12 AUGUST 13, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Gov. Cuomo extends eviction ban
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
RPOZARYCKI@QNS.COM
@ROBBPOZ
Tens of thousands of New York tenants
in danger of being thrown
out of their homes for back rent
got yet another reprieve from Governor
Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo signed an executive order
extending the eviction moratorium
enacted back in March due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. That order officially
expired at midnight on Aug.
5; Cuomo’s extension keeps it alive
through Sept. 4.
During a conference call with reporters
Thursday, however, Cuomo
and Secretary to the Governor Melissa
DeRosa explained that the order
essentially reinforces legislation enacted
earlier this year forbidding any
evictions related to economic hardship
suffered during the pandemic.
Cuomo went as far to state that
there would be “no evictions as long
as we’re in this epidemic,” and until
such time as the governor formally
declares that the health crisis has
ended.
“As we stand here today, regardless
of any executive order, nobody can
be evicted for any financial hardship
during the period of the COVID
crisis,” DeRosa noted.
More than 14,000 rental households
in New York City alone are at
risk of losing their homes, according
to Mayor Bill de Blasio. Many of them
lost their jobs due to the COVID-19
pandemic; de Blasio noted that 1.3
million New Yorkers have filed for
unemployment insurance since the
pandemic began back in March.
The mayor said too many New
York tenants fell behind on their rent
It isn’t enough to just “cancel the rent.” Both tenants and landlords in New York City need fi nancial help to sustain
themselves while also preventing the city’s economy from collapsing even further. REUTERS/Mike Segar
payments due to these circumstances,
and they shouldn’t lose their homes
as a result.
“It’s not their fault,” de Blasio said.
“They didn’t ask for a global pandemic.
But if you don’t have a paycheck, what
are you going to do? … If you don’t
have a source of income, how the hell
are you gonna pay the rent?”
For months, advocates across New
York City have called upon government
to “cancel rent” and/or provide
financial relief to tenants in arrears
and in danger of eviction. The city
has offered some tenants rental
grants to help make their payments,
but aside from an extended eviction
moratorium, a long-term solution to
the rent crisis has yet to be enacted.
Extending the eviction ban is
only half of the solution, the mayor
acknowledged. He again called upon
Congress and the White House to
include robust rental assistance
in a new COVID-19 economic relief
package — though he expressed
pessimism over the lack of progress
thus far.
“The best solution resides in Washington,
D.C. — rental assistance for
everyone who’s lost their job so they
can keep their home, and landlords
have the money to keep up their
buildings,” de Blasio said. “But we
have such a broken situation in
Washington right now.”
The mayor also called upon the
state government to enact legislation
enabling landlords to start payment
plan models so tenants can agree
to pay off their back rent over time
without losing their home. He also
urged any New Yorker facing possible
eviction proceedings to call 311
for assistance.
Richmond Hill priest raises $20K with bike ride fundraiser
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
CMOHAMED@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Father Christopher Heanue, an
administrator at Holy Child Jesus
Roman Catholic Church in Richmond
Hill, completed the “100 Miles
of Hope” fundraiser bike ride to Long
Island, raising over $20,000 to support
the parish food pantry.
Heanue was joined by parishioners
Paul Cerni and Tom Chiafolo last week
for the spiritual and physical 10-hour
journey biking 100 miles from the
parish at 111-11 86th Ave. to Most Holy
Trinity Church at 79 Buell Lane, East
Hampton, LI.
The day started with a special 5 a.m.
Mass celebrated by Heanue. The total
bike time for the journey was 7 hours
and 45 minutes, and the entire trip
was completed over the course of more
than 10 hours.
Heanue decided in conjunction with
the bike ride to raise people’s hopes and
spirits and raise funds for the parish’s
outreach initiatives, which includes
the food pantry that provides meals
to families in need twice a week.
“These have been diffi cult months. It
is vital that the food pantry continues
to serve those in need, and I am committed
to doing all I can to keep bringing
hope to our people through its service,”
Heanue told QNS in an interview.
Heanue said the prayers and generous
support of all helped to motivate
and make “100 Miles of Hope” a true
success.
“If this served as an inspiration for
any, then all glory be to God. This is
needed now, more than ever,” Heanue
said. “With this help, we can continue
the good work of our food pantry and
other initiatives.”
Father Christopher Heanue is greeted upon his arrival at Most Holy Trinity
Church in East Hampton, Long Island. Courtesy of Father Christopher Heanue
/WWW.QNS.COM
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