Dear John,
Before we kick things off, our August newsletter schedule will be light, so you’ll only be hearing from us once more this month. We have some team members taking time off, including yours truly, and I want to encourage everyone to unplug and take some rest as well! If you need anything, you can reach us at [email protected], over the phone at 718-499-1090, or by scheduling an in-person appointment on our website. Enjoy your August!
MPX
This past Thursday, the American MPX outbreak was declared a public health emergency by the Biden administration. Hopefully, this declaration will speed up federal action and help contain this outbreak. New York City has now recorded over 1500 cases, and the caseload is growing each week.
All of the data points to this outbreak mostly spreading through Queer social circles (which is why Gay, Bi, and MSM are being prioritized for vaccines), but it is incredibly important to note that anyone can contract MPX. Nearly every reported case has been spread through intimate physical contact, not through bodily fluids, which means that at the moment greatest way to reduce your risk of contracting MPX is to reduce intimate contact with strangers if you are experiencing symptoms. I hesitate to give this advice because it is incredibly reminiscent of the early days of the AIDS epidemic, but at this moment, we know very little about MPX and need to exercise caution. What we know right now is that MPX is only being spread by people who currently have symptoms, so if you’ve had close intimate contact and are experiencing symptoms, please bandage your sores and do not engage in intimate contact with others. If you are eligible for a vaccine or want to know the latest about this outbreak, text “monkeypox” to 692692 to get updates and vaccine information. As always, we’ll share more information when we have it.
Housing Rights, Resources, and Actions
You’re not a New Yorker unless you’ve dealt with a housing issue at one point or another. Rising rents, an unresponsive landlord, or even just an uninvited rodent roommate makes this City one of the most unique housing situations in the world. But as unique as it is, the housing situation in our City is becoming untenable. But after a brief dip in rents due to COVID-19, our City is becoming more and more unaffordable while landlords, as well as unscrupulous management companies, have dozens of tools at their disposal to price out tenants. To fight, I’m proposing legislation, organizing tenants, and sharing resources to help New Yorkers stay safe and secure in our homes.
On the legislative front, there is much our City can do to rein in rents. We can, and are, fighting for legislation to improve the housing situation in our City, but the State will need to take action on rents. In City Hall, I’m fighting for two bills, Intros 0427 and 0503, to improve rental data reporting and prohibit discrimination against rent-regulated tenants. I know these are small steps, but they're critical in the fight for a City with safe and affordable housing. On the State level, I'm fighting with dozens of other elected officials and housing advocates to turn State Senator Salazar’s Good Cause Eviction bill into law. Good Cause would create a right to lease renewal by putting strict conditions on landlords when it comes to denying a lease renewal. This legislation would be transformative for our State and ensure hundreds of thousands of renters have safe and stable housing/
On the ground, my office is also working to organize tenants experiencing harassment and nonrenewal of their leases from predatory landlords across the district. The Texas-based venture capital firm, Greenbrook Partners, has been buying up buildings in our district for years and pricing out long-term tenants. Greenbrook has since bought buildings across the City, destabilizing rent-regulated buildings and forcing out market-rate units who are most at risk of eviction. Together with the Fifth Avenue Committee and Council Members across the City, we are organizing tenants in Greenbrook buildings through critical outreach work and ensuring our neighbors can stay safe and secure in their homes.
Now that you know what we’ve been doing on the housing front, here are some resources to help you as you navigate housing in our City:
- New York City has extensive tenant rights! The more you know about your rights to housing and against discrimination, the better prepared you’ll be to stand up to unscrupulous landlords.
- Are you looking for affordable housing? The city has a housing portal for eligible individuals.
- Has your landlord done something illegal? Learn how to file a complaint and ensure your living situation remains safe and secure.
- Do you need a housing advocate or resources to start a tenant association? Our friends at the Fifth Avenue Committee are here to help with direct advocacy and have a reassuring trove of organizing resources.
- Last but not least, our office is here as a source of support for a number of housing-related issues. For instance, if you are a senior citizen or disabled neighbor, we can help you apply for a rent increase exemption. Please contact our Constituent Services Director, Faiza ([email protected]), with your concerns and we’ll see what we can do to help.
COVID-19
Little news on the COVID-19 front this week. Cases continue to go down in our City but remain at a high level while hospitalizations and deaths continue a slow increase. The City is also moving to shut down the City-run under 5 vaccine sites. As these sites shut down, no vaccine appointments will be canceled and anyone with an existing appointment will be rescheduled to a nearby site through August 14th. Additionally, children under 5 who received a 1st dose at one of the 10 city-run sites have been contacted about scheduling a 2nd dose of the vaccine with a pediatric provider. If you had a second appointment scheduled for one of these sites and didn’t receive a call for rescheduling, please let our office know.
Community Bulletin
- Do you want your voice heard on holding the NYPD accountable? The CCRB is having their next public board meeting on Wednesday, 8/10 at 4 PM in person and virtually. For those attending in person, the address is 100 Church Street, Manhattan, NY 10007, on the 10th Floor.
- Check out Lewis Latimer House Museum’s cultural events that explore a variety of arts, history, and science!
- Focusing on a multitude of different styles of South Asian dance and music, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music invites teens and adults to join classes to explore international genres and styles.
- Get vaccinated for MPX! Check out the vaccine portal to see which vaccination site is closest to you.
- Check out Brooklyn Bridge Parents’ new family events, places to eat, and amenities for summer.
- The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) is forgiving federal student loans for government or nonprofit workers. Visit their website to see if you qualify. Find more information http://pslf.nyc/, or sign up for a free webinar.
- Learn more about how we can conserve energy and save a little more. Check out New York State’s Department of Public Service’s summer webpage and publications for more on staying energy efficient and out of the heat.
- The Commercial Organics Requirements by DSNY for additional businesses require staff-handled organic waste to be source-separated for collection. Outreach teams will be offering additional help in understanding the current laws that promote sustainability. For more information, check here.
- Thinking about hitting the textbooks again? The Manhattan Night and Day Comprehensive High School has day and night classes with a variety of different learning experiences and even internships! Check them out!
- Need legal services and a fair shot at justice? Want to make a difference in your community with your law degree? Thinking about expanding your horizons within the legal field? Explore the work Access Justice Brooklyn does and get involved now.
In Solidarity,
Shahana
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