Cindy Rodriguez

New York, NY —

There’s a program in the Highbridge Section of the Bronx where kids spend hours after school learning to perform in a classical music choir – and get help with school work. High Bridge Voices is largely regarded as a success but that hasn’t spared it ...

New York, NY —

The Federal minimum wage goes up today to $7.25 an hour. That's a 10 cent increase for workers in New York State which has had a minimum wage of $7.15 an hour since 2007. A report by the Fiscal Policy Institute says the new rate ...

New York, NY —

Public housing residents in East Harlem say their development has been neglected for too long. They gave City Council Speaker Christine Quinn a tour of the Jefferson Houses, and say they want to make sure stimulus funds are properly used to improve their buildings.

Juanita Brye, ...

New York, NY —

While the unemployment rate in New York City continues to rise, the fund that pays out unemployment benefits continues to shrink. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports:

REPORTER: Unemployment benefits are funded solely by businesses that pay an unemployment tax for each person they hire. But that hasn't ...

New York, NY —

A report by homeless advocates says one reason the Bloomberg administration has been unable to reduce homelessness is because its rental subsidies are not working. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: Low income families use the subsidies to pay their rent at private apartments once they leave ...

New York, NY —

Starting today the city will be able to start spending $74-million in federal stimulus funds to combat homelessness. The money is badly needed, as the city prepares to deal with an annual surge in homeless families during the summer. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports:

REPORTER: Right now, ...

New York, NY —

As Democrats and Republicans in the state Senate continue to fight over who's in control, some advocates aren't giving up on stalled bills. Domestic Workers are fighting for legislation that gives them paid vacation, sick days, and overtime. They held a rally near the Governor's ...

New York, NY —

Two-thousand out of three thousand vouchers were restored. These are used almost exclusively by large Orthodox and Hasidic families in the neighbourhoods of Williamsburgh and Borough Park.

The community is well organized and lobbied hard to keep the vouchers. About a thousand vouchers used in other ...

At the peak of the housing bubble, the median price of a two-family home in Brownsville, Brooklyn was going for nearly half a million dollars. At the time, it seemed like a boon for long time homeowners. But housing advocates say it was a false prosperity that attracted a cottage industry of scam artists that damaged this low income community. I met with one family who lost a home that had been in the family decades.

Robert Pascall’s wife, five kids, four grandkids, two son-in-laws and a disabled family friend used to live at 198 Grafton Street, in Brownsville, Brooklyn.

They were evicted at the end of last year and with nowhere else to go, they packed into a one room basement apartment in the Bronx. Mattresses cover most of the floor space. Books, clothes, and toys are stacked up against walls. The family bumps into each other inside the tiny kitchen.

New York, NY —

At the peak of the housing bubble, the median price of a two-family home in Brownsville, Brooklyn was going for nearly half a million dollars. At the time, it seemed like a boon for long time homeowners. But housing advocates say it was a false ...

New York, NY —

According to federal prosecutors, two unnamed elected officials in New York, a City Council member and a State Assembly member, received illegal perks, including a trip to Puerto Rico. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez has more:

REPORTER: The politicians were not accused in a federal complaint, which alleged ...

New York, NY —

The state's top court has ruled that New York City must notify the Legal Aid Society whenever it tries to remove homeless people from shelters. The city does have the right to evict people who are violent, disruptive or don't follow shelter rules. But advocates ...

New York, NY —

Grocery baggers at eight supermarkets across the city have been working solely for tips, and that's a violation of state labor laws. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports:

REPORTER: The Department of Labor says six of the stores have agreed to pay more than $300,000 in lost wages ...

New York, NY —

If you tip the bagger at your local supermarket, it might be all that worker earns for the day. A sweep of eight supermarkets across the city found none paying baggers an hourly wage.

At least one store owner said he didn't consider the baggers hourly ...

New York, NY —

Dozens of tenants from Manhattan and the Bronx held a protest in Harlem today. The group says their buildings are deteriorating and they want the owners' banks to be held accountable. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports:

Tenants say their buildings are in poor condition because owners paid ...

New York, NY —

A state policy requires New York City to charge homeless families for using city shelters, but opponents want the Bloomberg Administration to lobby against the policy. The rule was implemented but then temporarily suspended this month. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: During a city council hearing, ...

New York, NY —

The former owner of a once majestic apartment complex on Manhattan's West Side has agreed to pay the city more than a million dollars for neglecting the Windermere, a landmarked property.

REPORTER: Attorney John Weiss from the Landmarks Preservation Commission says the settlement is the largest ...