Updates and resources from the office of Councilmember Brad Lander

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Dear John

As we approach the end of this challenging year, I hope you are finding ways to unwind, rest, and cherish family whether through a zoom holiday party, a slushy walk in the park, or a quiet drive to see holiday lights. Alarming case rates are threatening health systems across the country. Let’s use the holiday spirit -- and the hope of something better in the year ahead -- to keep up our vigilance against the spread of the virus.

There will be no real economic recovery until the pandemic is under control, but in the meantime, so many small businesses are struggling, millions are out of work, so many are waiting in food lines for the first time, and many more are worried that they will lose their homes.

Congress passed a long-awaited bill this week that amounts to essentially a band aid (or maybe an ace bandage with a splint) that will help us all hobble along a bit longer, in the hope that something better is down the road. In a twist last night, President Trump called the bill a disgrace and is calling for changes, including raising the direct payments from the paltry $600 to $2000.

There is still a lot of uncertainty about the path forward for the bill, but here is what we know currently:

Direct Payments: Households making under $75,000 (or $150,000 for a couple) would receive $600 for each adult and $600 for each dependent. While these payments won’t go nearly far enough to cover back rent or loan payments, one bit of good news is that people in mixed status families (married to or children of people who are undocumented) will be able to get them, after being shut out of the last round of direct payments.

Extended Unemployment: The $300 a week in additional unemployment will be extended for another 11 weeks ([link removed]) , as is the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for freelancers and gig workers. That’s half of what the additional payments were before, but still a lot better than nothing. Here is some more detail ([link removed]) on what is available to freelancers and sole proprietors from the Freelancers Union, who we partnered with last spring to help people navigate the new benefits. Our office is still available to help connect you with resources to navigate these programs.

Mass Transit: The MTA will get $4 billion dollars, which will help stave off the immediate doomsday cuts to service and fare hikes. This was a high priority for Senator Schumer; it matters to have a Democratic Senate Leader committed to mass transit. Much more will be needed to stabilize the agency’s finances and needed infrastructure repairs -- we’re going to need to push not only for more federal aid, but for new progressive revenue at the state level, and for long-delayed congestion pricing to get underway.

Schools: There is about $4 billion in aid for K-12 public schools in New York, enough to help fill some gaps, though not enough to invest in new programs like tutoring to help students catch up from this pandemic year. The bill does also include funding for higher education and child care, and New York State is expected to see $465 million for child care and $1.4 billion for higher ed.

Small Business Loans: The Paycheck Protection Program is getting another $284 billion for loans to small businesses and non-profits ([link removed]) , and the EIDL program another $20 billion. The bill extends a tax credit for struggling employers who keep workers on the payroll. Props to our Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez for keeping small businesses in focus.

Save Our Stages: The bill includes $15 billion dollars for the Save Our Stages Act to help music venues, Broadway theaters, comedy clubs and other performance venues closed due the pandemic -- the first time that our cultural institutions have seen any real relief.

There were some other good things tucked in too -- including allowing incarcerated students to access Pell grants for education, funding to expand broadband, clean energy reforms, and $13 billion in funding for SNAP. And plenty of other non-COVID related budget appropriations tucked in also.

The biggest thing that is missing from the bill is meaningful aid to cities and states to address gaping budget holes, which the Democrats pushed for, but which Mitch McConnell and GOP senators fiercely blocked. That means we now need to face up to some clear choices.

The governor and state legislative leaders held out for months hoping federal aid will save us from needing to raise taxes on the wealthy -- or, alternatively, borrow more money, or implement even deeper cuts. But the billions needed in state and local aid aren’t in this bill. And so many New Yorkers, including out-of-work undocumented families that have not seen any relief, need help now.

We do have more options -- starting with progressive revenue strategies in Albany to tax the profits that billionaires have made during the pandemic. That shouldn’t wait any longer.

My office is available and eager to do as much as we can to help navigate relief and resources available to you and our community, as we did in the spring and summer. Please be in touch at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) , or leave us a message at 718-499-1090 and we’ll follow up.

Best wishes for a holiday season that renews us for the hard months ahead, and holds promise for something brighter beyond. After the darkest days of the year -- the darkest ones in memory really -- each one is going to be a little bit lighter now.

Brad

Updates and Resources
* Latest Virus Data: In NYC, there were 2,889 new cases reported yesterday with 193 people admitted to hospitals. We have lost 24,768 people in NYC from the virus, including sadly 33 in the last few days, and 391,634 total cases have been identified in the city since the start of the pandemic. The citywide 7-day rolling average of positive test rates is 5.88%.

* Rent Relief Available: The Governor expanded the application period and eligibility for the state’s flawed rent relief program that was so restricted the federal funds have not fully been allocated. Under the new criteria for eligibility, households no longer have to have been considered rent-burdened before the pandemic to qualify, but must have a household income level at or below 80% of the area median income pre-pandemic, and have lost income between April 1 and July 31. More information about how to apply here ([link removed]) .

* Holiday Meals: Grab-and-go holiday meals can be picked up through Thursday at specific school sites. Pick up sites will be closed on Christmas and New Years Day, but grab-and-go meals will continue through winter break. More information here ([link removed]) .

* Community Schools Restored: The Mayor announced ([link removed]) plans to add social workers and expand the Community Schools program, and to implement mental health screenings in priority schools next year.

* Donate blood: Health officials say the city needs 14,000 New Yorkers to donate blood before the end of the year to bolster blood supplies. You can make an appointment at www.nybc.org/donate.

* Get Tested: You can now look up wait times online at Health and Hospitals sites. Find a site here ([link removed]) .

* Vaccine Updates: As many of the decisions about the order in which communities get the vaccine will fall to the states, Governor Cuomo announced yesterday a NYS Vaccine Equity Taskforce to ensure equitable distribution of the vaccine. Nursing home residents and staff began to receive the vaccine ([link removed]) starting this week. Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine began arriving in New York City on Monday.

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Contact us:
District 39
456 5th Ave Ste 3
Brooklyn, NY 11215-4076
USA
[email protected]
718-499-1090

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