11 BRONX WEEKLY March 22, 2020 www.BXTimes.com
MORATORIUM ON
EVICTIONS, HOUSING
COURTS CLOSE
Housing courts across New
York state are closed. For the
foreseeable future, there will be
no lawsuits and no evictions anywhere
in New York state. This
unprecedented move by the state
came in response to a grassroots,
statewide tenants’ movement
that developed clear demands
in light of the evolving public
health crisis.
During a time when tenants
across the state are facing a loss
of income, the eviction moratorium
and court closures means
that during the crisis, tenants
won’t have to worry about losing
their homes or risking their
health to defend their homes in
housing court.
RED CROSS FACES
BLOOD SHORTAGES
The American Red Cross has
a severe blood shortage due to an
unprecedented number of blood
drive cancellations at these locations
during this coronavirus
outbreak. Healthy individuals
are needed to donate now to help
patients counting on lifesaving
blood.
Volu
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
EXTEND CLOSURE
Catholic Schools within the
Archdiocese of New York have
extended the closure of all elementary
schools in our system
through Monday, April 20. Informed
by the current CDC guidelines
and in consultation with
other health professionals, the
Health and Safety Task Force of
the Offi ce of the Superintendent
of Schools made this decision out
of concern for the well-being of
our students, families and staff.
We believe this decision will also
help to successfully decrease risk
to the whole community.
CON EDISON: WE’RE ALL
IN THIS TOGETHER
Con Edison has expanded its
efforts to support New Yorkers
as they face the challenges of
the coronavirus. Con Edison is
always ready to respond to every
emergency. The energy company’s
managers and crews are
committed to keeping New York
safe and the service reliable.
If utility workers knock on
your door, they will carry proper
identifi cation. They will explain
Coronavirus Impact - News You Need To Know
that they are following U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and New
York State and City health and
safety guidelines to reduce the
transmission of the virus
They’ll ask if anyone in the
household is ill and discuss how
they may carry out their tasks
with everyone’s safety and comfort
in mind. If you have an appointment
with us, please let us
know if you or anyone in your
premises is quarantined by calling
1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-
6633). All company employees
and contractors are advised to
follow social distancing guidelines.
Con Edison will not shut off
electric, natural gas or steam
service due to payment diffi culties
resulting from the health
crisis. And they are waiving new
late-payment charges for all customers
and suspending the fee
usually charged to a customer
who is unable to grant access to
their property.
Meter readers will not enter
customers’ homes to read meters.
Customers with indoor meters
can report their usage online.
SOCIAL SECURITY
ONLINE SERVICES
AVAILABLE
All local Social Security offi
ces will be closed to the public
for in-person service starting
Tuesday, March 17. Its secure
and convenient online services
remain available at www.socialsecurity.
gov. Local offi ces will
also continue to provide critical
services over the phone. For
more information, please visit
https://www.ssa.gov/news/
press/releases/.
CORONAVIRUS HALTS
IRISH BAND’S ST. PATTY’S
SCHEDULE
The Aisling Irish Centre Ceili
band and ballad group, a tour de
force in traditional Irish music,
had their jam-packed schedule
postponed due to the unprecedented
outbreak of the Coronavirus.
The band and group
are instead using the extra time
to practice, and shortly hope to
perform and share their gifts
once again, beyond the month
of March and these challenging
times.
DELAY TAX PAYMENTS TO
HELP BUSINESSES
Amid the coronavirus pandemic
and its devastating impact
on local businesses, 38
members of the New York City
Council have called on Governor
Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio
to delay payments of a specifi c
set of taxes to help struggling
small businesses.
The members call attention
to the impact that the pandemic
is having on locally owned
businesses, “In addition to the
potential loss of life, the coronavirus
crisis has impacted
our city in ways that we are
just now starting to comprehend.
As advised by health offi
cials, New Yorkers are ‘social
distancing’ themselves and
avoiding gatherings in an effort
to remain healthy and help
contain the virus. This is good.
Unfortunately, this is also having
a tremendously negative
impact on retail businesses and
restaurants that depend on customer
traffi c to stay open and
pay their employees. In some
cases, businesses are reporting
a drop-in sales that is as high as
50%.”
Specifi cally, the supermajority
of the Council called on the
two leaders to “temporarily delay
the payments of specifi c state
and municipal business taxes
without penalties until our retail
sector has had a chance to
weather this unpredictable crisis.
Specifi cally, in the next few
months a slate of taxes will be
due: business taxes on March
16, sales taxes on March 20 and
June 20, payrolls taxes on April
30 and real estate taxes (including
commercial rent tax and BID
assessments) on July 1.”
ALTERNATE-SIDE PARKING
SUSPENDED TILL 3/24
Mayor de Blasio has agreed
to suspend alternate-side parking
enforcement until Tuesday,
March 24 and to reevaluate a
long-term suspension during
the next week, reports Assemblyman
Jeff Dinowitz and Councilman
Andy Cohen.
The mayor has stated they
city will continue to evaluate
their options going forward.
BRONX RISING TO
FIGHT OUTBREAK
Earlier this week Bronx Rising
Initiative met with administrative
leaders from the Morris
Heights Health Center to present
their organization with a
check for $100,000. These funds
are being provided so their organization
can increase efforts
to combat COVID-19.
In the coming weeks, Bronx
Rising Initiative will continue
to meet with administrative
leaders from other hospitals
and clinics in the Bronx while
building strategic partnerships
with individuals and private
companies. BRI will work to
raise fi nancial resources to
prepare the south Bronx community
to fi ght COVID-19.
STUDENT DEBT ON
HOLD THRU MARCH
NYS Attorney General Letitia
James has announced that
her offi ce will temporarily halt
the collection of medical and
student debts referred to the Offi
ce of the Attorney General for
collection, for at least 30 days.
Many city agencies have closed temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Photo courtesy by Photo by Miriam Quin f
Continued from page 9
Afya, a Yonkers-based nonprofi t which
delivers medical supplies to underserved
locations globally, has formed
a partnership to assist New York
Federally Qualifi ed Health Centers in
Westchester County and New York City
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo courtesy of AFYA
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