AS SUMMER ENTERS FULL SWING, NEW YORK CITY BUILDS “COOL STREETS” ONTO NATION-LEADING OPEN STREETS PROGRAM

Cool It! NYC program will expand cooling options on existing Open Streets with tree-based shade and hydrants, focusing on heat-burdened communities

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today unveiled the first set of “Cool Streets” for this summer, announcing expanded cooling options on existing Open Streets in the most heat-burdened parts of New York City. The Cool It! NYC program prioritizes new cooling options on blocks in vulnerable neighborhoods with the highest tree-based shade and fire hydrants with spray caps. During heat advisories, NYCDEP and FDNY will proactively install spray caps on these streets’ hydrants to ensure every New Yorker living in a heat-burdened community is within 1/4 mile of an outdoor cooling element.

The Cool Streets initiative focuses on Open Streets in areas that rank highest on the Heat Vulnerability Index, which uses social and environmental factors to understand how heat-related health risks vary across NYC neighborhoods. The City is prioritizing its cooling efforts on HVI 4 and 5 zones, the most heat burdened communities, to serve vulnerable residents during extreme heat events. A citywide map of cooling elements can be found online at Cool It! NYC. To find the nearest cooling element or Cool Street, visit Cool It! NYC. DOT’s Open Streets map will also highlight each Cool Street across the city.

“New Yorkers are in for a long, hot summer, and staying cool is an essential part of physical health, mental health, and public safety,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We’re excited to build on our popular Open Streets program and find creative ways to fight back against COVID-19 by giving New Yorkers the public space they deserve.”

“Summer is very much here, and we need all of the tools at our disposal to keep New Yorkers safe and cool - especially during such unprecedented times," said Deputy Mayor Laura Anglin. "We have seen the success of our Open Streets program across the five boroughs, so it only made sense to find ways to utilize these streets with our broader cooling strategy. While we encourage New Yorkers to remain inside as much as possible during extreme heat events, these Cool Streets will give our most vulnerable New Yorkers a spot to stay cool outdoors when the city heats up."

Under the Cool It! NYC program, the City is activating 250 new cooling elements – in addition to the existing 950 – and proactively adding spray caps to 320 fire hydrants during hot weather. The City has already installed over 32,000 air conditioners for low-income seniors.

“We are taking every step to ensure our heat vulnerable neighborhoods will have sufficient outdoor options to Cool It! this summer. Cool Streets is another tool we can use to beat the heat, and I am proud our City agencies and partners have banded together to provide this necessary relief to New Yorkers, especially on the hottest days,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell.

“Running through the spray of a fire hydrant is a venerable New York City tradition and a sign that summer is in full swing,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “We are proud of the work we and our agency partners have done so far to create Open Streets and protected bike lanes across the five boroughs, and these new Cool Streets will make this program better, safer and more fun when the temperatures get high.”

“With the City’s new Cool Streets initiative, New Yorkers will have more opportunities than ever to stay cool safely this summer, taking advantage of brand new open streets and our city’s extensive tree canopy,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. "The addition of these new Cool Streets, and our brand new Cool It! NYC map which highlights existing and new cooling features, provides residents even more new, innovative ways to stay cool and beat the heat this summer.”

Cool Streets include:

Manhattan

Neighborhood	Street	From	To
East Harlem	101st St	Park Ave	3rd Ave
Harlem	W. 117th St	Morningside Ave	5th Ave
Harlem	W. 138th St	Lenox Ave	Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd
Hamilton Heights	Edgecombe Ave	St. Nicholas Pl	W. 145th St

Brooklyn

Neighborhood	Street	From	To
New Lots	Blake Ave	Miller St	Hindsdale St
Boerum Hill	Wyckoff St	Nevins St	3rd Ave
Brownsville	Williams Ave	Liberty Ave	Atlantic Ave
Red Hook	Henry St	Lorraine St	Bay St
Ft. Greene	N Elliott Pl	Park Ave	Flushing Ave

Bronx

Neighborhood	Street	From	To
Morrisiana	Trinity Ave	E 166 St	E 161 St
Mott Haven	E 140th St	Brook Ave	Willis Ave
Mott Haven	Jackson Ave	E 143rd St	E 147th St

Queens

Neighborhood	Street	From	To
South Richmond Hill	120th St	Atlantic Ave	Liberty Ave
Sunnyside	39th Ave	Woodside Ave	Barnett Ave

 .

Mayor de Blasio announced 23 more miles of Open Streets – including 9 miles of new protected bike lanes – in late June, bringing the City’s nation-leading program to a citywide total of 67 miles.

Under Open Streets, pedestrians and cyclists are free to use the roadbed of each street. No through traffic is permitted, with remaining vehicle traffic limited to local deliveries, pick-ups/drop-offs, necessary city service, utility, and emergency vehicles only. Such drivers are alerted to be hyper-vigilant and to drive at 5 MPH along these routes. Open streets hours are from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM but may vary slightly depending on staff availability.

Organizations wishing to have other New York City streets considered for the Open Streets program should reach out to fill out an online survey. More information is available at nyc.gov/openstreets.

MAYOR DE BLASIO AND TASKFORCE ON RACIAL INCLUSION AND EQUITY ANNOUNCE ACCELERATED INTERNET MASTER PLAN TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES HARDEST-HIT BY COVID-19

Broadband deployment will connect 600,000 New Yorkers to jobs, training, education, mental health supports and healthcare resources from home

  Mayor de Blasio, Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity co-chairs First Lady Chirlane McCray, Deputy Mayor J. Phillip Thompson, and Deputy Mayor Dr. Raul Perea-Henze today announced that the City will accelerate broadband deployment in all five boroughs, prioritizing public housing communities, which have suffered disproportionately during the COVID-19 pandemic. The City will make a historic $157 million investment in ending digital redlining and providing high-speed internet, including $87 million redirected from the NYPD budget. This investment will extend new internet service options to 600,000 underserved New Yorkers, including 200,000 NYCHA residents over the next 18 months. This approach will create a path to NYCHA-wide implementation and universal broadband across New York City.

“Our mission to deliver affordable, high-quality internet service has never felt more urgent,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “COVID-19 has further exposed the inequalities in internet access while changing the way New Yorkers work, learn, and live. Accelerating universal broadband access will make our city healthier, safer, and more equal.” 

“Broadband service has quickly become as necessary to modern life as electricity and running water. Having it or not having it can be a matter of life and death, particularly for communities of color, which may be cut off from critical health alerts and other information during the COVID-19 crisis," said First Lady Chirlane McCray. "Universal broadband means that Black and Brown New Yorkers will have access to health care, educational resources, employment opportunities, and social programs, which will help them stay connected and strengthen these communities for generations to come."

As part of the plan, the City will work with M/WBE service providers and community-based organizations who will create a pipeline to jobs by training, certifying, and employing adults and youth to install and operate network infrastructure. 

“As our lives increasingly move online, especially during a time where in-person engagement risks the health and safety of New Yorkers, it is critical that communities of color are not left behind due to their inability to afford internet access,” said J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives and co-chair of the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity. “Not only will affordable broadband service increase access to health care, educational opportunities and jobs, it will also strengthen participation in our democracy. By giving historically underrepresented communities the ability to register to vote, fill out the Census, engage with elected officials, and take other actions online, we can ensure their voices are heard and included in decision-making as we work to create a fair and equitable recovery in New York City.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic shows that staying healthy depends on staying connected in our virtual world, and that means more broadband for New Yorkers who need it most,” said Dr. Raul Perea-Henze, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and co-chair of the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity. “Our plan to close the digital divide will empower communities hit hardest by the virus with online access to build a fair recovery and equitable future.”

According to the NYC Internet Master Plan, 46% of New York City households living in poverty do not have broadband at home. A full 18% of all New York City residents – more than 1.5 million people – have neither home nor mobile connection. Internet use is foundational to economic mobility, but current broadband subscription costs can impose a considerable burden on the budgets of low-income families.  

“A key tool in helping us eliminate the inequalities that still exist throughout New York City is ending the digital divide once and for all,” said Laura Anglin, Deputy Mayor for Operations. “COVID-19 has only further exposed these inequalities, and all New Yorkers should have access to affordable, high-speed internet regardless of the size of their paycheck or where they live. We know that universal broadband can help lift up these communities by connecting them to the essential services and resources they need." 

“The digital divide and the unequal access to information experienced by so many communities of color during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the necessity of affordable, fast, and reliable internet.  Expanding access will enable our NYCHA families to access essential health, educational, and employment resources," said Vicki Been, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development. "Thanks to our agency partners for making a meaningful difference for NYCHA residents.”

“New York City’s digital divide is a barrier to individual opportunity, creates risks related to public health, and presents a threat to long-term economic growth,” said John Paul Farmer, Chief Technology Officer. “By investing and partnering to deliver low-cost broadband for communities in need, we are not only doing the right thing, we are doing the smart thing in connecting people to greater opportunity across all five boroughs, driving toward universal broadband, and setting New York City on a path to come back stronger than ever.”

“COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of having an internet connection for all aspects of life, including receiving health and safety information, accessing services and benefits, and sustaining education and employment," said Gregory Russ, Chairman of the New York City Housing Authority. "Low income families including NYCHA residents must have broadband access, and they deserve to receive this service without having to worry about the expense or sacrifice other essential needs.  We are grateful to Mayor de Blasio and the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity for their efforts to provide NYCHA residents with low-cost, high-quality broadband. I am encouraged by the innovative proposals we have received so far to the RFEI and look forward to implementing solutions.”

“Closing the City’s digital divide, which for too long has disproportionately impacted our communities of color, is an important step towards achieving a fair and equitable recovery,” said James Patchett, President and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. “Access to low-cost internet service creates connections to critical tools and resources that  remove barriers to opportunity, improve lives and strengthen communities. Investments like these, which focus on equity and creating job opportunities for our youth and communities in need – especially those significantly impacted by COVID-19 – will make our city stronger today and in the years ahead.”

The first phase of plan implementation is underway. The Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer, in partnership with NYCHA and NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), collected proposals through a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI). The RFEI identified ready-to-deploy ideas or pilot projects that will provide residents at NYCHA units with reduced-cost internet service options. These options may range from new products and pricing, new service choices with discounted rates for public housing residents, free Wi-Fi solutions that residents can reach from their homes, or other innovative approaches employing established or emerging technologies.

The City expects to announce partnerships at the end of the summer 2020, with full deployment of the program occurring throughout 2020 and 2021.

Attorney General James Orders Black Lives Matter Foundation to Cease Solicitation of New York Donations

The Black Lives Matter Foundation, Unrelated to the Black Lives Matter Movement, Was Recently Scrutinized for Accepting Donations Intended for the Globally Recognized Movement 

  New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued a notice to the Black Lives Matter Foundation, and has directed the organization to immediately cease and desist soliciting contributions from donors in New York. The foundation, which has no affiliation with the Black Lives Matter Movement, has not registered as a charitable organization in the state of New York, making contributions solicited within the state illegal.  

The Black Lives Matter Foundation has faced increased scrutiny in recent weeks for accepting donations meant for the Black Lives Matter Movement to end police brutality.  

“Every organization that seeks to solicit donations from New Yorkers must follow state laws,” said Attorney General James. “We will also fight for transparency so that donors’ goodwill isn’t preyed upon by opportunists. The Black Lives Matter Foundation failed to register or file any financial documents with the state, and therefore has failed to provide New Yorkers with information on how their donations will be used. That’s why we are taking action by demanding that the foundation stop soliciting contributions from New Yorkers. I encourage all donors to practice due diligence when giving to charities.”  

The Black Lives Matter Foundation is immediately required to: 

• Cease soliciting contributions or engaging in any other fundraising activities in New York; 
• Notify any third parties engaged in solicitation or fundraising activities on its behalf in New York that they must cease such activities, and 
• File all financial reports as required by law for each year the foundation engaged in charitable solicitation or other fundraising activity in New York. 

To make sure that your contributions go to legitimate organization, please consider these tips:

• Check Before Giving. Donate to charities you are familiar with and carefully review information about the charity before you give. Most charities are required to register and file financial reports with the Attorney General's Charities Bureau if they solicit contributions from New Yorkers. Check the OAG website, charitiesnys.com, for financial reports of charities or ask the charity directly for its reports. 
   
• Ask How Your Donation Will Be Used. Find out how the charity plans to use your donation, including the services and individuals your donation will support.
   
• Be Wary of Newly Formed Organizations. Often, in the aftermath of tragedies, new organizations are formed with claims that they will assist victims. While some of those organizations may be doing just that, others turn out to be scams. Before making a contribution to a new organization, find out who is running it and how it plans to use donations.
   
• Be Careful When Giving Through Social Media. Social media sites are often used to raise money for charitable causes. Before giving through these sites, check out who is behind the fundraising efforts and ask the same questions you would of a charity.
   
• Exercise Caution Before You Text A Contribution. Check the charity’s website or call the charity to confirm it has authorized contributions to be made via text message.

• Don't Give Cash. Give directly to the charity either by check made payable to the organization or through the charity's website.
   
• Be Careful About Personal Information. Avoid giving credit card or personal information over the phone or by text message. In all cases, make sure you are familiar with the organization to which you give such information and check to see that the fundraising campaign is legitimate.
   
• Report Suspicious Organizations. If you believe an organization is misrepresenting its work, or that a scam is taking place, please contact the Charities Bureau at complaints@ag.ny.gov.

Governor Cuomo Announces New York City Enters Phase III of Reopening Without Indoor Dining and Subject to State Guidance Today

Announces Mid-Hudson Region to Enter Phase IV of Reopening Tomorrow; Long Island on Track to Enter Phase IV of Reopening Wednesday

Announces DOH Finalizing Guidance on Possible School Reopening in September

Announces Casinos and Movie Theaters to Remain Closed as Government Reviews the Facts

Cancels New York State Fair This Summer Out of An Abundance of Caution

Announces New York State to Make Industry Recommendations on Air Conditioning Systems

Calls on President Trump to Acknowledge That COVID-19 Exists and is a Problem

0.95 Percent of Yesterday's COVID-19 Tests were Positive

9 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

Confirms 518 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 397,649; New Cases in 45 Counties

Governor Cuomo: "Denying COVID is really advancing the COVID virus. I know this is a politically charged environment right now and somehow COVID has become a political issue which, I've never heard of those virus becoming political but in this environment that has, but if you deny the problem then you will never solve it. We're not the United States of Denial we have never been a nation that is excelled because we refused to admit the problem. We admit the problem and then we overcome the problem if we do not, as a nation, acknowledge the COVID viral increase, it is going to continue."

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York City enters Phase III of reopening, without indoor dining and subject to comprehensive state guidance, today. The Mid-Hudson region will enter Phase IV of reopening tomorrow, July 7. Long Island is on track to enter Phase IV on Wednesday, July 8.

The governor also announced that the New York State Department of Health, in consultation with the Reimagine Education Advisory Council and others, is finalizing guidance on the possible reopening of schools in September. New York State previously directed all school districts to develop reopening plans. A decision on whether to reopen schools in September has not been made yet.

Governor Cuomo also announced that casinos and movie theaters will currently remain closed as the state government continues to review the science and facts on their safe reopening. 

The governor also announced that the New York State Fair will be cancelled this summer out of an abundance of caution.

The governor also announced that New York State will make industry recommendations on the use of air filtration technology to potentially eliminate the spread of COVID-19 through air conditioning systems. As evidence emerges that COVID-19 spread is linked more to airborne transmission than to surface area transmission, New York State is studying filters, their compatibility with existing air systems, the expense of modifications to air conditioning systems and other factors.

Governor Cuomo also called on President Trump to acknowledge to the American people that COVID-19 exists, is increasing and a serious problem, and that each American is part of the solution. The governor also reiterated his call for President Trump to wear a mask.

Governor Cuomo also updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The number of new cases, percentage of tests that were positive and many other helpful data points are always available at forward.ny.gov

Mayor de Blasio on July 4th Weekend and COVID-19 Numbers

  Mayor Bill de Blasio: Well, good morning, everybody. I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend. New Yorkers deserved a holiday, deserved a chance to take it a little easier after everything we've been through. And what a beautiful weekend it was outside. And it is really an example of the fact that New Yorkers have a lot to be proud of, that there was so much to celebrate this weekend. Today, we are entering phase three, which is something else to celebrate, something you've earned by working so hard to get us to this day. But, at the same time, as we are celebrating how far we've come, we have to be real honest about some of the challenges we're facing. I always say, I think it's better to start with the bad news and then go to the good news. So, I want to talk about what happened this weekend. You know, we had a lot of people out there, very peacefully celebrating our nation's birthday and spending time together with family and friends, but we also saw too much violence this weekend. And this is something that we have a lot of work to do to address and is directly related to all the dislocation that's happened over these last four months with the coronavirus.

We particularly saw a concentration of shootings in Upper Manhattan, particularly in Harlem and Manhattan North command. This is something we have to double down on to address. And it's not because of one thing, let's be really clear. There's not one cause for something like this, there's a lot of different pieces. And, again, the fact that the court system is not working, the economy's not working, people have been pent up for months and months, so many issues underlying this challenge. But to address it, it's not just one answer either. It's going to take a lot of different pieces. Of course, it's going to take neighborhood policing, which has helped us get so far. We're going to have to double down on neighborhood policing efforts in Upper Manhattan. It will take the efforts of clergy and block associations and elected officials and civic groups and parents and the Cure Violence movement. I was up in Harlem on Friday, as we installed the Black lives matter mural. There's tremendous pride. There's tremendous energy in Harlem. There's history of people, making things happen for the better betterment of the community in Harlem, and we're going to see that again. We will never go back in this city and we're going to focus all our energies right now on addressing these issues in Upper Manhattan, and then many other issues beyond. Commissioner Shea, this morning, is meeting with the chief judge for the State and with the DA's for the five boroughs, working on how we all together confront gun violence, how we get the court system restarted, how we have a truly coordinated effort to fight this back. And I've – I know, I know everyone can and will work together to address this issue.

We've all come together in this city many times before. And what we've done in these last months is particularly notable. This disease, this unseen enemy that threw us such an extraordinary challenge without a roadmap, trying to figure out together how we would fight it back. New Yorkers should be very proud of how far we have come. So now, let me turn to the good news that phase one of the restart has been successful so far. Phase two has been successful so far. Today, we begin phase three and we begin phase three because of the hard work you've all put in. And I'm always going to thank you for it, and then I'm always going to remind you to keep doing what you're doing. The social distancing works. The face coverings work. We have to stick with it. But today is a good day, because about 50,000 people will come back to work and start their livelihoods again. A whole range of personal services will be available again. And we're starting simultaneously a lot of recreation activities in our parks – basketball, handball, volleyball, bocce, all we'll be up and running again. Dog runs will be open again. It will be more of summer again, because we did this hard work to get this far and we cannot let up now.

People are coming back to work and people are engaging their lives again in so many ways. And we see the evidence, which I'll go over with you. And look, it's incumbent upon all of us to make sure we do this safely. The City's going to keep working hard to make sure this has done safely. The MTA has been doing great work. We need them to keep doing it, because more and more people are coming back to the subways and buses. So, I'm going to compare this last Wednesday, July 1st to two weeks earlier, June 17th. And in that two-week phase, subway ridership up 18 percent – now, over 1.1 million riders a day. Bus ridership up 12 percent over the same period – now, also almost 1.1 million riders. Staten Island Ferry ridership up 15 percent – and that's why, starting today, we have gone back to the full rush-hour service that we had before the coronavirus hit. What's interesting is we do see more traffic into Manhattan on the East River Bridges and the Harlem River Bridges – three percent and seven percent, respectively – but very notably, mass transit usage is going up substantially faster than a car traffic, and that's in many ways a good thing and a good sign that people are feeling more and more comfortable and ready to engage. But, again, do it safely with the face coverings, with the social distancing, remembering how important it is to each other, to your family, to yourself, to stay safe.

Now, as we have moved ahead with outdoor restaurant seating, that's been huge success. We are not doing the indoors, as I said, but we've moved forward with the outdoor, and that's been a great success. People have really, really engaged it. Customers have come, the employees have come back to work. People have gotten their livelihoods back. Businesses have been saved. We've been very focused on making sure enforcement is strong at these restaurants that are now open, particularly on weekends, of course. So, we had 700 City personnel, including the Sheriff's Office out in full force over the July 4th weekend. And I just want to say, the Sheriff's Office has been doing tremendous work on many, many fronts. I want to thank the Sheriff and his whole team. People don't know a lot about them, but what they're doing has been absolutely crucial to fighting back this virus and making sure this city is safe in so many ways. So, thank you, Sheriff, and your whole team. So, a huge number of personnel out where most of the bars and restaurants are – a thousand businesses were inspected this weekend. 85 percent were in immediate compliance. Those that needed to make adjustments, the inspector stayed until issues were addressed. Sometimes that meant moving tables farther apart or dispersing crowds. This is going to be the model from this point on, a huge number of personnel out, addressing issues. But what we see is, overwhelmingly, both the restaurant owners and the customers are doing the right thing. Sometimes people need some help, sometimes they need some reminders, but, overwhelmingly we're seeing people are doing the right thing. Now, the restaurants, outdoors, I said, huge success – over 7,000 restaurants now have the outdoor seating under the Open Restaurant Program. We are going to continue to work with those restaurants to make sure they are able to do a great job for their customers, but also stay safe. So, what we're doing from this point on – any new restaurant that applies not only we're going to do the self-certification, but we're going to have immediately a call from a City official the same day they self-certify to go over the safety rules, to make sure that we address all issues upfront so people know exactly what they have to do to stay safe. I know our restaurant owners want to do things the right way. Sometimes, some extra communication helps, so that's what we're going to do.

Okay. Let's go over today's indicators. And, again, we keep looking at the trend here. It is a really good trend because of your hard work. And please, remember, every day we see progress, it's because of you, but it's also a day to remember we’ve got to keep at it, because we want to keep reopening and we want to have life come back to as much as normal as possible in this city. We can only do it with your hard work. So, let's look at the indicators. Number one, daily number of people admitted to hospitals for suspected COVID-19, threshold of 200 – today, 62 patients. Number two, daily number of people in Health + Hospitals ICU’s, threshold of 375 – today, 276, a hundred less, that's fantastic. And, most importantly, percentage of people testing citywide positive for COVID-19, threshold of 15 percent – and today, the lowest we have ever seen, one percent. So, that's fantastic.

Just to give you a little bit of extra appreciation for what you've all achieved at the height of this crisis, we had 850 people admitted to the hospital for some suspected COVID-19 in a single day. Compare that to the 62 we're reporting today. At the height, we had 71 percent testing positive – compare that to one percent today – a lot to be proud of.