Dear John,

Over the last few days, it has become clear to public health officials that the rate of coronavirus infection in New York is outpacing previous expectations. The peak of cases (and thus the time when hospitals will be most overstretched) is likely to be sooner and higher than we thought: in just 14 to 21 days, we may need as many as 140,000 hospital beds. The current case count in NYC as of today is 17,856, and more than 200 people have died. For a sobering account of what the situation is like in NYC hospitals (to send to any people in your lives who aren’t yet taking physical distancing seriously enough), read this story in The City. 

This is a scary time for all of us. But it is also a time of unprecedented social solidarity. We are seeing now acts of care for others and new creative ways people are mobilizing to support each other every single day. Our hospital workers, sanitation workers, transit workers, grocery store workers, and other first responders who are working so hard to care for us, protect us, and keep our infrastructure going deserve our heartfelt thanks every single day. The least we can do for them is to do our best to stay home as much as possible, and keep 6 feet of physical distance when we run errands or exercise. 

I’m also happy to report that I heard today from a small business that has already received a grant from the NYC Employee Retention Program, after learning about it from our office. Clifford writes. “The grant will cover 1 month of payroll for us, which is a drop in the bucket but like manna from heaven at this point in time.  We are quite honestly amazed that we applied for the grant on Monday morning and received an approval already this evening with promise of funds being wired to our account tomorrow. NYC Government sometimes can actually work like a well greased machine when the political will to do so is there!” 

We’ll need an immense amount more of that in the days ahead, to support our hospitals, to save lives, to support those losing jobs and businesses, to show up for each other, and to rebuild our city. But we are capable of it.

In this email: 
Federal Response Updates
City and State Updates
Resources for individuals and businesses
Opportunities to help
Cultural Resources

Federal Response:

The Senate has reportedly reached a deal on the largest stimulus package ever, which is significantly better than their original proposal, but still falls short in many key ways.

The good news: The bill expands unemployment insurance to provide 4 months of regular pay (at 100% of prior salaries) and will cover gig workers who are traditionally not classified as employees. It will provide direct (one-time) payments of $1200 to people making under $75,000 a year, phasing out smaller direct payments to people making up to $99,000. Households with children will receive an additional $500 per child. There will be Congressional oversight over the funds disbursed to corporations, which will have to commit to certain obligations (like not allowing stock buybacks). The bill includes $150 billion in aid for hospitals including grants, new protective equipment and construction of new medical facilities. 

Local impacts: Senator Schumer says that $40 billion will go directly to New York State, including $15 billion for unemployment insurance, another $15.5 billion for direct payments, $5.8 billion for local governments in New York State, with $1.4 billion going toward New York City, a $3.8 billion bail out for the struggling MTA, and a program for businesses facing difficulties paying rent, mortgages and utility bills during the outbreak.

Where it falls short: Undocumented workers, and even many immigrants with status will be excluded from the unemployment insurance provision. The Senate bill also does not include the House proposals for canceling student debt and expanding paid sick days, among other things. 

We are still learning about the details, and there is still an effort underway in the House to win some of their additional priorities. We will keep you posted about ways to advocate for more from the feds and at the state and city level to make sure none of our communities fall through the cracks. 

City and State Updates: 

• The City and State are working hard to create more hospital capacity and secure more supplies for health care workers and more ventilators. The NYC Economic Development Corporation has a website set up for local businesses that want to help source needed supplies (masks, gowns, ventilators, etc, and also emergency food). If you have access to a space that could be used in an emergency capacity, let them know here. 

• The Mayor is opening two streets per borough to pedestrians to create more space for people outside to spread out, so we can reduce the number of people congregating too densely in some of our parks -- definitely including Prospect Park. (The streets have not been identified yet, but the program is supposed to start tomorrow. I joked that two streets would only be enough new space if they were major thoroughfares like Atlantic or Flatbush Avenues, but somehow I doubt those will be the ones in Brooklyn. We’ll keep you posted).

• Parks and playgrounds remain open, but people have to do a better job of social distancing or they may be closed as of next week. I would strongly discourage the use of playground equipment, and urge people who are playing catch or shooting hoops to do so only with people who you already live with. 

• Our calls to release at risk people inside the City’s jails are beginning to be heeded, but not nearly quick enough. The Mayor has released around 75 people and plans to release 300 more people with less than a year left on their sentences. More than 600 people held at Rikers are there on technical parole violations, which require state action. Click here to urge Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo to take swift action. Other localities have done much more: New Jersey is releasing 1000 people and Los Angeles has released over 1,700.

• Alternate side parking is suspended for another week, and will be reassessed after March 30. 

Resources for individuals and businesses: 

• Unemployment Insurance: File a claim here. The State has waived the 7 day waiting period for those out of work due to COVID-19. We have heard that the website and phone lines are overloaded, but keep trying.

• Small Businesses: City is offering small businesses with fewer than 5 employees a grant to cover 40% of payroll costs for 2 months to help retain employees (apply here). The funds are limited, so apply as soon as possible. We have heard one story of a local business getting accepted within days. Businesses with fewer than 100 employees who have seen sales decrease 25% or more will be eligible for zero interest loans of up to %75,000 to help mitigate losses in profit (apply here). 

• Home-delivered meals program. The City is establishing a home-delivered meals program for people who do not have other means of accessing food. The application for food delivery assistance is here. To deliver the meals, the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission will be hiring licensed TLC drivers. The application to become a driver in the programs is here. 

• A moratorium on evictions is in effect and advocates are working at the state level to pass rent freeze legislation. Utility shut-offs are also suspended. Here are resources for tenants. 

• Mortgage payments are delayed, as are business tax payments and individual tax payments.

• This crisis moment can be a big strain on mental health. Here is a good compilation of resources for managing stress and anxiety or accessing teletherapy and other forms of support. 

Opportunities to Help:

Thanks to all of you who are continuing to look for and create opportunities to help one another. We will be sending a separate email later today with a round up of volunteer opportunities to those who signed up to volunteer time. If you haven't already, sign up here now. 

For today, we’re sharing some office picks on where to contribute money if you are able: 

• The Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation created a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to provide emergency assistance to restaurant industry workers. Here is a list of resources for workers who’ve been directly impacted by the mass restaurant closings. You can donate here.

• Food Bank for New York City is supplying the city’s food pantries and soup kitchens which are in growing demand. Donate here.

• Citymeals on Wheels are providing emergency meals for hundreds of thousands of seniors, working in partnership with local senior centers. Donate here. 

• City Harvest which is rescuing food from restaurants to provide for food pantries. Donate here. 

• Dumplings Against Hate: Funds raised go to Asian Americans For Equality’s Emergency Small Business Relief Fund. Donate here. 

• Domestic Workers Alliance: Coronavirus Care Fund for their domestic worker members

• One Fair Wage: Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund

• Make the Road New York: COVID Emergency Response Fund for their immigrant and low-income members

Cultural Resources: 

We all need something to uplift us during this stressful time. Thankfully, so many of NYC’s amazing cultural institutions are making available online various forms of entertainment, art and culture. Here are a few: 

• Brooklyn Public Library free programming. 

• Metropolitan Museum of Art digital programming

• Met Opera streaming performances.

• Arts breaks, storytelling, drumming, and other great family activities from New Victory Theater

• Learn to draw via “Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems” (especially great for kids), author of neighborhood classic (and awesome Park Slope Library garden statue) Knuffle Bunny.

• Locally, you can tune in to Arts And Democracy’s upcoming virtual youth-led open mics. Follow Arts and Democracy on Facebook for updates. 

We are continuing to update our COVID-19 Resources webpage on a regular basis, and are working on bringing more online community support calls to you soon. 

With resolve, and with hope,

Brad

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