MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS MEMBERS TO OTHER SECTOR ADVISORY COUNCILS

   Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed members to the following Sector Advisory Councils: Non-Profit and Social Services, Public Health and Healthcare, Faith-based, Construction and Real Estate, Education, and Surface Transportation. This is in addition to the Sector Advisory Councils on Labor and Workforce; Large Business; Small Business; and Arts, Culture, and Entertainment. Sector Advisory Councils will inform the Administration's efforts to restart the economy and city life. The councils will serve as critical links to disseminate information about re-opening and provide guidance to shape the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These councils will provide real world guidance to ensure our plans to reopen the city make sense and keep people safe. We are facing an unprecedented crisis, but by working together, we will come out stronger than before,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Non-Profit and Social Services Sector Advisory Council

1. Raja Abdulhaq, Islamic Leadership Council       

2.  LaShawn Allen Muhammad, Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation  

3. Jo Ann Yoo, Asian American Federation    

4. Donna Colonna, Services for the Underserved    

5.  Sharon Content, Children of Promise      

6.  Joel Copperman, CASES        

7.  Hazel Dukes, NAACP        

8.  Thelma Dye PhD, Northside Center      

9.  Regina Estela, Independence Care System      

10.  Nat Fields, Urban Resource Institute (URI)     

11.  Beth Finkel, AARP        

12.  David Garza, Henry Street Settlement     

13.  Eric Goldstein, UJA Federation      

14.  David Greenfield, Met Council on Jewish Poverty    

15.  Bob Greenstein, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP)  

16.  Laurie Hanin, Center for Hearing and Communication   

17.  Wayne Ho, Chinese-American Planning Council      

18.  Tom Kamber, Older Adults Technology Services (OATS)    

19.  Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of NY 

20.  Jeremy Kohomban PhD, Children’s Village/Harlem Dowling     

21.  Keith Little, SCO Family of Services/Center for Family Life in Sunset Park

22.  Elizabeth McCarthy, Sheltering Arms        

23.  Wendy McClinton, Black Vets for Social Justice    

24.  Frankie Miranda, Hispanic Federation      

25.  Haydee Morales, Casita Maria       

26.  John Park, Minkwon        

27.  Fr. Patrick Keating, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Brooklyn  

28.  Michael Polenberg, Downstate Victims Coalition      

29.  Juan Ramos, Los Sures/ Southside United     

30.  Alex Roque, Ali Forney Center      

31.  Denise Rosario, Coalition for Hispanic Family Services    

32.  Muzzy Rosenblatt, Bowery Residence Committee (BRC)     

33.  Annetta Seecharran, Chhaya CDC       

34.  Frederick Shack, Urban Pathways       

35.  Beth Shapiro, Citymeals on Wheels      

36.  Niketa Sheth, WomanKind       

37.  Scott Short, RiseBoro Community Partnership     

38.  Prabhu Sigamani, ROC United       

39.  Joanne Smith, Girls for Gender Equity     

40.  Rev. Terry Troia, Project Hospitality     

41.  Glennda Testone, LGBT Community Center      

42.  Eileen Torres, BronxWorks       

43.  Colvin W. Grannum, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation   

44.  Michelle Yanche, Good Shepherd Services      

Public Health and Healthcare Sector Advisory Council

1.  Pamela Brier, Former CEO Maimonides Medical Center; Board of Health    

2.  LaRay Brown, One Brooklyn Health         

3.  Ebone Carrington, NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem       

4. Kaushal Challa, Charles B. Wang Community Health Center      

5. Carmen Charles, DC 37          

6. JiHee Cho, Korean American Behavioral Health Association (KABHA)      

7. Steve Corwin, New York-Presbyterian Hospital         

8. Lisa David, Public Health Solutions         

9. Angela Diaz MD PhD, Mt. Sinai Adolescent Health Center     

10.  Amy Dorin, Coalition for Behavioral Health        

11.  Rose Duhan, Community Health Care Association of New York State    

12.  Billy E. Jones MD, MS, Former CEO H+H, Commissioner of Mental Health  

13.  Ruth Finkelstein, Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging       

14.  Marki Flannery, Visiting Nurses Association        

15.  Bruce Flanz, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center        

16.  Mindy Fullilove, The New School         

17.  Rosa Gil PhD, CommunLife         

18.  Paloma Hernandez, Urban Health Plan         

19.  Jo Ivey Boufford MD, NYU School of Global Public Health; New York Academy of Medicine

20.  Pat Kane, NYSNA           

21.  John Kastan, Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services     

22.  Matt Kudish, NAMI           

23.  Rafael Lantigua MD, Alianza Dominicana, Columbia University Medical Center, New York-Presbyterian  

24.  Sheldon McLeod, NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County       

25.  Dan Messina, Richmond University Medical Center        

26.  Luke Nasta, Camelot           

27.  Mitchell Netburn, Samaritan Village          

28.  Milton Nunez, NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln       

29.  David Perlstein MD, St. Barnabas Hospotal        

30.  Amy Plasencia MD, Committee of Interns and Residents     

31.  Marco R. Damiani, AHRC          

32.  Ken Raske, Greater New York Hospital Association       

33.  Israel Rocha, NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst       

34.  Therese Rodriguez, APICHA Community Health Center        

35.  Helen Schaub, 1199 SEIU          

36.  Anthony Shih MD, United Hospital Fund        

37.  Wendy Stark, Callen Lorde          

38.  Ashwin Vasan, Fountain House          

39.  Eric Weingartner, The Door          

40.  Abraham Wurzberger, Chevrah Hatzalah          

Faith-Based Sector Advisory Council

1.  Rev Lawrence Aker, Cornerstone Baptist Church     

2.  Dr. Debbie Almontaser, Bridging Cultures Group Inc.    

3.  Rabbi Boruch Bender, Achiezer Community Resource Center    

4.  Dr. AR Bernard, Christian Cultural Center     

5.  Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer,  the Interfaith Center for NY  

6.  Bishop Victor Brown, Mount Sinai United Christian Church   

7.  Elder David Buckner, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 

8. Reverend Dr. Michael Carrion,  Evangelical Covenant Church    

9.  Rev. Phil Craig, The Greater Springfield Community Church   

10.  Gabby  Cudjoe-Wilkes, Double Love Experience    

11.  Rev. Frederick Davie, Union Theological Seminary     

12.  Bishop H. Curtis Douglas,  Dabar Bethlehem Cathedral and Overseer of Dabar Ministries

13.  Rev. Que English, Bronx Christian Fellowship Church    

14.  Rev. Robert Foltz-Morrison, Presbyterian Church of New York City  

15.  Pastor Charles Galbreath, Clarendon Road Church     

16.  Fr. John Gribowich, Diocese of Brooklyn     

17.  Peter  Gudatis, NY Disaster Interfaith Service    

18.  Pastor Daniel Honore, SDA North Eastern Conference   

19.  Archbishop Russell James Davenport, Arrow of Yahweh International Ministries 

20.  Dr. Arvind Kaur, Clinical Psychologist and Host of Jus Galbaat 

21.  Imam Tahir Kukiqi, Albanian Islamic Cultural Center    

22.  Rev. Bayer Lee, First Chinese Baptist Church    

23.  Raja Abdulhaq, Majlis Ash-Shura Islamic Leadership Council    

24.  Rabbi Michael Miller, Jewish Community Relations Council    

25.  Rev. Clinton Miller, Brown Memorial Church     

26.  Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik, Rabbinical Alliance of America    

27.  Senior Cantor Daniel Mutlu,  Central Synagogue    

28.  Rabbi David Neiderman, United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn

29.  Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, NY Board of Rabbis    

30.  Pastor Johnny Ray Youngblood, Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church   

31.  Pastor James Richmond, Greater NY Conference SDA    

32.  Rev. Raymond Rivera, Latino Pastoral Action Center    

33.  Pastor Patricia Sealy, Mott Haven Reform Church    

34.  Freeman Su, NY Tzu Chi Foundation   

35.  Sunita Viswanath, Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus   

36.  Rev. Michael A. Walrond,  Jr., First Corinthian Baptist Church  

37.  Bishop Edmund Whalen, Archdiocese of NY     

38.  Rev. Andrew Wilkes, Double Love Experience    

39.  Mohammed Mardah, Yankassa Mosque and Chair, African Advisory Council  

40.  Rev. Itang Young, Abyssinian Baptist Church     

Education Sector Advisory Council

1.  Melissa Aase, University Settlement    

2. Shirley Aldebol, 32 BJ SEIU    

3. Andrea Anthony, Day Care Council    

4. David C Banks,  Eagle Academy    

5.  Richard Beattie, New Visions for Public Schools  

6. Sian Beilock, Barnard      

7. Jack Bendheim, SAR Academy Riverdale    

8.  Lee C. Bollinger, Columbia University   

9. Phoebe Boyer, Children's Aid Society    

10.  Marc Brackett, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence/Developer, RULER 

11.  Richard Buery, Achievement First     

12.  Mark Cannizzaro, CSA      

13.  Natasha Capers, NYC Coalition for Educational Justice  

14.  Steven Choi, New York Immigration Coalition   

15.  Michael Coppotelli, Archdiocese of New York   

16.  Margaret Crotty, Partnership with Children    

17.  Traci Donnelly, Child Center of NY   

18.  Gregory Floyd, Local 237, School Safety Agents  

19.  Jane Foley Fried, NY State Association of Independent Schools

20.  Kay Galarza, Student PEP Member    

21.  Henry Garrido, DC 37     

22.  Peter Gee, The Door     

23.  Barbara Glassman, Include NYC     

24.  Jasmine Gripper, Alliance for Quality Education  

25.  Anita Gundanna, Coalition for Asian American Children and Families

26.  Andrew Hamilton, NYU      

27.  Kristin Kearns Jordan, Urban Assembly   

28.  Thomas Krever, Hetrick-Martin Institute     

29.  Vanessa Leung, PEP Member- Individualized Education Program  

30.  Stanley Litow, IBM Foundation     

31.  Joe Luft, Internationals Network for Public Schools  

32.  Felix V. Matos Rodriguez, CUNY Chancellor  

33.  Nequan Mclean, Education Council Consortium, (ECC)   

34.  Joan McMaster, Diocese of Brooklyn    

35.  Wes Moore, Robin Hood      

36.  Michael Mulgrew, UFT      

37.  Allison Palmer, ED, New Settlement College Access Center 

38.  Shael Polakow-Suransky, Bank Street College Of Education 

39.  Susan Stamler, United Neighborhood Houses    

40.  Robert J Troeller,  Local 891, Custodian Engineers 

41.  Javier H. Valdes,  Make the Road   

42.  Dennis Walcott, Queens Public Library    

43.  Sheena Wright, President & CEO United Way NY

44.  Michelle Yanche, Good Shepherds Services

45.  Rabbi David Zweibel,  Agudath Israel    

Construction and Real Estate Sector Advisory Council

1.  Donnel Baird, BlocPower

2.  Lawrence Benenson, Benenson Capital Partners

3.  Jeff Blau, Related Companies

4.  Susan Camerata, Wavecrest Management

5.  Tim Cawley, ConEdison

6.  Lou Colleti, Building Trades Employers’ Association

7.  Larry Englestein, 32BJ SEIU Secretary Treasurer

8.  Laura Ettelman, SOM

9.  Don Fusco, Skanska USA

10.  Kirk Goodrich, Monadnock Development

11.  Colvin Grannum, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation

12.  Hana Kassem, KPF

13.  Ericka Keller, Brisa Builders

14.  Gary LaBarbera, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York

15.  Meredith Marshall, BRP Companies

16.  Michael McKelvy, Gilbane Building Company

17.  Cheryl McKissack Daniel, McKissack

18.  Ron Moelis, L+M

19.  Nayan Parikh, Ashnu International Inc

20.  James Prendamano, Casandra Properties

21.  James Rubin, Meridiam

22.  William Rudin, Rudin Management

23.  Carlo Scissura, New York Building Congress

24.  Mary Ann Tighe, CBRE

25.  Dan Tishman, Tishman/AECOM

26.  Luis Tormenta, The LiRo Group

27.  Elizabeth Velez, Velez Organization

28.  James Whelan, REBNY

29.  Francilia Wilkins, RFW Consultants

30.  William Zeckendorf, Terra Holdings

Surface Transportation

1. Cira Angeles, Livery Base Owners Association

2. Quemuel Arroyo, Disability Transit Advocate

3. Jaqi Cohen, NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign

4. John Corlett, AAA NYS

5.  Mary Dailey, TransitCenter

6.  Bhairavi Desai, New York Taxi Workers Alliance

7.  Laura Fox, Lyft (Citi Bike)

8.  Josh Gold, Uber

9.  Danny Harris, Transportation Alternatives

10.  Kendra Hems, Trucking Association of New York

11.  Jen Hensley, Lyft

12.  David Jones, Community Service Society and MTA Board Member

13.  Sarah Kaufman, NYU Rudin Center for Transportation

14.  Robert W. Linn, MTA Board Member

15.  Camilla Morris, Bus Association of New York

16.  Betsy Plum, Riders Alliance

17.  Daniel Ramot, Via

18.  Sam Schwartz, Sam Schwartz Engineering

19.  Ron Sherman, Metropolitan Taxi Board of Trade

20.  Nick Sifuentes, Tri-State Transportation Campaign

21.  Jaswinder Singh, Yellow Taxi Medallion Owner

22.  Jennifer Tausig, NYC BID Association

23.  Courtney Williams, the Brown Bike Girl

24.  Tom Wright, Regional Plan Association

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. - COVID-19: Bronx Locations for Free Face Coverings Distribution

New York City is distributing face coverings in parks across the city free of charge through Tuesday, May 12th. All New Yorkers are required to wear a mask or face covering when out in public and in situations where a 6-foot distance from others cannot be maintained.

Here are the upcoming dates, times, and locations for the distribution of face coverings in or near The Bronx through the 12th.

For information on and a map of all NYC face coverings distribution locations, dates, and times, visit:

maps.nyc.gov/face-coverings

STATEMENT FROM NYC & NYS LEGISLATIVE CHAIRS CARLINA RIVERA, MARK LEVINE, RICHARD GOTTFRIED, AND GUSTAVO RIVERA ON CONTACT TRACING LEADERSHIP DECISION

  "It is startling that months into the worst public health crisis our City has ever faced, the de Blasio administration is undertaking a bureaucratic reshuffling that creates new and unnecessary obstacles for the critical, complicated and sensitive work of contact tracing.

New York City has the best health department in the nation, and possibly the world. The Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has vast experience in infectious disease outbreaks and contact tracing. The move to strip it of the leadership of this critical program defies explanation and raises many practical concerns.

The DOHMH has conducted contact tracing in many outbreaks and epidemics, from tuberculosis and venereal diseases in the 1930s, to more recently HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Hepatitis, and, thus far, COVID-19. 

This move has already and will continue to complicate hiring and contracting going forward by taking these functions out of the Fund for Public Health, a DOHMH affiliated non-profit which has efficiently handled the role of hiring to this point. 

NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) is a world-class hospital system with superb leadership. It has many strengths that will play a crucial role in contact tracing, including its public testing sites, 311 telehealth program, and the simple fact that it is the first point of contact for many patients, especially our communities of color. However, H+H's primary responsibility must always be patient care, particularly at a time when our public hospitals are under great strain and on the lookout for another surge in COVID-19 cases. 

That is why there is no doubt that DOHMH should be the lead here. This is what the agency is built for and its expertise and a century and a half of experience in contact tracing cannot be duplicated.

We call on Mayor de Blasio to reconsider this decision and to ensure that the vital work of contact tracing is under the unified leadership of our world-class health department."

EDITOR'S NOTE:

On March 5th at a Mayoral press conference we asked if dogs, cats, mice and rats could catch and transmit COVID-19. The answer received from a Deputy Commissioner of the NYC Department of Health was that the NYCDOH didn't think, but was worried about cat hair shedding. There was no answer to mice and rats.

We now know that cats can catch COVID-19, and that they can transmit it to other cats, but there is no evidence yet if it can be transmitted to humans. There still is no answer as to mice and rats which are most found in the areas where the highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths are found.

No. 202.28: Continuing Temporary Suspension and Modification of Laws Relating to the Disaster Emergency

No. 202.28

E X E C U T I V E  O R D E R

Continuing Temporary Suspension and Modification of Laws

Relating to the Disaster Emergency

WHEREAS, on March 7, 2020, I issued Executive Order Number 202, declaring a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York; and

WHEREAS, both travel-related cases and community contact transmission of COVID-19 have been documented in New York State and are expected to be continue;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law, do hereby continue the suspensions and modifications of law, and any directives, not superseded by a subsequent directive, made by Executive Order 202 and each successor Executive Order up to and including Executive Order 202.14, for thirty days until June 6, 2020, except as modified below:

• The suspension or modification of the following statutes and regulations are not continued, and such statutes, codes and regulations are in full force and effect as of May 8, 2020:

• 10 NYCRR 405.9, except to the limited extent that it would allow a practitioner to practice in a facility where they are not credentialed or have privileges, which shall continue to be suspended; 10 NYCRR 400.9; 10 NYCRR 400.11, 10 NYCRR 405; 10 NYCRR 403.3; 10 NYCRR 403.5; 10 NYCRR 800.3, except to the extent that subparagraphs (d) and (u) could otherwise limit the scope of care by paramedics to prohibit the provision of medical service or extended service to COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19 patients; 10 NYCRR 400.12; 10 NYCRR 415.11; 10 NYCRR 415.15; 10 NYCRR 415.26; 14 NYCRR 620; 14 NYCRR 633.12; 14 NYCRR 636-1; 14 NYCRR 686.3; and 14 NYCRR 517;
• Mental Hygiene Law Sections 41.34; 29.11; and 29.15;
• Public Health Law Sections 3002, 3002-a, 3003, and 3004-a to the extent it would have allowed the Commissioner to make determination without approval by a regional or state EMS board;
• Subdivision (2) of section 6527, Section 6545, and Subdivision (1) of Section 6909 of the Education Law; as well as subdivision 32 of Section 6530 of the Education Law, paragraph (3) of Subdivision (a) of Section 29.2 of Title 8 of the NYCRR, and sections 58-1.11, 405.10, and 415.22 of Title 10 of the NYCRR;
• All codes related to construction, energy conservation, or other building code, and all state and local laws, ordinances, and regulations which would have otherwise been superseded, upon approval by the Commissioner of OPWDD, as applicable only for temporary changes to physical plant, bed capacities, and services provided; for facilities under the Commissioners jurisdiction.

IN ADDITION, I hereby temporarily suspend or modify the following if compliance with such statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation would prevent, hinder, or delay action necessary to cope with the disaster emergency or if necessary to assist or aid in coping with such disaster, for the period from the date of this Executive Order through June 6, 2020:

• Sections 7-103, 7-107 and 7-108 of the General Obligations Law to the extent necessary to provide that:

• Landlords and tenants or licensees of residential properties may, upon the consent of the tenant or licensee, enter into a written agreement by which the security deposit and any interest accrued thereof, shall be used to pay rent that is in arrears or will become due. If the amount of the deposit represents less than a full month rent payment, this consent does not constitute a waiver of the remaining rent due and owing for that month.  Execution in counterpart by email will constitute sufficient execution for consent;
• Landlords shall provide such relief to tenants or licensees who so request it that are eligible for unemployment insurance or benefits under state or federal law or are otherwise facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
• It shall be at the tenant or licensee’s option to enter into such an agreement and landlords shall not harass, threaten or engage in any harmful act to compel such agreement;
• Any security deposit used as a payment of rent shall be replenished by the tenant or licensee, to be paid at the rate of 1/12 the amount used as rent per month. The payments to replenish the security deposit shall become due and owing no less than 90 days from the date of the usage of the security deposit as rent. The tenant or licensee may, at their sole option, retain insurance that provides relief for the landlord in lieu of the monthly security deposit replenishment, which the landlord, must accept such insurance as replenishment.

• Subdivision 2 of section 238-a of the Real Property Law to provide that no landlord, lessor, sub-lessor or grantor shall demand or be entitled to any payment, fee or charge for late payment of rent occurring during the time period from March 20, 2020, through August 20, 2020; and

• Section 8-400 of the Election Law is modified to the extent necessary to require that to the any absentee application mailed by a board of elections due to a temporary illness based on the COVID-19 public health emergency may be drafted and printed in such a way to limit the selection of elections to which the absentee ballot application is only applicable to any primary or special election occurring on June 23, 2020, provided further that for all absentee ballot applications already mailed or completed that purported to select a ballot for the general election or to request a permanent absentee ballot shall in all cases only be valid to provide an absentee ballot for any primary or special election occurring on June 23, 2020. All Boards of Elections must provide instructions to voters and post prominently on the website, instructions for completing the application in conformity with this directive.

• The suspension of the provisions of any time limitations contained in the Criminal Procedure Law contained in Executive Order 202.8 is modified as follows:

• Section 182.30 of the Criminal Procedure Law, to the extent that it would prohibit the use of electronic appearances for certain pleas;
• Section 180.60 of the Criminal Procedure Law to provide that (i) all parties’ appearances at the hearing, including that of the defendant, may be by means of an electronic appearance; (ii) the Court may, for good cause shown, withhold the identity, obscure or withhold the image of, and/or disguise the voice of any witness testifying at the hearing pursuant to a motion under Section 245.70 of the Criminal Procedure law—provided that the Court is afforded a means to judge the demeanor of a witness;
• Section 180.80 of the Criminal Procedure Law, to the extent that a court must satisfy itself that good cause has been shown within one hundred and forty-four hours from May 8, 2020 that a defendant should continue to be held on a felony complaint due to the inability to empanel a grand jury due to COVID-19, which may constitute such good cause pursuant to subdivision three of such section; and
• Section 190.80 of the Criminal Procedure Law, to the extent that to the extent that a court must satisfy itself that good cause has been shown that a defendant should continue to be held on a felony complaint beyond forty-five days due to the inability to empanel a grand jury due to COVID-19, which may constitute such good cause pursuant to subdivision b of such section provided that such defendant has been provided a preliminary hearing as provided in section 180.80.

IN ADDITION, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to issue any directive during a disaster emergency necessary to cope with the disaster, I hereby issue the following directives for the period from the date of Executive Order through June 6, 2020:

• There shall be no initiation of a proceeding or enforcement of either an eviction of any residential or commercial tenant, for nonpayment of rent or a foreclosure of any residential or commercial mortgage, for nonpayment of such mortgage, owned or rented by someone that is eligible for unemployment insurance or benefits under state or federal law or otherwise facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic for a period of sixty days beginning on June 20, 2020.

• Executive Order 202.18, which extended the directive contained in Executive Orders 202.14 and 202.4 as amended by Executive Order 202.11 related to the closure of schools statewide, is hereby continued to provide that all schools shall remain closed through the remainder of the school year. School districts must continue plans for alternative instructional options, distribution and availability of meals, and child care, with an emphasis on serving children of essential workers.

G I V E N   under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State in the City of Albany this seventh of May in the year two thousand twenty.

BY THE GOVERNOR         

Secretary to the Governor

Governor Cuomo Announces Moratorium on COVID-Related Evictions Will Be Extended Until August 20th

State is Banning Late Payments or Fees for missed Rent Payments During Eviction Moratorium and Allowing Renters Facing Financial Hardship to Use Security Deposit as Payment.

$25 Million Nourish New York Initiative Has Helped Nearly 50 Food Banks, More Than 2,100 New York Farms and More Than 20,000 Households Across the State

Results of State's Antibody Testing Survey of Health Care Workers Show Infection Rate Among Health Care Workers is About the Same or Lower Than General Population

Confirms 3,491 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 327,469; New Cases in 47 Counties

Governor Cuomo: "People literally are worried about being able to pay rent. You don't work for two months and that rent bill keeps coming in. You know it's not that the bill payers, the bill collectors have taken a vacation, bill collectors work right, they still send the bill and you still get collection notices. We did by executive order that I issued a moratorium on residential or commercial evictions, you cannot be evicted for nonpayment of rent related to this COVID situation and that went through June. So, nobody has been and nobody can be evicted through June, either residential or commercial."

Cuomo: "We're going to take additional steps of banning any late payment fees because a person couldn't pay the rent during this period of time. Also, allowing people to use the security deposit as a payment and they can repay it over a prolonged period of time. But also I'm going to extend that moratorium an additional 60 days. It has an expired in June, but people are anxious and June for many people is just next month and the rent bill is going to come due. So, we're going to extend that 60 days until August 20. So, no one can be evicted for nonpayment of rent, residents or commercial because of COVID until August 20."

  Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the state's moratorium on COVID-related residential or commercial evictions will be extended for an additional 60 days until August 20th. The Governor also announced the state is banning late payments or fees for missed rent payments during the eviction moratorium, and allowing renters facing financial hardship due to COVID-19 to use their security deposit as payment and repay their security deposit over time.

Governor Cuomo also announced the state's $25 million Nourish New York Initiative has purchased food and products from more than 2,100 New York farms and provided support to nearly 50 food banks, soup kitchens and food pantries to date. Within the next week, more than 20,000 households across the state will receive Nourish New York products. First announced by the Governor on April 27th, the Nourish New York Initiative provides relief by purchasing food and products from Upstate farms and directs them to the populations who need them most through New York's network of food banks. The state is also asking any philanthropies or foundations that would like to help the state's food banks to contact COVIDPhilanthropies@exec.ny.gov.

The Governor also announced the results of state's antibody testing survey of health care workers. The survey tested approximately 27,000 employees from 25 downstate health care facilities and found that the infection rate among health care workers is about the same or lower than the infection rate of the general population.

• 6.8 percent of health care workers in Westchester County tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared to 13.8 percent of the general population in Westchester County
• 12.2 percent of health care workers in New York City tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared to 19.9 percent of the general population in New York City
• 11.1 percent of health care workers on Long Island tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared to 11.4 percent of the general population on Long Island

Governor Cuomo Announces Schmidt Futures Will Help Integrate NYS Practices and Systems With Best Advanced Technology Tools to Build Back Better

  Eric Schmidt Will Lead 15-Member Commission and Use What the State Has Learned During COVID-19 Pandemic, Combined with New Technologies, to Improve Telehealth and Broadband Systems Across the State

Outlines Results of New Hospitalization Data to Further Reduce Number of New Hospitalizations per Day

JetBlue is Donating 100,000 Pairs of Round-Trip Flights for Medical Personnel and Nurses

Confirms 2,786 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 323,978; New Cases in 45 Counties

Governor Cuomo: “We have to reopen the society. It's like asking when do you start breathing. You have to breathe. The economy must function. People need incomes. The economy has to work. The state needs revenues. People have to be able to live their lives. You have to be able to get out of the house. You have to be able to see friends. You have to be able to see family. It's not a question of do we reopen. It's a question of how we reopen. That's really the question that we have to grapple with and that we're dealing with in New York.”

Cuomo: “Nobody knows better than New Yorkers how our nurses really stepped up with our health care professionals. You know, when the pressure is on in our lives, you wind up seeing the best and the worst in people and heroes rise to the occasion, and that's what we saw here in the state of New York. Our frontline health care workers were just extraordinary. Showing up every day, working impossible hours, a virus that nobody understood, fear of infection, but they just kept rising to the occasion. And that's why New York and the nation just loves all of our health care workers, but our nurses especially have done a phenomenal job.”

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that Schmidt Futures will help integrate New York State practices and systems with the best advanced technology tools to build back better. Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO and Executive Chairman and founder of Schmidt Futures, will lead the state's 15-member Blue Ribbon Commission and use what the state has learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with new technologies, to improve telehealth and broadband access.

The Governor also outlined the results of new hospitalization data that was collected from hospitals in a new targeted effort to further reduce the number of new hospitalizations per day. The state received 1,269 survey responses from 113 hospitals over three days and found that the majority of individuals were:

• Not working or traveling;
• Predominately located downstate;
• Predominately minorities and older individuals;
• Predominately non-essential employees; and
• Predominately at home.  

The Governor also announced that JetBlue is donating 100,000 pairs of round-trip flights for medical personnel and nurses to honor their efforts, beginning with 10,000 pairs of tickets for New York medical professionals. Additionally, three painted JetBlue planes honoring New York's frontline workers will do a flyover above New York City on Thursday, May 7th, at 7:00 p.m. 

NYPD Announces Citywide Crime Statistics for April 2020

  For the month of April 2020, major index crime in New York City saw an overall -28.5% decrease (5121 v. 7,162) when compared to the same period in 2019. Between April 1 and April 30, overall crime fell in every borough, within the transit system and across public housing. In that one-month period, there was a -26% decrease in the number of robberies (679 v. 913); a -32% decrease in felony assaults (1,130 v. 1,652); and a -52% decrease in grand larcenies (1,566 v. 3,250.) The City saw a -9.7% decrease in the number of shooting incidents for the month of April, (56 v. 62), driven by a -80% reduction in shooting incidents in April’s final week (9 v. 5).

Despite these reductions, New York City is experiencing a +2.6% uptick in overall crimes for the first four months of 2020 (28,282 v. 27,576).

And for April, the crimes of murder, auto theft and burglary all increased, with the burglary uptick driven by a +169% increase in commercial burglary for April (564 v. 210).

The COVID-19 epidemic has not skipped past the NYPD. The department was hit hard, experiencing a rise in sick reports to a high of just under 20% of the 36,000-member uniformed force (7,100 officers) by April 9. The Department mourns the loss of the 38 members of service who have died due to coronavirus-related illness.

NYPD officers never give up in their work to combat the victimization of New Yorkers, helping people across every neighborhood, and simultaneously spreading the message about the importance of practicing physical distancing. Officers have made approximately 600,000 visits across the city and primarily have seen citizens’ continued compliance with social distancing rules and the common good that results when the public and the police share in the responsibility to solve problems and change behavior. The NYPD has also seen thousands of officers returning to work as well as a declining sick rate to just over 5%. The NYPD continues to take innovative actions to meet the challenges of policing in the COVID-19 environment: remaining flexible as officers respond in real-time to crime fluctuations with traditional strategies of gathering timely intelligence, analyzing crime trends and disseminating preventative measures to ensure safety.

"With unparalleled commitment, strength and fairness that is at the core of our agency’s mission, the men and women of the NYPD are maintaining operational continuity and public safety during this ongoing COVID-19 outbreak," said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. "Though the pandemic has put considerable strain on the department, and taken 38 colleagues who we will never forget, our uniformed officers and civilian employees have demonstrated extraordinary professionalism in adopting innovative policing functions to remain on the front lines, to allay uncertainty and fear and to relentlessly serve New Yorkers for as long as this unprecedented crisis goes on."

Focus on Domestic Violence victims: New York City has seen a reduction in overall domestic violence complaints in April, though our NYPD leaders remain concerned that these figures reflect underreporting by victims. Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, domestic violence has remained one of the NYPD's top priorities – and our efforts to combat domestic violence are all the more important during these difficult times of ensuring that people practice social distancing, when victims may be remaining alone inside homes with their abusers. The NYPD’s teams of domestic violence officers are working vigorously to take reports and follow up with domestic violence assault victims as well as in cases where children are at risk and where there are elderly victims. The NYPD remains committed to working with all of the NYPD's government partners to ensure that no one feels disconnected or vulnerable during this period of emergency physical isolation.

NYPD vigorously investigates every case of Hate Crime: Hate crimes in New York City declined in the first quarter of 2020, compared with the same period a year ago. The city is seeing an increase in hate and bias incidents targeting individuals of Asian descent in relation to coronavirus. To date (as of May 3), NYPD detectives have investigated fourteen COVID-19/Asian-bias related hate crimes, involving fifteen victims, and the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force has made eleven arrests in relation to these incidents. The NYPD recognizes there may be hate crimes that are not reported and urges victims to come forward by calling 911 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. At no time is hate and discrimination of any kind ever tolerated.

Commercial Burglary: Burglaries, particularly of commercial establishments, have increased. Particularly hard hit are small merchants, bodegas and restaurants that are already enduring difficulties amid this public health crisis. These crimes are organized, occurring amid the ongoing emergency measures that have seen stores shuttered, and perpetrators are targeting those already vulnerable businesses. Despite the overall downward trend in the numbers of arrests made, NYPD officers have made 44% more burglary arrests during the month of April compared to the same time period last year (520 v. 361). Burglary is a crime of recidivism and too often the individuals accused of these crimes are immediately released, exacerbating the condition and leading to more New Yorkers being victimized. To help protect New Yorkers’ life and property, and to minimize the number of burglary victims, the NYPD constantly evaluates and redeploys resources in real time to areas seeing upticks and increases police presence as needed. NYPD investigators also utilize timely intelligence, cutting-edge technology, and outreach through the strong relationships cultivated through Neighborhood Policing to monitor these businesses and prevent these crimes from occurring.

Key highlights from this month's crime statistics:

• Murder is up +4.1% (102 v. 98) for the first four months of 2020 when compared to the first four months of 2019.
• Reported domestic violence crime for April is down -35% (658 v. 1,012), compared to the same period last year, while year-to-date domestic violence crime is down -8.5% (3,511 v. 3,839) through April 30. Domestic violence crime is down in every category except murder, which is up +75% (7 v. 4) for the month and is up +4.8% (22 v. 21) year-to-date through April 30.
• Arrests in domestic violence crimes are down -40.7% (2,440 v. 4,115) for April 2020 compared with the same period last year.
• There were 56 citywide shooting incidents in April 2020, compared to 62 shooting incidents in April 2019, a 9.7% decrease. Year-to-date, through April 30, there is a +5.2% uptick in citywide shooting incidents (223 v. 212).
• Burglary increased +31.6% (1090 v. 828) in April and is up +28.9% (4,208 v. 3,256) year-to-date through Aril 30. Citywide commercial burglaries increased 169% (564 v. 210) during that same period.
• For the month of April, rape decreased by -55.2% (65 v. 145). Rape continues to be underreported. If you have been a victim of sexual assault, please come forward. The NYPD Special Victims Division's 24-hour hotline is 212-267-RAPE (7273).
• Year-to-date, through May 3, citywide hate crimes declined -47% (102 v. 149).

Attorney General James Secures New Protections, Security Safeguards for All Zoom Users

Agreement Will Enhance Data Security and User Controls  

Students and Schools Will Have Access to Additional Security Measures

  New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced an agreement with Zoom Video Communications that will provide security protections for more than 300 million meeting participants on the platform. New security measures are being put in place to support and protect consumers, students, schools, governments, religious institutions, and private companies using the application for work, education, prayer, and socializing. After the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), cities and states across the nation began quarantine and social distancing procedures that forced businesses and schools, as well as many social interactions to be moved online. Zoom had a sudden surge in both the volume and sensitivity of data being passed through its network, but the exponential increase in users also exposed security flaws and vulnerabilities in Zoom’s platform and software, and a lack of privacy protections. Additionally, a number of people reported that their Zoom conferences had been “Zoombombed,” or interrupted by uninvited participants seeking to disrupt the conference. Attorney General James opened up an investigation into Zoom’s privacy and security practices in March culminating in today’s agreement.

“Our lives have inexorably changed over the past two months, and while Zoom has provided an invaluable service, it unacceptably did so without critical security protections,” said Attorney General James. “This agreement puts protections in place so that Zoom users have control over their privacy and security, and so that workplaces, schools, religious institutions, and consumers don’t have to worry while participating in a video call. As the coronavirus continues to spread across New York State and this nation and we come more accustomed to our new normal, my office will continue to do everything in its power to help our state’s residents and give them every tool to continue living their lives.”

In March, after the widespread increase of COVID-19 infections across the country, cities and states began to shutter and institute social distancing policies to limit contagion. With schools, businesses, religious institutions, and so many other industries forced to shut down, Americans had no choice but to move their day-to-day activities online. As a result, Zoom experienced a massive surge in demand for its free services, as teachers began using the platform to conduct classes remotely with students, workplaces used Zoom to conduct business online, and consumers began using it to socialize remotely with loved ones. By late April, Zoom was hosting approximately 300 million meeting participants per day on its platform, compared to the approximately 10 million meeting participants per day in January 2020 — an increase of nearly 3,000 percent in less than four months.

As consumers, businesses, and students were increasingly using Zoom’s platform to communicate and share information, a number of newly reported issues emerged. Numerous users reported that their Zoom conferences had been interrupted by uninvited participants seeking to disrupt the conference — dubbed “Zoombombing.” Additionally, a number of privacy and data security issues were also reported, including Zoom’s lack of end-to-end encryption — as it had previously publicly represented — and the leakage of users’ personal information to other users without consent. Finally, Zoom was sharing users’ personal information with Facebook, including for those users who were not using the Facebook login feature and even those without Facebook accounts. 

Attorney General James immediately opened an investigation into Zoom’s administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect consumers’ personal data and to handle the increased traffic on the platform, as well as to investigate whether Zoom was complying with numerous New York State and federal laws. In the subsequent five weeks, the Office of the Attorney General and Zoom have worked cooperatively and quickly to implement more stringent and robust protections for consumers, schools, and businesses.

Today’s agreement will protect New Yorkers and users nationwide by ensuring Zoom’s compliance with New York State and federal laws; and will ensure Zoom provides services that are more secure, that provide users with enhanced privacy controls, and that protect users from abuse.

Zoom Agrees to Be More Secure

Zoom has agreed to implement and maintain a comprehensive data security program to protect all users that will be designed and run by the company’s Head of Security. Zoom will also conduct risk assessment and software code reviews to ensure that the company’s software does not have vulnerabilities that would allow hackers to exploit users’ information. The company has agreed to take steps to protect consumers from attacks where hackers attempt to access accounts using old credentials. Additionally, Zoom has agreed to enhance its encryption protocols by encrypting users’ information, both in transit and as stored online on their cloud servers. Finally, Zoom will operate a software vulnerability management program and will perform the most thorough form of penetration testing each year.

Zoom Agrees to Enhanced Privacy Controls

Zoom has agreed to enhanced privacy controls for free accounts, as well as kindergarten through 12^th grade education accounts. Hosts — even those with free accounts — will, by default, be able to control access to their video conferences by requiring a password or the placement of users in a digital waiting room before a meeting can be accessed. Hosts will also be able to control access to private messages in a Zoom chat, control access to email domains in a Zoom directory, control which — if any — participants can share screens, limit participants of a meeting to specific email domains, and place other limits on participants with accounts, to the extent applicable.

Additionally, Zoom has taken steps to stop sharing user data with Facebook and has disabled its LinkedIn Navigator feature, which shared profiles with users even where the user wanted to stay anonymous. Finally, Zoom has agreed to provide a copy of its annual data security assessment report to the Office of the Attorney General for the term of the agreement.  

Zoom Will Protect Users from Abuse

Zoom has further agreed to continue to maintain reasonable procedures to enable users to report violations of Zoom’s Acceptable Use Policy, including allowing meeting hosts to report a user for engaging in abusive conduct. Zoom will also update its Acceptable Use Policy to include abusive conduct based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation. Finally, Zoom has agreed to investigate reported misconduct in a timely fashion and to take appropriate corrective action based on its investigations, including banning users who violate the policy.

Today’s agreement will protect New Yorkers and users nationwide by ensuring Zoom’s compliance with a number of New York State and federal laws, including New York Executive Law § 63(12) and GBL §§ 349 and 350, New York Education Law 2-d, and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.  

Yesterday, the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) reached its own agreement with Zoom, which will enhance protections for city schools, students, and educators after the NYC DOE halted the use of Zoom across the city’s digital classrooms in April. The Office of the Attorney General worked with the NYC DOE and Zoom over the last month to address gaps in data security and privacy practices. Attorney General James wishes to thank the NYC DOE and Chancellor Richard Carranza for their cooperation. Today’s agreement with the Office of the Attorney General follows up on that announcement by offering Zoom users a more comprehensive resolution that will protect all New Yorkers and users nationwide.