Jackson Heights Queens

Practice Areas

Bankruptcy Solutions

The purpose of federal bankruptcy legislation, sometimes known as Title 11 of the United States Code or the “Bankruptcy Code,” is to provide an opportunity for financial reorganization or a fresh start for legitimate debtors who are unable to fulfill their obligations.

Foreclosure Solutions

As you are undoubtedly aware, many homeowners are in arrears on their mortgages as a result of the 2020 recession brought on by the coronavirus. At first, most lenders had been understanding and would have granted a brief suspension of the late payments.

Debt Negotiations & Settlements

Clients regularly hire the Law Office of Ronald D. Weiss, P.C. to represent them in negotiations with banks, mortgage holders, credit card issuers, auto financing providers, landlords, tax authorities, and other creditors.

Mortgage Loan Modifications

The most common strategy used by our firm to prevent a house in severe mortgage arrears from going into foreclosure is a mortgage modification. Mortgage modification and other potential Retention Options are the potential goals of most homeowners in foreclosure because most people experiencing serious hardships with their mortgages are looking for “Retention Options

Credit Card Solutions

For consumers, credit card debt and other unsecured personal loans are the most common types of debt. There are a few legal options for handling credit card debt, including the following: Litigation, bankruptcy, and/or negotiated settlements are the three options.

Debtor Litigation Defense

Many of The Law Office of Ronald D. Weiss, P.C.’s clients face the possibility of litigation or collection activities from their creditors because they are accused of having debt that they are unable to pay or because they contest the existence, amount, or obligation of the debt.

Landlord Tenant Solutions

Landlord-Tenant Law is one of our firm’s areas of expertise; we defend landlords and tenants in a variety of legal proceedings before the Landlord-Tenant Court and the New York Supreme Court. When it comes to eviction and/or collecting large amounts of past due rent.

Distressed Real Estate

A. Pre-Contract When a seller (the “Seller”) sells real estate to a buyer (the “Buyer”), there are usually a number of important steps involved. A seller will first list their property on the market for sale. A real estate broker is frequently hired by the seller to help locate possible buyers for their property.

Student Loan Solutions

In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes,” as Benjamin Franklin famously said. This phrase has recently been amended by popular opinion to include student loans. Since most jobs these days require a bachelor’s degree, the amount of debt that Americans owe on their student loans

Tax Debt Solutions

Many people have trouble keeping up with their tax payments to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance (“NYS”), which includes sales taxes, income taxes, payroll taxes, and other state taxes, as well as the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), which includes individual income taxes.

Jackson Heights is a neighborhood situated in the northwestern part of Queens, New York City. It shares its borders with North Corona to the east, Elmhurst to the south, Woodside to the west, northern Astoria (Ditmars-Steinway) to the northwest, and East Elmhurst to the north and northeast. Known for its remarkable ethnic diversity, Jackson Heights boasts a community where about half of its residents have been foreign-born since the 2000s. In fact, The New York Times has even hailed it as “the most culturally diverse neighborhood in New York, if not on the planet.”

As per the 2010 United States Census, Jackson Heights is home to approximately 108,152 individuals. Interestingly, the area that Jackson Heights now occupies was once a sprawling marsh called Trains Meadow. However, in 1909, Edward A. MacDougall’s Queensboro Corporation purchased 325 acres of undeveloped land and farms in the area.

The Queensboro Corporation decided to name this land Jackson Heights in honor of John C. Jackson, a descendant of one of Queens’ original families and a highly esteemed entrepreneur in the region. Transit infrastructure played a crucial role in the subsequent development of Jackson Heights, leading to the proliferation of “garden apartments” and “garden homes” in the area. However, by the 1960s, a demographic shift occurred as white middle-class families began relocating to the suburbs, while nonwhite residents started moving into Jackson Heights.

Early history

From colonial times until the 1900s, the region currently recognized as Jackson Heights was an expansive marsh known as Trains Meadow. As urbanization surged at the turn of the century, New York City faced housing shortages and urban sprawl. In response, in 1909, Edward A. MacDougall’s Queensboro Corporation acquired 325 acres (132 hectares) of undeveloped land and farmland. They bestowed upon this land the name Jackson Heights, in honor of John C. Jackson, a descendant of one of Queens’ original families and a highly regarded entrepreneur in Queens County.

Development

Jackson Heights was envisioned as a meticulously planned community tailored for middle- to upper-middle-income individuals seeking refuge from the congestion of Manhattan. Drawing inspiration from Sir Ebenezer Howard’s garden city movement, it was meticulously designed by Edward MacDougall’s Queensboro Corporation in 1916 and began to attract residents following the introduction of the Flushing Line in 1917. The Queensboro Corporation introduced the term “garden apartment” to convey the idea of apartments clustered around private parks. Despite providing land for churches, the apartments were initially reserved exclusively for White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, effectively excluding Jews, Blacks, and possibly Greeks and Italians.

Historic district

Most of the original neighborhood, characterized by the garden city apartment buildings, has been designated as a National Register Historic District and a New York State Historic Register District. The Jackson Heights New York State and National Register Districts span from 93rd Street through 69th Street between Northern Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue. However, some properties along Northern Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue, as well as certain “cut-outs,” fall outside the Register Districts. The national historic district, known as the Jackson Heights Historic District, encompasses 2,203 contributing buildings, 19 contributing sites, and three contributing objects. Among the landmarked buildings, over 200 original Queensboro Corporation apartment buildings still stand in Jackson Heights. This district was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Business district

The primary retail hub stretches along 37th Avenue from 72nd Street to Junction Boulevard, with additional retail options on 73rd, 74th, and 82nd streets between 37th and Roosevelt avenues. Along 74th Street and its vicinity, there’s a notable concentration of stores and restaurants catering to the large population from the Indian subcontinent, offering sari and jewelry shops, Indian and Bengali music and movie retailers, as well as numerous dining establishments. Meanwhile, 37th Avenue hosts a diverse array of retailers, including many grocery stores, while 82nd Street features several national chain stores housed in Tudor-style buildings within the Jackson Heights Historic District. Moving towards Northern Boulevard, from 80th Street eastward to the border of neighboring Corona at Junction Boulevard, one can find a prevalence of South American retailers and eateries, particularly from Colombia and Peru. Roosevelt Avenue also boasts a variety of predominantly Hispanic retail stores.

According to data from the 2010 United States Census, Jackson Heights had a population of 108,152, which marked a decrease of 5,175 (4.6%) from the 113,327 recorded in 2000. The neighborhood covers an area of 1,101.36 acres (445.70 ha), with a population density of 98.2 inhabitants per acre (62,800/sq mi; 24,300/km2). In terms of racial composition, the neighborhood was comprised of 17.2% (18,567) White, 2.0% (2,210) African American, 0.1% (145) Native American, 22.0% (23,781) Asian, 0.0% (9) Pacific Islander, 0.5% (583) from other races, and 1.6% (1,736) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race accounted for 56.5% (61,121) of the population.

The broader Queens Community District 3, which encompasses Jackson Heights along with East Elmhurst and North Corona, had a total population of 179,844 as of NYC Health’s 2018 Community Health Profile, boasting an average life expectancy of 84.7 years. This figure surpasses the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. The demographic distribution indicates that a majority of residents are middle-aged adults and youth, with 22% falling within the 0–17 age bracket, 32% between 25 and 44, and 24% between 45 and 64. The proportion of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 9% and 12% respectively.

Jackson Heights is renowned for its incredible diversity, both within New York City and nationwide. By the 2000s, approximately half of its population was foreign-born. The neighborhood boasts significant communities of South Americans, particularly from Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina, as well as South Asians, including Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, Tibetans, Nepalese, and Indians. With a vibrant Tibetan presence, it has earned the moniker of “the second (albeit unofficial) capital of the exile Tibetan world, after Dharamsala, India.” Businesses in Jackson Heights reflect this rich diversity, with a majority being Asian- and Latino-owned. The neighborhood is teeming with restaurants, bakeries, specialty shops, legal offices, bars, and beauty salons. Notable ethnic enclaves include Little India on 74th Street, Little Pakistan and Little Bangladesh on 73rd Street, and a significant concentration of South Americans, particularly Colombians, east of 77th Street, famously known as Little Colombia along 37th Avenue.

Travers Park stands as the central hub for recreational activities in the local area. It offers a diverse range of sports facilities, including basketball, tennis, baseball, soccer, and handball, catering to various interests and ages. In recent years, the park has expanded its offerings with the introduction of a year-round farmers’ market, providing a vibrant community space for residents.

However, recent renovations completed in October 2020 have transformed the landscape of Travers Park. Much of the previous sports space has been replaced with expansive lawns and seating areas, altering the park’s layout and ambiance.

Before these renovations, the P.S. 69 school yard was another popular spot for sports enthusiasts. It featured baseball fields, a stickball field, a handball court, and three tennis courts. Con Edison even sponsored summer tennis camps at P.S. 69’s school yard from 1982 to 1992. However, changes came in 1998 when P.S. 69 constructed an annex to accommodate the growing population of children in Jackson Heights, leading to the removal of public access to the school yard.

In a bid to enhance public access to recreational spaces, then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other city officials inaugurated the 200th “Schoolyard to Playground” initiative at P.S. 69 on November 30, 2011. This initiative, part of the broader PlaNYC program, aims to ensure that all New Yorkers have easy access to parks or playgrounds within a 10-minute walk of their residences by repurposing schoolyards into community playgrounds.

Jackson Heights falls under the jurisdiction of the 115th Precinct of the NYPD, located at 92–15 Northern Boulevard. The precinct has seen a significant reduction in crime since the late 20th century when it was notorious as the “cocaine capital” of New York City. As of 2018, Jackson Heights has experienced a decline in violent crimes, with a non-fatal assault rate of 33 per 100,000 people, lower than the citywide average. The incarceration rate of 342 per 100,000 people is also lower than the citywide rate.

Compared to the 1990s, the 115th Precinct has witnessed a substantial decrease in crime across all categories, with a reduction of 85% between 1990 and 2019. In 2019, the precinct reported 11 murders, 42 rapes, 246 robberies, 344 felony assaults, 125 burglaries, 520 grand larcenies, and 128 grand larcenies auto. These figures reflect the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to ensure the safety and security of the Jackson Heights community.

Jackson Heights is served by two New York City Fire Department (FDNY) fire stations. Engine Co. 307/Ladder Co. 154 is located at 81–19 Northern Boulevard. Additionally, another fire station, Engine Co. 316, is situated at 27–12 Kearney Street in East Elmhurst, providing essential emergency response services to the community.

As of 2018, preterm births in Jackson Heights are about the same as in other places citywide, but births to teenage mothers are more common. In Jackson Heights, there were 86 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 27.9 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Jackson Heights also has a high population of residents who are uninsured, estimated to be 28% in 2018, which is higher than the citywide rate of 12%.

The concentration of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of air pollutant, in Jackson Heights is 0.0073 milligrams per cubic meter (7.3×10−9 oz/cu ft), which is lower than the city average. Thirteen percent of Jackson Heights residents are smokers, slightly lower than the city average of 14%. In terms of health conditions, 20% of residents are obese, 13% are diabetic, and 29% have high blood pressure—compared to the citywide averages of 20%, 14%, and 24%, respectively. Additionally, 26% of children in Jackson Heights are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%.

As of 2018, Jackson Heights generally has a lower proportion of college-educated residents compared to the rest of the city. While 27% of residents aged 25 and older have a college education or higher, 30% have less than a high school education, and 47% are high school graduates or have some college education. In contrast, 39% of Queens residents and 43% of city residents have a college education or higher.

The percentage of Jackson Heights students excelling in math rose from 41% in 2000 to 65% in 2011, and reading achievement rose from 46% to 49% during the same time period.

Jackson Heights’s rate of elementary school student absenteeism is lower than the rest of New York City, with 12% of elementary school students missing 20 or more days per school year, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 78% of high school students in Jackson Heights graduate on time, exceeding the citywide average of 75%.

The Community United Methodist Church, situated between 81st and 82nd streets on 35th Avenue, stands as the oldest church in Jackson Heights, tracing its roots back to 1919 and being formally dedicated in 1923. Originally established to cater to the spiritual needs of European-American Protestant residents, it has evolved over the years to become the most diverse church in Queens. Today, it hosts services in Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and English, reflecting the rich tapestry of cultures in the neighborhood.

Reverend Austin Armistead, who led the church from 1974 to 1995, played a pivotal role in spearheading its transformation. Under his leadership, the church embraced racial and cultural diversity, marking a significant departure from its earlier homogeneity. Armistead’s vision involved aligning the church with the demographics of the neighborhood, leading to the introduction of services in different languages and the establishment of four distinct ministries. Additionally, the church served as a unifying space for various community groups, ranging from ethnic associations to LGBTQ organizations and nonprofits like the Jackson Heights Beautification Group.

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