Homeless booted in first subway closure
BY MARK HALLUM
Early Wednesday morning,
the MTA did what
was once thought impossible:
begin an overnight shutdown
plan of the entire subway
system daily for disinfection.
All 472 subway stations between
the hours of 1 a.m. and
5 a.m. will be closed nightly
during the pandemic. Buses will
replace the lost subway service;
there will be 1,168 more bus
trips facilitated by 344 more
buses on the road, enhancing
61 routes.
According to the MTA, they
are looking to get futuristic in
ways of eliminating the virus
from surfaces whether it is new
products that kill COVID-19 for
weeks at a time on continuous
basis, to UV lights.
“We’re testing multiple products
from multiple companies.
They claim – and we are in the
process of verifying with federal
regulators and laboratories –
that their products will eradicate
the virus including COVID-19
for an extended period of time;
30, 60, 90 days,” MTA Chair
Transit police rouse homeless man from the train in
Coney Island.
Pat Foye said at a Monday press
conference. “We’re also exploring
ultraviolet light.”
NYPD Commissioner
Dermot Shea says hundreds of
cops will be needed to enforce
restricted access to all 472 subway
stations as the MTA does
an unprecedented shutdown of
service from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., a
new normal for the duration of
the pandemic.
“This is something that’s
never really been undertaken to
this scale, I expect it to be fl uid
and we will learn from tonight
and as we go forward try to develop
a system that’s as effi cient
PHOTO BY TODD MAISEL
as possible to get the job done
with a minimum number of offi
cers,” Shea said in a Tuesday
press conference with Mayor Bill
de Blasio. “Hundreds of offi cers
will be deployed tonight.”
But while the story of the
overnight shutdowns to happen
on a nightly basis remains mainly
on disinfecting for the MTA,
social distancing and removing
homeless people from the system
remain the main objective for
Governor Andrew Cuomo and
de Blasio.
On de Blasio’s part, however,
the city Department of Homeless
Services’ HOME-STAT
approach to offer resources to
homeless New Yorkers will not
change despite only bringing
2,000 people in off the streets
over the last three years while
the total homeless population
has remained between 60,000
and 70,000 citywide.
But to de Blasio, housing
2,000 people was no small feat
and the shutdown is a better
opportunity for outreach teams.
“The HOME-STAT Initiative
has brought in over 2,000
people off the streets and kept
them off the streets, which has
never happened before in the
history of the city,” the mayor
said on Inside City Hall Monday
night. “We’re applying that same
strategy, but here’s the disruptive
piece that I think so important…
By disrupting patterns of
homelessness on subways, four
hours a night where that can’t
happen anymore our homeless
outreach teams will be there,
NYPD outreach teams will be
there to make sure that there’s
the maximum chance of getting
people to come in and stay in.
So I think it actually triggers a
whole different reality.”
Now that’s service! Mayor, FDNY Commissioner
deliver food to Manhattan EMS crews
BY TODD MAISEL
“Thank you for your service”
was the message from Mayor Bill
de Blasio Monday afternoon as
he and FDNY Commissioner
Dan Nigro did their own service,
delivering meals to a Manhattan
EMS station on the front-lines of
the COVID-19 crisis.
The meals were donated
by Harold’s Restaurant on
Houston Street, closed to the
public during the New York
PAUSE, but still in operation
making meals for 3,500 EMS
workers during the coronavirus
emergency.
Surrounded by EMS crews
and city offi cials, all at a respectable
social distance and wearing
masks, the mayor applauded the
efforts of the paramedics and
medical technicians assembled
at the South Street station under
the FDR Drive on the East River.
“None of us could’ve possibly
Harold Moore of Harolds Restaurant from the Lower East
Side, with many bags of prepared food at the EMS station.
prepared for the coronavirus,
but the way you kept up and
the way you stuck together, we
want to honor you for your incredible
service,” de Blasio said.
“Today we want to say thank
you for what you’ve done.”
The mayor complimented
those who have stepped up
to bring meals to front-line
responders, including medical
personnel, who have been
PHOTO BY TODD MAISEL
dealing with COVID-19 patients
for the past two months.
“One of the ways people want
to express their appreciation is
they want to feed you,” de Blasio
said. “I assume you are in favor
of that as its one of the ways that
people can show appreciation
and its a good way.”
Harold Moore, the owner of
Harold’s Restaurant in Hudson
Square and also representing
Well Plated on 42nd Street,
who provided the meals here
and at other station houses,
said it was important to treat
front-line workers.
“It’s amazing – I’m so happy
to be able to contribute in any
way,” Moore said as he handed
out bags of food to city offi cials
to distribute. “It feels good to
do something. Yeah, it’s been
tough, but it’s also tough to
stay home too so we can do
something good.”
Since COVID-19 hit New
York City, eight members of
the department, including EMS
workers, have died from coronavirus.
In addition, Paramedic
Paul Cary died of coronavirus
and was honored for his efforts
with an escort back to
his home state of Colorado. He
was working for Ambulanz, a
private ambulance company
assigned to New York City at
the height of the pandemic.
Downtown
Alliance offers
rent-relief
grants for
essential
Manhattan
businesses
BY GRANT LANCASTER
Manhattan’s Alliance for Downtown
New York opened applications
on May 1 for $800,000
worth of emergency rent-relief grants
for businesses doing important work for
residents and essential workers during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
PHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES
Manhattan storefront businesses can
apply online for these $10,000 emergency
cash grants to be applied to April or May
rent. The applications will be open until
May 15 or until all money has been
awarded.
Applicants must meet certain requirements,
such as providing an essential service
as defi ned by Gov. Andrew Cuomo,
being an independent business with fi ve
or less locations, having fewer than 20
employees as of March 1 and proof that
the grant will be used for rent.
“There is not one storefront business
in New York City that has been spared
by COVID-19,” said Downtown Alliance
President Jessica Lappin. “Every one of
them is struggling. We are stepping up to
do what we can to help our stores keep
their lights on.”
The Downtown Alliance contributed
$250,000 from its annual budget alongside
money from neighborhood partners Brookfi
eld Properties, Silverstein Properties and
The Howard Hughes Corporation.
4 May 7, 2020 Schneps Media