Cindy Rodriguez

New York, NY —

Mayor Bloomberg has announced plans to close the city's largest shelter for homeless families this September. As WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports, at its peak the shelter housed 1-thousand children and adults.

In 2002, when the shelter was about to open in the South Ozone Park section ...

New York, NY —

The U.S. House of Repersentatives may vote as early as today on a bill that would cut at least $100 million in funding for public television and radio stations nationwide. New York's public broadcasters say the smaller stations and lesser-known programs would be hardest hit.

REPORTER: ...

New York, NY —

The City's Rent Guidelines Board has decided how much rents can be raised for the city's rent stabilized apartments, and neither landlords nor tenants are happy.

REPORTER: The Board approved a 2 point 75 percent increase on one year leases and a 5 and a half ...

New York, NY —

Federal law enforcement agencies are attempting to change their image with immigrants who often distrust and fear them. Recently FBI and Immigration officials met with members of the Muslim Community in Midwood Brooklyn. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez was there.

HOST: May I ask all the guests please ...

New York, NY —

A lawsuit filed on behalf of the homeless alleges first amendment violations by local police and the Bronx District Attorney's office. The suit says homeless people are being wrongly arrested and charged with panhandling.

REPORTER: The lead plaintiff in the lawsuit is 44 year old Eddie ...

New York, NY —

With city schools about to get out for the summer, many poor families must figure out how to cope without the free meals their children get at school. A new report finds free summer meals are getting harder to come by. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: ...

New York, NY —

The city is trying to determine what caused a building to collapse in Williamsburg Brooklyn yesterday afternoon. The accident left 11 workers injured, including two who remain in critical condition. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: The owner of the building received a permit in March to ...

New York, NY —

Immigrating to the US from a poor country often means the start of a better life. But leaving your family behind can be hard. Some people can't stand the separation, and so they take risks to be united with their loved ones.

...

New York, NY —

It's a common story among immigrants: you arrive in the US thinking you'll make some quick money, and then go home in a few months be with your family. But often months turn into years, and families that were once close become virtual strangers to ...

New York, NY —

A group of inmates' families are traveling to today's MCI shareholders meeting to question executives over the high cost of calls made from New York State prisons.

REPORTER: Currently, a prisoner must place a collect call, which MCI charges three dollars to initiate and sixteen cents ...

New York, NY —

The passage of the Real ID Act will affect all 50 states. But in New York yesterday, an effort to prohibit the issuing of driver's licenses to immigrants who cannot prove they are here legally was overruled by a judge.

The case stems from an effort ...

New York, NY —

A bill to reform the way states issue drivers licenses has passed both houses of Congress and awaits the President's signature.

The Real Id Act would require states to determine whether a person is in the country legally before issuing them a drivers license or id. ...

New York, NY —

Illegal immigrants are bracing for federal legislation that would deny them drivers licenses. Immigrant advocates say the bill will make the roads less safe, but supporters say it will make the nation safer from terrorism. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

The federal legislation would require states to ...

New York, NY —

The Bloomberg administration's plan to rezone 175 blocks in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, Brooklyn will likely become a reality. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports the City Council's Land Use Committee has voted to approve it.

The agreement between councilmembers and the mayor increased affordable housing by 10 percent ...

Brooklyn, NY —

Polish immigrants in Greenpoint and Latinos in Williamsburg have maintained a presence in those Brooklyn neighborhoods despite a steady influx of new, more affluent, apartment dwellers. But the city's plan to rezone the area is threatening to push residents who have managed to hang on out. ...

New York, NY —

A judge has ruled that the city must help mentally ill inmates released from city hospitals to transition back into their communities.

In 2003 the city settled a lawsuit and agreed to provide mentally ill inmates with a 7-day supply of medication and a 3-week prescription ...

New York, NY —

The Washington D.C. police department to diversify its ranks and as part of its effort to do that it's come to New York to recruit hispanics.

Recruiters say in the 1990's, Washington's hispanic population grew faster than any other metropolitan area in the United States. But, ...

New York, NY —

The city is one step closer to changing how it handles families who apply for shelter but are deemed ineligible.

Currently a family found ineligible for shelter may reapply, and is given temporary shelter in the meantime. The new policy would change that. Most families are ...

New York, NY —

Finding properties to create affordable housing has always been a daunting task for the city especially now that real estate prices are soaring and old resources are drying up. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez takes a look at the new ways in which the city is trying ...

New York, NY —

The city's attempt to place tighter restrictions on topless bars and pornography shops got a boost from a state appeals court yesterday. WNYC's cindy Rodriguez reports.

If an adult shops wants to remain open in a residential area no more than 40 percent of its merchandise ...