Vol. 59 No. 46
Finance Provides Guidance to Complete DTF-505 Form for Tax Transcripts BY ROZAAN BOONE
Saturday, November 16, 2024
$1.25
Open Board Meeting in Bartow on Nov. 20 An Open Board meeting has been scheduled by Riverbay Board President Rod Saunders for Wednesday, Nov. 20, starting at 7 p.m. Shareholder who would like to address the Board and Management are asked to arrive early and sign up to speak at the Gallery Session, which will be held from 7-7:30 p.m. This meeting will take place in Room 31 at the Bartow Center. Prior to the start of the Board meeting, shareholders will be able to meet with Riverbay department heads and representatives from 6-7 p.m. to discuss any pertinent matters relative to the respective departments. In a televised message to shareholders currently airing on the Riverbay Crawler, channel 12 (MATV) and channel 591 (Altice), Board President Saunders says that the Board is available to listen, represent and make decisions that benefit all resident of the community. “Our community is stronger when we work together,” said Board President Saunders. “My goal is to ensure your voices are heard and community needs are met. If you have thoughts, suggestions or challenges, the Board is here to listen.” The Board President goes on to encourage shareholders to attend the monthly Open Board meetings and sign up to speak at the Gallery Sessions. The Board President’s message to shareholders is also available on the corporation’s YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/3USdCj4. See meeting Agenda below.
In response to calls from shareholders for assistance completing the DTF-505 form to verify incomes, the Riverbay Finance department has provided a sample of how the form should be filled out (see page 5). Last week, the Finance department reported that NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) completed its review of the 2020 Income Affidavits filed by shareholders and identified accounts whose Income Affidavits do not match information filed on their 2020 income tax return with the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance. These shareholders are now required to provide additional verification. They must obtain from the NYS Tax Department certified transcripts of the 2020 New York State Income Tax Return for the person/s within their household that HCR flagged. To obtain a transcript of the tax return, form DTF-505, which was mailed with the notification letter, must be completed and returned to the NYS Tax Department, Disclosure Unit, WA Harriman Campus, Albany, NY 12227-0870. (Please note, the return address is on page 2 of the DTF505 form. Turn to page 5 to see sample of page 2 of the DTF-5050 form.) Shareholders submitting a DTF-505 form should also send a copy of photo ID, such as a valid Driver’s License or non-driver ID. Once the tax transcript is received from the state Tax Department, it must be submitted to Riverbay Finance department as soon as possible. If all of the information on the shareholder’s Income Affidavit matched what was reported on the 2020 NYS Income Tax (Continued on page 5)
Grounds Department Brings Holiday Cheer with Festive Decorations With the 2024 Holiday Season imminent, the Riverbay Grounds department began decorating the Bartow, Einstein and Dreiser malls and community centers with festive lights and decorations. Crews have been busy hanging up holiday lights around the columns and trees, and positioning lit-up reindeer, angels and Santas for the enjoyment of shareholders and visitors to Co-op City. (See page 12 for more photos.) Photo by Jennifer Piovanetti
FDNY Urges Caution as Drought-Related Brush Fires Erupt Across NYC BY DANIELLE CRUZ
As New York City continues to experience an historically dry fall, the FDNY is urging New Yorkers to exercise caution following an unprecedented spike in brush fires throughout the five boroughs. According to the FDNY, from October 29 to November 12, firefighters responded to 229 brush fires across the city, the highest number of brush fires recorded within a two-week period in New York City history. Out of those 229 fires, 67 occurred in the Bronx, 56 in Queens, 51 in Brooklyn, 24 in Manhattan and 17 in Staten Island. “Remarkably dry conditions in October and so far in November have resulted in an historic amount of brush fires over the last two weeks, and we need the public to remain vigilant,” said FDNY Commission-
45th Pct. Community Council Meeting held in Co-op City, Nov. 7 BY BRANDI SIMPSON
NYC Parks Dept. photo
er Robert S. Tucker. “Due to a significant lack of rainfall, the threat of fast-spreading brush fires fueled by dry vegetation and windy conditions pose a real threat to our members and
(Continued on page 4)
The 45th Pct. Community Council held a meeting last Thursday, November 7, in the Bartow Center, Rm. 31, which was attended by several Co-op City shareholders who raised a variety of concerns. Among the topics addressed at the meeting, the majority centered on car thefts, illegal parking, ghost plates, and traffic streaming from the Mall at Bay Plaza during the holiday season. Kicking off the meeting, Bob Bieder, president of the 45th Precinct Community Council, introduced Captain Anthony Lombardo from Group 22, a criminal investigation group within the Internal Affairs Bureau that covers multiple precincts within the Bronx, to address the audience. Captain Lombardo encouraged shareholders to contact IAB to report any allegations of misconduct or crime committed by an officer to assure that all complaints are investigated and taken seriously, whether big or small. To contact the Bureau, shareholders can call 212-CORRUPT or 1-800-PRIDE. Shareholders can also call these numbers to report other agencies, such as EMS or a firefighter, and IAB will forward the complaint to the proper channels. (Continued on page 4) Mr. Bieder announced an upcoming community