Borough President Eric Adams today joined State Senator Simcha Felder, Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein and Councilman Kalman Yeger, calling on NYC Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia to dismiss all sanitation tickets issued during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the area of the BK12 sanitation garage, covering Midwood and Borough Park, at a time when the Governor and Mayor were urging everyone to stay inside, sanitation agents were aggressively issuing tickets to residents who had not gone outside to clean their sidewalks.

Read a copy of the letter the elected officials sent to NYC Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia earlier today:

Dear Commissioner Garcia:

As you know, the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) issued summonses to a significant number of our constituents served by Brooklyn Garage 12 during the spring months when the COVID-19 pandemic was wreaking havoc in our city.

As you are well aware, directives put in place by Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio required New Yorkers to shelter in place during that time. While our constituents respectfully obeyed the law and stayed in their homes, they were thus unaware to the extent that litter had accumulated around their property footprint.

We were disappointed to learn that these law-abiding New Yorkers were ticketed by your enforcement agents who were patrolling our residential areas during this crisis. These summonses are uncalled for and unfair. Our constituents diligently followed government orders despite the difficulty and hardship involved. Issuing $300 violations to innocent homeowners during that painful period, who are struggling due to the economic crisis sparked by this pandemic, is helpful to no one.

We are keenly aware of the many summonses issued in the Brooklyn Garage 12 catchment area during this time period, as well as concerned that similar blitzes may have been conducted in other parts of the city. Accordingly, we urge you to administratively withdraw all summonses issued between Wednesday, March 18th and Monday, June 8th, when our city entered Phase One of the reopening process. While clean streets and sidewalks are important, health and safety must be our priority during times of unprecedented crisis.

These tickets are unreasonable and should be withdrawn immediately. We thank you in advance for your partnership on this matter.

Sincerely,

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, State Senator Simcha Felder, Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein, Councilman Kalman Yeger.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)