WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES MAY 21, 2020 7
Mayor de Blasio announces
COVID-19 heat wave plan
BY ALEJANDRA O'CONNELLDOMENECH
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
The heat is coming and Mayor
Bill de Blasio finally released
a plan Friday on how to help
New Yorkers stay cool during
the city’s notoriously sweltering
summers.
The first phase of the city’s
COVID-19 heat wave plan, is to spend
$55 million to distribute 74,000 air
conditioning units to low-income
systems, with 22,000 of those units
to be installed in New York City
Housing Authority homes.
Priority will be given to those
that are deemed the most in need
by the Department for the Aging,
the Human Resources Administration
and the Department of Housing
Preservation and Development, said
de Blasio.
“We know some people bear the
brunt in the heat,” said de Blasio.
“It’s the people that can’t leave their
home, even if they wanted to because
of disability or challenges …
certainly mirrors a lot of what we
are seeing with the coronavirus but
the heat has particular elements
that allow us to hone in on those
that need help the most.”
The second phase is to provide
450,000 low-income New Yorkers
with summer utility bill subsidies
which are usually about 20 to 30
percent higher because of air conditioning
use, the mayor said.
The city will also petition the
Public Service Commission, which
regulates electric, gas, water and
telecommunication business, to
double their current commitment
to subsidies summer bills and increase
customer benefits to $160
over the summer.
De Blasio added that his administration
would urge the state to
allocate its share of national energy
assistance from the federal CARES
Act for the summer months.
Social distancing measures
will be placed in the city’s cooling
centers and the Parks Department
will create “misting oases” to cool
parkgoers.
The city is developing a plan
to open up some fire hydrants to
provide some relief from the heat
on certain blocks.
On this Memorial Day, let us take the time to
remember and pray for all those who gave
their lives fighting
for our freedoms
and our country.
On this
Memorial Day
let us remember and
give thanks to all
who served
our great country.
On Memorial Day, we remember
the men and women of our
armed services and honor those
who made the ultimate sacrifice
for our nation.
Congresswoman
GRACE MENG
Let Us Honor
Our Fallen Heroes
on Memorial Day
District Office will continue to respond to your
concerns and questions and provide services,
via phone at (518) 455-4851 or (718) 784-3194,
or through email: nolanc@nyassembly.gov.
Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr.
State Senate
District 15
District Offices:
159-53 102nd Street
Howard Beach, NY 11414
(718) 738-1111
(718) 322-5760 – FAX
66-85 73rd Place
Middle Village, N.Y. 11379
(718) 497-1630
(718) 497-1761-FAX
Assemblyman Mike Miller, District 38
83-91 Woodhaven Blvd. Woodhaven, NY 11421
718-805-0950
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
link
link
link
