoria

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From CBS 2:

“Ditmars Boulevard is evolving into a very, a tourist-attracted area,” said Florence Koulouris, District Manager of Queens Community Board 1.

Koulouris confirmed that more restaurants are opening, and more owners want to accommodate customers in the open air. She expects by year’s end, nearly 200 establishments will be permitted to do so.

The Pomeroy, 36-12 Ditmars Blvd., may be one of them. On Tuesday evening, the board voted in favor of outdoor seating there, with four tables and a total of eight seats.

Some neighbors are not happy about it.

“The community is furious because it’s run like a bar,” said Nicholas Vagenas, owner of American Woodworking next door. “People are on the street till 2, 3 in the morning.”

Vanegas showed CBS2 photos taken outside, with crowds of people hanging out on the sidewalk.

“They really don’t take care of the outside or their patrons,” Vanegas said. “They come out, they vomit on our doorways.”

Vanegas said he was not the only one who felt that way. Owners at Magic Nail Design and Spa, Astoria NY Furniture, and the Fabric Center all signed letters of opposition addressed to the Community Board.

“Plus, we lose the sidewalk,” Vanegas said. “We will not have room to pass.”

The problem is once you allow one sidewalk cafe, you have to allow them all. Too many restaurants are situated in one area.

Van Bramer bills target sidewalk blockers

From the Times Ledger:

Majority Leader Van Bramer’s bills will hit businesses where it hurts by increasing fines and allowing the Department of Consumer Affairs to revoke the business licenses of repeat offenders.

The first bill, Intro 1179-2016, makes parking vehicles in a sidewalk or crosswalk a violation for the following types of DCA-licensed businesses: used car dealers, parking garages and lots, tow companies, and car washes. The bill states the commissioner will suspend or revoke the license of businesses found to be in violation more than twice in one year. The second bill, Intro 1180-2016, directs the commissioner of Finance to implement increasing penalties for repeat violators.

This is all well and good, but have you ever tried to get DCA to inspect a business? You'd be better off calling NYPD.

"Was licensed" contractor scammed old lady

From PIX11:

Joseph Battaglia claimed to be a licensed home improvement contractor when Virginia James hired him to renovate her small bathroom and replace a number of doors in her Queens home.

But a spokesperson for the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs says “Battaglia and Sons Contracting license was revoked in 2013.” His new company, JAB Home Improvement, is also “not licensed” and is “under investigation,” says the Consumer Affairs Department.

We recently confronted Battaglia about a court judgment he lost to Virginia James for $4854.00 for failing to complete the bathroom renovations and not delivering the replacement doors.

“How come you haven’t paid the judgment?” I asked Battaglia. He claimed to be unaware the court case had taken place six months ago and that he lost by default when he failed to show up.

“You take advantage of the elderly. My mother was 80-years-old”, said Eileen James. It was Eileen’s mother who sued Battaglia. Tragically, she died just one week after filing suit, and Eileen continued the court fight on her mother’s behalf. “He made commitments to me that he was going to refund the money and fix what needed to be fixed. And of course, months went on. He never did anything”, said Eileen.

Will new massage parlor bills make a difference?

From the Queens Chronicle:

After months of banging the drum for legislative help when it comes to cracking down on illegal massage parlors, Capt. Mark Wachter, commanding officer of the 104th Precinct, may finally get his wish.

A package of five bills aimed at hampering the ability of such entities to operate illegally was introduced jointly by Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) and state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach) this week, with Wachter saying it will no longer be easier to close a bagel store than it will be a massage parlor in New York City should the legislation pass.

After months of receiving complaints from southwest Queens residents of parlors opening on Myrtle and Metropolitan avenues either without licenses or with a specialty in illicit sexual services, Wachter took action late last year.

A handful of establishments closed after he assigned an officer to sit outside their front door in a police cruiser for days at a time, but Wachter said it wasn’t unusual to see them reopen in another location a short time later.

Other areas especially plagued by illegal massage parlors include Corona, Flushing and Bayside.

But according to Addabbo, the legislation he introduced requiring landlords to verify the license of a prospective massage therapist tenant before entering into a lease agreement — with a violation resulting in a $1,000 fine for the former — could curb the practice.

Other pieces of legislation introduced would require all massage parlors to not obstruct the view into the building’s lobby from the sidewalk; require the licensee of such a venue to be on the premises at all times during business hours and require that landlords evict any parlor proven to have promoted prostitution or operated without a license.

The final bill provides the city Department of Consumer Affairs the full authority to both enforce the provisions and impose fines on problematic locations.

Pesky bike racks interfere with bar plans

From LIC Post:

It’s back to the drawing board for Station LIC, a bar/restaurant that opened at 1037 Jackson Ave. last November.

Community Board 2 rejected its sidewalk seating application that sought 16 tables and 32 seats. It told co-owner Gregory Okshteyn to come up with a new plan.

The problem arose when the board discovered that there were bicycle racks outside the establishment that had been placed there by the city. The plan that had been filed by Station LIC made no mention of the racks.

The board—following Department of Consumer Affairs’ rules—said that the bicycle racks would block a clear pathway for pedestrians should there be outdoor seating. It said that pedestrians need at least 8 feet of clear space.

Furthermore, the DCA requires that there is a clear path of at least 8 feet from bicycle racks.

Okshetyn assured the board that he would revise the plan quickly.

Can't help but think "first world problems" when I read this.

Kim calls out shady towing company

From the Daily News:

Assemblyman Ron Kim said drivers have been victimized at the parking lot on 156th & Northern Boulevard in Flushing by a predatory tow truck company. The lawmaker has been working with the Legal Aid Society and the city Department of Consumer Affairs to document the firm’s bad practices and educate the public.

Queens drivers should be on the lookout for tow trucks from a Brooklyn company waiting to rip them off, officials said Monday.

The city is trying to rescind the license of All About Automotive II Inc. after determining it has been overcharging victims and demanding drivers pay cash to get their cars back, Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Flushing) said.

“We’ve had dozens of people complain at the lot on 156th and Northern Boulevard, and we suspect hundreds have been victimized by AAA’s predatory towing,” said Kim, who is working with the Legal Aid Society and the city Department of Consumer Affairs to document the firm’s bad practices. “We want to make sure the public understands their rights when parking at these lots and report to us they’ve been victimized.”

The company refused comment when reached at its Brooklyn offices.

Goldfeder wants flying swastikas banned

From CBS New York:

After a banner featuring a swastika soared above city and Long Island beaches over the weekend, a state assemblyman is looking for the government to prevent it from happening again.

The sky banner wasn’t meant to be anti-Semitic. It was paid for by the International Raelian Movement, a religion based in Switzerland whose followers believe life on earth was created by a species of aliens, WCBS 880′s Alex Silverman reported. They are trying to rehabilitate the swastika, which the group said had a meaning of peace and love before it was adopted by the Nazis.

Regardless, Assemblyman Phil Goldfelder, D-Queens, told Silverman he is asking the city’s Department of Consumer Affairs to look at regulating swastikas in the sky and other offensive ads, which he thinks can be done without opening a constitutional can of worms. He’s also considering introducing legislation.

The Raelians, however, say the sign should be protected under the First Amendment.

Yeah, I think our local electeds need to be reschooled in the Constitution. And in message context.

Tours celebrate local history

From New York Shitty:

Some might recall that not terribly long ago I was contacted by a very nice fellow named Geoff. He is not only a Greenpoint resident and school teacher (!), but he calls north Brooklyn history his hobby and to this end he has a web site and is publishing a book. Upon his applying for and receiving a tour guide license, Geoff was kind enough to invite me on a tour! I had a wonderful time and learned a lot.

Darn, that's a cute old pink house setback from the street! I hope it doesn't meet the wrecking ball...

Brownstoner Queens mentioned that our esteemed Queens Borough Historian also has a busy summer tour schedule.

Interestingly, he does not appear to hold a Sightseeing Guide license.

NYPD cracking down on gaming at cafes

From the Daily News:

Cops want to fold illegal “sweepstakes cafes” that offer patrons cash prizes as they play online games.

Officers have been ordered to notify the NYPD’s Organized Crime Control Bureau when they find such cafes, which have been popping up in Brooklyn and Queens.

Detectives visit the joint to see if it’s breaking the law — but the line is blurry.

At such cafes, customers pay to play Internet games — and winners get additional game time or long-distance telephone minutes.

That appears to legal.

But as they play, gamblers are automatically entered into online sweepstakes that randomly pay cash, officials said.

And that appears to be illegal.

The sweepstakes cafes are a “new illegal gambling trend similar to Joker Poker (machines) or electronic slots,” according to an NYPD memo from Oct. 18.

“Many locations are . . . promising cash prizes for playing games,” the memo continues. “(Cops) should remain vigilant of illegal Internet gambling.”

The city has already taken other steps to rein in these reputed dens of iniquity.

In May, the City Council passed a bill to allow the Department of Consumer Affairs to yank the license of any cafes caught giving out cash prizes.

City targeted small businesses

From the NY Post:

When the city’s Department of Consumer Affairs found itself facing a budget gap, it didn’t cut expenses — it hired additional inspectors to slap more fines on small businesses, according to documents and officials.

In 2011, DCA Commissioner Jonathan Mintz hired 14 new inspectors, who doubled agency revenue by doling out more petty fines.

“It will bring in an additional $1.6 million in revenue in the new fiscal year,” Mintz told the City Council at the time.

“These staff additions will enable DCA to focus on undercover inspections of employment agencies and immigrant-service providers, as well as [make] additional focused inspections of tobacco dealers.”

His projections were right on the money.

The number of violations more than doubled from 10,964 in 2010 to 24,176 in 2012.

Most of the fines were lower than those handed out earlier, meaning business owners were paying more frequently for smaller offenses.

Fine mess for Forest Hills shops

From the Daily News:

A couple of missing muffin labels could end up costing bagel shop owner Matt Davidov a whole lot of dough.

Davidov said he is facing hundreds of dollars in fines because city inspectors cited him for failing to place manufacturing information on several wrapped cakes and for not posting a refund policy inside his Forest Hills shop.

“Who posts a refund policy in a deli?” he asked. “If someone complains, I will replace it for them.”

The fines totalled $2,300 but the city offered to settle for $675.

Shopowners in Queens, already squeezed by high rents and a shaky economy, say the city is treating them like cash cows, slapping them with frivolous fines.
But city officials noted that New Yorkers depend on inspectors to protect them.

Some Forest Hills mom-and-pop shops said they feel especially targeted in recent months by the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Jim Hartofilis, owner of Dana’s Flower Shop on Queens Blvd., said an inspector walked into his store last month as he was setting out a new bucket of bouquets.
Before he had a chance to put the pricetags on, he was delayed by a phone order. The next thing he knew he was handed a violation that comes with a $500 fine.

The inspector also cited him for missing price signs on an outdoor plant display.

“The wind must have blown it away,” Hartofilis said. “This was ridiculous.”

The ticket came with a cruel twist. If he wants to challenge it, his court date would on Valentine’s Day — the busiest day on the floral shop calendar.
If he pleads guilty by mail, he gets a reduced fine of $250.

OTB site to continue gambling?

From the Queens Chronicle:

Civic groups in Bellerose are concerned over a proposal to bring a “gaming cafe” to an area that already has several pawn shops and what some consider “questionable” spas. They have urged the community board to vote against the plan.

Menesh Patel wants to open the establishment at 245-19 Jericho Turnpike, a former OTB site, and the Queens Colony Civic Association, the Bellerose Hillside Avenue Civic Association and the Joint Bellerose Business District Development Corp. have expressed their disapproval. Patel could not be reached for comment by press time.

There are several issues of concern. Even though the owner assured residents at a meeting two weeks ago that the site would not be used for gambling, according to Angela Augugliaro, president of the Queens Colony Civic Association, the word gaming is often associated with such activity. And although the owner also said there would not be any accessibility to porn sites, customers must be at least 18 years of age and would be subject to an ID check, Augugliaro said.

This 40-seat gaming cafe is scheduled to open in late August. The Department of Consumer Affairs gave Community Board 13 a time frame of 15 days to decide whether it was for or against the plan, according to District Manager Larry McClean.

And in Flushing, a 24-hour "internet cafe" has opened. Who's trekking out to use the web at 3am?

DCA finds lots of shady contractors

From AM-NY:

In a two-month inspection sweep targeting Queens and Staten Island, the Department of Consumer Affairs found one in five contractors operating without a license, the DCA announced Wednesday.

Seventy-two vehicles were seized by the agency and those caught working illegally face fines between $175,000 and $250,000.

Open door policy trumps law

From the NY Times:

To those who ask what right the government has to dictate to shop owners on a matter of this sort, the Council’s response was simple. Public policy, it said in 2008, is to “conserve energy, reduce peak power demands during hot weather periods and limit environmental pollution and local contributions to global warming.”

Yet enforcement of the law, signed by the mayor with little enthusiasm, has not been conspicuously vigorous. The Consumer Affairs Department, which has responsibility, says that last summer it conducted more than 500 inspections and issued warnings or violation citations to 199 stores.

A first offense brings a warning. A second offense carries a $200 fine, and subsequent violations within an 18-month period can bring $400 fines. For many stores, the penalties are no doubt shrugged off as the cost of doing business.

JFK lot parking cars on street

City suspends tow truck company

From the Daily News:

A company that chronically parked junk cars on Maspeth streets has been suspended from a city program that authorized it to tow cars from accident scenes - much to the delight of frustrated residents.

The city Department of Consumer Affairs has removed American Auto Body & Recovery from the program, pending a hearing Thursday.

"DCA inspectors have issued violations to American Auto Body & Recovery, and as of last Thursday they will be suspended from the DARP program," said agency spokeswoman Abigail Lootens.

The company was part of the Directed Accident Response Program (DARP) and Rotation Tow Program (ROTOW), which allow towing from accidents and removing abandoned or stolen vehicles, respectively. The DCA regulates both programs.

DCA officials said that during two separate inspections, the company failed to present its DARP service call records.

Many locals and civic leaders questioned American Auto's inclusion in the program after the NYPD issued 86 summonses to the company in the first three months of this year.

American Auto owner Polina Loumakos declined comment on the upcoming hearing but defended the way her company operates.

"They just caught us on a bad day. Everything is done correctly at my shop," she said, adding that the cars on the street during the day were waiting to be transported. "I feel like all the media is trying to attack me. When you guys come here it's always during business hours," she said.

I guess they are supposed visit you during non-business hours when you aren't there?

Return to the Bermuda Triangle

From the Daily News:

A Queens collision company authorized by the city to tow cars from accident scenes has been dumping mangled and unlicensed vehicles on streets around their shop - causing a major eyesore for neighbors.

American Auto Body & Recovery has turned the area along Flushing Ave. in Maspeth into a junkyard, outraged locals said, leaving them to compete for parking spaces with totaled cars.

"They leave the cars anywhere they want. They don't care about the neighborhood, they just care about making money," said Edison Bonifaz, 43, who lives on the same block as the body shop.

"I'm planning to sell my house because of them - I can't live anymore like this," he added.

The company is part of the Directed Accident Response Program and Rotation Tow Program, which allow towing from accidents and removing abandoned or stolen vehicles, respectively. The city Department of Consumer Affairs regulates both programs.

The company's two locations - on Flushing Ave. and nearby 56th Terrace - have received 86 parking summonses and had five vehicles towed this year, police said.

It's unclear whether the vehicles ticketed were involved with the two city registries, but Consumer Affairs officials said they plan to reach out to the NYPD about the summonses.