By Erica Scalise

On Feb. 22, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. delivered his ninth State of the Borough address to a large crowd at the Bronx High School of Science. Diaz is in his third and final term, making this address his last.

In his speech, Diaz discussed the successes of his administration since April 2009. These include notable decreases in unemployment and crime, as well as record increases in private development and new housing units in the Bronx.

“So far, we’ve done great things,” said Diaz. “I stand here proud to report that we executed a transformative agenda that has elevated every neighborhood and community in this wonderful borough.”

Since Diaz took office, unemployment has been cut by more than half, down to 5.5 percent, and nearly 110,000 more Bronx residents have jobs.
Crime is also at an all-time low, with fewer than 100 homicides in the Bronx for the fifth year in a row. Diaz attributed this to the collective work of the NYPD, District Attorney Darcel Clark and Bronxites for their commitment to a more fair and more humane criminal justice system.

“Look at how different things are in this borough today than just a decade ago. We have set the bar for the entire nation on transformative urban renewal and redevelopment,” said Diaz. “We are the new standard for revitalization.”

Diaz thanked a number of individuals for the roles they continue to play in working to improve the Bronx.

Among those in attendance were Corey Johnson, speaker of the New York City Council and representative for council District 3, Reverend Ruben Diaz Sr., long time New York State senator and current Council Member for District 18 and Council Member Ritchie Torres of District 15.

Diaz thanked Council Member Torres for his partnership on new fire safety legislation as well as his work to rename 187th and Prospect Avenue after Emmanuel Mensah, the National Guard soldier who died rescuing victims of the Belmont fire.

As his term comes to a close, Diaz said there is a lot of work still to be done.

Diaz discussed the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) ongoing heat crisis and the agency’s failure to replace broken boilers faster. He urged Governor Andrew Cuomo to act on behalf of NYCHA’s residents if the city would not.

“We are turning up the heat on NYCHA to act as a responsible landlord, and if they refuse to do so, I call on the governor to do it for them,” said Diaz.
Along with nearly 60 other elected officials, including congressional, state and assembly members, Diaz called on NYCHA to declare a state of emergency.

Diaz also stressed the importance of supporting the New York City public school system which he referred to as the “backbone of the city.”

More than half of the city’s students are currently learning in overcrowded classrooms; 60 percent of elementary and middle school kids were in overcrowded classes last year, according to Diaz. He is working to address this problem by calling upon the New York City Department of Education (DOE) to work towards capping all middle school classes at 22 students in order to provide students more one-on-one time with instructors.

Diaz said that the Bronx is leading the way on creating a New York City tech hub in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx.

“Following our second Bronx Tech Summit, we are proposing a computer science model curriculum that integrates technology into all subjects,” said Diaz. “This is the road to developing essential modes of thinking for life, learning, and the new economy.”

The borough president also called on companies to hire recent CUNY graduates.

“We will continue to support our CUNY system, as well, as we marry our students’ job skills with the needs of this city. We can create incentive programs that directly link CUNY graduates with jobs,” said Diaz. “We must build the bridges to success through synergy.”

Diaz also expressed his disapproval of the lack of community input solicited by the de Blasio administration to build a new jail on a site in Mott Haven.

“Reform efforts to fix our city’s jails are needed,” said Diaz. “However, any new site for a jail in this borough must be thoroughly vetted, and the people of the Bronx must have a meaningful say in the selection of any site.”

When speaking about the opioid crisis, Diaz said that he welcomes increased national conversation on the topic, but will not accept a national failure to solve urban problems.

“This is the gentrification of the opioid epidemic,” said Diaz.

He also called for the end of cash bail in New York state and increased access to mental health services for individuals involved in the prison system.

“The system should rehabilitate, not debilitate,” said Diaz.

Diaz closed optimistically, underscoring the bright future of the borough.

“Together, we will ensure our continued success and preserve all the freedoms that make New York City a beacon for the world,” said Diaz. “The state of the Bronx is strong, and we will continue to lead the way for our great city.”