Carlina Rivera is "Upset" over 14th Street

Photo Source [Our Town]

Twelve days after the triple stabbing and murder on 14th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A, the East Village block has returned to a quiet place where businesses, vendors, and their employees can go about their daily lives without living in fear that one of them will become a statistic. 

The NYPD has maintained a constant presence on the block since the murder involving illegal street vendors and many are grateful they continually check in with local businesses. 

An article in Our Town makes note the situation, quoting the befuddled City Council member Carlina Rivera who said, "we are also upset that this area remains chaotic and unkempt since the pandemic." 

Rivera's failure to handle the situation for seven years is why the area has remained chaotic and unkempt, something she and her office should really stop drawing attention to with vacuous quotes. Her office hasn't offered any statistics on her 'Street health, outreach, and wellness' initiative, aptly named SHOW, but Carlina Rivera did manage to find the time to casually pose on the blood stains.

Good for you.

Clean Up Drive Underway on E. 14th. St. Finally After Recent Stabbing Death [Our Town] 

Carlina Rivera | The COVID Era Tour

With all eyes on City Council member Carlina Rivera after her office's phoned in response to the recent murder on 14th Street and the seven year situation that has gone unchecked under her watch, it's worth looking at her activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

14th Street

During the pandemic the Immaculate Conception Church located on 14th Street just east of First Avenue closed their weekend flea market due to health concerns. Immediately after, the block turned into a black market Marrakech with illegal vendors selling pirated DVDs, questionable food, and other neighborhood detritus. 

In October of 2020, amNY's Dean Moses reported, "Tattered shirts and jackets are hung on the closed shutters of businesses while free newspaper dispensers have been turned on their sides and used as seats. Worst of all, the remnants of unsellable wears like underwear are left strewn in the roadway."

At the time Carlina River's office issued a now familiar statement, in part saying, "We’ve been working with local businesses, constituents, other elected officials, and City agencies regarding the uptick in individuals on 14th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A who are selling miscellaneous items outside of the Church of Immaculate Conception Flea Market."

Rivera's office regurgitates variations of this statement like a mother politician feeding her young constituents. Continuing...

"Councilwoman Rivera certainly understands the serious health risks regarding the lack of social distancing posed by increased numbers of individuals on any city street, which is compounded by those who also reside in the area and may be experiencing homelessness without access to adequate resources."

The situation on 14th Street continued to deteriorate for the next four years under Rivera's watch until recently when City Council member Keith Powers stepped in.

Rikers Island

In that same year, Carlina Rivera's district took a backseat so she could focus on the COVID-19 infection rate at Rikers Island. Gotham Gazette published an op-ed piece written by Rivera stating that the infection rate at Rikers was seven times higher than the rest of the city. THE CITY reported three Rikers inmates died from COVID-19 related illness. The CDC has since published statistics stating over 350,000 U.S. citizens died of COVID-19 related illnesses in 2020.

The East Side Coastal Resiliency Project

The Grand Street Democrats refused to endorse Carlina Rivera for re-election in 2021 citing she ignored the community's concerns over the controversial demolition of the East Side Park. The East Side Coastal Resiliency project [ESCR] spanning 2.4 miles on Manhattan's East Side is responsible for cutting down a staggering 1,000 trees, closing three ballfields, demolishing the famous amphitheater, and keeping the 58 acre park space off limits until 2026 in an effort to protect the area from the next Superstorm Sandy. The $1.45 billion dollar project has since raised the area and is currently in the process of rebuilding it 8-10 feet higher via landfill. Critics of the ESCR project say Rivera ignored an earlier plan that included feedback from the community.

Same-Sex Wedding Cakes

In July of 2022, Carlina Rivera stirred up a controversy with the LGBTQ+ community when, in an interview with Hamodia, she was asked to comment on the Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission case. Rivera was asked if she’d “support a religious exemption” for a scenario in which “there’s a progressive social value you believe in,” such as a hypothetical Brooklyn venue with “Biblical values” refusing to host a wedding for a same-sex couple.

She said, “I think that a religious exemption is certainly something that I would consider when it comes to certain pieces of legislation. We've certainly done it in the Council, and I’d be willing to explore that and do it on the federal level.” Days later she did damage control in an interview with the NY Daily News.

"Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club President Allen Roskoff, a prominent gay rights activist in the city whose group has endorsed Rivera’s congressional bid, told the paper he believes “totally in Carlina’s commitment to all civil rights. But she f—-d up in the Hamodia interview."

Rep. Mondaire Jones, Rivera’s only openly gay opponent in the 10th Congressional District race at the time, was not as forgiving as Roskoff.

“I would like Councilwoman Rivera to explain to me, and every other LGBTQ+ New Yorker, why she thinks our civil rights are conditional and open to carve-outs. I am a human being, and my rights are not up for Carlina Rivera to treat them as political chess pieces.”

Red Line American Flag

City Council member Carlina Rivera once again finds herself in the middle of a controversy in 2024, this time with the FDNY. On September 11th, 2001 we lost 343 members of the FDNY who courageously responded to two planes crashing into the World Trade Center. Firefighters at Ladder Co. 11 in the East Village were forced to remove a "red line" American flag honouring six company firefighters who died on 9/11 after one of Rivera's staffers stomped into the station and called the flag "racist" and "a politically charged symbol." 

Another Rivera staffer followed up in writing to the FDNY, calling the flag a “politically charged symbol” and saying it was their understanding that “private political symbols” were not to be displayed on public vehicles.

An FDNY chief visited the firehouse and told the firefighters that the flag would have to go because it violated department rules about “altered” American flags. Hours later, it was decided that the flag could stay. 

Some FDNY sources said they believe the issue stemmed over confusion between a red-line flag and a blue-line American flag, which is typically displayed to honor police officers injured or killed in the line of duty. Rivera, a former dues-paying member of the Democratic Socialists of America, who voted to defund the NYPD by $1 billion dollars in 2020, was labeled a hypocrite in April when she called on the NYPD to protect her from "an unknown white powder." It is also worth noting Carlina Rivera has had investments in Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman as well as Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger. 

As the Carlina Rivera COVID Era Tour comes to an end, the question must be asked: Can we count on her to keep 14th Street safe? In her wake, she has left behind 50+ acres of destroyed public space, complications with the LGBTQ+ community, and a bitter taste in the mouths of both the NYPD and FDNY. Should we continue to put our faith into someone who wants to defund the police with one hand and make money from gun manufacturing with the other?

Historically, no.

Get ready for a cruel summer.

Carlina Makes Her First Appearance on the Block Since Recent Murder

NYPD's 9th Precinct and Carlina Rivera [Facebook]

City Council member Carlina Rivera was spotted on the block yesterday checking in on the progress fellow City Council member Keith Powers made on 14th Street since the horrific June 23rd triple stabbing and murder. Rivera awkwardly smirked for a photo while standing on the recently power-washed blood stains with a member of the NYPD's 9th Precinct whose welcomed presence has had a positive impact on the block's recent quality of life.

We spoke with several businesses that told us shoplifting, violent incidents, and general wilding has dramatically dropped since Keith Powers and the NYPD intervened, though passing by the 14th Street Cranberry Corp / Smoke Lotto shop, open-air drug dealing was still taking place. A dealer was spotting dropping two bags containing a powdery substance into another man's shopping bag.

The Carlina Rivera 'SHOW'

Still from Fox 5 NY

City Council member Carlina Rivera unveiled a street unit in 2023 called "Street health, outreach, and wellness," also known as 'SHOW', in an attempt to deal with the problems of homelessness, open-air drug use, and illegal street vendors that have plagued 14th Street since 2018. Rivera's office said at the time her new unit offers on-the-spot services with the hopes of clearing the area of threats to the safety of local residents. 

"Historically, this intersection has been a focal point for illicit street vendors peddling subpar goods and intimidating passersby. Our office has worked with DSNY and DCWP to address those concerns. Recently, the area has become a gathering spot for individuals experiencing homelessness or struggling with mental health challenges. Concerned residents have brought numerous complaints to our attention including concerns pertaining to individuals frequently found sleeping on the sidewalks, engaging in the noticeable use of drugs, and exhibiting instances of aggressive and or violent behavior towards others. Our office takes these concerns seriously and is actively working towards addressing and resolving these issues," according to a press release from Rivera's office.

Historically, Rivera's 'SHOW' is just that, an easily mocked acronym with a limited presence on this block - we're being very generous. Any information regarding her 'SHOW', its progress, or any relevant milestones, isn't readily available to the public.

City Council Unveils New Approach to Homeless, Drug-Ridden Corridor of East 14th Street. [Fox 5 NY]

Chaos Reigns With Carlina Rivera

Carlina Rivera's office recently spoke with The Village Sun about the deterioration of 14th Street that has unfolded under her watch for the past seven years, referring to the situation as a "chaotic area."

In the article, her office supplied a familiar tweet they have fed the press and her constituents this week before shifting blame to the ambiguous "various compounding factors" and "underinvested mental health". It is reasonable to question if Carlina Rivera fully understands the situation or how to fix it. The illegal street vendors, open air drug dealers, and early morning prostitution have been on public display on 14th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A for the past seven years.

Rivera's office continues with their previously released statements about being committed to working with various city agencies.

“My office remains committed to working with city agencies like NYPD, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, and Sanitation, Bellevue Hospital, Community Board 3 and local community-based organizations to address and resolve ongoing quality of life and public safety issues.”

Rivera says she has made progress with the situation yet does not refer to any specific accomplishments. With nothing new to offer, why speak to the press at all?

Rivera: Addressing 'chaotic' E. 14th Street strip has been a 'priority for me for years' [The Village Sun]

An Update From Keith Powers on Sunday's 14th Street Murder

City Council member Keith Powers issued the following statement via email to his constituents regarding Sunday's murder on 14th Street. (ht / EV Grieve)

"Thank you for writing to me about 14th Street and the awful attacks that took place on Sunday. I have attached a copy of my statement from Sunday evening, which once again calls for immediate intervention from the NYPD and other agencies on 14th Street. We have been working on this since Sunday, so I wanted to give you an update. 

One of the challenges in dealing with the situation on 14th Street has been that despite our efforts to make progress, all it takes are a few bad actors to return to the location to undo that progress. That is why I am again calling for consistent and sustained resources on the ground until the conditions on 14th Street are back to normal.

I wanted to share a few updates on the situation since Sunday:

● Earlier this week, the NYPD announced that they are stationing a foot patrol on the block to address the issues. As you will see in my statement, this was my top request. As I have stated repeatedly, the need for more resources here is apparent for any of us living in the neighborhood. 

● I am making an updated request of the Archdiocese and Immaculate Church to end the flea market. Myself and other elected officials have made this request in the past but they have not been responsive or cooperative. While I support the church, it’s indisputable that the flea market has created huge problems in the neighborhood. 

● On Monday, I personally walked the block with small business owners on 14th Street to provide them with my personal information to allow them to contact us on any issue from cleanliness to illicit behavior. 

● The Sanitation Department confirmed to me directly today that they will begin new joint operations with the NYPD and the Department of Homeless Services. My office will stay in close contact to ensure that the efforts here are maintained and properly targeted. 

● I am also coordinating with my colleagues in the city and state who represent this area to set up a walkthrough of the site with all relevant agencies. 

We hope this will help demonstrate and reinforce the need for immediate and sustained action here. On the larger scale, there are a number of proposals in the City Council that would exacerbate the situation on 14th Street by restricting the ability of city agencies to conduct enforcement against illegal vendors. I am not supportive of these measures and I have discussed the way that they would negatively impact our neighborhood with my colleagues.

As the City Council finalizes this year's budget, I am advocating for more resources for the 13th Precinct — which covers the Stuyvesant Town portion of the block (the area of 14th Street that’s in my district). I have always been proud of my good working relationship with the 13th Precinct and hope to continue coordinating with them to make our neighborhood safer."

Keith Powers' immediate action is in stark contrast to the hands-off approach by that of Carlina Rivera, who represents District 2. Her office has responded to emails from her constituents with a cut and paste of a tweet she previously issued on the matter. 

Today there was a noticeable NYPD presence on the block including patrol cars posted at either end of 14th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A, NYPD officers walking the block and checking in with the local businesses, as well as setting up flood lights to deter night time drug dealing and illegal merchants. When an illegal merchant showed up this afternoon they were removed by the NYPD within minutes.

A 'Day In the Life' of a 14th Street Worker

An East Village resident shared the following email sent to Carlina Rivera's office this week giving graphic detail on what what daily life is like to work on this stretch of the block.

"Mrs. Rivera,

I work at a store on 14th Street close to yesterday's stabbing and the store owners in this area, their employees, and our customers all need for you to step up to the plate and handle this ongoing situation of open drug use, illegal merchants, and criminal activity on this block.

I arrive at work each morning and on any given day I have to navigate prostitutes, homeless people digging through trash and tossing what they can't salvage all over the sidewalk, crack vials, meth pipes, and people sleeping on the sidewalks appearing to be dead. I have lived in this area since 1998 and I have never seen such a consistent downfall of society on display like I do today. The NYPD do their best to clear this element away but they are back within an hour. 

Currently we have three Asian ladies well known to the NYPD who steal from the Salvation Army, local food pantries, and the store I work in and sell their bounty on the open streets. Their patrons, homeless people and drug addicts come into the store and steal, shoot up, OD in our bathrooms, smear feces on the walls, and throw merchandise at our employees. 

There's a homeless man who stands outside every afternoon begging for money for a "cheeseburger". One day he was confronted by a drug user who, after a brief fight, got him to admit that he was looking for drug money.  A co-worker of mine was nearly sliced in the face by a homeless man with a knife attached to a broomstick riding a Citi bike on the sidewalk.

The manager of my store, along with several business owners on the block, met with the NYPD this morning to address this spiraling situation. During the pandemic people like me were referred to as "essential workers" but in 2024, nobody cares about us. I know this because the situation on this block gets worse everyday and the people we elect to office do nothing. If this keeps up, major retailers like Target and Trader Joe's will eventually close these locations as you've seen with other chains in California and Washington. When that happens the neighborhood will be laser focused on you.

Please step up with some actionable solution to resolve this devolving situation. 

Thank you"

Levi Skipper from Carlina Rivera's office responded with a cut and paste from her previously issued tweet. 

"Hello [Name withheld],

This is Levi from the office of Councilmember Rivera. Thank you for your email and advocacy for public safety and quality of life on 14th Street. The Council Member was upset to hear about this incident, and has been in touch with NYPD, DSNY, Bellevue Hospital, the Archdiocese and the District Attorney regarding this incident. This area has been and remains a priority for our office and we are continuing to work with community stakeholders and agency partners on addressing these serious issues.

Carlina released a statement regarding the situation, which I am including below:

“Our community is saddened to hear of the troubling violence that took place on 14th Street last night. We are also upset that this area remains chaotic and unkempt since the pandemic. I have personally been in touch with the NYPD, Bellevue Hospital, the Department of Sanitation, Manhattan District Attorney, and the Archdiocese to work together to address local conditions. Just moments before the incident, the NYPD approached multiple aggressive individuals transient to the area, and have identified the individual involved as an emotionally disturbed person with a record of assault. I want to thank the officers who responded to the call, Sanitation for clearing out debris related to yesterday in addition to their regular cleanups, and every agency we have partnered with in attempts to improve this challenging corridor. We will continue to work with them and the Bellevue Street Health Outreach & Wellness Mobile Unit to support those with mental health issues. We will also continue our conversation with the Archdiocese about the future of the market. I remain grateful to Community Board 3 and the community-based organizations who host the interagency meetings our office coordinates to discuss how best to keep all of our neighbors safe.”

Again, thank you again for your advocacy."

The local worker responded to the email in part "I appreciate your getting back to me in a timely manner. Unfortunately, I've already read these statements online and they lack a plan of action with regards to what is being done today as well as in the future to address this problem. The statement was infuriating the first time I read it and to have it lazily cut and pasted back to me has me livid."

They also included links to incidents from 2024, 2023, and 2018 pointing out that Carlina Rivera has let this situation fester for seven years.