Just when you thought it couldn't get any more ridiculous

From WNYC:

The Mayor began the outreach to landlords last month by sending a robocall. Deputy Mayor Lilliam Barrios-Paoli said it was now up to these mostly young community organizers and social workers manning the phone bank to ensure success.

“They're the ones who really have to bring it home and make it happen,” she said. “We’re hopeful we can get a number of apartments out of this, probably in the hundreds. And that would be terrific.”

DHS has also hired 154 new caseworkers and inspectors at a cost of $10.5 million. They also spent more than $300,000 to renovate the space. The room across the hall is filled with projectors and video conferencing equipment.

Hmmm, so if this is the plan, and homelessness is going to be reduced, why are we still signing contracts for more permanent shelters?

City cold calling people to ask them to house homeless

From the Daily News:

Mayor de Blasio, desperate to reduce the city’s skyrocketing homeless problem, is making robocalls to Big Apple landlords asking them to take in families from the shelter system.

Landlords who do take up the mayor’s offer will receive a $1,000 signing bonus, which is in addition to the city funds that will pay the family’s rent, the mayor says in the 45-second taped call.

“Hi, this is Mayor Bill de Blasio,” the roughly 45-second robocall begins.

“As a landlord, you have an opportunity to fill vacancies in your building and receive a $1,000 bonus from the City of New York.”

One Queens resident and civic leader who received the robocall recorded it and posted it on her Facebook page, asking her friends if they had also got the call.

“Did anyone else receive this phone call from Bill de Blasio today asking you to shelter homeless families in your house?” Christina Wilkinson asked.

“How many homeless people is Bill de Blasio sheltering in HIS house?” one friend wrote.

The money for participating landlords is being distributed through the city’s new Living in Communities (LINC) Rental Assistance program, which aims to move families out of the strained shelter system and into homes.

Many of the families who qualify for the program have full-time jobs, but still can’t afford the costs of moving and rent. Others in the program are escaping from domestic violence, or have other special needs that has left them struggling.

The families are expected to contribute 30% of their income to rent. The amount of assistance from the city depends on the family size, and can range from $1,268 for a family of two to $2,530 for a family of 10.

Chuck vs. telemarketers

From the Daily News:

Telemarketers and scammers who violate federal “do not call” laws should face harsher penalties, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D.-N.Y.) said Sunday.

Schumer says he will introduce legislation that would levy a fine of $20,000 for each so-called robocall. Repeated violations would be considered felonies, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

“The penalties are so low, they’re almost an invitation to break the law,” Schumer said.

As of August, the senator said, the Federal Trade Commission logged up to 200,000 robocall complaints a month compared to 65,000 in October 2010.

I'm sure political robocalls will be exempt.

Austin Shafran's robocall to potential constituents

GOP candidate is kinda nuts

"Hi Crappy,

It’s me again…..annoyed at a robocall I got from a Joe Concannon who apparently is running against Tony Avella for his state senate seat. The recording accused Mr. Avella of meeting with Muslim terrorists. I was incensed, knowing that this was very much a twisting of an incident that occurred last week when Mr. Avella, along with Letitia James, left a Muslim rally due to speakers full of hatred and venom.

I decided to call the Concannon people and actually got someone claiming to be Joe Concannon. I told him what the recording said, and he replied that Mr. Avella is sympathizing with and aiding terrorists. I got angry and asked him if everyone who was asked to be a Grand Marshal at an American Muslim rally is then aiding terrorists, without accusing Mr. Concannon of outright prejudice, which I think is the case. He was very insistent that Avella is aiding terrorists and didn’t listen to reason, and when I yelled at him and told him that Avella and Ms. James left the rally, he just told me what an angry person I was and I told him something like that I hope his campaign crashes and burns.

Somehow truth was twisted to suit a swiftboat type accusation by the Concannon people. I called Avella’s office and left a message briefly describing my encounter with this idiot Concannon. The call also said that the Queens GOP wants to return to true American values. I have no idea what that really means, but he’s as bad as those venom spouting haters at the rally that day.

Just so you know, Crappy! Concannon is stooping to very new lows with character assassination to get what will amount to very few votes!! I’m sick of these awful robo calls, they are invasive and intrusive. Someone should stop Concannon who believes his own lies.

Thanks for listening…"

- Ms. Tsouris

Ognibene tries deception (with Gallagher's help)

Got a robocall tonight. A young male voice said that they were representing the Gay and Lesbian Coalition and urging me to vote for Liz Crowley because she is the only candidate in the 30th district council race that is 100% for gay marriage.

TRUTH: There is no Gay and Lesbian Coalition.

TRUTH: There is another robocall going out saying not to vote for Bloomberg and that Crowley is pro-gay marriage.

TRUTH: These calls came courtesy of the Ognibene campaign in an effort to score points with older voters.

TRUTH: Crowley is for civil unions, but not gay marriage.

TRUTH: Dennis Gallagher is working on Ognibene's campaign and his fingerprints are all over this. His blog is also encouraging violence against Crowley.

God help Council District 30!