4 THE QUEENS COURIER • JANUARY 21, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
NE Queens pols call for accessible vaccine sites for seniors
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Six northeast Queens lawmakers are
expressing their concerns in a letter sent
to Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday, Jan.
12, regarding the diffi culty seniors are
having making appointments due to the
lack of vaccination sites and support in
locating them in the districts.
Senator John Liu, Assembly members
PPP reopens to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Queens’ small businesses fi ghting to
survive the COVID-19 pandemic can
now apply for a forgivable loan under the
Small Business Administration’s Payroll
Protection Program (PPP) that is reopening
this week.
Th e initiative, which was closed on Aug.
8, 2020, despite more than $130 billion
remaining in the program, was reopened
under the $900 billion coronavirus relief
package that became law on Dec. 27,
2020. Th e new law includes a total of $284
billion for small businesses.
Th is new round of PPP loans also
makes other entities such as nonprofit
organizations and housing cooperatives
newly eligible for funding, according
to Congresswoman Grace Meng, who
helped pass the PPP Flexibility Act that
became law and made improvements to
the program.
“Small businesses and other eligible
entities continue to face an uncertain
future, and need help in weathering this
national health pandemic,” Meng said.
“I will continue to fi ght for additional
relief, especially for restaurants which
have been especially hard hit through no
fault of their own. I look forward to working
with the incoming Biden administration
to help Queens and New York businesses
and nonprofi ts struggling during
COVID-19.”
For months, small businesses in Queens
have called for help in the form of grants,
tax breaks and rent relief in order to
survive the pandemic, QNS reported in
December. With a second wave already
underway in New York City and restrictions
imposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo,
such as an indefi nite stop to indoor dining,
some businesses felt they were running
out of time.
But some were hopeful that the trial and
errors of the PPP program from months
past will make for a smoother rollout.
To qualify for a second round of funding,
borrowers must employ 300 or fewer
employees; have used or will use the full
amount of their fi rst PPP loan; and demonstrate
at least a 25 percent reduction in
gross receipts in the fi rst, second or third
quarter of 2020 relative to the same 2019
quarter.
First-time borrowers must employ 500
or fewer workers. Th e program opened to
fi rst-time borrowers on Monday, Jan. 11.
For second round applicants, it begins on
Wednesday, Jan. 13. Community lenders
are fi rst to participate in the program with
other lenders to follow soon.
To qualify for loan forgiveness, 60 percent
of the loan must be used for payroll
expenses and the remaining 40 percent
can be used for non-payroll expenses such
as rent, mortgage or utility payments.
Eligible expenses have been expanded to
include personal protective equipment
and supplier costs that are essential to
business operations.
Th e deadline to apply for the new
round of PPP loans is March 31, 2021,
or until funds run out. For more information
on the program, visit the SBA’s
website here.
New York small businesses seeking
PPP loans are encouraged to contact a
representative from the New York Small
Business Development Center (SBDC).
Th ere are over 22 campus-based centers
and outreach offi ces across New York to
assist clients with the loan application.
For businesses located in Queens, email
the Queens College SBDC at sbdc@
qc.cuny.edu; LaGuardia Community
College SBDC at sbdc@lagcc.cuny.edu; or
York College SBDC at sbdc@york.cuny.
edu for assistance.
Nily Rozic and Ed Braunstein, and
Council members Barry Grodenchik,
Paul Vallone and Peter Koo are urging de
Blasio to coordinate with them as soon as
possible to identify potential locations in
northeast Queens.
“As of today, there are no sites east of
Union Street, Flushing or north of 82nd
Road in Jamaica. Th is absence of vaccination
sites makes it exponentially burdensome
for high-risk seniors in our districts,”
the lawmakers said in a letter. “Our
constituents in northeast Queens need
a vaccination site that is more accessible
to them than what is currently being
off ered.”
As it stands with phases 1A and 1B
underway, vulnerable populations are
struggling to fi nd available appointments
to receive the fi rst dose of the vaccine,
according to the lawmakers. Now that eligibility
has opened allowing seniors aged
65+ to schedule appointments, seniors
aged 75+ have only been given one day of
priority access to a system that is severely
overwhelmed.
“Th e current process has already proven
diffi cult for many of our neighbors and
we do not want these New Yorkers left
behind,” the lawmakers said.
Although the city is opening a 24/7 vaccination
hub at the Citi Field stadium,
located at 41 Seaver Way in Flushing, the
lawmakers said, “It is not within reach
for most seniors, especially when travel
options to the stadium are limited during
the pandemic.”
Th e lawmakers said they’re ready and
willing to work together with the mayor
to identify locations that can serve as vaccination
sites.
“While we understand that vaccine
supply is limited and more locations are
slated to open in the coming weeks, it
is critical that we get sites up and running
to ensure ease of access as the vaccination
rollout continues,” the lawmakers
said.
Photo via Getty Images
Victoria Jones/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
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