Helene E. Weinstein
Making a Difference in Brooklyn and Albany
I strongly believe that one of my most important responsibilities is to listen carefully, answer questions and help solve your problems. Along with my experienced community office staff, I can assist you with a variety of important services and help to resolve community problems.
Social Security Benefits Increase
Mrs. G, a 64-year-old widow, reached out to Assemblywoman Weinstein after she lost her job and was living on $301 a week in unemployment benefits. She had been told by Social Security that she would be entitled to benefits when she turned 65, but would be receiving only $600 a month. In discussions with the local Social Security office, Assemblywoman Weinstein successfully asserted that, as a widow, she was entitled to her deceased husband’s benefits totaling $2,000 a month regardless of her employment status.
Faulty Court Judgment Resolved
Mr. C came to see Assemblywoman Weinstein with a marshal’s seizure notice based upon a default judgment, claiming that he owed $8,000 to a credit card company from six years ago. Mr. C who did not believe he owed the money, almost all of which was based upon late fees and interest charges, had never received the court notice, and the judgment was entered against him before he had a chance in court to defend himself. After being referred to the Brooklyn Bar Association volunteer lawyers, Mr. C was able to go to court and have the judgment vacated and marshal’s notice rescinded and a new date set for a hearing on the merits. When he returned to court for the new hearing the debt collection agency failed to show proof of what he owed the credit card company and their lawsuit was thrown out.
Mr. C’s case is not an isolated incident - that is why Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein is trying to change New York State’s law to curb the abusive debt collection lawsuits that have become an epidemic in New York State. Assemblywoman Weinstein’s Consumer Credit Fairness Act (A633) which has wide support, would ensure that debt collection actions are fair to consumers.
Weinstein’s bill would stop companies from buying debts for pennies on the dollar and then engaging in abusive collection practices, filing lawsuits with flimsy or little information and obtaining default judgments often utilizing improper “sewer service.”
Highlights include:
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Shortens the statute of limitations to three years from current six years.
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Provides notice to consumers before a default judgment can be entered.
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Requires debt buyers to disclose the details of debts.
When a consumer discovers a lawsuit in time to defend it, they almost always win.
WEINSTEIN’S SUCCESS STORIES
Ms. B applied for a transfer of her Section 8 benefit to a new apartment in a wheelchair accessible building. The prospective apartment was inspected in January, yet, in March she was still awaiting approval to move. Assemblywoman Weinstein arranged for the New York City Housing Authority to conduct a new inspection, and within the month Ms. B was allowed to move into her new wheelchair accessible apartment.
Workers’ Compensation
Mrs. G came to the Assemblywoman for help when she did not receive her late husband’s workers’ compensation benefit which she relied upon. The Assemblywoman investigated, determining that the account had been acquired by a different insurance company. The new insurance company was contacted and within a week Mrs. G had her check.
Misdirected Tax Refund
Mr. and Mrs. G came to the Assemblywoman for help in tracking down the NYC-210 tax refund that the Assemblywoman’s office had assisted them in applying for, which had never arrived. By contacting the NYS Taxation Department it was discovered that the refund check was mistakenly cashed a long time ago, by a different person with the same last name, living in a different apartment in their apartment building. Our office contacted the individual, pointed out the error and the money was gladly returned to the rightful owners.
Mattress Mess Resolved
While purchasing a new mattress Mr. R, a senior, was talked into purchasing additional items totaling over $410 that he neither needed nor wanted. Shortly after, emergency medical costs caused great financial hardship, and he sought help from Assemblywoman Weinstein in canceling those extra items. After Assemblywoman Weinstein’s office discussed the situation with the store, the salesman agreed to accept returns on the unwanted items and credited Mr. R $410.
Immigration Assistance
After a frustrating two years of waiting to no avail for status updates for his wife and small children’s VISA applications, Mr. S visited Assemblywoman Weinstein’s Office for assistance. Through coordination with the Immigration Affairs Unit of Senator Gillibrand’s Office, within two weeks the VISA applications were reviewed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Mr. S was advised that the applications required updated information in order to be put back on track for the final stages of review.
At the press conference announcing the creation of a civilian patrol for Community Board 17, Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein stated, “As a strong supporter of community civilian patrols, I am proud to be here as we launch a civilian observation patrol for East Flatbush - allowing residents to have an active role in improving the safety of their own neighborhood.”
Joining Community Board 17 members for the launch were Borough President Marty Markowitz, Assemblyman Nick Perry, Councilman Jumaane Williams, NYPD Brooklyn Patrol South Chief Thomas Chan, and Flatbush Shomrim Safety Patrol President Chaim Deutsch. The patrol is headed by Terrence Joseph, Chair of CB 17's Safety Committee.
Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein often works with the NYC Department of Transportation on issues reported by constituents - to repair and improve dangerous and hazardous street conditions that negatively impact the quality of life and safety (of you and your neighbors). Some examples of the improvements made after intervention from the Assemblywoman are:
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New turn signal traffic light at Kings Highway and Foster Avenue
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New traffic light at Brooklyn Avenue and Avenue J
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Count down sign for Avenue Y & Nostrand Ave
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Pending request – traffic light/controls on Avenue J at East 31st Street, a private school bus stop and the scene of a horrific accident earlier this year.
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Traffic study of Gerritsen Avenue and Knapp Street.
Types of conditions we can help with include:
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Daylighting – the removal of parking spaces at street corners to enhance and improve visibility at intersections
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Traffic signal and stop sign installations
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Street light installation and repair
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Pothole and street repair
You can report hazardous conditions by contacting Assemblywoman Weinstein’s community office.
On October 25th, a new law sponsored by Assemblywoman Weinstein creating a missing vulnerable adults clearinghouse, similar to the “Amber Alert” system for missing children, went into effect. It is an important new system to locate missing cognitively-impaired senior citizens and return them to their homes. The Alzheimer's Association estimates that more than 60 percent of Alzheimer sufferers will wander and 50 percent are at risk of serious harm, or even death, if not located within 24 hours. Ninety-five percent of people who go missing because they suffer from a cognitive impairment are found within a quarter mile from their home or the place where they were last seen.
Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein’s Community Office helps income eligible constituents apply for and obtain a wireless cell phone, (one per household) through the Mobile Assurance Wireless program. Assurance Wireless is a Lifeline Assistance program which provides 250 minutes of local and long distance wireless services to customers each month. To date, Assemblywoman Weinstein has assisted 141 area residents with fixed incomes obtain a free cell phone. Contact the Community Office to see if you are eligible.
