QNS’ top web stories of 2021
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic
was still at the forefront
of everyone’s lives.
Adjusting and re-adjusting
as well as moving toward a
recovery were the main focus
throughout different aspects
of life in Queens. Sprinkled
along some of the most viewed
stories involved the housing
market and, of course, food.
More than 5 million people
visited QNS.com in 2021.
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year!
Here are the most read
stories from QNS.com in 2021.
Five Queens neighborhoods
among top 50 most expensive
in NYC
Five Queens neighborhoods
landed on a list of the
50 most expensive New York
City neighborhoods in 2020,
according to PropertyClub’s
report.
Ditmars Steinway (36th),
Malba (42nd), Hunters Point
(43rd), Ridgewood (44th) and
Neponsit (50th) all made PropertyClub’s
50 most expensive
neighborhoods in New York
City list, with three ending
the year with a median sales
price over $1 million.
Ditmars Steinway, the
northernmost section of Astoria,
had a median sales price
of $1,150,000, according to the
report. Both Malba and Hunters
Point had a median sales
price of just over $1 million
and Ridgewood and Neponsit
had a median sales price just
under $1 million.
Fifteen Queens neighborhoods
land on list of 50 most
affordable in New York City
Fifteen neighborhoods in
Queens landed on the list of
the 50 most affordable neighborhoods
in New York City,
according to a report by PropertyClub.
Three neighborhoods, including
Lindenwood, Briarwood
and Glen Oaks, were
among the 10 most affordable
neighborhoods in the city in
2020, according to Property-
Club’s report.
As a borough, Queens
boasted the third most affordable
neighborhoods in one of
the most expensive cities in
the U.S., falling only behind
the Bronx and Staten Island.
Astoria survey shows
COVID-19 recession persists
among vulnerable New Yorkers
Astoria was named “coolest
neighborhood in the
world” just two years ago —
but a first-of-its-kind neighborhood
level survey of New
York workers released on
June 3 found that many are
still suffering from unemployment,
anxiety and other COVID
19 impacts, even as vaccination
rates increase and
restrictions were lifted at the
time.
The report, from the Center
for New York City Affairs
at the New School and the
Consortium for Worker Education,
surveyed more than
700 workers in Astoria and
shows the depth and breadth
of challenges facing the city as
it emerges from the pandemic.
Workers of color were
hardest hit by unemployment,
according to the survey. Black
workers reported the highest
rates of dislocation at 39%,
followed by Latinx workers at
34%.
Queens Night Market returns
to free entry
The Queens Night Market
at Flushing Meadows Corona
Park was once again free and
open to the public at the beginning
of July, after it returned
for its sixth season in June at
reduced capacity.
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.6 COM | DEC. 31, 2021 - JAN. 6, 2022
The market’s founder John
Wang announced that the
ticketing used to manage visitor
capacity and waive vendor
participation fees would be
lifted, after requiring patrons
to purchase tickets in advance
or at the door. The event
pledged 20% of net ticket proceeds
to initiatives promoting
racial equity, COVID-19 relief
and recovery efforts. In three
weeks, the pledge yielded
nearly $10,000.
On the Queens Nights Market’s
opening night, Queens
Borough President Donovan
Richards issued a proclamation
declaring June 19
“Queens Night Market Day.”
New York HERO Act passes
in Albany, ensuring COVID-19
safety in the workplace
The state Senate approved
the New York HERO Act, introduced
by Astoria Senator
Michael Gianaris, that would
mandate enforceable safety
standards in the workplace
during the COVID-19 crisis in
April. The legislation was later
signed by former Governor
Andrew Cuomo a month later.
“Too many workers have
already sacrificed their health
for our community’s benefit,”
Gianaris said. “The New York
HERO Act honors their efforts
by giving workers the tools to
protect themselves while on
the job. I appreciate the support
for this proposal from
my colleagues in both houses
and so many organizations
throughout New York.”
Supported by more than
100 labor, community and
safety organizations including
the AFL-CIO, the legislation
requires the Departments
of Labor and Health to
implement enforceable minimum
standards for workplace
safety. The regulations must
include protocols on testing,
PPE, social distancing, hand
hygiene, disinfection and engineering
controls.
Several months later, Gianaris
called on Gov. Kathy Hochul
to direct state agencies to
fully implement the law.
Too close to call: City Council
District 31 special election will
be fi rst NYC race decided by
ranked-choice voting
All eyes were on the special
election for City Council
District 31 in February, which
was the city’s first true test of
the ranked-choice voting system.
The competitive and
crowded race was too close
to call after voters hit the
polls on Tuesday, Feb. 23,
but (current) Councilwoman
Selvena Brooks-Powers
held a slight early lead over
the nine candidates. However,
since none of the candidates
secured 50% of the
vote, a ranked-choice voting
count was triggered.
After counting absentee
ballots, the Board of Elections
certified results almost
a month later, and Brooks-
Powers officially emerged as
the winner.
Although the District 31
race wasn’t the first in the
city’s history to utilize the
new voting system — that
distinction goes to the special
election in Council District 24
— it is the first to go into the
second count.
Flushing small business owner
takes action against DoorDash
over fraud allegation
QNS reported on Door-
Dash terminating A-Crepe’s
merchant license over suspected
fraudulent activity.
According to the shop’s owners,
the food delivery service
had withdrawn a total of
$46,700 earned from sales and
proceeds without notice and
terminated the restaurant’s
account days later without
any explanation.
“All within one day, without
warning. After that occurred
we were really confused,”
Eric Leung said on
behalf of his business partner
and owner David Liu.
“This is literally months and
months of revenue — we have
rent, bills and other expenses
to pay and we can’t afford to
without this money.”
Leung said that since
DoorDash had access to ACrepe’s
account number, the
company pulled the funds
using an automated clearing
house transfer (ACH).
Liu and Leung were able
to recover $32,000 after the
pair disputed it with Bank of
America and filled out an affidavit
saying that the ACH
transfer was unauthorized.
The remaining $14,000 in
funds were still withheld by
DoorDash.
Despite contacting Door-
Dash for an explanation as
to why their account was
canceled without notice, a
company representative reportedly
cited “fraudulent
activity” but no further information.
Following the ordeal,
Leung gave a message to all
small business owners: Don’t
be afraid to speak up.
“If we can do it, then anyone
can do it. I just want
people to stand up for what
is right, and that’s all for
the power of community. We
will stand together for what’s
right and tell those big companies
we’re not going to get
bullied,” Leung said.
File photo
YEAR IN REVIEW
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