8/9/2021: Today is the last day public school students eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine (ages 12 and up) can start their inoculation series and be fully vaccinated before school starts on September 13th. While the shots are not required, officials are encouraging all eligible children 12 and up to get them. Click here to find a vaccination site near you.
8/5/2021: In order to respond to recent developments in the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of the Delta variant, the CDC issued an eviction moratorium in counties with high levels of COVID-19 transmission. The new order ensures you can stay at the place where you live through October 3, 2021 if you qualify. Click here to learn more about the new eviction moratorium and see if you qualify.
8/3/2021: New York City will become the first U.S. city to require proof of vaccination for a variety of activities for workers and customers, including indoor dining, gyms and performances. The program will start later this month, and after a transition period, enforcement will begin in mid-September.
8/2/2021: All of New York City’s 300,000+ employees, as well as all state workers, must be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing by September. New hires are required to show proof of their shots prior to beginning their jobs.
7/27/2021: The CDC recommends people vaccinated for the coronavirus resume wearing masks indoors in certain parts of the country as a precaution against “breakthrough infections,” reversing the guidance they made just two months ago.
7/27/2021: “Breakthrough infections” – infections in already vaccinated people – are growing in frequency, particularly as the highly contagious Delta variant surges across the country. However, infections in vaccinated people are still relatively rare and vaccinated people who do contract COVID-19 are protected against severe disease, hospitalization, and death.
7/26/2021: Governor Andrew Cuomo promised to streamline the application process for New York’s rent relief program, starting July 27th. The new process immediately relaxes documentation standards for both tenants and landlords and implements a streamlined process for submission of arrears documentation for multi-tenant landlords. Click here to learn more about the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
6/28/2021: New York City is offering in-home COVID-19 vaccinations to any City resident who requests one. Any New Yorker requesting in-home vaccination will now have the option to request their vaccine brand preference (Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson).
6/24/2021: New York City’s state of emergency ended today, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo. Federal guidelines set by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention will still apply, including “masks for unvaccinated individuals, as well as all riders on public transit and in certain settings, such as health care, nursing homes, correctional facilities, and homeless shelters. State and local government health departments will still be able to ensure mask rules and other health precautions are adhered to in those settings.”
6/24/2021: The temporary pandemic-related privileges for to-go and delivery of alcoholic beverages from restaurants ends today.
6/14/2021: Online applications for the Small Business Recovery Grant Program opened Thursday, June 10th. A commercial tenant can apply for up to $50,000 of relief for rent, heating, insurance, machinery, and property taxes. The program doesn’t have the same requirements as the residential program. Click here to learn more and to apply.
6/7/2021: A majority of New York’s coronavirus restrictions and safety measures will be lifted once 70% of adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Governor Andrew Cuomo estimates this change could happen within two weeks.
6/6/2021: Online applications for the Small Business Recovery Grant Program open Thursday, June 10th. A commercial tenant can apply for up to $50,000 of relief for rent, heating, insurance, machinery, and property taxes. The program doesn’t have the same requirements as the residential program. Click here to learn more.
6/3/2021: Although New York state no longer mandates masks in schools (even if students, teachers, or staff haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19), NYC will continue to require masking in its public schools.
6/1/2021: New Yorkers who fell back on their rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic can now apply for the emergency rental assistance program. Officials say they’ve allocated $2.7 billion for the program statewide. Lower-income households earning 50% of AMI that have at least one member who’s unemployed, a veteran, or a domestic violence victim will be prioritized during the first 30 days of the program, after which the money will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Households with income at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI)—$95,450 for a family of four in the city—can get up to 12 months of rental and utility arrears payments.
Online applications for the $800 million Small Business Recovery Grant Program will be accepted starting June 10th.
5/26/2021: New York State is introducing the ‘Get a Shot to Make Your Future’ vaccine incentive, a public outreach campaign consisting of a series of statewide drawings to increase awareness of the availability and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and provide incentives to New Yorkers 12-17 years of age to get a COVID-19 vaccination.
Parents or legal guardians of any New Yorker, ages 12 to 17, can enter their child who has received at least their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, for a chance to win one of 50, four-year full-ride scholarships (including tuition, fees, room-and-board, and expenses) to any New York State public college or university.
5/24/2021: New York City public schools will have no remote learning option this fall, Mayor Bill De Blasio announced Monday morning. All teachers will provide live instruction and eligibility for medical accommodations will revert back to pre-pandemic requirements. Parents will be welcomed back to schools starting in June to ask questions and get answers from educators, as well as see how schools are keeping students and staff safe. The first day of school is September 13th.
5/22/2021: All Catholic churches in Brooklyn and Queens will lift capacity restrictions this weekend. Collection baskets, hymnals and bulletins will be once again communally used, and fully-vaccinated churchgoers may participate in the choirs and as altar servers, though masks are encouraged inside churches on all parishioners. The Archdiocese of New York said it will institute sections in its churches for unvaccinated parishioners or those who want to continue practicing social distancing.
5/17/2021: According to Governor Cuomo, Wednesday marks the major reopening of New York State. Capacity restrictions in the tri-state area will be lifted, and the indoor food and beverage curfew will be lifted May 31st. Meanwhile, outdoor food and beverage curfew was lifted, and around-the-clock subway service resumed today.
5/13/2021: The CDC announced today that everyone who is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 “can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.” Exceptions include following guidance at local businesses, while traveling via train, airplane, or bus, and certain venues including healthcare facilities and schools.
Read the CDC’s official statement here.
5/10/2021: Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that walk-up vaccine appointments will be available at eight NYC subway stations between May 12th and May 16th. The state-run pilot program will offer the single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot to 300 people each day on a walk-in basis. As an added incentive, recipients will also get a 7-day unlimited MetroCard, or round-trip ticket for Long Island Rail Road/Metro-North rides.
5/10/2021: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for use in adolescents aged 12-to-15 today. Adolescents can get this vaccine wherever available, through the same methods residents aged 16 and up received the vaccine. Read the CDC’s guidelines regarding the COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents and teenagers here.
5/6/2021: Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the New York Health and Essential Rights Act, or HERO Act, into law Wednesday evening. The HERO Act sets enforceable health and safety standards to protect workers from the transmission and community spread of COVID-19, as well as any future airborne infectious diseases, by directing the state health and labor departments to create an airborne infectious disease standard covering all private employers within 60 days, which would take effect 30 days later. Businesses will have to provide personal protective equipment for all employees, set up safe social distancing and disinfecting protocols, and also ensure adequate airflow.
5/6/2021: Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City is investing $25 million in the City Artist Corps, a new recovery program aimed at hiring over 1,500 artists to create works throughout the five boroughs.
Inspired by the New Deal, the program is meant to help artists who were hit hardest by the pandemic and may have been left out of other local and federal funding opportunities; the city estimates they will create over 10,000 jobs with the program. Cultural Affairs Commissioner Gonzalo Casals described it as the largest investment in artists in the city in a generation.
Click here to learn more about the City Artist Corps.
5/5/2021: New York’s eviction moratorium has been extended through the end of August. To be protected under this law, you must sign a “Hardship Declaration” and deliver it to your landlord. The Hardship Declaration form is available in English and Spanish here. If you sign and deliver the Hardship Declaration, you cannot be evicted from your primary residence pursuant to a pending case, and your landlord may not file a new case to evict you from your primary residence. You may proactively complete a Hardship Declaration and return it to your landlord whether or not a case is pending against you.
If you’re experiencing housing difficulties, contact IMPACCT Brooklyn’s Community Organizing department at gina_aracena@impacctbk.org or at 864-640-3005 ext. 110.
5/4/2021: Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today that most capacity restrictions for businesses, restaurants and cultural venues would be lifted by May 19th.
This announcement, made in parallel with the governors across the tri-state area, will affect retail stores, gyms and fitness centers, amusement parks, hair salons and barber shops, offices, Broadway theaters, museums, restaurants and bars. Individual venues and businesses canmake their own decisions about whether they are ready to reopen in May—most Broadway shows, for instance, won’t be able to resume productions immediately, but the option is there.
For all businesses that reopen, the CDC’s six foot social distancing guidance is still in effect, but if a gathering or venue can prove that all individuals present are fully vaccinated or have had a recent negative COVID test, then the six foot rule doesn’t need to apply. The exception to this is if restaurants put up physical barriers between tables, in which case they don’t need to worry about the six foot rule.
Read Governor Cuomo’s full statement here.
5/3/2021: 24 hour subway service will resume on May 17th.
4/30/2021: The indoor limits for dining, salons and barbershops expand to 75% capacity in New York City. Other personal care services will adopt this practice, according to Governor Cuomo’s announcement on April 30th. The change brings New York City in line with the rules seen elsewhere in New York.
4/29/2021: Mayor Bill de Blasio expects New York City to reopen July 1st. This includes reopening restaurants and bars, retail stores and small businesses, hair salons and barbershops, gyms and fitness classes, arenas and stadiums, and theaters and museums with no capacity limits, by that date. For this goal to work, the city would remain focused on getting more New Yorkers vaccinated over the next two months, but De Blasio is confident that the data is pointed towards a July 1st reopening. It’s unknown what safety measures (including mask mandates) would or wouldn’t be in place by July 1st, as well as proof-of-vaccination requirements to enter certain establishments.
Read Mayor Bill de Blasio’s full statement here.
4/28/2021: Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that a pair of pandemic restrictions affecting New York restaurants and bars will end in May:
- The midnight food and beverage curfew will be lifted for outdoor dining beginning May 17th and for indoor dining beginning May 31st;
- Seating at bars will be allowed again in NYC starting May 3rd.
Read the Governor’s statement here.
4/27/2021: The CDC announced it’s no longer necessary to wear a mask outdoors if you’re attending a small gathering or casually hanging outside if you’ve already been vaccinated. The new rules do not affect indoor masking, which is still recommended for everyone regardless of their vaccine status. New York state law still requires anyone over 2 years old who can “medically tolerate” a face mask to wear one in public when they’re unable to social distance. New York City, meanwhile, advises people to wear a mask “at all times when outside your home and around other people.”
Read the CDC’s updated mask guidance here.
4/25/2021: Roughly 9,500 city employees who were forced to take five days of furlough between October 2020 and March as the city faced an unprecedented budget crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic will get that money back starting this summer, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced. The federal stimulus puts the city in a “much better place,” allowing for the employees’ payback. The furlough applied to managerial positions, non-union jobs, and City Hall staffers. Employees can sign up to reclassify their furlough days in June and will receive the money back in July.
4/24/2021: Two state lawmakers have introduced a bill to extend the deadline to August 31st, aiming to provide further relief to New Yorkers who continue struggling to pay rent. The legislation would mandate landlords provide a hardship declaration form to any tenant they seek to evict. If a tenant fills out the form declaring that the pandemic has created a financial hardship, which can include the loss of a job, that person will be protected from eviction through August 31st. The proposal would also temporarily halt foreclosure proceedings for small landlords who file paperwork with their lenders or courts expressing a hardship.
The state’s eviction moratorium is set to expire on May 1st. If you’re experiencing housing difficulties, contact IMPACCT Brooklyn’s Community Organizing department at gina_aracena@impacctbk.org or at 864-640-3005 ext. 110.
The J&J vaccine had been temporarily suspended on April 13th by federal regulators after 15 recipients — out of nearly 8 million people who received the dose — developed atypical blood clots. The Associated Press said the blood clots had occurred in 15 women, most under age 50, and that three of the patients died while seven patients remained hospitalized.
4/23/2021: All NYC-run COVID-19 vaccine sites are now accepting walk-ins for everyone, regardless of age or location. The changes go into effect immediately and apply to all city-run hubs, including Health+Hospitals locations and the new site at the American Museum of Natural History. You can find city-run sites at nyc.gov/vaccinefinder. State-controlled locations, like the Javits Center, Yankee Stadium, York College, Medgar Evers College and Aqueduct Race Track, are also open for walk-in appointments for New Yorkers over 60.
4/19/2021: Restaurants, bars, and food carts will soon be able to sign up for additional pandemic relief under $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund, aimed to keep hard-hit small businesses afloat. Establishments can apply for up to $10 million in cash per business, including up to $5 million per location. Under the newly announced guidelines, restaurants, food carts and trucks, caterers, bars, bakeries, breweries, and wineries are all eligible. The fund is the latest round of COVID relief passed under the American Rescue Plan.
The launch-date for the application portal of the new funds has not yet been announced. To learn more about the application requirements, head to the SBA’s program guide here.
4/17/2021: New Yorkers who are 50 and older can now get a COVID-19 vaccine at any city-run vaccination sites without an appointment. Dates and times of availability vary by site, so check the city’s website for more information. The sites are for this week only and will be updated weekly. Appointments are still available for these sites for New Yorkers who are 16 years or older, through nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692). This week’s sites in Brooklyn are:
- Coney Island YMCA
- Teachers Prep High School in Brownsville
- Starrett City
- Flatbush YMCA
- Bushwick Educational Campus
- Event Space at City Point in downtown Brooklyn
- Brooklyn Army Terminal, which is a 24-hour site.
4/13/2021: Federal regulators paused shots of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to investigate after six recipients developed atypical blood clots. Appointments slated with the shot at New York’s mass vaccine sites—like the Javits Center—will be honored with the Pfizer vaccine. The clots are considered extremely rare, and no such issues have been reported with the Covid-19 vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, health officials said.
Click here for a joint CDC and FDA statement on the stoppage.
4/12/2021: New York State’s supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine against the coronavirus will drop by nearly 90% this week, to only 34,900 single-dose shots. The shortage could be a result of manufacturing issues in a Baltimore plant late last month. Please keep in mind that no vaccine appointments will be cancelled!
4/8/2021: New York’s new state budget includes $800 million in direct cash assistance for small businesses, meaning restaurants and shops that fell behind on their rent and other expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic will soon be able to apply for additional grants. The package prioritizes:
- businesses with 100 or fewer employees;
- those with 10 or fewer;
- and those owned by women and minorities.
Businesses will have to demonstrate they lost at least 40 percent of their income, by comparing their revenues in 2020 to 2019.
In addition to $800 million in cash relief for small businesses, the state budget contains another $200 million in total for restaurants and arts organizations, which in turn includes $25 million in grant funding to support restaurants that provide meals to distressed and under-represented communities, $40 million for arts and cultural nonprofit organizations, $35 million in tax credits for hard-hit restaurants, and up to $100 million in tax credits to jump start tourism activity in New York City.
4/7/2021: New York City’s Test & Trace program is launching The AfterCare Program, an initiative to help patients suffering from COVID-19 symptoms long after coronavirus leaves their system. The program, run through the city’s public hospital system, will start reaching out to Test & Trace patients who were still experiencing COVID symptoms at the end of their isolation period to see if they need help dealing with the potential long term effects from the disease. The AfterCare Program will help patients access physical and mental health care, community support, and financial support.
Click here to learn more about the potential long term effects of COVID-19.
4/6/2021: New York City will roll out a mobile vaccine bus starting this week. The bus, which can give out 150-200 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine a day, will be used to reach the city’s most vulnerable populations.
Click here to learn more about the mobile vaccine bus.
4/6/2021: New York City public school officials are allowing students in grades 3-8 to opt out of state assessments this year with no penalties, with families required to notify their schools if they want to take tests. Otherwise, all students are by default not participating in the state tests this year.
4/5/2021: Anyone 16 and older in New York State is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting tomorrow, April 6th. Remember, all New Yorkers 30+ years old are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as of Tuesday, March 30th.
4/1/2021: According to Governor Andrew Cuomo, domestic travelers are no longer required to quarantine after entering New York State. However, it’s still being advised as an added precaution and remains mandatory for international visitors. All travelers must also continue to fill out the state’s Traveler Health Form.
3/29/2021: All New Yorkers 30+ years old will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, starting Tuesday, March 30th. New Yorkers 16 and older will be eligible to receive the COVID vaccine starting on April 6th.
3/28/2021: The eviction moratorium is set to expire on May 1st. Between President Biden’s latest stimulus package and the one Trump passed in December, New York has roughly $2.4 billion in federal rent relief to dole out across the state. The process for distributing those funds will be decided in the coming weeks, as part of the budget deal that Governor Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers are now finalizing.
Under one proposal, renters who made up to 80% of an area’s median income in the 2020 calendar year and experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19 would be eligible for aid. Preference will be given to those making below 50% of the median income and those who apply in tandem with their landlord. State Senator Brian Kavanagh, said that the program could “pay virtually all of the rent arrears that have built up in the entire state.”
Housing experts from across the political spectrum are calling on the state to unlock those funds as soon as possible and without significant barriers to entry. Additional layers of bureaucracy, according to both tenant and landlord groups, will make the program harder to access for some of New York’s neediest renters.
3/24/2021: NYC public school students and parents can opt into in-person instruction starting today through Wednesday, April 7th. Learn more about blended learning and opt in here.
3/23/2021: Starting today, New Yorkers older than 50 are eligible to make appointments to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. You can check your vaccine eligibility and make an appointment at a state vaccine site here; to make an appointment at a city-run site you can go here, or check TurboVax for a constantly-refreshed list of new appointments.
3/22/2021: Several major COVID-19 restrictions loosen today.
- Gathering rules in public spaces will shift from from 50 people to 100 people indoors and 200 people outdoors. Outdoor gatherings at private residences will rise to 25 people, but shall remain at 10 people indoors. Public high school students return to in-person classes today, but a strict threshold for how many COVID-19 cases can shutter a school has resulted in dozens of school building closures even when in-person learning is supposedly open.
- Restrictions in “yellow zones”—parts of the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens—will also be lifted after remaining under stricter public health guidelines than surrounding areas due to high COVID-19 rates. Yellow zones required that restaurants only hold four people at a table indoors and outdoors as well as keep houses of worship to 50% of the maximum capacity, among other measures.
- Indoor fitness classes can resume statewide at 33% capacity, with cleaning and contact tracing protocols and local health department inspections required.
3/21/2021: Pharmacies across New York state are now offering COVID-19 vaccine appointments to all New Yorkers who qualify as eligible due to underlying conditions. Anyone who currently qualifies as vaccine eligible due to underlying conditions can schedule an appointment at any pharmacy participating in the state’s vaccination rollout, depending on supply. Eligible NYC residents can check the city’s vaccine finder here to locate a nearby pharmacy with appointments available.
Meanwhile, New York will get its “supercharge” of vaccine doses in weeks. According to Senator Charles Schumer, 1.65 million doses of vaccines will arrive in New York each week by the end of April, which is a 33% increase of what the state is currently getting.
3/19/2021: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance about COVID-19 safety indicating that, in most cases, it’s OK for kids to stay three feet apart instead of six, as long as everyone is wearing a mask. The CDC suggests that only middle and high school students remain six feet apart in higher-risk circumstances—specifically, in communities where COVID-19 transmission is abundant, and classmates cannot stay in bubbles where they only see the same peers and staff throughout the day.
3/18/2021: The FEMA Funeral Reimbursement Program will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20th, 2020. The organization will begin to implement COVID-19 funeral assistance in April.
Learn more about eligibility, applying, and more here.
3/15/2021: President Joe Biden signed the latest COVID relief package on Thursday, called the American Rescue Plan. The package includes at $1,400 stimulus check, as well as local government aid, money for vaccinations and schools, and funding for restaurant and small business grants.
Click here to learn more about the stimulus check and if you qualify for a payment.
3/13/2021: Starting March 15th, the number of wedding attendees could expanded to 150 (not including staff), or 50% of an indoor venue’s capacity. According to Governor Andrew Cuomo, guests will have to sign in for contact tracing purposes. Mask-wearing will be required at all times, except when a guest is eating, drinking, or giving a speech. And all attendees, including staff, will have to present proof of a negative coronavirus test taken within 72 hours of the event, or proof of full vaccination.
3/11/2021: Domestic travelers will no longer be required to quarantine after entering New York from another state starting April 1st.
3/10/2021: Governor Andrew Cuomo and Governor Phil Murphy announced that restaurants in New York City and the state of New Jersey will be permitted to increase indoor dining capacity to 50% starting March 19th. This will be the largest increase in restaurant capacity in NYC since the start of the pandemic. Restaurants throughout the rest of New York state, which are currently operating at 50%, could expand to 75% indoor dining capacity starting March 19th.
Click here for the official NYC Restaurant Reopening Guide.
3/9/2021: The CDC announced today that fully vaccinated people can:
- gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.
- gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
- If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, click here.
3/8/2021: The de Blasio administration plans to reopen New York City’s public high schools March 22nd. About 55,000 students in grades 9-12 who have chosen in-person learning are expected to return to buildings, and about half of them will be able to attend school up to five days a week. Roughly 17,000 high school employees must also return; they are due back March 18th and 19th.
According to the city’s Department of Education, in-person students are a small chunk of the student body: a total of 315,000 students have chosen to return to classrooms, while roughly 645,000 students chose to learn remotely from home. Officials have not yet announced an opportunity to opt back in to in-person learning.
3/7/2021: The Senate narrowly passed another $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package on Saturday. The new package includes:
- $1,400 stimulus checks to eligible parties (up to 85% of American households);
- Extended weekly pandemic unemployment through September 6th, consisting of an additional $300 dollars;
- $4 billion in national funding for New York COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and the healthcare workforce;
- $7 billion for transit needs in New York, which will help the MTA offset the impacts from the pandemic and prevent service cuts and layoffs in the coming years;
- $28.6 billion in aid for restaurants nationwide and another $30 billion for other small businesses and nonprofits.
Click here to learn more about the American Rescue Plan.
3/6/2021: The Jacob Javits Center is officially a 24/7 vaccination site as part of a pilot program to administer the city’s allotment of Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose COVID-19 shot there, adding to the list of sites across the city that are offering vaccines round the clock.
The city is also rolling out a vaccination program for homebound New Yorkers this month.
3/3/2021: New York state is loosening indoor and outdoor gathering restrictions this month.
Beginning March 22nd, residential gatherings can expand to 25 people outdoors but shall remain at 10 people indoors. Social hangouts at public places will increase from 50 people to 100 people indoors and 200 people outdoors. Meetups at arts and entertainment venues can also begin opening on April 2nd at 33% capacity—as long they don’t exceed those indoor and outdoor limits.
2/28/2021: Pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson will begin shipping out 4 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine across America starting today, after receiving emergency approval for the drug from the F.D.A. on Saturday. Unlike the Modern and Pfizer vaccines, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single-shot vaccine. The company says it expects to have 20 million doses distributed by the end of March, and an additional 100 doses over the course of the summer.
If you’re offered the J&J shot, or any FDA-approved shot for that matter, you should get it. All of these shots are excellent at protecting people who are exposed to the coronavirus against hospitalization and death, and that’s the most meaningful outcome. Truth be told, most of us aren’t going to have the option to choose what shot we get on appointment day since supply is still so limited, but ultimately, it doesn’t really matter.
The New York State Legislature’s pause on eviction proceedings ended on Friday, February 26.
According to the Emergency Eviction Act at the end of 2020, the moratorium was extended until May 1 only for tenants who fill out the hardship declaration form. From the end of December until now, almost all tenants were protected from eviction because cases were paused. But after February 26, the moratorium protections only cover tenants who submit the hardship declaration.
Going forward, pending eviction cases can start moving forward again in court — and new cases can be filed — unless a tenant submits a hardship declaration form to either the court or the landlord. That means any tenants facing eviction who haven’t filled out this hardship declaration could start hearing from the courts — and landlords can start new cases against tenants behind on rent who haven’t filed a declaration.
2/22/2021: The number of Americans hospitalized for COVID-19 is at its lowest since early November of last year. Experts attribute the drop in hospitalizations to a variety of explanations, including:
- more widespread mask use and social distancing after people saw friends and relatives die,
- better knowledge about which restrictions work,
- more effective public health messaging,
- and, more recently, a growing number of people who have been vaccinated. The most vulnerable, like residents of nursing homes and other elderly people, were among the first to receive the vaccine.
Another spike in cases in the coming weeks is possible if people become complacent about masks and distancing, states lift restrictions too quickly or the more contagious variants become dominant and are able to evade vaccines. Please, continue to wear a mask in public, wash and sanitize your hands, social distance whenever possible, and get the vaccine when you’re eligible!
The Biden administration made several changes to the Paycheck Protection Program to ensure minority-owned and very small businesses can access loans to help weather the coronavirus pandemic. Starting Wednesday, February 24th, small businesses with fewer than 20 employees will have a two-week exclusive window to apply for the funding. The administration will also change some eligibility rules, effective the first week in March: the self-employed, sole proprietors and independent contractors can now qualify for more money. Click here to learn more.
2/21/2021: This week’s winter storm interrupted COVID-19 vaccine supplies from the federal government; however, the portion of vaccines delayed by the storm will be distributed by Sunday. Additionally, Governor Andrew Cuomo reports the federal government has promised to increase vaccine supply by more than 20% to New York over the next three weeks.
The statewide positivity rate has dropped to 3.06%, part of a 43-day declining streak.
2/19/2021: Indoor dining goes up to 35% capacity on February 26th, up from 25%. Restaurants are required to follow many safety precautions in order to reopen for indoor dining. Experts recommend those interested in dining indoors limit their group size and also see how well the establishment is following pandemic protocols, like the distancing of tables.
2/17/2021: The vaccination center Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights is now open at 231 Crown Street from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Intended to distribute 3,000 doses of the vaccine daily, it is one of the state’s largest vaccination centers (along with York College in Jamaica, Queens, which also opened Wednesday). Residents with the following zip codes will receive priority when scheduling an appointment: 11206, 11221, 11216, 11238, 11225, 11213, 11233, 11207, 11208, 11236, 11212, 11203, 11226, or 11210.
Check if you’re eligible for the vaccine at the state’s Am I Eligible website.
2/16/2021: New York City is offering up to $10 million to live performance venues through the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant. The program is not yet accepting applications, but you can learn more about the grant and solicit assistance at https://bit.ly/CurtainsUpNYC.
2/15/2021: New Yorkers with pre-existing conditions are now eligible for vaccination. According to the governor’s office, pre-existing conditions include:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- Pulmonary Disease, including but not limited to, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and 9/11 related pulmonary diseases
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities including Down Syndrome
- Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including but not limited to solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other immune weakening medicines, or other causes
- Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2), Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease or Thalassemia
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
- Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
- Neurologic conditions including but not limited to Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia
- Liver disease
2/10/2021: A new vaccine site at Medgar Ever College in Crown Heights, Brooklyn is set to administer the vaccine to up to 3,000 people a day, starting February 24th. The federal government will provide separate allocations for the sites, which are focused in neighborhoods where more than half the residents are Black in hopes of overcoming racial disparities in the vaccine rollout. A second vaccination site will also open February 24th at York College in Jamaica, Queens.
- Venues with a capacity of more than 10,000 spectators can only fill one of every 10 seats.
- Attendees must also get a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the event and submit to a temperature check at the gate.
- Face coverings must be worn, and fans must sit in social-distanced seating.
- The venue will also collect contact tracing information, ensure their filtration system meets standards, and that all food, retail, and sports activities follow state guidelines.
2/9/2021: Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio both announced plans aimed at helping the industry and the workers who need it to survive today. Cuomo’s plan is a public/private initiative called NY PopsUp, which will produce 300 free events across the state in the next 100 days using “existing landscapes,” and Mayor de Blasio unveiled Open Culture NYC, a permitting program that will allow institutions to hold events in city streets.
2/8/2021: Mayor Bill de Blasio plans to reopen New York City middle schools on February 25th. Officials are asking teachers to come back the day before, and are promising middle school educators priority for COVID-19 vaccines over the mid-winter break from February 15th through 19th. As part of the reopening plan, officials said the education department will be increasing staffing both for the weekly testing at school sites and in the ‘Situation Room’ charged with tracking and responding to potential cases. Some 62,000 students in sixth through eighth grade have opted to come to school in-person, officials said.
Learn more about NYC school reopenings here.
2/5/2021: New Yorkers with pre-existing conditions are eligible for vaccination starting Monday, February 15th. According to the governor’s office, pre-existing conditions include:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- Pulmonary Disease, including but not limited to, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and 9/11 related pulmonary diseases
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities including Down Syndrome
- Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including but not limited to solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other immune weakening medicines, or other causes
- Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2), Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease or Thalassemia
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
- Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
- Neurologic conditions including but not limited to Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia
- Liver disease
2/2/2021: Governor Cuomo announced that local governments could choose whether to expand vaccine eligibility to include restaurant workers, taxi drivers, and people in facilities for those with developmental disabilities in Phase 1B. App-based drivers for Uber and Lyft are included in this expansion. Phase 1B of vaccination eligibility also includes people aged 65 or old, first responders, public transit workers, and more. Click here to see a full list of who’s eligible for a vaccine.
Indoor dining is set to reopen at a quarter capacity Sunday February 14th.
2/1/2021: Due to the storm, New York is postponing COVID-19 vaccine appointments scheduled for today at state vaccination sites. In NYC that includes Javits Center + the site in South Ozone Park. If you have an appointment scheduled at either site tomorrow, you’ll receive an email or text to reschedule.
1/31/2021: News about vaccine development continues to be excellent, despite the public discussion of it. All five vaccines with public results — Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Novavax and Johnson & Johnson — have eliminated COVID-19 deaths and drastically reduced hospitalizations, which means the vaccine is considered “effective.” Keep in mind we don’t need to eliminate COVID-19 for life to return to normal; we simply need to downgrade it from a deadly pandemic to a normal virus. Many people are instead focusing on relatively minor differences among the vaccine results and wrongly assuming that those differences mean that some vaccines won’t prevent serious illnesses. It’s still too early to be sure, because a few of the vaccine makers have released only a small amount of data. But the available data is very encouraging — including about the vaccines’ effect on the virus’s variants.
1/26/2021: According to a new study from the CDC, schools can and should reopen for safe in-person learning with appropriate COVID-19 precautions if other risky community behavior can be minimized. These precautions include:
- universal face mask use;
- increasing physical distance by dedensifying classrooms and common areas;
- using hybrid attendance models when needed to limit the total number of contacts and prevent crowding;
- increasing room air ventilation;
- and expanding screening testing to rapidly identify and isolate asymptomatic infected individuals.
1/25/2021: Pharmaceutical company Moderna announced their vaccine is still effective against new variants of the coronavirus that have emerged in Britain and South Africa, and the company is developing a new form of the vaccine that could be used as a booster shot against certain variants of the virus.
Please keep in mind that a vaccine alone is not enough to stop the spread of the virus and end the pandemic. Over 248 million people need to be vaccinated before any sort of “herd immunity” will kick in. Until we reach that number, we all need to continue social distancing, limit travel, wearing masks, and washing our hands for the foreseeable future
1/24/2021: As of Sunday morning, New York City has 26,293 first doses of the vaccine available to administer, not including the federal program for long term care facilities or second doses, according to the NYC Health Department.
According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, there were 65,000 second doses of the vaccine that cannot be administered for two to three more weeks on reserve that he’d like to administer as a first dose, and wait for additional shipments for second dose appointments in the coming weeks.
There have been a number of issues with the vaccine rollout, including technical issues, rapidly changing requirements, and low supplies from the federal government affecting distribution. Thousands appointments for first dosages have been rescheduled or cancelled, and NYC Health + Hospitals is now only booking second shot appointments.
More doses of the vaccine are anticipated to arrive this week.
1/23/2021: New York State will establish more vaccination sites at several additional churches and NYCHA public housing complexes this week, including the William Reid Houses in East Flatbush, the Vandalia Avenue Housing complex in East New York, and Bethany Baptist Church in Bed-Stuy. The sites at the NYCHA buildings will serve eligible residents of those complexes; the church clinic appointments will be scheduled independently by each individual church, according to the state.
At a press conference at the William Reid Houses today, Governor Andrew Cuomo encouraged residents to trust the science behind the vaccine.
“Take the vaccine. It will save lives and it can save your life. We know Blacks have a higher infection rate. We know they’re more essential workers. They’re more exposed to it,” he said. “Please take the vaccine. We’ll make it accessible, but we need you to accept it, and that’s what we’re here to do today.”
Learn more about the vaccination process and vaccination sites in Brooklyn here.
1/19/2021: The deadline to apply for the kindergarten 2021-2022 school year is today. Apply by submitting your application online with MySchools or by phone at (718) – 935 – 2009. Registration for Specialized High Schools opens today. Applications are accepted through February 23rd.
1/18/2021: New York City is set to run out of vaccines on Thursday, January 21st. According to Mayo de Blasio’s administration, the city currently has 186,000 doses on hand, but the federal government ran out of vaccines last weekend. It’s unclear when the federal government will provide more vaccine, slowing access for millions of people in Phase 1B of the vaccine category.
New York City has ramped up vaccinations across New York City after opening roughly 160 vaccination centers, including several 24/7 sites to get as many as 7,000 people inoculated with either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. About 250 vaccine centers will be opened citywide by the end of the month.
Anyone who still comes for their first appointment will get a second appointment for now, given the three- and four-week waiting period between the second shots for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, respectively.
1/13/2021: New Yorkers can call 877-VAX-4NYC and make a coronavirus vaccine appointment 24 hours a day, seven days a week in any language. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the expanded hotline hours last Wednesday, following a number of complaints about the city and state online appointment systems. The city has pledged to hire more customer service representatives for the hotline, which is currently manned by 750 agents. De Blasio said the current wait time for callers is between 10 to 15 minutes on average.
Learn more about getting vaccinated in New York City here.
1/11/2021: New York entered Phase 1B of vaccine administration today. Under Phase 1B, vaccines can now be administered to:
- adults aged 75 years and older;
- grocery workers;
- first responders and support staff for first responder agencies;
- corrections facilities;
- P-12 schools, college and child care;
- public transit employees;
- homeless shelters
Brooklyn’s first 24/7 vaccine administration centers are now up and running at the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park and the Bathgate Contract Postal Station in the Claremont section of the Bronx. These facilities can vaccinate up to 2,000 eligible people a day. New Yorkers who are eligible for vaccination can find a location and sign up for an appointment at an online vaccine site.
1/9/2021: A new COVID-19 vaccination hub located in Brooklyn at the Bushwick Educational Campus (400 Irving Avenue) opened today, along with two in the Bronx and Queens, respectively. These sites will be open from 9 AM to 7 PM seven days a week. New Yorkers currently eligible for the vaccine are required to make an appointment online.
1/4/2021: The second round of federal stimulus checks are now hitting bank accounts. The checks will amount to $600 for each qualifying adult and child. Single people earning up to $75,000 would receive $600, while married couples earning up to $150,000 would receive $1,200. Dependent children seventeen and under will receive the same $600 checks as adults, up from the CARES Act in the spring. Checks will also be distributed to “mixed-status” immigrant families — families where American citizens are married to immigrants without Green Cards — a group that was blocked from receiving the checks earlier last year.
Learn more and check on the status of your payment with the IRS’ “Get My Payment” website.
12/31/2020: Mayor Bill de Blasio promised to vaccinate one million New York City residents by the end of January. He said he plans on using community clinics, pop-up sites, and schools to administer vaccines, and the federal government needs to maximize supplies of the vaccine and send it to places it can be used more quickly. In order to to reach 1 million doses, New York City will double its current vaccine administration capacity from 150,000 a week to 300,000 a week. Several NYC council members are pushing the idea of 24/7 vaccinations, as well.
12/28/2020: The New York State Legislature is set to pass legislation stopping evictions until May 2021. This legislation specifically gives tenants the option to submit a hardship declaration due to COVID-19 from lost income, increased health or child care expenses, or other reasons. Tenants have two months to fill out the form, effectively implementing a two month halt on eviction cases. Once the form is submitted, it prevents the landlord from filing an eviction in court and halts eviction cases already underway until May 1st. The bill also includes a hardship declaration form for homeowners and landlords with ten or fewer units to protect small property owners against foreclosures and tax lien sales.
12/27/2020: The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene created a COVID-19 vaccine web page to provide you need-to-know information about the vaccine and keep you up to date on developments in the vaccination process. Remember, just because mass vaccinations have started does not mean COVID-19 is no longer a risk! There is increasing transmission of COVID-19 in New York City and widespread transmission across the United States and in many other countries. If possible, do not travel, do not host or attend a holiday party, and do not gather in groups and only celebrate with household members. Walk-in testing is available for free at these NYC Health + Hospitals locations across the city.
12/20/2020: The CDC’s advisory panel has voted to recommend people older than 75 years and frontline essential workers should be next in line for the COVID-19 vaccine, about 49 million people. Frontline essential workers includes first responders, teachers and school faculty, and workers in industries such as food, agriculture, manufacturing, corrections facilities, the postal service, public transit, and grocery stores. The next phase of vaccine distribution includes people 65 to 74 years old, those between 16 and 64 with high-risk health conditions, and other essential workers – roughly 129 million people.
12/18/2020: New York State’s COVID-19 Rent Relief Program has reopened and expanded. In order to be eligible for the program, you must:
- be a renter whose primary residence is in New York State;
- have lost income and become rent-burdened between April 1st and July 31st;
- have a household income at or below 80% AMI, prior to March 7th;
It is no longer a requirement to have been rent-burdened prior to the pandemic. Residents that have previously applied for COVID-19 Rent Relief will not have to reapply to be reconsidered. HCR will automatically reconsider you under the new expanded criteria.
Applications are being accepted through February 1st, 2021. Apply today at https://hcr.ny.gov/rrp or call 1-(833)-499-0318.
12/14/2020: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved emergency use of the first coronavirus vaccine on Friday evening, and COVID-19 vaccination efforts in New York City are now underway. According to CDC recommendations, New York’s vaccination program will prioritize healthcare workers and residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in phase one. First responders (such as firefighters and police officers), teachers and school staff working in-person, public health workers and some essential workers that regularly interact with the public will be vaccinated in phase two. People over 65 and people under 65 with high-risk comorbidities and other health conditions get vaccinated in phase three. Any remaining essential workers get vaccinated in phase four, and everyone else gets vaccinated in phase five.
Click here to learn more about New York City’s vaccination efforts.
12/12/2020: Indoor dining will be suspended in New York City on Monday, December 14th, due to concerns over rising hospitalization rates amidst a surge in COVID-19 cases recently. Outdoor dining and takeout will continue.
12/11/2020: The NYC Board of Health has ordered everyone in non-public schools to wear a mask. Students and faculty must wear masks every time they’re in schools, and can only take them down if eating in a socially distant manner. Young children who are developmentally disabled or have medical conditions are exempt from the order. This is in addition to a mandate requiring everyone to wear masks in public schools.
12/7/2020: NYC Public Schools reopen today for 3K, pre-K, and K to 5th grade students. While the Department of Education will maintain the same social distancing standards it had implemented when schools reopened in September, including temperature checks, mask wearing, and desks that are at least six feet apart, there will be a greater push on testing. All students returning to in-person learning must consent to testing, because the state requires that 20% of each school community be tested once a week to get a clearer sense of COVID-19 rates in schools. Parents, please keep in mind that in-person students will be given one week to show up to school before school administrators alert them that they’ll be strictly learning remotely.
Click here to learn more about school reopenings.
12/6/2020: New York’s Rent Relief Program will reopen with relaxed eligibility requirements, allowing more tenants to access $60 million in funds before the December 30th deadline. Details of the specific changes to the program were not provided, but Governor Andrew Cuomo will reportedly make the change via an executive order.
Click here to learn more about New York’s Rent Relief Program.
12/2/2020: Governor Andrew Cuomo says New York will get 170,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by December 15th, and an additional 170,000 doses within the following 21 days. According to CDC recommendations, New York’s vaccination program will prioritize healthcare workers and residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in phase one. First responders (such as firefighters and police officers), teachers and school staff working in-person, public health workers and some essential workers that regularly interact with the public will be vaccinated in phase two. People over 65 and people under 65 with high-risk comorbidities and other health conditions get vaccinated in phase three. Any remaining essential workers get vaccinated in phase four, and everyone else gets vaccinated in phase five.
Click here to read New York’s vaccination guidelines.
11/30/2020: New York City will begin phased reopening of public schools on Monday, December 7th. Students in lower grades (3-K, Pre-K and elementary school) will return to in-person instruction on Monday, and special education District 75 schools will reopen on Thursday, December 10th. Under the phased reopening, NYC schools will also increase COVID-19 testing requirements from monthly to weekly. In the meantime, many resources are available to parents, including:
- Learning Bridges, a new program that provides free child care options for children from 3-K through 8th grade on days when they are scheduled for remote learning;
- Free Community Meals, available from any school building during designated weekday hours;
- Technical Tools for Learning, how-to and support for Zoom, Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, and much more.
11/27/2020: New York City Health and Hospitals opened 25 new COVID-19 testing facilities in all five boroughs to meet holiday demand and ease long lines at existing testing sites throughout the city. These testing sites are free, and no appointment is needed, although please keep in mind that hours and locations of some of these sites will change regularly. For a full list of new and existing COVID-19 testing facilities, click here.
11/18/2020: According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York City has reached the 3% testing positivity 7-day average threshold. As such, public schools will be temporarily closed started tomorrow, Thursday November 19 through Thanksgiving, at least. Many resources are available to parents, including:
- Learning Bridges, a new program that provides free child care options for children from 3-K through 8th grade on days when they are scheduled for remote learning;
- Free Community Meals, available from any school building during designated weekday hours;
- Technical Tools for Learning, how-to and support for Zoom, Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, and much more.
Read Chancellor Carranza’s letter to parents about school closures here.
11/14/2020: New York City’s positivity rate for COVID-19 stands at 2.5%, averting a public school shutdown. If the positivity rate were to hit or surpass 3%, Bill De Blasio would close public schools the following day, and all students enrolled in blended learning would switch to remote learning indefinitely. Click here to learn more about a potential school closure.
11/11/2020: New statewide COVID-19 restrictions state that bars and restaurants with liquor licenses, as well as gyms, are required to close at 10:00 PM, and all indoor gatherings at private residences will be capped at ten people. The new restrictions come in response to the rising COVID-19 positivity rate. Restaurants will still be allowed to sell food for curbside pickup after 10:00 PM.
11/7/2020: Governor Andrew Cuomo will relax coronavirus restrictions in parts of Brooklyn that were designated “red zones,” where non-essential businesses and schools were forced to close. Capacity will now be reduced in size by 50%, along with the borough’s “yellow zones,” which saw increased restrictions on gatherings in houses of worship and public places. Click here to learn more about the shutdowns and if your zip code is a hot spot.
11/4/2020: According to a new executive order by Governor Cuomo, tenants who received nonpayment petitions to appear in court now have 60 days to respond to the petition (either in person or by a borough-specific phone number) to avoid defaults (issued when the tenant doesn’t show, and the landlord automatically wins and can apply for a default judgement and a warrant to issue) rather than 10 days. This gives courts more time to contact renters who received eviction petitions for nonpayment of rent, and alert them to the need to respond in order to ensure that the court will not issue a default judgment against them. Click here to learn more about Governor Cuomo’s executive order.
11/2/2020: Open enrollment in New York’s Affordable Care Act marketplace is now open, and will continue through January 31st, 2021. All New Yorkers who are currently enrolled in a Qualified Health Plan through New York State of Health are encouraged to renew their coverage. Anyone without health insurance should also visit the website and take this opportunity to enroll. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, consumers already enrolled in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, or the Essential Plan will have their coverage continued automatically and do not need to renew at this time.
10/31/2020: Governor Cuomo announced Saturday that travelers entering New York State will now be required to take a COVID-19 test within three days before traveling to the state, followed by quarantine for another three days after entering New York. Travelers must then take a COVID-19 test on the fourth day. This comes in response to a spike in positivity rates in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, and ahead of the busy holiday travel season.
Click here to read Governor Cuomo’s official announcement.
10/26/2020: Between November 2nd and November 15th, families currently signed up for the remote-only option in New York City public schools will now have one final opportunity to transition to a mix of remote and in-person learning, or “blended learning,” during this academic year. The first in-person day for students joining blended learning this month will be during the weeks of November 30th and December 7th.
Click here to learn more and to opt into New York City’s blended learning plan.
10/24/2020: Zoned shutdowns in south Brooklyn Coronavirus hotspots will continue unchanged, after COVID-19 rates increased slightly. The shutdowns started October 15th and were supposed to last for either 14 days, or until positivity rates decline. In the “red zone,” areas with the highest test positivity rates, the city will order non-essential businesses and schools to close, and for houses of worship to limit indoor worship to no more than 10 people. Click here to learn more about the shutdowns and if your zip code is a hot spot. You can also use the “Find Your Zone” map to enter your address and find what zone you live, work, shop, and go to school in.
10/22/2020: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded the definition of a “close contact” with a person infected with COVID-19 to someone who has spent at least 15 cumulative minutes or more within six feet of someone who has coronavirus over the span of 24 hours, rather than someone who has spent at least 15 consecutive minutes or more within six feet of someone who has coronavirus. In other words, brief but repeated interactions adding up to 15 minutes can lead to infections.
The guidance also clarified the contagious period as starting at two days before a person tests positive.
In an extended footnote, the CDC said that other factors to consider include proximity, the duration of exposure, whether the infected individual has symptoms or was generating aerosols through talking or singing, and environmental conditions like crowding and whether exposure was indoors or outdoors.
10/20/2020: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed an Executive Order extending the state’s moratorium on COVID-related commercial evictions and foreclosures through January 1st. This measure extends protections already in place for commercial tenants and mortgagors in recognition of the financial toll the pandemic has taken on business owners, including retail establishments and restaurants.
Click here to read Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order.
10/19/2020: Applications for LISC NYC’s Small Business Relief & Recovery Fund are being accepted through Friday, November 6th at 11:59 pm! LISC NYC’s Small Business Relief & Recovery Fund will provide $10,000 direct grants to New York City minority-owned small businesses that face challenges to their survival in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible businesses must be:
- located in New York City;
- owned by a minority;
- have 20 or fewer employees;
- and have an annual revenue of less than $500,000.
Click here to learn more about LISC NYC’s Small Business Relief & Recovery Fund.
10/18/2020: Early voting in New York City starts Saturday, October 24th and lasts until November 1st! You don’t need to apply to vote early, but if you want to vote early you’ll have to do so at your district’s specific early voting site. Specific measures will be in place to ensure your safety, including rules enforcing social distancing and face coverings. Click here to find your early voting site and make a plan to vote.
10/12/2020: Zoned shutdowns in Coronavirus hotspots started Thursday and will last for either 14 days, or until positivity rates decline. In the “red zone,” areas with the highest test positivity rates, the city will order non-essential businesses and schools to close, and for houses of worship to limit indoor worship to no more than 10 people. No mass gatherings will be allowed. Crown Heights East, Bedford-Stuyvesant West, Clinton Hill, and Fort Greene have been placed on a watchlist by the Mayor’s office. While positivity rates in the 11205 zip code (Bed-Stuy West, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene) have been on the rise (currently 1.92%, while the positivity rate in Crown Heights East is 2.41%), this zip code is not yet considered to be a part of the outbreak. Click here to learn more about the shutdowns and if your zip code is a hot spot. You can also use the “Find Your Zone” map to enter your address and find what zone you live, work, shop, and go to school in.
10/8/2020: If you’re an East Flatbush resident with a zip code of 11203, 11210, 11212, or 11226, you’re eligible for a utility aid referral from one of IMPACCT Brooklyn’s Community Organizers. The aid is only to pay for utility bills and will come in the form of gift cards, each valued at $75. A family may receive up to two gift cards. For more information, call 718-522-2613, extension 010.
10/7/2020: The Census deadline has been extended to October 31st. Not much time is left and too many Brooklyn households are not being counted. Please do your part to #MakeBrooklynCount100% and fill out the 2020 Census ASAP!
10/5/2020: This Friday, October 9th is the deadline for New Yorkers to register to vote. New Yorkers can register to vote three different ways:
- by filling out this form online;
- by printing and filling out a voter registration form and mailing it to your local election office (if you’re registering to vote by mail, your application must be postmarked by October 9th);
- or in person at your state or local election office.
If you’re not sure if you’re already registered to vote, you can check your voter registration status here or call 1-(866)-VOTE-NYC (TTY: 212-487-5496 for the hearing impaired).
FLATBUSH/PROSPECT LEFFERTS GARDENS RESIDENTS: IMPACCT Brooklyn, #ParksidePlaza, and the Parkside Empire Flatbush Avenue Merchant’s Association will be registering voters in Parkside Plaza (in front of the Parkside Avenue Q Station) on Thursday, October 8th from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM.
10/4/2020: Mayor Bill de Blasio will call for schools and non-essential businesses to close in nine South Brooklyn and Queens zip codes — Borough Park (11219), Gravesend (11223), Midwood (11230), Bensonhurst (11204), Flatlands (11210), Gerritsen Beach/Homecrest/Sheepshead Bay (11229), Far Rockaway (11691), Kew Gardens (11415), Kew Gardens Hills (11367) — where Coronavirus cases have swelled over the past few weeks, in an effort to prevent a broader outbreak.
The mayor’s proposal calls for the shutdowns in the nine ZIP codes to last at least 14 days until average positivity rates fall below 3% for the last seven consecutive days. However, in a more drastic scenario the city is offering up to the state, the shutdowns could also stay in force for as long as 28 days.
Additionally, the following eleven zip codes constitute a “watch list’’ because of their worrisome coronavirus rates. Under the mayor’s plan, these areas could lose indoor dining, gyms, and pools as soon as Wednesday, and face closings of their own if the 14-day average rate of positive coronavirus tests continues to rise.
- Brighton Beach/Manhattan Beach/Sheepshead Bay (11235)
- Rego Park (11374)
- Fresh Meadows/Hillcrest (11366)
- Kensington/Windsor Terrace (11218)
- Hillcrest/Jamaica Estates/Jamaica Hills (11432)
- Bergen Beach/Flatlands/Marine Park/Mill Basin (11234)
- East Williamsburg/Williamsburg (11211)
- East Williamsburg/Williamsburg (11249)
- Crown Heights (11213)
- Auburndale/Fresh Meadows/Pomonok/Utopia (11365)
- Bedford-Stuyvesant/Clinton Hill/Fort Greene (11205)
Click here to learn more about Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan.
10/2/2020: Last Thursday, September 24th, a federal judge in California ordered that the 2020 Census count continues until October 31st, rather than ending the Census count on September 30th. However, the Trump administration is in the process of appealing this decision, and the current plan is to end the 2020 Census count on Monday, October 5th. Not much time is left and too many Brooklyn households are not being counted. You can Make Brooklyn Count 100% by:
- Completing the 2020 Census before Monday, October 5th, in case the 2020 Census count cannot continue through October 31st.
- Urging everyone you know to do the same – it doesn’t matter what’s their age, gender, location, documented/undocumented status, language, income level, housing situation
- If you can take action right now, then visit https://2020census.gov or call (844)-330-2020 to complete the 2020 Census.
9/30/2020: More information on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s extension of the eviction moratorium is now available.
Rather than extending the statewide pause on residential and commercial evictions that is set to expire on October 1st, Andrew Cuomo’s executive order temporarily broadens the scope of the Tenant Safe Harbor Act, which allows renters suffering financial hardship during the pandemic to use that as a legal defense against being evicted from their homes. Under this new order, that defense will now be available to those faced with eviction for nonpayment of rent before March 7th. If the court finds that they qualify, those tenants cannot be evicted until after January 1st.
A few key things to remember:
- The onus is still on tenants to prove their eligibility to a judge.
- The Tenant Safe Harbor Act itself excludes people whose landlords want them out for reasons other than nonpayment (I.E. overstaying or allegedly violating a lease).
- Cuomo’s executive order doesn’t address the more than 8,000 cases filed since the pandemic began, which are currently paused and are unlikely to be resolved before the new year.
New York City food establishments will be allowed to offer limited indoor dining beginning this Wednesday, September 30th. Strict restrictions will be in place, including:
- Temperature checks will be required at the door for all customers
- One member of each party will be required to provide contact information for tracing if needed
- No bar service – bars will only be used as a source of making drinks and serving them tableside
- Masks must be worn at all times when not seated at a table
- Tables must be six feet apart
- Restaurants close at midnight
- Restaurants should operate with enhanced air filtration, ventilation and purification standards
- Limit air recirculation and allow for outside air ventilation
- Outdoor dining will continue in the interim
Click here to learn more about indoor dining in NYC.
9/25/2020: IMPACCT Brooklyn will be participating in the New York Housing Conference’s Virtual Town Hall Event on Wednesday, October 7th, 2020! This is your chance to weigh in on the city’s housing needs and be heard by mayoral candidates when the United for Housing campaign releases recommendations later in the fall. Learn more and register for this event here.
9/23/2020: The NYC Health Department is launching a citywide campaign to urge New Yorkers to get vaccinated for the flu this year. Protecting ourselves from the flu this fall is critical in the continued fight against COVID-19. New Yorkers can text “FLU” to 877877 for more information about where they can find flu shots close to home through the NYC Health Map.
More information regarding the flu vaccine can be found here.
9/20/2020: Governor Andrew Cuomo has extended the commercial eviction moratorium until October 20th for tenants that haven’t paid their rent. The original moratorium was set to expire today, meaning business owners behind on rent could have found themselves facing eviction as soon as tomorrow. The extension will largely impact commercial tenants that were facing eviction since before or on March 17th, as eviction proceedings that started during the pandemic will still be on hold. The state’s residential eviction moratorium will still end on October 1st. Click here to learn more about the commercial eviction moratorium.
9/16/2020: Two Property Tax Lien Sale Virtual Outreach Sessions are scheduled for this week to learn more about the lien sale process, understand the options for preventing the sale of your lien, and learn about other resources available for homeowners. New York City’s tax lien sale has been postponed until October 4th, meaning property owners have additional time to work with the New York City Department of Finance to resolve any outstanding debts. Attached is an overview of the lien sale, City’s lien sale list (PDF/Excel), how to get help, pay what you owe, and enter into a payment agreement. Due to COVID-19 and social distancing requirements, the New York City Department of Finance recommends that property owners submit their lien sale payments online, by phone, or by mail. Payment agreements can be applied for by mail or online.
9/15/2020: On October 2nd, many immigration fees will increase, including fees for application for naturalization ($725 to $1170), and naturalization fee waivers will be eliminated; therefore, between now and Oct. 1st, 2020, CUNY Citizenship Now! will prioritize citizenship cases and case types that are currently eligible for means tested fee waivers.
To meet the urgent need to assist participants impacted by the fee changes, CUNY Citizenship Now! will prioritize appointments for N-400, N-600, I-90, I-765, N-565 and any case where a participant is eligible for a Fee Waiver between now and October 1, 2020. All other case types that are not urgent may have to wait a little longer for appointments during this period.
Click here to learn more about CUNY Citizenship Now!
(Spanish flyer also available)
9/9/2020: On September 30, indoor dining in New York City can resume at 25% capacity. Strict restrictions will be in place, including:
- Temperature checks will be required at the door for all customers
- One member of each party will be required to provide contact information for tracing if needed
- No bar service – bars will only be used as a source of making drinks and serving them tableside
- Masks must be worn at all times when not seated at a table
- Tables must be six feet apart
- Restaurants close at midnight
- Restaurants should operate with enhanced air filtration, ventilation and purification standards
- Limit air recirculation and allow for outside air ventilation
- Outdoor dining will continue in the interim
Click here to learn more about indoor dining in NYC.
9/8/2020: New York City’s annual tax and water lien sale has been delayed to protect homeowners already facing financial instability from undue stress. The last day to submit a payment or enter into a payment agreement for the 2020 lien sale has been extended to September 24, 2020. This extension will allow property owners who received a lien sale warning notice more time to pay what they owe or enter into a payment agreement in order to avoid being included in the lien sale.
Click here to read Governor Cuomo’s executive order.
9/4/2020: The federal government issued a Federal Eviction Moratorium, suspending the possibility of evictions for renters who may have suffered because of the COVID-19 pandemic as of September 4th and through December 31st. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the order is an emergency action, which it is entitled to take under law. The new law applies to all tenants who present a signed declaration to their landlords wherever there is not a more protective state moratorium in effect, and applies to evictions for nonpayment of rent. The declaration requires the tenant to state that:
- (i) their income is less than $99,000, they did not have to pay income tax in 2019, or they received a stimulus check;
- (ii) they are unable to pay rent due to income loss or extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses;
- (iii) they would become homeless or need to double-up if evicted;
- (iv) they will still make partial payments (“using best efforts to make timely partial payments that are as close to the full payment as the individual’s circumstances may permit, taking into account other non-discretionary expenses”);
There are criminal penalties for violations.
Click here to learn more about the Federal Eviction Moratorium.
9/1/2020: The New York City public school system’s reopening will be delayed, with “instructional transition and orientation” starting remotely on September 16th and in-person learning pushed back to September 21st.
The change from a planned September 10th in-person school reopening comes after weeks of mounting pressure from educators who insisted they need more time to prepare, and the escalating possibility of a strike mounted by the United Federation of Teachers, the powerful union representing tens of thousands of NYC public school teachers. The delay in reopening buildings will allow for more instructional preparation and to allow more testing for the students, teachers and staff who will be inside school buildings.
Click here to learn more about Return To School 2020 – 2021.
8/31/2020: The MTA will resume collecting fares on all front-boarding and SBS buses today.
8/30/2020: The IRS is allowing low-income parents who missed a deadline to request the $500 stimulus payments for their children can still use the agency’s non-filers tool to get their money this year. This will help people receiving federal benefits, such as Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), who missed brief windows earlier in the pandemic to claim those payments online — or wait until next year.
8/28/2020: New Yorkers can now apply to get an absentee ballot due to risk or fear of illness including COVID-19, thanks to new election reforms. These reforms also include new measures allowing absentee ballot applications to be submitted to the Board of Elections immediately, and ensuring all absentee ballots postmarked on or before Election Day or received by the Board of Elections without a postmark on the day after the Election will be counted. Ballots with a postmark demonstrating that they were mailed on or before Election Day will be counted if received by November 10. County Boards of Elections are also required to take concrete steps to form voters of upcoming deadlines, be prepared for upcoming elections and help ensure absentee ballots can be used in all elections.
Click here to learn more about absentee ballots and apply for your own.
8/27/2020: NYC Department of Homes & Community Renewal (DHCR) is no longer providing services to people who walk in without an appointment. From now on, service will be provided to visitors to the office by appointment only, set at least one day in advance but no more than two weeks in advance. Maximum length of time for an appointment is 30 minutes. All visitors will be required to wear face masks. Visitors need to bring: proof of identity and proof of tenancy or ownership, any orders, notices or documents they want to review and discuss.
Click here to learn more about the new NYC DHCR rules.
8/26/2020: Governor Andrew Cuomo extended the state’s moratorium on COVID-related commercial evictions and foreclosures until September 20th. This measure extends protections already in place for commercial tenants and mortgagors in recognition of the financial toll the pandemic has taken on business owners, including retail establishments and restaurants. The extension of this protection gives commercial tenants and mortgagors additional time to get back on their feet and catch up on rent or renegotiate their leasing terms to avoid eviction proceedings and foreclosures moving forward.
8/25/2020: Open enrollment for the New York State of Health is extended until September 30th.
8/24/2020: Mark your calendars! Join NYC Council Member Farrah N. Louis for a Virtual Census Rally on Friday, August 28, 2020 at 7:00 PM to ensure we complete the count and get our share.
If you haven’t already done so, click here to complete the 2020 Census.
8/21/2020: New York State Courts amended the temporary protocol for handling eviction proceedings in several significant respects:
- No outstanding or new residential warrants of eviction may be executed prior to October 1.
- Any evictions that were filed on or March 17 are suspended.
- Any evictions that were before March 17 can proceed. If a warrant was issued but not executed, they have to meet with a judge before further action can take place.
- Commercial evictions may proceed without a conference.
8/20/2020: Gyms statewide can open as soon as August 24th, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo. However, gyms can only operate at 33 percent capacity, require mask wearing at all times and have heating and air conditioning systems that meet strict standards. They must also have a sign-in sheet — a step that will aid in tracking the coronavirus. Despite the state’s approval, New York City will not allow indoor gym classes yet.
Click here to learn more about gyms reopening this fall.
8/18/2020: New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza’s latest Reopening Update for Families is now live. This update includes:
- The latest health and safety information, including on ventilation, school nurses, and testing and tracing in schools;
- How to stay informed on confirmed COVID-19 cases in your school community;
- How families can change their children’s learning preference to/from fully remote learning;
- What happens if students attend school in-person on a day they are not scheduled to attend;
- Supports for students with Individualized Education Programs;
- Supports for students in temporary housing and foster care.
8/17/2020: LISC NYC is awarding $20,000 Neighborhood Business Grants to 750 businesses in 15 cities around the country, including New York City, to help small business owners meet their most immediate needs. The goal is for 95% of grantees to be businesses owned by minorities and women. Businesses in the Construction, Manufacturing, Retail, Transportation, Warehousing, Real Estate Renting or Leasing sectors will also be prioritized. These grants can help small businesses cover:
- Pay rent and utilities
- Meet payroll
- Pay outstanding debt to vendors
- Upgrade technology infrastructure
- Take care of other immediate operational costs
8/10/2020: The Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) launched the New York City Tenant Resource Portal, an online resource to help residential renters access free resources from the City to help prevent evictions and keep tenants stably housed. This portal brings together resources from multiple City agencies, City-funded nonprofit legal service organizations, and Community Based Organizations, to better improve and streamline how tenants can learn about the options that may be available to them. The portal features an eviction prevention tool to assist tenants and up-to-date information on the general status of evictions in New York City and of New York City Housing Court.
8/6/2020: Governor Andrew Cuomo extended the eviction moratorium an additional 30 days due to the ongoing pandemic. According to an executive order the Governor issues today, the moratorium is in effect through September 4, which gives courts time to stop the proceedings. Cuomo’s executive order is covered under the Tenant Safe Harbor Act, which provides protection against eviction to tenants who are unable to pay rent due to the health crisis. Click here to read Governor Cuomo’s executive order.
8/3/2020: Parents interested in remote learning will need to pick a Return to School 2020 option by Friday, August 7. Return to School 2020 is the New York City Department of Education’s plan for blended learning during the 20202-2021 school year. Parents will have the option of 100 percent remote learning, or a combination of in-person learning at schools and remote learning. To learn more, please register for one of three upcoming Return to School 2020 Family and Student Information Sessions beginning on Tuesday, July 28.
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation is providing business grants to small business in need. The grants support small businesses and enterprises affected by COVID-19, especially those in underserved communities, including entrepreneurs of color, women- and veteran-owned businesses that often lack access to flexible, affordable capital. The deadline to apply is Monday, August 3rd at 11:59 p.m. To apply, click here.
8/1/2020: Enhanced federal unemployment benefits expired yesterday, July 31st. Negotiations in Congress to pass legislation renewing the relief program are ongoing. For those losing that $600 weekly benefit, here are some resources available to help eligible applicants in need, including state unemployment benefits, cash assistance, health insurance, and more.
7/31/2020: Applications for New York City’s COVID-19 Rent Relief Program are now due this Thursday, August 6th. This program will provide eligible households with a one-time rental subsidy that will be sent directly to the household’s landlord. Applicants will not need to repay this assistance. Click here to learn more about New Yorks’ COVID-19 Rent Relief Program.
7/26/2020: New York City’s COVID-19 Rent Relief Program is accepting applications through this Thursday, July 30th. This program will provide eligible households with a one-time rental subsidy that will be sent directly to the household’s landlord. Applicants will not need to repay this assistance.
The rental assistance payment will cover the difference between the household’s rent burden on March 1, 2020 and the increase in rent burden for the months the households is applying for assistance. Households can apply for up to four months in rental assistance.
Click here to learn more about New Yorks’ COVID-19 Rent Relief Program.
7/24/2020: The New York City Department of Education unveiled Return to School 2020, its plan for blended learning during the 2020-2021 school year. Parents will have the option of 100 percent remote learning or a combination of in-person learning at schools and remote learning. This plan will protect more than 1.1 million students, educators, administrators, staff, and their families from COVID-19. Parents will need to pick an option by Friday, August 7.
7/22/2020: NYC Open Streets are still in effect from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM every day for pedestrians and cyclists to use the roadbed of the street while maintaining social distancing.
No through traffic permitted while Open Streets are in effect. Vehicle traffic is limited to local deliveries, pick-ups/drop-offs, necessary city service vehicles, utility vehicles and emergency vehicles only. When Alternate Side Parking regulations are in effect, drivers must move their vehicles from the street, and may return when ASP is over. These drivers are advised to be extremely cautious and to drive 5 MPH or slower.
Click here to learn more about NYC Open Streets.
7/20/2020: New York City enters Phase 4 of reopening today. Under Phase 4 of reopening, low risk outdoor arts & entertainment, sports without fans, and media production are now reopened. However, malls, gyms, movie theatres, and indoor cultural attractions will remain closed. Plans for indoor dining have been postponed indefinitely, due in part to recent outbreaks seen around the country linked to socializing inside restaurants and bars and to the fact that indoor spaces in general pose a threat, as the virus can linger in the air for hours.
Click here to learn more about Phase 4 of reopening.
7/17/2020: New York City’s COVID-19 Rent Relief Program is accepting applications through July 30th. This program will provide eligible households with a one-time rental subsidy that will be sent directly to the household’s landlord. Applicants will not need to repay this assistance.
The rental assistance payment will cover the difference between the household’s rent burden on March 1, 2020 and the increase in rent burden for the months the households is applying for assistance. Households can apply for up to four months in rental assistance.
Click here to learn more about New Yorks’ COVID-19 Rent Relief Program.
7/16/2020: If you’re an East Flatbush resident with a zip code of 11203, 11210, 11212, or 11226, you’re eligible for a utility aid referral from one of IMPACCT Brooklyn’s Community Organizers. The aid is only to pay for utility bills and will come in the form of gift cards, each valued at $75. A family may receive up to two gift cards. For more information, call 718-522-2613, extension 010.
IMPACCT Brooklyn is also hosting several virtual Tenants’ Rights Workshops throughout July and August to ensure to ensure renters knows their rights, what resources are available to them, and how to fight a potential eviction. The first one is on Thursday, July 30th at 1:00 PM. For more information and to register, please click here.
7/13/2020: Only 50% of Brooklyn households have responded to the 2020 Census. Have you? Remember, IMPACCT Brooklyn needs the federal funding the Census count provides to serve our Brooklyn communities with vital housing services. Filling out the 2020 Census will bring funding to IMPACCT Brooklyn to:
- develop and preserve affordable housing;
- help stabilize our communities’ small businesses;
- help serve our vulnerable homeless population;
- and much more.
Brooklyn Public Library is now offering lobby services at several branches, including Central Library, Bushwick Library, Flatbush Library, Kings Highway Library, and New Lots Library. Patrons have access to select branch lobbies for quick transactions during modified hours. Masks are required for both patrons and staff. The Brooklyn Public Library also compiled a list of virtual resources for children, families, job seekers, small businesses, and more.
7/10/2020: The tax filing deadline for both state and federal 2019 tax returns is July 15, 2020. To preserve social distancing guidelines due to the current pandemic, all tax preparation services can be rendered online. In addition, all related tax payments previously due on April 15th, 2020, may be deferred to July 15, 2020, without penalties or interest, regardless of the amount owed. In order to avoid hefty late filing fees, please file by July 15th, even if you cannot pay right now. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can set up payment plans or make other arrangements. Refunds are typically issued within three weeks.
All eligible New Yorkers are encouraged to utilize FREE Virtual Tax Prep or Assisted Self-Preparation. Before scheduling an appointment with a tax preparer, you should review this checklist of necessary documents along with Your Rights When Using a Tax Preparer. You can also file your taxes for free online, get additional virtual assistance, and read Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.
7/9/2020: Between the end of the eviction moratorium on August 20 that kept many New York City residents in their homes despite not being able to pay rent, and the end of enhanced unemployment benefits at the end of the month, New York City is facing a wave of up to 50,000 eviction cases in housing courts, starting as soon as this week. To stay ahead of the impending eviction crisis, IMPACCT Brooklyn compiled a guide of rights, resources, and eviction rules for tenants to help fight potential evictions and avoid homelessness.
7/6/2020: The City of New York is providing free air conditioners to low-income seniors with the Get Cool initiative. Residents are eligible if they are 60 years or older, do not already have a working air conditioner, and have a household income that does not exceed that listed in the attached document. The deadline for eligible seniors to contact your property manager for enrollment is July 13, 2020.
7/5/2020: New York City is set to enter Phase 3 of reopening tomorrow, July 6th. Indoor dining at restaurants is not included in Phase 3 reopenings; however, the following businesses are allowed to reopen:
- Dog runs
- Tattoo parlors
- Spas, including massage parlors
- Personal care salons such as nail salons and tanning salons
- The Parks Department is reopening basketball, handball, tennis, bocce and volleyball courts
- Regular rush hour service will resume on the Staten Island Ferry
Group gatherings of up to 25 people are now allowed – with social distancing and mask compliance, of course.
Click here to learn more about Phase 3 of reopening.
6/29/2020: As part of the Federal CARES Act, all NYC public school students will each receive $420 in food benefits in the form of an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card. Families who do not currently have an EBT or Medicaid card will receive an EBT card in the mail for each child in NYC Public Schools. These cards should arrive in July or August and will be sent to the address on record with the school. This is part of the Department of Education’s universal free lunch program, so no application or documentation will be needed to receive a food benefit card.
Local Law 157 of 2019 requires the Department of Finance to implement a storefront registry and requires owners to submit information about any ground floor or second floor space on their properties. This information will help the City evaluate options for supporting storefront businesses. The new deadline to register your storefront is July 1st. To learn more, click here.
6/22/2020: Tomorrow is the New York City Democratic Presidential Primary. Due to COVID-19, some poll sites have changed, so please double-check your poll site before leaving to cast your ballot. In Brooklyn, several local congressional, senate, and assembly member races are on the ballot alongside the presidential candidates. If you plan on submitting an absentee ballot, make sure it’s postmarked June 23rd at the latest so it’s considered valid.
6/18/2020: The Rent Guidelines Board approved a rent freeze on one-year leases, and a freeze on the first year and a one percent increase on the second year for two-year leases. This decision affects all rent stabilized and rent regulated apartments in New York City, and goes into effect October 1st, 2020.
6/17/2020: New York City is set to enter Phase 2 of reopening on Monday, June 22nd, assuming there isn’t a resurgence of COVID-19. Under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s existing reopening plan, outdoor dining, some in-store shopping, hair salons, barbershops, and some offices in the city would be allowed to reopen in the second phase, although there will be restrictions on capacity and social distancing.
Although COVID-19 cases in New York City and the rest of New York state have declined sharply over the past several weeks, other parts of the nation are seeing a drastic increase in infections. We are still in the middle of a pandemic, and epidemiologists are fearful of a deadlier second wave of COVID-19. New Yorkers need to continue wearing a mask and social distancing to prevent a second wave of COVID-19, and to ensure the city can continue to open. Additionally, anyone who was involved in recent protests or demonstrations is urged to get tested for COVID-19 at one of the city’s 150+ testing sites and, if possible, undergo a fourteen day self quarantine.
Remember, New York City is officially providing free COVID-19 testing to all residents. New Yorkers who’d like to get tested should visit nyc.gov/CovidTest or call 311 to find the sites nearest them. Find the free city-run test sites here.
6/16/2020: Governor Andrew Cuomo’s eviction moratorium ends Saturday, June 20th. From June 20th forward, landlords will be able to file new eviction cases and marshal’s evictions. However, there are some protections for tenants who can prove they can’t pay rent because of a COVID-19 related hardship. Between June 20th and August 20th, marshals can’t evict tenants who have been financially impacted by COVID-19, for non-payment of rent.
Please contact IMPACCT Brooklyn’s Community Organizing department if you need further assistance with a landlord dispute or tenant organizing.
6/15/2020: The Department of Education is looking for input on their current “Return to School” procedures for Fall 2020. Parents and students should fill out the anonymous survey on the Department of Education’s website before June 22nd to weigh in on their experiences with remote learning and teaching. All answers will be recorded anonymously. If you can’t take this survey online, please call 311 to fill it out.
6/8/2020: New York City has finally entered Phase 1 of reopening. Under Phase 1 of reopening, construction, manufacturing, and curbside retail can all start again, and 400,000 people are expected to start going back to work. Everyone is expected to continue wearing masks and social distancing.
Click here for a comprehensive guide to New York City’s reopening phases.
6/3/2020: New York City is officially providing free COVID-19 testing to all residents. To get tested, visit one of the city’s more than 150 testing sites for a nasal swab, oral swab, or saliva sample. Tests at 36 city-run sites are free and available on a walk-in basis.
New Yorkers who’d like to get tested should visit nyc.gov/CovidTest or call 311 to find the sites nearest them. Find the free city-run test sites here.
6/1/2020: Join Assemblyman Walter Mosley and IMPACCT Brooklyn Executive Director Bernell Grier for a Virtual Facebook Town Hall this Thursday, June 4th to discuss housing in the borough. Tune into Assemblyman Mosley’s Facebook page from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM to join the Town Hall. Please send questions in advance to MosleyW@nyassembly.gov.
New York City plans to enter the first phase of reopening on June 8th. Under Phase 1 of reopening, construction, manufacturing, and curbside retail can all start again. Everyone is expected to continue wearing masks and social distancing.
Anyone who was involved in this weekend’s demonstrations is urged to get tested for COVID-19 at one of the city’s 150+ testing sites and, if possible, undergo a fourteen day self quarantine.
5/29/2020: The New York State Legislature passed a bill to provide $100 million of rent relief to tenants whose income was disrupted due to COVID-19.
The Department of Housing and Community Renewal program will offer rent vouchers to New Yorkers earning less than 80 percent of the area median income both now and before the pandemic struck in March, with the subsidy being paid directly to the landlord. The vouchers are funded by $100 million from the federal CARES Act that was allotted to the state.
Tenants who plan on applying must:
- meet the income threshold;
- spend more than 30 percent of their monthly income on rent;
- be able to document lost income since March 7, including all wages, tips, overtime, salary, recurring gifts, returns on investments, welfare assistance, social security payments, child support payments, unemployment benefits” and any other government benefits meant to replace lost income or rental payments.
5/28/2020: The Brooklyn Museum and The Campaign Against Hunger (TCAH) are offering food distribution to New Yorkers every week starting Monday, June 1st, from 3:00 to 5:00 PM, and continuing through each following Monday. To ensure TCAH has enough food to distribute, participants must sign-up in advance by emailing healthymeals@brooklynmuseum.org! TCAH is one of the most trusted nonprofits working to end hunger and build health in our local communities. As we witness the vastly disproportionate economic and social impacts of COVID-19 on already-struggling New Yorkers, we know many of our neighbors are in need of emergency food for their families. Learn more at https://www.tcahnyc.org.
5/26/2020: Applications for New York Forward Loan Fund, a new New York State small business loan program intended to provide aid to businesses that didn’t get money from federal COVID-19 relief programs, open today. Thanks to the program, $100 million is available for small businesses and nonprofits with less than 20 full time employees and landlords with less than 200 units who have lost rental income during the coronavirus pandemic, with an emphasis on minority- and women-owned small businesses. Businesses who didn’t get the PPP loan or the Economic Injury Disaster Loan may qualify for the state funds.
To apply to the New York Forward Loan Fund, click here.
5/21/2020: Starting in June, families of students enrolled in New York City public schools will receive a food benefit card pre-loaded with $420 to help cover meal costs while schools remain closed because of the pandemic. This is part of the Department of Education’s universal free lunch program, so no application or documentation will be needed to receive a food benefit card. This program does not replace the city’s already established grab-and-go meal program that has been operating at 435 sites—including Regional Enrichment Centers—since schools closed, providing free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to all families.
Meanwhile, the city is offering free meals to all New Yorkers at 211 meal hubs. They are open Monday through Friday. You can also call 311 for information; for instance, if you are a senior citizen, you can get food delivery.
To learn more about GetFoodNYC’s emergency food distribution, click here.
5/15/2020: Although parts of upstate New York have begun slowly reopening, Governor Andrew Cuomo extended the stay-at-home order for regions that don’t yet meet the criteria for reopening, including New York City, through May 28. The remaining areas, which include Buffalo and several NYC suburbs, will be allowed to reopen after they see a decline in new positive virus cases and deaths, and increases in testing, hospital capacity and contact tracing, among other benchmarks. People in reopened regions are still required and expected to wear face coverings in stores or if they were to come within six feet of others, and regulations will be put back in place if the infection rate rises. Mayor Bill de Blasio does not anticipate New York City reopening before mid-June, at the very earliest.
To learn more about the COVID-19 reopening metrics, click here.
5/14/2020: New York City is now offering free COVID-19 testing for anyone showing symptoms at community clinics run by the city’s public hospitals. There are currently more than 20 testing sites across the city offering free walk-in testing, and Mayor Bill de Blasio said earlier this week the city would open 12 additional testing sites within the new two weeks. These testing sites will also test people who have come into contact with someone confirmed to be infected with the virus, regardless if they’re showing symptoms or not.
To find a COVID-19 test site near you, click here.
5/13/2020: The New York City Council passed several bills intended to provide relief to small businesses struggling to stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis, including:
- placing a cap on delivery fees charged by delivery apps like Grubhub to waiving sidewalk cafe fees;
- fining landlords anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 for threatening commercial tenants who have been impacted by the pandemic;
- protecting business owners’ personal assets from being taken in the case of a commercial lease violation if the business is impacted by the ongoing pandemic;
- waiving sidewalk cafe fees through February 28, 2021.
These bills will supplement the city and federal loans programs implemented in response to the pandemic.
5/11/2020: Although Governor Cuomo’s PAUSE order for New York State expires this Friday, May 15th, Mayor Bill de Blasio doesn’t plan on lifting the ban on large gatherings and widespread closure of nonessential businesses in New York City before June, at the earliest. Data at the city and state level, such as the number of hospitalizations with the virus and percentages of people testing positive, suggests that NYC’s progressed in containing the COVID-19 outbreak and reducing transmission, but the trend needs to continue before the city can discuss reopening. Click here to read more about Governor Cuomo’s seven-point plan to guide the state’s ten regions through reopening, issued last week.
Small businesses need to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) before the second round of funding runs out again. If assistance is needed, please contact SBLRA@impacctbk.org.
5/8/2020: New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board cast a preliminary vote approving a rent freeze for rent-stabilized apartments with one-year leases, and a one percent increase on the second year for two-year leases. The Rent Guidelines Board’s preliminary vote results often reflects the official vote, which will take place on June 17th. Keep in mind that a rent freeze does not mean you don’t have to pay rent; it just means that people who live in rent-stabilized apartments won’t see a rent increase until October 2021.
Meanwhile, New York City opened up two miles of street yesterday to pedestrian use, including Willoughby Street from Pearl Street to Lawrence Street and Lawrence Street from Fulton Street to Willoughby Street. The city plans to open up at least forty miles of streets for pedestrian use by summer, and hopes to open up to 100 miles of streets in total. To find an open street near you, click here.
5/7/2020: In an effort to extend rent relief to struggling tenants, Governor Cuomo extended the moratorium on evictions and foreclosure through August 20th. However, this two month extension of the eviction ban only applies to renters and homeowners unable to pay rent or mortgage payments due to COVID-19 or who qualify for unemployment benefits. Governor Cuomo also banned late fees, and is allowing renters to use their security deposits to pay their monthly rent, but security deposits must be repaid within 90 days of their usage. If the amount of the deposit is less than a full month of rent, tenants still owe the remaining rent due that month.
Read Governor Cuomo’s executive order here.
5/4/2020: New York City plans to distribute 7.5 million masks to residents in need: five million of the coverings blue non-medical masks (reusable as long as they stay dry) and 2.5 million re-wearable cloth face coverings. 100,000 of these masks will be targeted for busy parks between Saturday, May 2 and Tuesday, May 5. To find the closest distribution spot near you, click here.
5/1/2020: Schools and colleges throughout New York State will remain closed through the end of the school year and students will continue with distance learning. Officials haven’t determined if schools will be open for the fall semester. The New York City Department of Education also announced a new grading policy for remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in which no student will get an “F,” though students who haven’t made progress over the semester will be required to make up work during the summer and fall.
4/30/2020: The MTA will end subway service between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM for the duration of the pandemic starting next Wednesday, May 6. The cuts in service are intended to allow crews to disinfect the trains more frequently in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 and to remove persons dealing with homelessness. The MTA plans to offer dollar vans and buses to get people home during these off hours and to reimburse any essential worker with credentials for two Uber or Lyft rides during the overnight shutdown.
To read more about the MTA’s service cuts, click here.
4/28/2020: The Center for Disease Control expanded its list of symptoms for COVID-19 to include repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and a loss of taste or smell. Any person with COVID-19 may experience two ore more of these symptoms. Symptoms generally appear anywhere from two to fourteen days after exposure to the virus.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition is compiling a searchable database and map that allows some renters to identify if their home is covered by the CARES Act eviction moratoriums by simply entering your zip code. These new tools contain data on millions of apartments in multifamily housing insured by the Federal Housing Administration or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, and millions more supported by the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, HUD, and/or USDA programs. The CARES Act provides a temporary moratorium on evictions for most residents of federally subsidized apartments and a moratorium on filings for evictions for renters in homes covered by federally-backed (FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac) mortgages for 120 days after enactment on March 27th.
4/27/2020: Governor Andrew Cuomo is ordering Board of Elections offices across the New York State to mail voters a postage-paid absentee ballot application so they can more easily request a ballot and vote by mail in the upcoming primary. The risk of contracting COVID-19, or an illness due to COVID-19, is now a valid reason to apply for an absentee ballot. This move is intended to ease the voting application process and ensure residents can easily vote in the upcoming primary election in case the state is still on PAUSE.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 is also contributing to a low 2020 Census response rate throughout New York. So far, only 43.3% of New Yorkers have responded to the census statewide, lagging behind the nationwide average. Now, more than ever, IMPACCT Brooklyn needs the federal funding the Census count provides to serve our Brooklyn communities with vital housing services. Filling out the 2020 Census will bring funding to IMPACCT Brooklyn to:
- develop and preserve affordable housing;
- help stabilize our communities’ small businesses;
- help serve our vulnerable homeless population;
- and much more.
4/23/2020: The New York City Council introduced a sweeping package of COVID-19 relief legislation this morning. The legislation includes an “Essential Workers’ Bill of Rights” that requires large employers to provide additional protections and hazard pay to hourly workers helping the city’s continued operations as the pandemic continues, as well as packages of bills intended to protect small businesses against threats from commercial landlords, prohibit evictions and debt collections through April 2021, and open 7.5 of city streets to pedestrians. The Council is expected to vote on these bills by the end of next week.
To learn the specifics of this COVID-19 relief package, click here.
4/22/2020: The Small Business Legal Relief Alliance is a group of legal service organizations and law firms providing FREE focused holistic telephonic consultations with pro-bono lawyers assisting NYC small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a part of the SBLRA, IMPACCT Brooklyn is working to offer pro-bono legal help to support small businesses, nonprofits, the self-employed, and cooperatives impacted by COVID-19. This includes help with:
- Loan & Grant Programs (What programs are right for me and how do I apply?)
- Tax (What are the tax implication of raising funds for employees?)
- Commercial Leases (Do I need to pay rent next month? How do I negotiate?)
- Contracts (What to do if the crisis prevents me or another party from performing?)
- Employment (What should I consider if I need to let employees go?)
- Insurance (Does my policy cover loss of income?)
- Intellectual Property (How do I protect my work and trademarks?)
- Other General Business Issues
For more information on the SBLRA, click here.
4/21/2020: The New York State Department of Labor launched a new streamlined application so New Yorkers can apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance without having to apply for unemployment insurance first. The updated unemployment benefits application system will determine which unemployment program — unemployment insurance or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance — New Yorkers should apply for and then prompt them to answer a specific set of questions.
4/17/2020: Governor Andrew Cuomo extended “Policies Assure Uniform Safety for Everyone,” or PAUSE, through May 15th. Schools and nonessential businesses will remain closed, and citizens are instructed to remain at home, practice social distancing, and stay six feet from one another at the store or outside, or else risk a $1,000 fine. To learn more about PAUSE, click here.
4/16/2020: The IRS launched Get My Payment, a portal to check on the status of your Economic Impact Payment. If you haven’t received your Economic Impact Payment yet, click the link and enter in a few personal details to learn about your payment status, your payment type, and if the IRS needs more information from you. Eligible taxpayers who used direct deposit on their 2018 or 2019 taxes started seeing Economic Impact Payments hit their accounts yesterday. If you don’t have direct deposit enabled, or if the IRS has an old account you no longer use on file, you’ll receive a check in the mail in one to three weeks.
If you’re interested in helping with the Coronavirus relief effort, please consider donating supplies, blood, or plasma; helping healthcare workers, mental health workers, and displaced persons; contributing to your local food bank; supporting the elderly and high-risk demographics; and more. For the best ways to donate time and money to the Coronavirus relief effort, visit Gothamist’s How to Help.
4/15/2020: Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order requiring everyone in the state to carry and wear masks or face coverings when out in public. Starting Friday, April 17 at 8:00 PM, all New Yorkers must wear a mask when in public and unable to maintain social distancing of six feet, or face a civil penalty. Masks or face coverings will also be mandatory on public transit and busy streets. If you don’t have a mask or a face covering, you can fashion one out of a bandanna, a scarf, or an old t-shirt. Click here to learn how to make your own mask at home.
The CARES Act affects different renters in different ways. To learn more about the law’s different eviction and rental programs and what kind of properties the CARES act protects, click here.
4/14/2020: New York City is providing free childcare for more essential workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 response efforts. Restaurant, food, takeout and delivery workers, and residential and commercial building staff are now eligible to send their children to city-run Regional Enrichment Centers that provide daycare for essential workers, according to the Department of Education. Starting this week, the DOE will operate 57 Regional Enrichment Centers in the city: 18 in Brooklyn, 11 in the Bronx, 15 in Queens, ten in Manhattan and three in Staten Island.
To find a Regional Enrichment Center near you, click here.
4/13/2020: The IRS started sending coronavirus stimulus payment to eligible Americans who have direct deposit over the weekend. Taxpayers who don’t use direct deposit can expect checks in the mail, though that might take several more weeks. The payments are part of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act Congress passed at the end of March, and are based on tax returns filed for 2018 and 2019. Individual taxpayers making less than $75,000 will be eligible for $1,200 checks; married couples filing jointly making less than $150,000 will get $2,400. They will also be eligible for $500 for each dependent child under 17.
To learn more about Economic Impact Payments, click here.
4/10/2020: A drive-through mobile testing facility is now open at the Sears Parking Lot located at 2307 Beverley Road in Brooklyn, and a drive-through mobile testing facility opened at the Club House at Aqueduct Race Track Parking Lot, 110-00 Rockaway Blvd, in Queens on Monday, April 6th. Additionally, New York City is opening three walk-in facilities at health care centers in the South Bronx; Jamaica, Queens; and in Brownsville, Brooklyn. The walk-in facilities will open next week and will be by appointment only.
4/8/2020: Google is backing small business owners throughout the country by allotting $340 million in Google Ad credits so businesses can continue to communicate with their customers, regardless of the current circumstances. The company will also be funding a number of other initiatives, including ad grants for the World Health Organization, and an investment fund for nonprofits. Click here to learn more.
Google has also launched this resource for distance learning and special education.
4/6/2020: Governor Andrew Cuomo extended “Policies Assure Uniform Safety for Everyone,” or PAUSE, through April 29th. Schools and nonessential businesses will remain closed, and citizens are instructed to remain at home, practice social distancing, and stay six feet from one another at the store or outside, or else risk a $1,000 fine. To learn more about PAUSE, click here.
4/3/2020: The New York City Department of Education is committed to making three free meals available daily for any New Yorker. Any New Yorker who wants one can get three free meals a day at more than 400 Meal Hubs across the city.
- Meals can be picked up at all Meal Hubs 7:30 am to 1:30 pm, Monday through Friday
- Meals Hubs will operate for children and families from 7:30 am to 11:30 am, and for adults from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
- No one will be turned away at any time
- All adults and children can pick up three meals at one time
- Vegetarian and halal options available at all sites
- No dining space is available, so meals must be eaten off premises
- Parents and guardians may pick up meals for their children
- No registration or ID required
To find a Meal Hub near you, click here.
4/1/2020: It’s the first of the month and for many New Yorkers, rent is due. However, if you’re one of the many renters who lost income during the lockdown and are worried about how to cover the expense, be smart and know your rights as they stand right now. Yes, you’ll have to pay rent for the month of April, even if you lost your job. However, thanks to the 90-day moratorium on evictions, your landlord cannot evict you. If they try to do so, you have the right to report it to the police by calling Bureau of City Marshals in the Department of Investigation at (212) – 825 – 5953.
Two bills that would forgive rent payments for 90 days for residential and small business commercial tenants who have lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic have been proposed in the state legislature. Many are also discussing variations of a rent freeze, such as allowing renters to use their security deposits to cover April’s rent.
For more on how the coronavirus crisis is affecting renters, read The City’s coverage.
3/30/2020: President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (or the CARES Act) into law Saturday, March 28. The CARES Act is a $2 trillion stimulus plan designed to help the country rebound from the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. Beyond cash payments of up to $1200 directly to single taxpayers, $2400 for couples, and $500 for each dependent (for incomes below $75,000, based on your 2018 tax return), the CARES act expands unemployment benefits and coverage; and provides $150 billion to states, territories, and tribal governments to use for expenditures incurred due to Covid-19.
- For Renters: The CARES Act seeks to help renters by including provisions to help keep more Americans employed as businesses close their doors and help those faced with lay-offs, as well as expanding unemployment to provide a stepping stone to a stable income. Foreclosures and evictions will be suspended for at least 60 days.
- For Homeowners: If your mortgage is backed by the federal government, provisions of the CARES Act allow you to suspend payments for up to 12 months. Additionally, you will not be charged late fees or reported to credit bureaus. Foreclosures and evictions will be suspended for at least 60 days.
- For Small Businesses: The CARES Act includes programs and grants to provide capital to cover the costs of retaining employees; to ease fears about keeping up with payments on certain loans; to provide loans and grants to cover the costs of business; and more.
For more information on the CARES Act, click here.
The U.S. Census Bureau is suspending 2020 Census field operations for two additional weeks to April 15, and the New York State Presidential Primary Election has been moved from April 28th to June 23rd during congressional and legislative primary election.
3/27/2020: IMPACCT Brooklyn’s Director of Economic Development and Commercial Leasing Dale Charles built out a Small Business Survival Guide full of resources, grants, loans, and tips for entrepreneurs and employees alike, as well as updates on evictions, mortgages, and relevant policy.
The impact of the coronavirus on locally owned businesses will be wide-ranging and severe. It will take ALL levels of our government to pitch in and do its part to save locally owned business from going under – along with the jobs that they create. Please sign the petition and tell City Hall and Albany to WAKE UP!
3/26/2020: NYC Health + Hospitals created a number of graphics explaining how Coronavirus spreads, what you can do to fight the spread of Coronavirus, and how to get tested if you have Coronavirus. These are a great learning tool, and we’d like our readers to share these as much as possible. If you have the time and resources and can do so without putting yourself at risk, we strongly recommend printing these out and hanging them in your building’s lobby or distributing them throughout your community! (To save, right-click the with your mouse and select “Save Link As”.)
- What New Yorkers Can Do To Limit The Spread of Coronavirus
- Lo que los Neoyorquinos Pueden Hacer para Limitar la Propagación del Coronavirus
- Steps for Those Who May Need To Get Tested for COVID-19
- Stay Home to Stop the Spread of Coronavirus
3/25/2020: IMPACCT Brooklyn partner CitiBank is offering assistance to impacted customers in the US, including fee waivers for Citibank customers, hardship programs, and additional small business support, such as extended banker availability. More information about this offer can be found here.
3/23/2020: In order to fight the spread of Coronavirus, New York went on PAUSE – “Policies Assure Uniform Safety for Everyone” – last night. All non-essential retailers and businesses are now closed, and Governor Cuomo is ordering residents to STAY HOME, with special guidelines for those over 70 years old.
Grocery stores, health care, mass transit, banks, pharmacies, laundromats, mail delivery, and more will remain open and functional. However, any non-essential group activities are cancelled or postponed.
While a mortgage freeze is in place for homeowners, Governor Cuomo hasn’t said anything about a rent freeze for renters. However, evictions have been suspended for ninety days, and several proposals for rent relief are being discussed by City Council.
View Governor Cuomo’s full order here.
3/20/2020: Covid-19, or coronavirus, is one of the toughest challenges New York City has faced. IMPACCT Brooklyn is here to provide you with information and support to keep your homes & small business stable and to help you stay safe.
First and foremost, please practice good hygiene at all times! The elderly and immunocompromised are the most at risk of the disease, but anyone of any age and health could catch it and transmit it to other people without knowing. Wash your hands as often as possible and follow the rules for Social Distancing, Quarantining, and Isolating as needed:
- Social Distancing is a way to keep people from interacting closely or frequently enough to spread an infectious disease (for example, avoiding high-traffic areas or walking instead of taking public transit). This slows the spread of the disease by minimizing contact with potential carriers of coronavirus.
- Quarantine is the next step in fighting the spread of coronavirus. A quarantine separates and restricts movement of people who’ve been exposed to the virus to see if they show symptoms. If you think you’ve been exposed to the disease, you should self-quarantine for a minimum of fourteen days to ensure you’re not contagious.
- Isolation is the final step you can take against the spread of coronavirus. Isolation keeps people infected with coronavirus away from people who aren’t infected. This can take place at home, or at a hospital or care facility.
Consult the NYC Department of Health for more information on how to fight the spread of coronavirus.
Your personal health and the wellbeing of your friends, family, and community are the most important thing right now. In order to distance, quarantine, and isolate effectively, everyone will need a stable living space. If you’re having housing issues, or are worried about your small business, here are some key things to know.
- New York has halted all evictions until further notice. As of March 16th at 5:00 PM, New York State’s chief administrative judge has suspended all eviction proceedings and pending eviction orders – both residential and commercial – statewide indefinitely, including a city, state, and federally subsidized housing level. This is an important step in ensuring housing security during a public health emergency, especially considering the citywide shutdown of schools, restaurants, bars, and other “nonessential” businesses (everything beyond grocery stores and pharmacies) will leave thousands without a steady stream of revenue and unable to pay their rent. This means that your housing situation is safe throughout the crisis.
- Housing Court will remain open for the most serious violations, although any non-essential functions of the court system will be postponed until further notice. Beyond Housing Court, the entire state court system is temporarily suspending all “non-essential” functions. Only pending trials and certain proceedings, including landlord lockouts, serious housing code violations and repair orders, will be permitted to continue. However, thanks to a loophole, landlords can still eviction cases now, but they’ll be postponed for 45 days. If you had a scheduled appearance or were directed to att end court, you will not be penalized for your absence provided you follow the correct steps. To learn more, click here.
- New York will offer mortgage relief throughout the pandemic. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on March 19th that mortgage payments and foreclosures will be suspended for 90 days in an attempt to deter the financial impact during the coronavirus outbreak. Please keep in mind that this only applies to mortgages, not rent!
- There’s a support system in place for small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Beyond a suspension on commercial evictions, entrepreneurs may qualify for a grant or no-interest loan to counter COVID-19’s negative effects on their small business. To learn more, visit NYC Small Business Services. Please also keep in mind that in-office personnel are now required to decrease their in-office workforce by 75%.
- Businesses with fewer than 100 employees, seeing a decrease in sales up to 25% or more will be eligible for zero interest loans up to $75,000 to help mitigate losses in profit.
- New York City is also offering eligible small businesses with fewer than five employees a grant to cover 40% of payroll costs for two months to help retain employees.
- You have three more months to file your tax returns. Tax day has been pushed back to July 15th, ensuring all Americans have enough time to file their income tax returns.
IMPACCT Brooklyn will share details on how to contact us as we continue to work diligently to minimize the impact of Covid-19 on our programs and operations. For client referrals or support, our program staff can be reached by the following means:
Small Business Services – for inquiries regarding small businesses, commercial tenants, Washington Avenue, Flatbush Avenue, Fulton Street Merchant Associations/BIDS, please contact:
- Dale Charles, Director of Economic Development: dale_charles@impacctbk.org
Tenant & Community Organizing – for inquiries regarding residential tenant/landlord issues, repairs, etc, please contact:
- General Inquiries: Call 718.522.2613 ext. 010 or email Gina Aracena at gina_aracena@impacctbk.org
- Virginia, Tenant Organizer: virginia_ribot@impacctbk.org, or call ext. 031
- Jeffrey, Tenant Organizer: jeffrey_aronowitz@impacctbk.org, or call ext.016
- Raliek, Tenant Organizer: raliek_gholson@impacctbk.org, or call ext. 021
For any other non-client issues, please email Craig Collins, Director of Organizing at craig_collins@impacctbk.org, or call ext.024
Homeowner Services: for inquiries regarding foreclosure/mortgage issues; small homeowners; first time homebuyer’s, please contact:
- General Inquiries: call 718.522.2613 ext.110 or email info@impacctbk.org
- Luis Hernandez, Homebuyer Counselor: luis_hernandez@impacctbk.org, or call ext. 315
- Bonita Dowling, Foreclosure Counselor: bonita_dowling@impacctbk.org, or call ext. 313
- For any other non-client issues contact Pat Julien, Director of Home Services: pat_julien@impacctbk.org, or call ext 312
Housing Development & Inclusionary Marketing – for inquiries regarding real estate; affordable lottery developers; IMPACCT Brooklyn owned properties, please contact:
- For new real estate development: Robert Jefferson, Director of Real Estate at robert_jefferson@impacctbk.org
- For inclusionary marketing agent and apartment lotteries: Stephanie Blue, Director of Affordable Housing Marketing at stephanie_blue@impacctbk.org
- For IMPACCT Brooklyn properties asset management: Candacey ParJohn, Asset Manager at candacey_parjohn@impacctbk.org
Social Services/Gibb Mansion – Tenants should continue to first contact their building property manager for building matters and rent concerns.
- General inquiries should be directed to 718-522-2613 ext 217
- Rochelle Felder, Senior Case Manager rochelle_felder@impacctbk.org
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