NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Lawmakers and community leaders unveiled a “7 Point Plan” in Queens Wednesday to improve conditions on Roosevelt Avenue, a corridor that is currently the target of a joint city-state crackdown on crime and quality of life issues.
City Council Member Shekar Krishnan and Assembly Members Catalina Cruz and Steven Raga joined community leaders and business owners to unveil the plan for a nearly two-mile stretch of the avenue running through Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and Corona.
The plan, which involved community engagement, aims to "ensure the safety and cleanliness of the corridor," which many locals say has become a hotspot for brothels, sex trafficking, drug dealing, retail theft, illegal dumping, and other issues.
The unveiling of the plan comes amid an already-announced 90-day crackdown dubbed “Operation Restore Roosevelt,” a multi-agency enforcement operation launched Oct. 15 by Mayor Eric Adams, NYPD Interim Commissioner Thomas Donlon and Council Member Francisco Moya. Operation Restore Roosevelt is "aimed at addressing public safety and quality of life" in the borough's Elmhurst, North Corona and Jackson Heights neighborhoods -- a mission echoed in the subsequently-released 7 Point Plan.
Not all of the lawmakers in favor of the 7 Point Plan were previously supportive of similar issues. In fact, some criticized the efforts of Moya and Adams.
Moya, who has been working on cleaning up the area with Adams' support for over two years, said at the launch of Operation Restore Roosevelt (VIDEO BELOW), "I am proud to announce, alongside the administration, the introduction of 'Community Link' to Roosevelt Avenue. This initiative will ensure that no issues get lost between agencies and that we are all working in tandem to provide the people of my district with the safety and quality of life they deserve. I want to thank Mayor Adams for bringing the necessary resources to our community to make this possible. I remain committed to the Roosevelt Avenue Task Force, which will now function as a reporting mechanism for the 'Community Link' operation, keeping my office informed and focused on effectively addressing the right issues."
At Wednesday's unveiling of the 7 Point Plan, Krishnan said, "The lack of consistent enforcement makes Roosevelt Avenue unsafe for our communities, for our small business owners, for our parents. Everyone deserves to feel safe on Roosevelt Avenue at all times of the day."
The crackdown has led to ongoing raids at brothels, in particular. Most recently, the FDNY and Department of Buildings shut down another brothel Wednesday afternoon.
Krishnan and other officials are calling for a number of changes, including better lighting under the elevated 7 line, stricter licensing for massage parlors, and a centralized police command in the area.
The effort involves hundreds of police officers from the NYPD and New York State Police, as well as more than a dozen city agencies like the MTA and the Department of Buildings. It focuses on the area between 74th and 111th streets, with a police command center at 84th Street.
THE SEVEN POINT PLAN (Many of the proposals would require action from the city or state, such as funding or legislation. Unveiled Oct. 30, 2024)
• Safe & Licensed: Pass legislation to require hotels to obtain licenses to operate, to continuously staff front desks, and to hire security guards. Additionally, pass legislation to require massage establishments to obtain licenses to operate, and to hire only New York State-licensed massage therapists.
• Inspect & Enforce: Ensure consistent inspections and other enforcement actions by City agencies (Sanitation, Health, Buildings, Consumer & Worker Protection, and Fire Departments) and State agencies (Department of Labor) along Roosevelt Avenue. Prioritize locations near schools, parks, and places of worship.
• Responsible Public Safety: Redraw boundaries for 110th and 115th Precincts to make clear who is responsible for Roosevelt Avenue, which is currently the border between the two precincts. This corridor should fall within a single jurisdiction to hold one precinct responsible for public safety in this area.
• Catch & Fine: Catch people who are using the street as their trash can. Install Sanitation cameras to catch and fine businesses or individuals illegally dumping trash on sidewalks.
• Clean & Clear: Review parking regulations on Roosevelt Avenue to keep vehicles moving and to establish open lines of sight for pedestrian safety and improved visibility. Increase frequency of street cleanings.
• Out of the Shadows: Install permanent brighter lighting under elevated 7-train tracks to increase street visibility for public and pedestrian safety at all hours.
• Support, Don’t Extort: Support victims of trafficking as well as community members living in desperation. Work with community organizations to provide job training, certifications, and employment opportunities, as well as mental health and other support services.
OPERATION RESTORE ROOSEVELT, launched by Adams, Donlon and Moya, on Oct. 15, 2024
-- The NYPD will address crime and quality-of-life offenses, including unlicensed vendors, trademark counterfeiting, prostitution, ghost car and moped enforcement, and excessive noise.
-- The DOB will enforce regulations regarding illegal occupancy and obstructed sidewalks.
-- The DOT will enforce dilapidated and out of code dining sheds, while DSNY will address vendor violations and illegal dumping.
-- The FDNY will enforce propane tank and open flame regulations.
-- As part of the operation, NYPD and partners agencies will also identify specific individuals in the area who may need connections to services, such as housing or medical care, and make referrals to the appropriate city agency or service provider.
Tammy Rose, a parent, business owner and community board members, said she’s witnessed the avenue’s problems firsthand.
“If I leave my house early, too early in the morning, to go to the gym, I can actually see sex acts being done in between cars,” Rose said.
Friend's Tavern owner Eddie Valentin said, “Sadly there’s two sides to Roosevelt Avenue—there’s Roosevelt Avenue by day and there’s Roosevelt Avenue by night.”
“My customers do see a lot of things,” he said. “They see the crime, they see the sex acts.”
Not everyone’s on board with the crackdown. Last week, sex workers and street vendors led a protest through the area. They said the city and state are criminalizing vulnerable people trying to survive, describing the action as racist and anti-immigrant. The alliance includes Make the Road New York, an immigrant advocacy group, and Red Canary Song, a coalition advocating for massage parlor workers.
