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Dear Neighbors,

One noticeable result of City budget cuts this year is the lack of cleanliness on our streets. Starting July 1st, the Dept of Sanitation reduced litter basket pick-ups by 30% during the week, and 60% on weekends and holidays.

To help address the impact of reduced litter basket service, I have allocated funding to Goddard Greenkeepers ([link removed]) to provide supplemental sanitation services along Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues, Broadway, and the Broadway Malls; as well as in Verdi Square around the 72nd Street subway station, and the plaza at the 96th Street subway station.

Our office greatly appreciates the many block associations and businesses that have organized "community clean-ups," and we will be initiating more of these efforts this Fall.

Permits for Youth Sports
Upper West Side parks have been an incredible resource for residents during the pandemic. As soon as they were re-opened, our recreational fields and courts were used at maximum levels. Clear permitting criteria for these spaces is needed to ensure the prioritization of public health and safety.

After strong advocacy from local sports leagues, community leaders, and a number of us on the City Council, Mayor de Blasio has just announced that the City's parks will resume permitting athletic fields for lower and moderate-risk youth sports. Starting September 15th, youth sports leagues will be issued permits for baseball, softball, soccer, and other organized outdoor play. Indoor sports, including swimming, will not be permitted. Leagues must enforce the following regulations:
* Face coverings must be worn by all coaches, staff, spectators, and players on the sidelines; players are encouraged to wear masks while playing if possible
* Social distancing must always be practiced by anyone not active in game play
* Spectators must be limited to two per player
* Everyone must leave the field post game -- no congregating will be permitted.

The Parks Dept will monitor league activities; if a team accumulates three violations, Parks will revoke that league’s permits. Similarly, if New York City’s percentage of positive COVID-19 tests exceeds three percent, permits will be suspended for all sports.
Mediating Disagreements Between Local Businesses & Neighbors
MEND NYC ([link removed]) is a new citywide program that provides free mediation and conflict resolution services to address quality-of-life issues involving residents and hospitality establishments like bars, clubs, restaurants, and live music venues.

MEND NYC provides another means to resolve excess garbage, loud music and other noise, odors, vermin, and other quality-of-life issues through direct compromise and communication -- not enforcement action. The program will be administered by the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH), the City’s central independent administrative law court where summonses issued by the City’s various enforcement agencies are filed.

Residents, businesses or third parties can request mediation by emailing, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) . Hospitality businesses can also contact the Office of Nightlife for guidance and support by emailing, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
Support for UWS Tenants

Housing Clinic: Wednesday, September 9th
Tenants with legal and/or housing court-related questions are warmly invited to join us for our September Housing Clinic -- "Housing Court 101."
* The clinic will be conducted via Zoom on Wednesday, September 9th, from 6 to 7:30pm. Please click here to register ([link removed]) .
* You can submit questions in advance when you register, and questions will also be taken during the event via Zoom's chat function. The presentation will be led by TakeRoot Justice and Goddard Riverside Law Project.


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."

As we reported last week, NYS Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks issued a directive ([link removed]) on August 12th 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.
Important Community Updates

Reminder: 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 Collection Resumes
A reminder that front-door boarding and fare collection will resume on all local and SBS Buses this Monday, August 31.

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.
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]) .

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