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

I am extending especially warm greetings to all Upper West Side seniors on this important day, World Senior Citizens Day. Below you will find updates on our neighborhood's homelessness situation, as well as news on the eviction moratorium, childcare for public school families, bus fares and safety, and an opportunity for free vision screenings.

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

We continue to hear from so many of you who have questions and concerns about the use of three District 6 hotels as emergency homeless shelters during the pandemic. We take your questions very seriously and have been presenting them directly to City Hall.

Please read this August 18th letter ([link removed]) from Borough President Brewer, myself, and other elected officials to Dept of Homeless Services Commissioner Steve Banks. As you can see, we are pressuring the City to ensure that each shelter has sufficient staff and resources to provide interventional supportive services, as well as designated recreation space. We are also calling for enhanced security measures, including greater collaboration between the NYPD and the shelters, regular community meetings with the City and the shelter providers, immediate attention to the Upper West Side's growing street homeless population, and more.

Here is what we have learned from the City and shelter providers over the last several days:

At a meeting with elected officials and community stakeholders on August 19th, the Dept of Homeless Services (DHS) stated that no other hotels on the Upper West Side will be considered for temporary (pandemic-related) emergency residence for persons who are experiencing homelessness and coming from a shelter in another part of the city. For example, the Milburn Hotel and the Beacon will not be rented by DHS or any non-profit working with DHS.

DHS also reports that they are coordinating a joint effort between the temporary UWS shelters and local homeless outreach teams (Goddard Riverside) to better respond to 311 complaints.

Lucerne (shelter operated by Project Renewal)
* Seven residents have been transferred out of the buidling for not adhering to the shelter's "good neighbor" policy and/or shelter rules.
* The City's 10pm shelter curfew is strictly enforced. Residents who do not comply may lose their bed for the night, and may be transferred to another facility. Residents seen entering the building after 10pm are doing so because of night shift work and other legitimate reasons.
* The Lucerne shelter security team conducts joint patrols twice daily with the Belleclaire shelter's security team.
* The Lucerne has just completed two days of COVID-19 testing -- so far we are seeing minimum to no outbreaks among shelter residents.
* The Lucerne has added more robust programming for shelter residents, and is speaking with Goddard Riverside Community Center about access to additional space for programming.
* DHS reports that an individual who showed up on the State Registry as a Level 3 sex offender and staying at the Lucerne was never a resident there. The individual in question was a client of Project Renewal at their downtown location until February, 2020 and he then became homeless. DHS has advised the State to correct the registry.

Belleclaire (shelter operated by Help USA)
* Shelter residents are high-functioning -- 30% are employed and 30% are women.
* Residents are moved out if found to be non-compliant with shelter rules.
* The Belleclaire conducts security patrols around the block several times each day.
* Both Project Renewal and Help USA have spoken with the two local public school principals in the area, as well as other school leaders.
* The Belleclaire shelter offers robust services within the building but lacks sufficient common area space. Help USA is hoping to partner with local organizations to obtain more daytime programming space, job or volunteer opportunities, and donations of items like clothing for job interviews for their clients.

Belnord (shelter operated by Center for Urban Community Services, CUCS)
* Services are provided within the building.
* Yellow vested / high visibility security patrols are conducted regularly on neighboring streets.
* The shelter has received no recent complaints.

NYPD 20th Precinct
* The 20th Precinct has added extra officers to the area bounded by the temporary shelters, with six officers assigned to Broadway between 72nd and 86th Streets every day, between 12 and 8:30pm.
* The 20th will coordinate with local schools and the 24th Precinct to ensure patrols during student drop-off and pick-up times.
* 20th Precinct Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCOs) report they have received more than 1,000 emails and hundreds of phone calls about homeless conditions since July 27. At the same time, crime rates remain steady -- over the last 28 day period, the 20th Precinct has received five narcotics calls.
* Captain Zuber strongly recommends that residents call 911 if they see narcotics or other illegal activity. Texting photos is not helpful.

Finally, as I have noted in previous e-blasts, some of the issues we are seeing on Upper West Side streets are a direct result of persons who are living on the street -- not shelter residents. I will continue to support in every possible way the efforts of our local homeless outreach teams to encourage these persons to accept shelter and services.

REMINDER: Community Board 7 will hold an information session on the use of UWS hotels to reduce the density of congregate shelters this Monday, August 24th from 6:30 to 8:30pm via Zoom. Click here ([link removed]) to pre-register.

The session will include brief presentations by persons with first-hand information, comments from elected officials, and questions and comments from designated representatives of interested groups within the community. Residents may submit questions or concerns in writing -- either in advance by email to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) ; or during the session by using the Zoom “chat” function.
Important Community Updates

NYS Eviction Moratorium Extended Until October
As we noted earlier, Governor Cuomo signed an executive order allowing the courts system to suspend eviction proceedings through September 4th. On August 12th, NYS Chief Administrative Judge Lawerence Marks issued a directive ([link removed]) mandating that no existing or new residential eviction warrants be executed until October at the earliest. The order continues a suspension on proceedings in all new eviction cases brought by landlords after March 17.

If you are facing a possible eviction, help is available. You can access free legal services on our website ([link removed]) , by looking under "Housing."

Tenants can also utilize the City's new Tenant Resource Portal ([link removed]) . The portal is a multilingual, question-and-answer based platform that compiles information from city, state, and federal sources to give tenants the resources they need to prevent eviction. Tenants without internet access should call 311 and ask to speak with someone from the "Tenant Helpline," who will provide the same information by phone.

Childcare Survey for Public School Families
This Fall, most NYC Dept of Education schools and early childhood programs will operate on a blended learning model. Each week, students will have some school days in person, and some school days remotely.

Learning Bridges is a new program that will provide free child care options for children from 3-K through 8th grade on days when they are scheduled for remote learning. The program will:
* Be operated by community-based organizations and other partners
* Provide opportunities for children to connect to their remote learning activities
* Include time for art, recreation, and other age-appropriate activities
* Follow the same rigorous health and safety precautions as schools

If you are interested in the Learning Bridges program, please complete this survey ([link removed]) . Please do so even if you do not yet know your child’s school schedule. The survey is meant to assess interest and is not a formal application. Families can call 311 if they are having difficulty completing it.

More information will be shared by the DOE (for children in 3-K and pre-K) or the Dept of Youth & Community Development (for children in grades K-8) about a potential placement in the coming weeks. Programs will become available on a rolling basis beginning at the start of school.

Bus Fare & Safety News
The MTA has announced that front-door boarding and fare collection will resume on all local and SBS Buses beginning Monday, August 31. In order to protect drivers, the MTA says that they are installing additional physical barriers, as well as moving the white line at the front of the bus further back.

The MTA is also upgrading its entire fleet of nearly 6,000 buses with high density air filters in order to limit dust particles and other airborne contaminants. Additionally, a new feature on the MYmta app ([link removed]) allows customers to track the number of passengers on an arriving bus in real time. The new tech, currently activated in 40% of the fleet, enables customers to better socially distance on buses.

Absentee Ballots
Many of you have contacted our office with questions about obtaining an absentee ballot for the November presidential election. Click here ([link removed]) to learn how you can request a ballot from the NYC Board of Elections. We will follow up with more information shortly.
2020 Census: NYC Needs You!

The 2020 Census ends on September 30 and it is critical that all New Yorkers are counted. New York City stands to lose billions of dollars in federal aid every single year for schools, hospitals, health clinics, affordable housing, transportation, and more, as well as our representation in Congress and in Albany if we do not achieve a complete count.

The census is easy, safe, and confidential. It can be completed online or by phone; it is just 10 simple questions that can be answered in under 10 minutes. By law, all responses are completely confidential and cannot be shared with anyone -- not immigration, not the police, or your landlord. There are no questions about immigration, citizenship, criminal history, or income.

Go to my2020census.gov ([link removed]) or call 844-330-2020 to complete your census today. New York City’s future depends on it.
Free Vision Screenings

The SUNY College of Optometry is providing free vision screenings at their University Eye Center (33 W. 42nd Street) this Monday, August 24, from 9:30am to 11:10am.

Screenings are by appointment only. Phone (212) 938-4001 this Saturday, from 8:30am to 4:30pm, to schedule an appointment. All ages welcome.
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.

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])
.