View this email in your browser ([link removed])
Dear Neighbors,

So many of us are seeing the impacts of the city's homelessness crisis -- whether it be our own fear of eviction, or accommodating those who live in homeless shelters into our neighborhood hotels. The focus of this email is to update you on these two issues.
Homeless Shelter Residents' Temporary Placement in UWS Hotels
As I noted last week, we are seeing a temporary increase in homeless residents who are being housed in our area. These New Yorkers have been living in congregate shelters as they await permanent housing, but as a safety precaution during the pandemic, they are being placed in hotels across the city.

This week my office was notified that the Lucerne Hotel on Amsterdam Avenue will be utilized as one such temporary "de-densification" site by the City. 283 clients, who currently live in two East Village shelters for persons with substance abuse issues, will be staying at the Lucerne.

Move-in is anticipated for July 27th. The City's Dept of Homeless Services has not yet told us how long their stay will be necessary. Read an overview provided by non-profit provider Project Renewal ([link removed]) , who will manage the shelter site.

My overwhelming concern is for the safety of our community. Project Renewal says that all clients will be tested for the coronavirus ahead of the move, and no one who tests positive will be housed at the Lucerne. Anyone who tests positive would be moved to an isolation hotel (not in our district).

Over 50 staff members will manage operations, the provision of meals, and a wide range of social services at the Lucerne. Project Renewal will also maintain 18 security guards with 2 supervisors on each shift, including an outdoor security post and block patrols every 30 minutes. Shelter residents who cannot adhere to Project Renewal's "Good Neighbor" policy can potentially be transferred to other shelter sites.


** Immediate Assistance if You are Facing Eviction
------------------------------------------------------------

As the economic crisis fueled by the pandemic drags on, more and more Upper West Siders are struggling to pay rent and and are at risk of homelessness. Housing has consistently been the number one issue for which residents seek help from my office, and need has only intensified.

Here are four ways to help: Emergency Rental Assistance; an August 3rd Housing Rights Town Hall; Landlord-Tenant Mediation; and Free Legal Advice.

Emergency Rental Assistance: Apply By July 30th
New York State is accepting applications for its Covid Rent Relief Program. The program provides up to four months of rental assistance for eligible households who have lost income due to the pandemic.
* Provides 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 State will prioritize eligible households with “greatest economic and social need” accounting for income, rent burden, percent of income lost, and risk of homelessness.
* Applicants must have already been paying over 30 percent of their gross (pre-tax) household income toward rent as of March, and then must have lost income during the period of April 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020.
* As of March 1, 2020, household income must be below 80% of the Area Median Income (less than $63,680 for one person, less than $90,960 for a family of four).

To learn more and apply, click here ([link removed]) . If you have application questions, call 1-833-499-0318, Monday through Saturday, 8am -- 7pm. You can also email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

------------------------------------------------------------

Housing Rights Town Hall: August 3rd
Goddard Riverside Law Project will host a virtual town hall on Monday, August 3rd at 6pm about tenants' rights during the Covid crisis. The event will feature presentations from Housing Court Answers, the Law Project, and the Housing Justice for All and Right to Counsel NYC coalitions.

You can join via Zoom, Facebook Live, or Telephone Conference. Register here ([link removed]) or by sending an email with your name, address, and telephone number to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

------------------------------------------------------------

Mediation for Tenants in Danger of Eviction
This week Mayor de Blasio announced a new citywide Landlord-Tenant Mediation Project to begin to address rent-related issues outside of the housing court system. Mediation puts decision-making power in the hands of the parties involved, resulting in practical solutions for both landlords and tenants.

Non-profit Community Dispute Resolution Centers (CDRCs) will assist tenants and small landlords in finding solutions to rental issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is to resolve cases before they reach litigation and avoid the long-term effects of an eviction proceeding. The Mediation Project will handle cases in a setting where both parties feel safe, and priority will be given to tenants and small landlords who do not have legal representation.

Upper West Siders can request the mediation service by calling 311 and asking for the Tenant Helpline. Specialists will screen residents for eligibility and refer them to a CDRC in Manhattan.

------------------------------------------------------------

Free Legal Advice for UWS Tenants
Every year, our office funds access to free legal services for tenants facing landlord harassment and/or eviction. Given the lifting of the NYS moratorium on evictions, these legal services are more important than ever.

This year, I have allocated nearly $200,000 in funding to organizations in our community that provide legal services to tenants and other vulnerable residents. We are proud to work with all of these partners to keep Upper West Siders in their homes -- these resources are for you and your loved ones.

(Next week we will be sending out detailed information about FY21 funding for local schools, and will continue to share important budget updates throughout the next few weeks.)

Goddard Riverside Community Center
Click here ([link removed]) or call Goddard Law Project at (212) 799-9638, x0
Funding for Monthly Housing Clinic for District 6 tenants

Take Root Justice
Click here ([link removed]) or call (929) 506-0303
Assistance also available with other COVID-19 issues (consumer debt, unemployment benefits rejection, etc.)
Funding for Monthly Housing Clinic for District 6 tenants

NYS Tenants & Neighbors Information Service
Click here ([link removed]) or call (212) 608-4320
Funding for Tenant Helpline

Housing Conservation Coordinators
Click here ([link removed]) or call (212) 541-5996, Monday evenings, 7-9pm.
Funding for legal assistance & community organizing

Housing Court Answers
Click here ([link removed]) or call (212) 962-4795, Monday thru Friday, 9am-5pm.
Language interpreters available. NYCHA tenants also assisted.
Funding for eviction prevention services

JustFix
Click here ([link removed]) to learn how to obtain needed repairs and services– with the assistance of an attorney.
Funding for data analysis of tenant & housing complaints

Manhattan Legal Services
Click here ([link removed]) or call (917) 661-4500
Assistance available in multiple languages.
Funding for legal services for District 6 residents

Legal Aid Society
Click here ([link removed]) or call (212) 426-3000
Funding for legal services for District 6 residents

New York Legal Assistance Group
Click here ([link removed]) or call (929) 356-9582, Monday -- Friday, 7am -- 1pm
Also assists with advance planning, consumer debt, employee rights, unemployment & public benefits, special education issues and federal stimulus payments.
Funding for Mobile Legal Van In District 6

Mobilization for Justice
Click here ([link removed]) or call (212) 417-3888, Monday thru Friday, 9am – 5pm
Funding for legal services for District 6 residents

Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT)
Click here ([link removed]) or call (212) 343-1122
Funding for legal services for District 6 families

Palante
Click here ([link removed]) or call (212) 491-2541
English & Spanish spoken
Funding for pro bono legal services & tenant organizing for District 6 residents

My office also helps to support organizations providing legal & other services to those impacted by domestic violence ([link removed]) .
Spread the Word: Open Air Food Pantry Next Wednesday
Lincoln Center and Food Bank For New York City will host a free food pantry distribution event on Wednesday, July 29 at Lincoln Center Plaza (entrance at 62nd St between Columbus and Amsterdam Aves). Distribution begins at 11am and no ID or proof of need is required. Learn more here ([link removed]) .

Residents will be able to pick-up grocery boxes with fresh produce, fresh meat provided by Tyson, and shelf-stable products. If you or a loved one are experiencing hunger, help is available now. Visit Food Bank's food program locator ([link removed]) for resources across our city.
We're Here to Help
My office assists people with housing issues, seniors, the disabled, the recently un (or under) employed, the food insecure, and all those suffering the many consequences of this pandemic, to help in any way we can.

Please call (212) 873-0282, leave a message and we will call you back as soon as possible; email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) ; or check our website, HelenRosenthal.com ([link removed]) . We update it on a daily basis with information about public benefits, non-profit resources, and health facts Upper West Siders need to get through this crisis.

Please stay well and share some kindness with yourself and the people around you.

Warmly,

P.S. Please forward this newsletter to anyone you think might be interested, or have them subscribe to my e-blasts here ([link removed]) . Also, follow my social media accounts on Twitter ([link removed]) , Facebook ([link removed]) , and/or Instagram ([link removed]) .

============================================================
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
Copyright © 2020 Council Member Helen Rosenthal, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website, helenrosenthal.com; you attended a meeting hosted by Council Member Rosenthal or someone on her staff; or you used the services offered by the Council Member's district office. If you would rather not receive this newsletter, just let us know by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link below.

Our mailing address is:
Council Member Helen Rosenthal
563 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10024
USA
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.