Thursday, June 18, 2020

Speaker Corey Johnson, Council Members Debi Rose, Inez Barron,Adrienne Adams and DeneekMiller Demand Removal of Thomas Jefferson Statue from City Hall


  Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Council Member Debi Rose, Council Member Inez Barron, and Co- Chairs of the Council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC), Council Member Adrienne Adams and, I Daneek Miller, today called for the removal of the Thomas Jefferson statue, located in the Council Chambers in City Hall. The Chambers are a place where the Council votes on bills to improve the lives of all New Yorkers and build a more just city. The statue of this well-known slave owner is a reminder of the injustices that have plagued communities of color since the inception of our country. In a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Council requests support for removal of the statue.
The letter is below.

Dear Mayor de Blasio: 

In the last few weeks, New Yorkers have called on all of us in elected office to make bold change so that communities of color feel heard, protected and represented. The City Council is committed to creating true reforms to policies and policing that hurt Black New Yorkers.

But that is not enough. There are disturbing images of divisiveness and racism in our City that need to be revisited immediately. That starts with City Hall. 

The statue of Thomas Jefferson in the City Council Chambers is inappropriate and serves as a constant reminder of the injustices that have plagued communities of color since the inception of our country. It must be removed. 

Jefferson is America’s most noted slave holder, a man who owned more than 600 Black women and men and a scholar who maintained that Blacks were inferior to whites.

The City Council Chambers is a place where we vote on bills to improve the lives of all New Yorkers and build a more fair and just city. It is not a suitable place for a statue of Thomas Jefferson. Keeping it in City Hall sends a terrible message to the people who are counting on us to work towards a more equitable New York City. 

We urge you to support our efforts as we go to the design commission to expeditiously remove this statue.

Sincerely, 
COREY JOHNSON Speaker, DEBORAH ROSE Council Member, INEZ D. BARRON Council Member, ADRIENNE ADAMS Co-Chair, Black, Latino & Asian Caucus, I. DANEEK MILLER Co-Chair, Black, Latino & Asian Caucus .

Statement by New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer on Establishing an Online Database for Police Disciplinary Records



“For too long, NYPD disciplinary records have been shrouded in secrecy. The repeal of Section 50-a was a long-overdue step toward transparency, but the records remain inaccessible to the public behind legal and bureaucratic barriers. That is why I called on both the City Council and the Mayor to implement legislation establishing an open online database for NYPD disciplinary records — and today the Mayor announced that he agrees with our proposal.
“However, the details and timeline of the Mayor’s proposed online database are unclear. There is no substitute for codifying this important reform with the force of law. The Council should swiftly pass legislation that requires the NYPD to publicly report disciplinary records on an online database, and to make clear that such records are not subject to Freedom of Information Law requests. The public — from journalists and activists to academics and everyday New Yorkers — deserves to better understand how police officers interact with the communities they serve.
“New Yorkers are calling for sweeping change and an end to the status quo. We can prove we hear them by ensuring the hard-won progress on police transparency is the new standard. Accountability for law enforcement and the mission of public safety go hand-in-hand.”
EDITOR'S NOTE:
City Comptroller begins this statement with the words 'For too long', and we kind of agree with him. 
Elected officials like Scott Stringer have been in office 'For too long"

OPEN RESTAURANTS: AS NEW YORK CITY PREPARES FOR PHASE 2 OF REOPENING, MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES OUTDOOR DINING GUIDANCE FOR RESTAURANTS


Qualifying restaurants can use sidewalk, roadways and other outdoor space to allow for social distance among customers; Mayoral Executive Order creates a new and streamlined application process to allow restaurants to expand capacity outdoors

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  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced guidance for the City’s Open Restaurants program, which allows qualifying restaurants and bars to expand outdoor seating on sidewalks, curb lanes, backyards, patios, plazas, and Open Streets as New York City begins Phase 2 of reopening. The City has established an expedited approval processes by allowing restaurants and bars to self-certify their eligibility for curb lane and sidewalk seating using a new, streamlined application process at NYC.Gov, which will be available starting Friday, June 19th. The mayor codified the guidance by signing Executive Order 126.

“Restaurants are the backbone of New York City’s neighborhood culture, and they’ve done their part in slowing the spread of COVID-19. It’s our City’s turn to help them reopen safely and responsibly,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These commonsense guidelines will help local businesses get back on their feet – and let New Yorkers safely enjoy the meal they’ve earned.”

“New York has faced extraordinary times in 2020, and Open Restaurants is an extraordinary next step for us.” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “This summer, as we enter this next phase, we want New Yorkers to go out and enjoy their beloved restaurants -- but we want them to do so safely and responsibly. We will monitor this program closely to make sure we do not see any unintended consequences. As with our Open Streets program, we are hopeful that regular New Yorkers will also help make this new program work.”

“NYC is home to over 27,000 restaurants that are in need of support as we all work together to reopen. The Open Restaurant Program is an innovative response to the most pressing issues this community faces and provides opportunities for restaurant owners to generate much-needed revenue,” said NYC Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Jonnel Doris. “NYC means business and this program ensures that the vibrant restaurant community is well supported and equipped to come back even stronger than before.”

“New Yorkers and diners – we are all in this together and we need to do our best to keep each other healthy,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “Please remember the core four to preventing COVID-19 whether you’re staff or a patron -- maintain distance, practice good hand hygiene, wear face coverings while not eating or drinking and stay home if sick."

Open Restaurants gives dining establishments five new options. Beginning in Phase 2, restaurants can implement seating in curb lanes and sidewalks. Phase 2 allows reopening and use of as of right outdoor space in backyard and patios. Restaurants can also work with their local Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) to establish seating in plazas. Beginning in July, restaurants can offer seating on Open Streets on nights and weekends.

Sidewalk seating will be in effect until the end of October. Curb lane seating will last through Labor Day. DOT will work with community groups and partner agencies to identify additional seating within full streets closures in July. Restaurants can work with their local BID and DOT to request additional seating in plazas by emailing Plazas@dot.nyc.gov.

The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) will work to ensure that the most up-to-date guidance and materials needed by small business owners for a safe phased-in reopening are readily available. The information will be housed on a centralized resource page with guidance and best practices for the restaurant industry across all five boroughs. SBS will also launch a reopening supplies marketplace for easy access to wholesalers selling PPE, gloves, sneeze guards and other equipment. Business owners can call a hotline at 1-888-SBS-4NYC to ask questions about this process.

Rules for compliance include:

·         Outdoor seating on sidewalks may not exceed the business’ frontage width.
·         Seating cannot extend past the eight feet depth of the curb lane, and it cannot block:
  o   Bus stops
  o   No Standing/No Stopping Anytime zones
  o   Doorways
  o   FDNY access (e.g. within 15 feet of a fire hydrant)
·         There must be an eight-foot clear path free of obstructions between the seating and the curb.
·       Social distancing, hygiene and other health guidance must be followed.
·        Restaurants must provide their own tables, chairs and traffic barriers.
 ·         Restaurants must adhere to all local, state and federal requirements relating to accessibility for people with disabilities, including path of travel, minimum table heights, and clearance requirements.

Customers are not permitted to gather outside of establishments. Businesses that repeatedly fail to comply will have their Open Restaurant authorization revoked by DOT, and will be referred to the SLA.

Executive Order 126 directs the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish and administer the program. The Order temporarily suspends select provisions of the City’s Administrative Code, Rules of the City of New York and the New York City Zoning Resolution, including: the prohibition of the consumption of alcohol on streets, specific sidewalk café regulations, and relevant building code provisions. All suspensions are only applicable to the program.

"Restaurants throughout our borough have taken a huge hit from COVID-19, which has been compounded by the difficulty of accessing financial lifelines like the Paycheck Protection Program. I am glad the Mayor is now heeding our call to allow restaurants to place seating outdoors in adjoining sidewalks and curbside parking areas. Giving restaurants a wide array of options for outdoor seating is a necessity to ensure these businesses stay afloat while we manage a safe re-opening process. But given the exigency of this situation and the continuing uncertainty around the duration of this pandemic, I believe we must go even further, extending the curbside pilot until October and loaning out DOT and NYPD barriers, rather than having businesses that are already in dire financial straits cover the costs of those barriers. This is a very positive step, and I look forward to working with business owners, advocacy organizations, and City Hall to build on this progress," said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

ASSEMBLYMAN DINOWITZ PRAISES RENT GUIDELINES BOARD FOR ONE-YEAR RENT FREEZE


On June 17, the New York City Rent Guidelines Board approved new rent stabilized apartment guidelines for lease renewals that commence on or after October 1, 2020. These rent increases are set at 0% for the first year of all lease renewals and 1% for the second year (if a two-year renewal is selected). This is the third time in six years that rent regulated tenants have had the option for a rent freeze and comes amidst a massive economic crisis brought on by COVID-19.

The Rent Guidelines Board is the entity designated by New York City to establish rent adjustments in accordance with Rent Stabilization Law in New York State and is composed of both tenant and landlord representatives. There are approximately one million rent regulated units in New York City, the vast majority of which are rent stabilized, and the 81st Assembly District has a significantly higher than average quantity of rent stabilized housing units compared to other parts of the city.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said: “There are tens of thousands of families in my district living in rent stabilized housing, and this rent freeze is assuredly going to make a difference for many of them as they decide whether they can afford to keep their homes amidst the ongoing pandemic and economic crisis. Last year the Assembly helped pass a monumental pro-tenant legislative package. This year we passed my legislation – the Tenant Safe Harbor Act, which would create a permanent eviction moratorium for people suffering financial hardship during the COVID-19 crisis – as well as created a framework for financial relief for tenants in need of help. This rent freeze builds on that momentum to restore power to tenants, and although we still have work to do to rectify decades of landlords eroding basic tenant protections and depleting our rent stabilized housing stock – I am proud that we are continuing to move in the right direction. I am pleased with the Rent Guidelines Board vote, although I would have preferred no increase at all either in the first or second year. I encourage them to continue considering not only future rent freezes but also rent rollbacks that would reduce the number of severely rent burdened families in our city.”

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO ON THE RENT GUIDELINES BOARD VOTE


  “Renters have never faced hardship like this. They desperately need relief and that’s why we fought for this rent freeze. Now, more renters than ever before will get help keeping a roof over their heads. This is one step of many we have to take to get families through this crisis—but it’s a big one.”

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The rent freeze is for only those who choose to renew their leases for one year. For those who choose the two year option the rent increase is one percent for the two years of the lease.

MAYOR DE BLASIO on COVID-19 and The State bof the City June 17, 2020


  Mayor Bill de Blasio: Good morning, everybody. Years from now, we're going to look back, we're going to see this as a turning point in the history of our city and certainly the history of our nation as well. We're going to look back and see this as a moment where things changed, many of which seemed impossible to change. We're going to recognize this as a moment where the pain that people were feeling, the anger, the frustration came out in a new and powerful way and change happened because the people's voices were heard. And in that is a positive notion, unquestionably. The notion that in a democracy, the voices of people can and will be heard. And when they are heard, when change comes, in a sense there is a rebirth as a reminder of what we are capable of, what our potential is and a free and democratic society. A rebirth for this city, because we come to grips with our contradictions and our pain, and we act on it. Our people have been demanding something better. People have felt that what they have lived through isn't right, isn't fair. There's not respect. There's not decency. They deserve better. And they are right. And their city is listening. Their city is acting. I'm listening. I'm acting. I feel what people are saying. Things have to change. They are changing and they will change more. And together we get an opportunity to re-envision our city, and decide that we can do something better and something different than said that in this moment, not only where we're dealing with the profound issues of structural institutional racism, but we're dealing with the disparities that have come up because of the coronavirus that we can and will create a different city that we're not just going to bring back a broken status quo, but something better and fairer. That's what we will do over the next year and a half. And today I will provide further evidence that change is starting right now.

One of the bellwethers for a fair and just society is whether there is accountability across the board. Whether there's one standard for everyone. Whether our officers in uniform or government officials are treated the same way as everyday New Yorkers. Whether justice is the same for everyone. We have seen in these last days, profound actions to prove that it can be that way. It has not been in the past. It can be, it must be. The action the legislature took on the 50A law, ending a fundamental interference with transparency, and openness, and democracy. That action has now opened up a world of possibilities for us. Yesterday, I announced that we are releasing all audio and video from body worn cameras worn by police officers in key moments, key instances. That will be released as a matter of course, going forward. And I want to be clear that I talked about that policy in terms of what's going to happen from this point on, but I also want everyone to know, we will apply that new policy retroactively going back to the first day that we used body worn cameras for our officers here in New York City. So, all audio and video from cases that meet the standards I discussed yesterday will be retroactively released in the coming weeks.

That is an important step forward, but what I want to announce now, I think is a profound step, because it goes to what real transparency looks like and how the end of the old law in Albany has now opened up a world of real opportunity to show people what's going on, and to give people faith that the truth is there for them to see. The things we're going to talk about today literally would have been very hard to imagine just weeks ago. But it comes down to this, if we're going to have trust between police and community, you have to have that transparency, because think about what it feels like. I've heard the voices of people who say this, if they feel they were mistreated, but they don't think there's going to be any consequence for the person who has mistreated them, think what that feels like. Now, again, I've talked a lot about white privilege lately. I've talked a lot about what some of us have experienced and others haven’t. Many of us have not experienced the reality of feeling disrespected by a police officer or feeling like our rights were violated, or we weren't heard, or we weren't seen, or we were treated in a manner that was totally inconsistent with what was going on. We haven't gone through that, a lot of us, but many millions of New Yorkers have in one form or another. If you're that person who feels wronged, if you’re that person who feels disrespected or devalued, you want to know that there's going to be some consequence for that. You want to know there's going to be actual due process. You want to know that your voice is heard, and it's painful to think it might not be. And too often, that's the reality that people simply felt no matter how right they were, no matter how wrong was the thing that happened to them, nothing would be a consequence. There would be no consequence for what happened. When people don't think there's going to be justice, how is there going to be trust? So, we have to restore trust, and the best way to restore trust is to show that the accountability is there. That the internal disciplinary process of the NYPD will be fast, will be fair, will be transparent. When you believe that the process is actually about justice. It opens up the pathways of trust and communication.

Now, we know for too long within the NYPD even when justice was served, it took a very, very long time, and that corroded trust in and of itself. The internal affairs Bureau charged with rooting out misdeeds of all kinds is given by law and by policy months and months to do investigations, years for any internal judicial process. And every day that passes the people who felt victimized feel more and more pained, because it doesn't feel like justice is coming. It doesn't feel like there's an honest process. It causes a deeper loss of faith, it causes more frustration, more anger. The very process that’s supposed to bring justice in many cases has made the situation worse. And this has been particularly true when someone got hurt, when someone got killed. Any time where an individual civilian was harmed, that's where people are watching especially. And they want to know there will be speedy justice. And I mean justice, which means following the facts wherever they may lead. Sometimes those facts show that officers did exactly the right thing. Sometimes it shows they did not, or any point in between, but it has to be a process that people can see openly and that moves speedily and that people have faith in because they see results. Everything comes down to consequences and results. When they actually exist, people start to have faith again.

Today, I'm announcing two major changes for the justice system within the NYPD, involving any case where there's substantial injury to a civilian. First, on the immediate decision, in any such case of whether an officer will be modified, meaning that their badge and gun will be taken away or suspended fully, that decision in cases where there's substantial injury to a civilian, that decision will be made by the police commissioner within 48 hours. I will note that, of course, there will be exceptional situations. When for example, a district attorney gets involved or there are other very particular dynamics that might cause more time, but the standard will be 48 hours for that initial decision. And then the standard for the Internal Affairs Bureau will be to finish its full investigation for immediate decisions about the disciplinary process in two weeks or less. People deserve to know that if an officer has done something wrong, that the action involving their immediate status is very quick, and that the decision about whether there will be further disciplinary action happens in a meaningful timeframe. Internal Affairs Bureau will be given two weeks to come to that initial decision on what needs to happen next with a judicial proceeding. It has never been this quick in the history of this city, and it has never been based on an open, transparent timeline like I'm discussing now. This is what we have to do in this city today and in our future. This is what we need to do everywhere to show people there will be real accountability.

Now, another piece that's crucial. With the 50-a law repealed, we now are able to ask the question, what can we do with this new ability to share information with the people. Today, we're going to start a massive effort to make public information regarding to police discipline. And this information will move very quickly and ultimately all of it will be available online. I'm going to describe to you three phases that we'll undertake immediately. First, as immediate action, all trial decisions now will be published. This was not allowable under 50-a, now it will be.

Second by July, we will publish information on every pending case within the NYPD. Every case where charges have been filed – that is 1,100 cases – those are the ones in the pipeline now – we will publish the officer's name, charges, the hearing date and the ultimate resolution when it occurs. Third phase, and this is a longer-term phase, but it will allow us to do something historic to create a comprehensive, publicly available set of disciplinary records. This is historic because it will cover every active member of the police force— all records for every active member available in one place, online, publicly, all past trial decisions will be available. And any other formal actions that came out of those disciplinary proceedings, it'll be online, it will be easy to use and to access. This is the nation's largest city, we have the nation's largest police force, for the nation's largest police force to take these actions, sends a message, not only to the people in this city, but to people all over this country, that we can do things very differently. And transparency is not something to fear, but something to embrace because that's where trust and faith will deepen, when people see that all this information is out in the open, just as it would be for any of us as citizens. Every officer will be held accountable, and for so many officers who every single day do the hard work, do the right thing, they will know that the work that they do, the fact that they're out there protecting people will be honored and respected. And for folks to do the wrong thing, just like the rest of us they'll know that the consequences will be clear, but the goal is to move us all forward. The goal is to use that transparency, to build a sense of trust again, to build a sense that we can work together, that it's not one standard for some of us, another standard for others, but a single standard, and that is the basis for a new and better relationship.

So, I have fundamental belief that accountability is the way forward. These standards will now change the entire discussion right down to the grassroots right down to every block of New York City, and give us a foundation from which to move forward. I said in the beginning, the voices of people are being heard, not just the voices from the recent protests, the voices of people I've heard over years and years in this city. And it's so important to always listen to those voices, and I also hear people in the city talking about their fears of all of the other challenges that they're facing this moment, as I've been out around neighborhoods and the city, people are talking about their fears about what's happening to their livelihoods, to their jobs, to their families. What about their health? What about the future health of their families? What about the coronavirus and what it means now and going forward? These are the things that people are talking about. We have to hear those concerns; we have to act on them. One of the biggest concerns has been the desire for more information for each person, and that means testing. Coming back to that key concept again, people want testing, they want it to be easy, they want it to be fast, they want it to be free, they want it to be very near where they live. And that's our mission to give more and more testing to the people of New York City opening this week, five new community testing sites, two in Staten Island, one in Queens, one in the Bronx, one in Brooklyn. And I, myself experienced testing yesterday at the Health + Hospitals Gouverneur Clinic. I want to thank everyone at the clinic, wonderful people, who've been doing this work now for weeks and weeks. And I talked to them about how people in the community are responding and they say there's been a lot of gratitude. Folks are coming in realizing how fast and easy it is spreading the word, I want to urge all New Yorkers, go get tested. It is fast, it is easy, it is free, and I want to emphasize that it is free. We now have over 200 sites citywide to find out where you can get tested, go to nyc.gov/covid-test. And we're bringing testing to the people wherever they may be. Today, in the Bronx, we're going into parks outside the Clinton playground, in the Bronx, today. And on Thursday and Friday, outside the Gouverneur playground in the Bronx. Staten Island, today through Friday, at 1441 Richmond Avenue, mobile testing trucks, easy to find, easy to use. And we're going to keep ramping things up in July, there'll be 10 testing trucks available, 800 tests per day, everywhere New Yorkers are, we're going to just keep building and building. So, everyone knows they can always get a test when they need one, and again, for free.

Let's talk about our indicators. Number one, daily number of people admitted to hospitals for suspected COVID-19 the threshold 200 patients, today's report 55. Number two, daily number of people in Health and Hospitals, ICUs, that threshold is 375, and today the number is 333. And most importantly, the percent of people testing positive citywide for COVID-19, that threshold is 15 percent, today – another very, very good report, only two percent. Everyone knows what I feel that is because of the hard work you have all done and are still doing and need to keep doing so we can move forward to phase two and beyond.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES NEW REFORMS TO NYPD’S DISCIPLINARY SYSTEM


Expedited investigation and discipline for incidents involving substantial bodily injury; greater transparency on disciplinary records and decisions

  Mayor de Blasio announced new reforms to the NYPD’s disciplinary system. These reforms will expedite the investigation and discipline for incidents involving substantial bodily injury to a member of the public, and provide greater transparency on disciplinary records and decisions. The Mayor also announced that the City will apply its new body-worn camera release policy retroactively, and release all audio and video footage from older cases that fit expanded criteria.

“New Yorkers are speaking up, and their City is listening,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These historic reforms will make the disciplinary process faster, fairer and more transparent. We will never stop working to strengthen the bonds of trust between officers and the New Yorkers they serve.”

“These measures build on the vigorous reform agenda the NYPD took up in 2014,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. “They reinforce our commitment to transparency as well as safety and accountability for our officers who work tirelessly to serve and protect the public.”

Faster Discipline:

For incidents involving substantial bodily injury, the Police Commissioner will make an initial determination on whether to place the officer on modified duty or suspension within 48 hours of the incident. NYPD will conclude the investigation into such incidents within two weeks, unless there are evidentiary delays caused by circumstances beyond the control of the NYPD or where there is significant risk of interference with a criminal investigation. Currently, the Internal Affairs Bureau must file charges within 18 months for administrative violations and there is no time limit to file disciplinary charges for criminal conduct.

More Transparent Discipline:

The NYPD will publish all trial decisions or settlements reached going forward, effective immediately. NYPD will also post information for the approximately 1100 pending cases for which charges have been served. This information will include names, charges, hearing dates and resolutions when available. This information will be posted by mid-July.  The NYPD will also make comprehensive disciplinary records fully transparent online. The records of the pending cases will be prioritized for release. 

Body Camera Footage Policy:

This week, Mayor de Blasio announced new body camera footage release policy to promote transparency and accountability. All video and audio footage must be released within 30 days when: an officer discharges a firearm that hits or could hit someone; an officer discharges a Taser in a way that results in death or substantial bodily harm; or an officer’s use of force results in death or great bodily harm. This new policy will apply retroactively to all audio and video footage from older cases that fit criteria. All footage will be publicly available online.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

MAYOR DE BLASIO EXPANDS TESTING SITES CITYWIDE AND OPENS MOBILE UNITS


New NYC Health + Hospitals testing sites to launch today in the Bronx, Staten Island, Queens and Brooklyn 

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the launch of five new testing sites citywide. Mobile testing trucks in the Bronx and Staten Island will also offer free tests for the remainder of the week. The City is continuing to expand its mobile testing apparatus to reach a total of 10 trucks by July, bringing the cumulative number of citywide testing sites to over 200.

"Widespread testing remains our best defense against the virus," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "With over 200 sites across our city, we are bringing testing to the doorstep of every New Yorker, making it as fast and convenient as possible to keep yourself safe." 

Today, NYC Health + Hospitals' Bronx mobile truck will be offering free tests in the Clinton playground from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.   On Thursday and Friday, the truck will be parked in Gouverneur Playground from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  Health + Hospitals' Staten Island mobile truck will also offer free tests today through Friday at 1441 Richmond Avenue from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. By July, the City will conduct a total of up to 800 tests per day out of its 10 testing trucks.

With the goal of building capacity to reach 50,000 tests per day by July, the City will open five additional NYC Health + Hospitals testing sites, with 2 in Staten Island, 1 in Queens, 1 in the Bronx, and 1 in Brooklyn.

Staten Island
Mariners Harbor Library, 206 South Avenue
Greenbelt Recreation Center, 501 Brielle Avenue

Queens
Windsor Park Library, 79-50 Bell Blvd

Bronx
Rain Boston Road Senior Center, 2424 Boston Road

Brooklyn
Maria Lawton Senior Center, 400 Hart Street

Testing is available free of charge. New Yorkers should visit nyc.gov/covidtest to find the site closest to them.