BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Cleaning up Coney Island and helping people with a history of homelessness, incarceration and addiction. Both objectives are being met under a new program to begin on March 25.
City Council Finance Chair Justin Brannan tells PIX 11 News he's using about $50,000 of reallocated money in the current budget to hire workers with ACE or the Association of Community Employment Programs. The nonprofit serves about 600 New Yorkers annually, offering them job training and eventual employment.
Two ACE workers will be assigned seven days a week to pick up trash and beautify Mermaid Avenue from Stillwell Avenue to West 33rd Street.
"Mermaid Avenue is a super busy avenue, a lot of small businesses out there, they need some help, they need some love, and I think they'll benefit from cleaner streets in the off-season," Brannan said.
The money is there until June.
"We'll look to access more money for FY '25 to keep it going even longer; I wouldn't start it if I didn't plan on continuing it and expanding it," Brannan said.
James Martin, the Executive Director of ACE, told PIX11 News that the sanitation workers will earn $16 per hour and receive company-sponsored contributions to a 401K.
"We also offer subsidized health care and lifetime support services, most importantly. A lot of these folks are working for the first time, and it does take some support to get through that first year," Martin said.
Latricia Mercer of Brooklyn joined ACE in 2016.
"My life was upside down. I was in a residential treatment facility. Since being here, I've been promoted twice, and I got my high school diploma," she said.
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