Important Resources for Our Community
Employee Rights in NYC
The Fair Fares NYC program provides a 50 percent discount on subway and certain bus fares or Access-A-Ride paratransit trips to New York City residents ages 18 to 64. Find out if you are eligible for Fair Fares and apply here!
Discounts for City Fines Imposed During the Pandemic
Until December 20th, 2021, the City of NY will be offering residents and small businesses discounts of up to 75% for fines imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more via the City's FAIRER (Fines and Interest Reduction Enabling Recovery) program. Scroll to the “How to Participate” section and click the link. Questions? Call 311.
- Unpaid Environmental Control Board (ECB) judgments may be eligible for a reduction under the FAIRER program. Depending upon whether you had a hearing and whether the judgment was entered during the COVID-19 pandemic, your savings can be up to 75%. This savings includes the abatement of any interest associated with your judgments.
NY Public Library Updates: All Fines Forgiven!
A reminder that the New York Public Library announced in October that all late fines have been eliminated going forward—and all existing fines and fees in patron accounts have been cleared. Learn more here!
Free Legal Services
Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) provides free, civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers. VOLS serves seniors, older veterans, small business owners, immigrant youth, unemployed workers, mothers in prison or jail, as well as children and their families.
VOLS is currently offering remote services. Please call (212) 966-4400 or reach out to their specific programs:
- Small businesses/ VOLS Microenterprise Project: (347) 521-5729
- Seniors/ VOLS Elderly Project: (347) 521-5704
- Older Veterans/ VOLS Veterans Initiative: (347) 521-5725
- Immigrant Youth/ VOLS Immigration Project: (347) 521-5722
- Unemployed Workers/ VOLS Unemployed Workers Project: (347) 521-5735
Resources for Residential Property Owners
COVID-19 has been a challenging time for owners as well as tenants. Click here to read the City's summary of resources which can assist property owners in securing rent payments, loans, foreclosure protections, and individualized assistance.
Keeping Buildings Free of Rats & Other Pests
Rats pose an ongoing threat to public health. Click here to view City rat inspection results and follow-up actions on an interactive map, and to learn about resources for property owners. The NYC Dept of Health has prepared these helpful materials for residents, and building owners and managers.
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Mental Health Resources for District 6 Residents
Don't suffer alone. Support is available for any New Yorker coping with issues like depression, anxiety, substance misuse, crime victimization, and serious mental illness. Targeted services are being offered to older New Yorkers, veterans, families with young children, students, and people harmed by crime or abuse.
- NYC Well is the City's confidential helpline for mental health and substance misuse services. Trained counselors can provide you with support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 200 languages. Click here; call: 1-888-NYC-Well (1-888-692-9355); or text: “Well” to 65173.
Free Membership at City Recreation Centers
Free membership at City of NY recreation centers is available to any New Yorker who signs up before December 31, 2021. The membership term will last for one year from the date of sign-up, and will grant access to facilities across the city. Learn more here.
Free Wellness Classes: a wide variety of free, on-line wellness programs are available from:
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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. We also provide on-going advocacy with our public schools and other public services.
Please call (212) 873-0282, leave a message and we will call you back as soon as possible; email [email protected]; or check our website, HelenRosenthal.com. We update it on a regular 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. Also, follow my social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and/or Instagram.
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