I still have 325 days to go.
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Tuesday, February 9, 2021
Governor Cuomo Announces Lowest 7-Day Average COVID-19 Positivity Rate Since December 1 - FEBRUARY 9, 2021
7-Day Average Positivity Rate Drops to 4.38%
7,875 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide
1,412 Patients in the ICU; 971 Intubated
Statewide Positivity Rate is 5.12%
138 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced New York's 7-day average COVID-19 positivity rate has dropped to 4.38 percent, its lowest since December 1.
"Our post-holiday surge reduction is continuing, and that is the direct result of the toughness of New Yorkers who have sacrificed and done what is needed to beat back this invisible enemy. Our infection rate is the lowest it has been since December 1, so we're back to where we started on the holiday surge," Governor Cuomo said. "Now more than ever, it's critically important we stay united and keep the momentum on our side - especially as new variants of the virus threaten to upend the progress we have made. Simultaneously, we also must continue to get New Yorkers vaccinated as quickly and fairly as possible. We've made great progress on that front, but one factor continues to hold us back - the supply. Thankfully, the new federal government has begun righting the wrongs of the past administration and the future is looking bright. If we all just stay disciplined and keep doing what we need to do, we will win this war."
Today's data is summarized briefly below:
- Test Results Reported - 153,648
- Total Positive - 7,866
- Percent Positive - 5.12%
- 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 4.38%
- Patient Hospitalization: 7,875 (+159)
- Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -192
- Patients Newly Admitted - 700
- Hospital Counties - 57
- Number ICU - 1,412 (-42)
- Number ICU with Intubation - 971 (+10)
- Total Discharges - 133,869 (+399)
- Deaths - 138
- Total Deaths - 36,481
It is important to note that data, including test results and hospital rates, reported early in the week are often not completely reflective of the current situation due to lower discharges and testing volume over the weekend. Data trends over a period of time, such as using 7-day averages, are a preferred metric. For example, while New York's daily positivity rate reported for Monday, Feb. 8 is 5.12%, an increase from 4.28% the day prior, this rate is lower than the daily rate reported last Monday, Feb. 1 (5.47%) resulting in a decreasing 7-day average on the same day the daily rate increases from the prior day.
RECOVERY FOR ALL OF US: MAYOR DE BLASIO LAUNCHES FIRST-EVER NYC ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR ALL REPORT
Mayor Bill de Blasio, in partnership with the NYC Environmental Justice Advisory Board, today announced the launch of the community engagement process for the Environmental Justice For All report, an unprecedented comprehensive study of environmental justice issues that will lead to the development of a citywide Environmental Justice Plan. The engagement effort will prioritize the low-income communities and communities of color that have borne the brunt of environmental degradation, the climate crisis, and America’s fossil fuel economy.
“A recovery for all of us means a healthier and more sustainable city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Change starts at the grassroots, and we will hear from communities most impacted by climate change, pollution and more to end the era of environmental racism and create a more livable future, together.”
“This pandemic has exposed many long-standing injustices in our city that have also resulted in low-income residents and communities of color bearing a disproportionate burden of pollution and the effects of climate change for far too long,” said Daniel Zarrilli, New York City’s Chief Climate Policy Advisor. “As we work to ensure a fair recovery for all New Yorkers, we will accelerate our economic recovery by creating good-paying jobs in clean energy and resilient infrastructure while overcoming environmental injustices. That starts by empowering communities with information and hearing directly from frontline voices. Congratulations to the members of the Environmental Justice Advisory Board and Adriana Espinoza for leading this necessary work. This is how we end the age of fossil fuels and secure climate justice for all New Yorkers.”
“As chair of the NYC Environmental Justice Advisory Board, I am eager to hear from diverse NYC community residents who have been living in neighborhoods impacted by polluting facilities,” said Peggy Shepard, Executive Director, WE ACT for Environmental Justice and NYC Environmental Justice Advisory Board Chair. “As the city assesses community commentary, recommendations and data, we look forward to an EJ plan that will reduce the legacy of pollution and strategically invest in community safety and sustainability.”
“Delivering on environmental justice is not something a government can do on its own, it requires just partnerships with frontline communities, letting their voices and their priorities shape the agenda,” said Adriana Espinoza, New York City’s Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice. “This landmark process aims to do just that. The announcement today an important first step towards building environmental justice into the fabric of the City’s decision-making, and I look forward to working with the Environmental Justice Advisory Board to make it happen.”
The report is led by the Mayor’s Office of Climate Policy and Programs and an Interagency Working Group of 19 City agencies, and will go on to inform future policies, programs and procedures to ensure future administrations must also work to close environmental and health disparities, and at the same time, distribute the benefits of the City’s Green New Deal equitably to frontline communities.
The Environmental Justice Advisory Board, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office, is also launching a citywide public engagement period to ensure the issues covered in the Environmental Justice for All Report are rooted in the real priorities of frontline communities. The engagement process will consist of virtual town halls, the first of which is scheduled for February 25th from 6:00-7:30 pm, as well as a 90-day public comment period. New Yorkers can learn more about this process and contribute their feedback by visiting www.nyc.gov/EJStudy.
As part of this process, the Interagency Working Group has published the city’s first-ever interactive map identifying environmental justice areas. This map will facilitate environmental justice communities’ participation in the study, and will become the standard to be used by the entire city in evaluating the impact of their policies, programs, and procedures on EJ communities. The map can be viewed here.
“One of my proudest moments in the Council came in 2017 when Council Member Barron and I worked together to pass comprehensive environmental justice legislation,” said Council Member Costa Constantinides. “Now we are beginning to see the fruits of that labor. This study will ensure that equity for all New Yorkers is a cornerstone of our environmental policy. I look forward to working with the administration to ensure that all of our communities can partake in the just transition we desperately need.”
“Environmental justice is a major component of health equity, and the Health Department is committed to advancing both as part of this citywide effort,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi. “As we work to prevent inequitable health outcomes across our city, ranging from COVID-19 outcomes to the health impacts of poor air quality, we must address the structural racism that has impacted neighborhoods.”
“The Environmental Justice for All Report will provide much-needed attention to environmental justice issues and help address long-standing environmental and health hazards,” said NYCHA Chair & CEO Gregory Russ. “We are hopeful that the recommendations that come out of this process will lead to improved health outcomes, a stronger quality of life, and more opportunities for residents to contribute to the health of their communities.”
“Creating an inclusive future that serves all New Yorkers means prioritizing the voices of the residents most impacted by the climate crisis, said Kate Gouin, Acting Director, NYC Mayor's Office of Sustainability. “The community engagement work now underway is critical to protecting the health of our families, our planet, and our economy.”
“At the Department of Sanitation, we work to make the city safe and clean for all New Yorkers – and that means joining with our partners in government to confront a legacy of inequality. The Sanitation Department is proud to have worked with advocates and the City Council to implement Waste Equity and Commercial Waste Zones and make our waste management system fairer and more equitable. The development of this plan is an important step, and I thank the Administration for the opportunity to be a part of it,” said Edward Grayson, Commissioner of the Department of Sanitation.
"One of our missions at NYC Parks is to design, facilitate, and create equitable greenspaces for all -- a mission intrinsically tied to environmental justice," said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. "We are proud to support the initial stage of the Mayor's groundbreaking Environmental Justice For All report, which by focusing efforts to engage low-income communities and communities of color to better understand their needs and priorities, will work to redouble our efforts to ensure environmental justice for all New Yorkers into the future."
Governor Cuomo Announces Over $90 Million for Supportive Housing for Homeless Individuals and Families Across the State
Awards will Create 670 Units of Housing for Veterans, Survivors of Domestic Violence, Older Adults, New Yorkers with Mental Illness; and Individuals Living with AIDS
Nearly $38 million In Capital Funding Still Available for Supportive Housing Projects Statewide
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that $90.4 million in state funding has been awarded for 20 projects to house New Yorkers experiencing or at risk of homelessness and provide supportive services aimed at addressing the root causes of housing instability. The projects, supported through New York State's Homeless Housing and Assistance Program, will create 629 units of permanent supportive housing, 30 units of transitional housing and 11 units of emergency housing that will serve veterans, survivors of domestic violence and individuals with mental illness.
"Homelessness and housing insecurity are not just isolated issues that can be addressed with a one-shot solution - we need a holistic approach which connects vulnerable New Yorkers to housing options, but also to the services which help ensure they can once again be contributing members of their communities, especially in the age of COVID," Governor Cuomo said. "Thanks to these significant investments, we are continuing to grow these types of supportive housing options statewide and we will not rest until every New Yorker has a safe, stable place to call home."
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said, "Every New Yorker deserves a roof over their head and the decency of a good home. This project will create over 600 housing units across New York State that will serve veterans, survivors of domestic violence and individuals with mental illness. As we battle this pandemic, New York State remains committed to combating homelessness and providing supportive services to all New Yorkers."
The Homeless Housing and Assistance Program made available $128 million in capital funding for projects to build supportive housing units or to repair emergency shelters - an amount double the allocation in 2020. An additional $37.6 million remains available for projects through the program, which is administered by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
The Governor's 2022 Executive Budget continues funding for HHAP at $128 million, underscoring the state's commitment to the importance of supportive housing in combating homelessness.
- West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, Inc., Bronx County - $4.8 million
Fischer Park includes 32 units of supportive housing serving individuals experiencing homelessness who suffer from serious mental illness and are over 55. This is part of a larger 105-unit project, which includes the construction of a nine-story building in the Bronx on vacant land owned by New York City
- Community Access, Inc., Bronx County - $7 million
Baez Place will include 86 units of supportive housing to serve individuals experiencing homelessness who suffer from serious mental illness or are frail and elderly. This is part of a larger project with 154 units in two high-rise buildings connected on the ground floor by a corridor.
CITY FINANCES NEARLY 30,000 AFFORDABLE HOMES IN 2020, KEEPING NATION-LEADING HOUSING PLAN ON TRACK
Second-highest calendar year total in New York City history
About 178,000 affordable homes secured and over 150,000 jobs created since 2014
Mayor Bill de Blasio joined the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) today to announce that the City financed the construction or preservation of 29,521 affordable homes in calendar year 2020 – the second-highest calendar year total in New York City history. These homes keep the City on track to meet its nation-leading goal to provide 300,000 affordable homes by 2026. Fifty-seven percent of affordable homes created in 2020 will serve families of three earning less than $52,000 per year.
“Nothing will stop New York City from keeping its promise to create a more livable and affordable city – not even a pandemic,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “By leading the nation in financing affordable housing construction and preservation, New York City will remain a place that welcomes everyone and keeps families in their homes – all while delivering a recovery for all of us.”
Creating and preserving affordable housing is a critical pillar of Your Home NYC, the Mayor’s comprehensive housing plan. Your Home NYC helps to: protect tenants by offering free legal advice and representation, emergency rental assistance, and other eviction prevention measures; ensure housing quality through code enforcement and home fix programs; and provide affordable housing by financing the construction and rehabilitation of public and income-restricted private housing. New Yorkers can access all these resources via the City’s housing portal: nyc.gov/housing.
"The Administration doubled down during the pandemic to finance affordable housing
“This Administration’s
“The nearly 30,000 homes financed demonstrate the incredible commitment of the teams at HDC and HPD to serving New Yorkers during an unprecedented moment of need. Despite the extraordinary challenges of this past year, we advanced an aggressive program of affordable housing development that will provide greater stability for New Yorkers as we navigate the ongoing health and economic crisis,” said HDC President Eric Enderlin. “Congratulations to the Administration and all our partners on this achievement. As we continue this important work together, it’s imperative we advocate for more resources from the federal government to ensure we provide the support New Yorkers need and deserve.”
Highlights from the City’s actions in 2020 include:
- The City delivered on the Mayor's 2020 State of the City commitment to provide more newly constructed affordable housing for the lowest income New Yorkers. More than 65% of new construction rentals financed will serve families earning less than $52,000 (50% of Area Median Income for a family of three), and more than 50% will serve families earning less than $31,000 (30% of Area Median Income).
- HPD financed 1,117 supportive homes in 2020, bringing the total number of supportive homes financed under the plan thus far to 7,413.
- The City created or preserved more than 1,000 affordable homes for seniors, bringing the total number of senior homes financed under the plan thus far to 10,350.
- More than 2,000 affordable homes were financed for homeless New Yorkers, bringing the total number of apartments restricted to formerly homeless households to 14,985.
- The City preserved the affordability of 22,068 homes, bolstering housing stability for approximately 55,000 New Yorkers.
- The City created a record 18,125 homeownership opportunities by preserving 17,573 Mitchell-Lama homeownership apartments.
Despite delays during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City doubled down to have a record-breaking second half of the calendar year, prioritizing projects that serve the most vulnerable New Yorkers. Flagship projects from the second half of the year include:
- 90 Sands is a former Jehovah’s Witnesses hotel that will be transformed into 491 affordable homes in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn. Over 300 of these apartments are set aside for formerly homeless New Yorkers, who will also receive on-site supportive services.
- Bronx Point A is the first of two phases of development that will bring 542 affordable homes, of which 271 will serve families earning less than $52,000. It will also include approximately 2.8 acres of public open space to the South Bronx. Located along the Harlem River waterfront, this first phase is a mixed-used development that will provide a permanent home for the Universal Hip-Hop Museum, an early childhood space run by BronxWorks, and an outdoor science programming run by the Billion Oyster Project.
- Rockaway Village 3 is the third phase of a multi-phase mixed-use
development located in Downtown Far Rockaway, Queens that is replacing a derelict shopping mall with affordable housing along with commercial space, public plazas, a new library and other infrastructure improvements. This third phase includes an additional 354 affordable homes, and nearly half of which will serve families of three earning less than $52,000; the remaining units will serve those earning less than $82,000. - Soundview Homes will provide 72 affordable co-ops across 10-four-story townhouses on NYCHA’s Soundview campus in the Bronx, including 27 one-bedroom apartments, 33 two-bedroom apartments, and 12 three-bedroom apartments.
- Concourse Village is a Mitchell Lama Co-op in the Bronx with affordability now guaranteed through the year 2060. It features 1,874 homes serving approximately 5,000 residents, including a significant number of families earning under $52,000, including many senior citizens.
- East Harlem / El Barrio CLT is the city’s newest community land trust project. The CLT will operate four formerly city-owned buildings in East Harlem and Central Harlem as a 36 home affordable mutual housing association rental project.
Since 2014, the City has financed 177,971 homes through the Housing New York plan, leveraging $7.4 billion in city capital subsidy to drive a $39.4 billion in investments for New York City’s five boroughs. The full 2020 affordable housing numbers are available here.
As the City takes comprehensive steps to address the need for safe and secure affordable housing, simultaneous efforts are underway to protect our aging public housing stock under the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program. PACT is a key component of the NYCHA 2.0 strategy to repair 62,000 apartments, while preserving affordability and maintaining strong rights and protections for residents.
To date, approximately 9,517 apartments have been renovated under PACT at 50 NYCHA campuses across New York City, with another 12,000 apartments at 35 additional developments slated for comprehensive repairs and upgrades that are in active planning. In 2020 alone, $817 million in capital repairs was approved for financing, which will benefit approximately 4,343 apartments across 25 sites in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Nos Quedamos BRONX PEOPLE'S CANDIDATE FORUM — Council District #11 — February 10th at 6:30pm
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Bronx Jewish Community Council - Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
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Attorney General James Urges FDA to Take Swift Action and Set Standards to Remove Toxic Metals from Baby Food
Congressional Report Found Baby Foods Have Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury
“Right now, parents across the nation are unknowingly feeding their babies dangerous, toxic metals because these companies are not doing their due diligence to protect our children,” said Attorney General James. “This shouldn’t be controversial, this shouldn’t even be a question, unsafe levels of arsenic and other toxic metals do not belong in baby food. Period. But after four years of an administration that catered to the business community’s profits over the health and safety of our families, this report has spotlighted a disturbing issue affecting parents buying baby food every day. I’m calling on the FDA to do its job and ensure the health and safety of every child in America by setting uniform standards related to toxic metals across all baby foods. Our families cannot accept any less.”
The House Oversight and Reform Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy recently published a report that determined that there are high levels of toxic heavy metals — including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury — in baby foods being sold by at least four of the nation’s seven largest manufacturers. Notably, three manufacturers — including Walmart (Parent’s Choice), Campbell (Plum Organics), and Sprout Organic Foods — refused to cooperate with the congressional investigation. Though the FDA does set limits on toxic metals in other consumable products — like bottled water, juice, and candy — the agency has failed to adequately regulate baby food.
In fact, after years of effort, the FDA only recently regulated the level of inorganic arsenic in rice cereal for infants at a maximum of 100 parts per billion, which notably is still 10-times greater than what is allowed for bottled water.
In the absence of FDA leadership and oversight over the last four years, baby food manufacturers have been able to set their own internal standards for levels of toxic metals. But the congressional report highlights how some companies regularly do not even comply with their own guidelines — which can contain ingredients with toxic metals already several hundred times the maximum levels recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumer Reports, and the Environmental Defense Fund.
Attorney General James notes that the cumulative impact of dangerously high levels of these heavy metals poses serious risks for the health and development of infants and young children. Continued exposure can affect a child’s brain development, behavior, and intelligence quotient (IQ) over the long-term.
Attorney General James calls on the FDA to take immediate action to protect children by implementing the recommendations set forth by the congressional report and setting uniform standards related to toxic metals in all baby food. Attorney General James is simultaneously exploring all legal options.