Cindy Rodriguez

New York, NY —

A report released today shows blacks especially native born ones remain under represented in the construction industry and earn about 60 percent of what whites earn.

REPORTER: Dr. Dennis Darryck from the Milano Graduate School helped author the report. He says local trade unions should be ...

New York, NY —

Tenants and landlords are at odds over legislation that would allow renters to sue for harassment in housing court. Two different bills were recently introduced in the City Council. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: One bill was introduced by Councilwoman Maria Baez. She says it's still ...

New York, NY —

A building association that represents hundreds of large construction companies says it will begin meeting with the Fire Department once a month to discuss fire safety concerns. In addition, FDNY Chief Sal Cassano, says before a building is constructed or demolished, construction companies will submit ...

New York, NY —

The principal originally picked to run the city's first Arabic-language public school will sue the city today. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

Debbie Almontaser has said she was forced to resign as principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy after defending the use of the word "intifidah" ...

New York, NY —

Immigrant's rights groups are avoiding criticizing Governor Eliot Spitzer. Yesterday, the Democrat acknowledged there was too much opposition to carry out a plan that would have allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain a license. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez has more.

Spitzer Drops Plan for Immigrant ...

New York, NY —

NEW YORK, NY November 14, 2007 —Immigrants advocates are staying away from directly criticizing Governor Eliot Spitzer after he backed out of a plan to license undocumented immigrants. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

Several immigrant groups have spent more than 3 years rallying around this issue and ...

New York, NY —

The Bloomberg Administration's 10-year housing plan is making good progress., according to a report by the city's Indepedent Budget Office. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports:

REPORTER: The plan's goal is to produce 165,000 apartments for low- and middle-income New Yorkers by 2013. Four years into the plan, ...

New York, NY —

The city's plan to build more housing for low and moderate income New Yorkers is for the most part on schedule. That's according to a recent report tracking the progress so far. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

The goal of the plan is to produce 165-thousand apartments ...

New York, NY —

Government Spitzer's latest plan to create a three tiered driver's license system has immigrants in some neighborhoods feeling disappointed and confused about whether they would apply for the new license. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez has more from Corona, Queens.

REPORTER: Marco Ramos is from Mexico. He has ...

New York, NY —

Despite an outcry from some elected officials and homeless advocates, the city's Department of Homeless Services has gone ahead with a policy change. On Friday evening, it began turning away families deemed ineligible for shelter because they have other housing options. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports:

RODRIGUEZ: ...

New York, NY —

Last night the Department of Homeless Services began refusing to shelter families that they believe have other housing options. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez spoke to several families outside a homeless intake center in the Bronx.

REPORTER: Prior to last night, Shanet Badillo and her 14 year old ...

New York, NY —

Some families seeking a shelter for the night could be turned away when the city starts implementing a new policy. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: Currently any family that shows up at a Bronx intake center after 5pm is automatically given a shelter bed for the ...

New York, NY —

A court has ordered the city to start handing out millions of dollars in food stamps to poor New Yorkers incorrectly cut off from the benefit. The move settles a longstanding class action lawsuit. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

The 2002 lawsuit was filed on behalf of ...

New York, NY —

Mayor Bloomberg is expressing concern over a new state policy that will allow undocumented immigrants to get New York State driver's licenses by using a foreign passport as ID. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: Governor Eliot Spitzer says the move improves public safety by bringing immigrants ...

New York, NY —

New York recently joined 8 other states in allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain a driver's license. They will soon be able to provide a foreign passport to prove their identity.

New York, NY —

During a City Council hearing, New York's child welfare agency said it's turning things around with more caseworkers, smaller caseloads and more families receiving social services. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

The administration for Children's Services says it's also substantiating more cases of abuse and neglect committed ...

New York, NY —

A New York state report finds sloppy oversight by the agency that monitors the city's Mitchell Lama affordable housing complexes. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

The report says the Department of Housing and Community Renewal failed to enforce rules designed to ensure proper financial management and the ...

New York, NY —

A state affordable housing program centered in New York City has been badly mismanaged. That's according to a report by the state Inspector General which took a look at four large Mitchell Lama complexes here.

The report says the Department of Housing and Community Renewal failed ...

New York, NY —

The plan to build a water park on Randall's Island is behind schedule and a new developer should be selected for the project...that's according to the city comptroller. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: City Comptroller William Thompson complained about Aquatic Development's lack of progress in a ...

New York, NY —

The calorie content of a Big Mac or chicken nuggets won't be posted on menu boards in the city anytime soon. A federal judge struck down a new rule that would have required fast food restaurants to post that information. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: The ...