Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - JUNE 21, 2022

 

Governor Encourages New Yorkers To Keep Using the Tools To Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing, and Treatment

22 Statewide Deaths Reported on Friday, June 17

 NOTE: Updates to the CDC's cumulative death data files were paused starting June 6, 2022, while the CDC upgrades its system. Reporting is expected to resume on June 21, 2022. Any questions about this should be directed to the CDC. During this time, total deaths and new daily deaths reported through HERDS will continue as normal.

Important Note: HERDS data collection from health care facilities is not currently required on weekends or holidays. The survey will resume today and the facility/death data will be displayed in tomorrow's report. The numbers below with an asterisk were reported on Friday, June 17.

Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.

"It is important that we keep our guard up and utilize the tools we have at our disposal to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "If you haven't, get vaccinated and boosted when eligible. Make sure to get tested if you are experiencing symptoms, and stay home if you're not feeling well. If you do test positive, talk to your doctor about available treatments."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:    

• Cases Per 100k - 18.93
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 24.48
• Test Results Reported - 49,901
• Total Positive - 3,700
• Percent Positive - 7.06%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 5.18%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 1,842 (0)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 316*
• Patients in ICU - 211 (0)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 71 (-5)
• Total Discharges - 312,878 (+291)*
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 22*
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 56,397*

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.   

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.     

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.   

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 71,670

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.       

• Total vaccine doses administered - 39,228,003
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 8,579
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 89,075
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 92.7%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 84.2%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 95.0%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 87.7%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 84.0%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 73.9%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 82.3%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 74.6%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 90.9%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 77.6%   

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:        

Borough	Saturday, June 18, 2022	Sunday, June 19, 2022	Monday, June 20, 2022
Bronx	3.80%	3.74%	3.85%
Kings	3.93%	4.04%	3.87%
New York	5.41%	5.52%	5.64%
Queens	5.37%	5.54%	5.71%
Richmond	5.23%	5.31%	5.33%

United States Attorney Resolves Groundbreaking Suit Against Meta Platforms, Inc., Formerly Known As Facebook, To Address Discriminatory Advertising For Housing

 

Lawsuit Is the Justice Department’s First Case Challenging Algorithmic Discrimination Under the Fair Housing Act; Meta Agrees to Change Its Ad Delivery System

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, along with Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, announced today that the Justice Department has entered into a settlement agreement resolving allegations that Meta Platforms, Inc., formerly known as Facebook, Inc., engaged in discriminatory advertising in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA).  The agreement would resolve a lawsuit filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York alleging that Meta’s housing advertising system discriminates against Facebook users based on their race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin.  The proposed settlement is subject to the review and approval by a district judge in the Southern District of New York.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “When a company develops and deploys technology that deprives users of housing opportunities based in whole or in part on protected characteristics, it has violated the Fair Housing Act, just as when companies engage in discriminatory advertising using more traditional advertising methods.  Because of this ground-breaking lawsuit, Meta will—for the first time—change its ad delivery system to address algorithmic discrimination.  But if Meta fails to demonstrate that it has sufficiently changed its delivery system to guard against algorithmic bias, this Office will proceed with the litigation.”

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said:  “As technology rapidly evolves, companies like Meta have a responsibility to ensure their algorithmic tools are not used in a discriminatory manner.  This settlement is historic, marking the first time that Meta has agreed to terminate one of its algorithmic targeting tools and modify its delivery algorithms for housing ads in response to a civil rights lawsuit. The Justice Department is committed to holding Meta and other technology companies accountable when they abuse algorithms in ways that unlawfully harm marginalized communities.” 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Demetria McCain said:  “It is not just housing providers who have a duty to abide by fair housing laws.  Parties who discriminate in the housing market, including those engaging in algorithmic bias, must be held accountable.  This type of behavior hurts us all.  HUD appreciates its continued partnership with the Department of Justice as they seek to uphold our country’s civil rights laws.”

Among other things, the complaint alleges that Meta uses algorithms in determining which Facebook users receive housing ads, and that those algorithms rely, in part, on characteristics protected under the FHA.  This is the Justice Department’s first case challenging algorithmic bias under the FHA.

Under the settlement, Meta will stop using an advertising tool for housing ads (known as the “Special Ad Audience” tool) which, according to the complaint, relies on a discriminatory algorithm to find users who “look like” other users based on FHA-protected characteristics.  Meta also will develop a new system over the next six months to address racial and other disparities caused by its use of personalization algorithms in its ad delivery system for housing ads.  If the United States concludes that the new system adequately addresses the discriminatory delivery of housing ads, then Meta will implement the system, which will be subject to Department of Justice approval and court oversight.  If the United States concludes that the new system is insufficient to address algorithmic discrimination in the delivery of housing ads, then the settlement agreement will be terminated.

This settlement marks the first time that Meta will be subject to court oversight for its ad targeting and delivery system.

The United States’ Lawsuit

The United States’ complaint challenges three key aspects of Meta’s ad targeting and delivery system.  Specifically, the complaint alleges that:

• Meta enabled and encouraged advertisers to target their housing ads by relying on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin to decide which Facebook users will be eligible, and ineligible, to receive housing ads.
• Meta created an ad targeting tool known as the “Lookalike Audience” or “Special Ad Audience.”  The tool uses a machine-learning algorithm to find Facebook users who share similarities with groups of individuals selected by an advertiser using several options provided by Facebook.  Facebook has allowed its algorithm to consider FHA-protected characteristics—including race, religion, and sex—in finding Facebook users who “look like” the advertiser’s source audience and thus are eligible to receive housing ads.
• Meta’s ad delivery system uses machine-learning algorithms that rely in part on FHA-protected characteristics—such as race, national origin, and sex—to help determine which subset of an advertiser’s targeted audience will actually receive a housing ad.
   

The complaint alleges that Meta has used these three aspects of its advertising system to target and deliver housing-related ads to some Facebook users while excluding other users based on FHA-protected characteristics.  The complaint further alleges both disparate treatment and disparate impact discrimination.  Specifically, the complaint alleges that Meta is liable for disparate treatment because it intentionally classifies users on the basis of FHA-protected characteristics and designs algorithms that rely on users’ FHA-protected characteristics.  The complaint also alleges that Meta is liable for disparate impact discrimination because the operation of its algorithms affects Facebook users differently on the basis of their membership in protected classes.

Settlement Agreement

These are the key features of the parties’ settlement agreement:

• By December 31, 2022, Meta must stop using an advertising tool for housing ads known as “Special Ad Audience” (previously called “Lookalike Audience”), which relies on an algorithm that, according to the United States, discriminates on the basis of race, sex, and other FHA-protected characteristics in identifying which Facebook users will be eligible to receive an ad.
• Meta has until December 2022 to develop a new system for housing ads to address disparities for race, ethnicity, and sex between advertisers’ targeted audiences and the group of Facebook users to whom Facebook’s personalization algorithms actually delivers the ads.  If the United States concludes that this new system sufficiently addresses the discriminatory disparities that Meta’s algorithms introduce, then Meta will fully implement the new system by December 31, 2022.
• If the United States concludes that Meta’s changes to its ad delivery system do not adequately address the discriminatory disparities, the settlement agreement will terminate and the United States will litigate its case against Meta in federal court.
• If the new system is implemented, then the parties will select an independent, third-party reviewer to investigate and verify on an ongoing basis whether the new system is meeting the compliance standards agreed to by the parties.  Under the agreement, Meta must provide the reviewer with any information necessary to verify compliance with those standards.  The court will have ultimate authority to resolve disputes over the information that Meta must disclose.
• Meta will not provide any targeting options for housing advertisers that directly describe or relate to FHA-protected characteristics.  Under the agreement, Meta must notify the United States if Meta intends to add any targeting options.  The court will have authority to resolve any disputes between the parties about proposed new targeting options.
• Meta must pay to the United States a civil penalty of $115,054, the maximum penalty available under the Fair Housing Act.

The lawsuit is based on an investigation and charge of discrimination by HUD, which found that all three aspects of Facebook’s ad delivery system delivered housing ads based on FHA-protected characteristics.  During its investigation, HUD found that Facebook allowed housing advertisers to exclude users from receiving housing-related ads through targeting options that referenced FHA-protected characteristics, and that Facebook’s machine-learning algorithm excluded users from receiving housing-related ads, even when advertisers sought to target a diverse group of Facebook users.  On March 28, 2019, HUD issued a charge of discrimination at the conclusion of its investigation, and Facebook elected to have that charge heard in federal court, resulting in this lawsuit.  Prior to filing this suit, this Office, consistent with its standard practice, sought to resolve these issues without litigation.

On March 29, 2019, the day after the HUD charge was issued, a judge in the Southern District of New York approved the settlement of a private litigation that addressed certain of the issues raised in the HUD charge, in National Fair Housing Alliance et al. v. Facebook, Inc., 18 Civ. 2689.  Although that settlement reduced the potentially discriminatory targeting options available to advertisers, thus overlapping with some of the issues raised in the complaint the Justice Department files today, it did not resolve other problems raised in the Department’s complaint―Facebook’s discriminatory delivery of housing ads through machine-learning algorithms.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York had filed a Statement of Interest in support of the National Fair Housing Alliance case on August 17, 2018, arguing that the Communications Decency Act does not shield Facebook from liability for the delivery of housing ads.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams and Assistant Attorney General Clarke thanked the Department of Housing and Urban Development for its efforts in the investigation.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability.  More information about the Civil Rights Division and the civil rights laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.  More information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is available at www.justice.gov/usao-sdny.  Individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination may submit a report to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York online at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/civil-rights or by telephone at (212) 637-0840; may submit a report online to the Department of Justice atwww.civilrights.justice.gov; or may contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or through its website at www.hud.gov. 

MAYOR ADAMS ASSEMBLES NATIONAL GROUP OF EXPERTS TO DISCUSS RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON HUNGER, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH

 

Assembly of Diverse Range of Voices Will Develop Recommendations to Inform First White House Conference on Food Issues in 50 Years, Conference Takes Place This September

 New York City Mayor Eric Adams today hosted a national convening on the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health at Gracie Mansion. The one-day conference, held in partnership with the Task Force on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, brought together a broad array of non-partisan stakeholders, including policymakers, academics, industry leaders, nonprofit representatives, and individuals with lived experience to discuss strategies for ending hunger, improving nutrition, reducing the prevalence of diet-related diseases, and promoting equity throughout the food system.

 

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to holistically rethink our food system — and we must seize it,” said Mayor Adams. “This gathering is an important opportunity to share ideas and perspectives on how to tackle issues, such as food insecurity and the high rates of chronic diet-related disease. It will be the starting point of an ongoing dialogue, and we look forward to working with our partners in and out of government to develop actionable recommendations in anticipation of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health later this year.”

 

“For too long, your zip code determined whether or not you had access to healthy food,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Sheena Wright. “Today’s convening is a critical step forward to ensure that equity is rooted in all decisions around ending food insecurity and promoting nutrition. New York City will continue to lead the way working with our federal partners, academic experts, and directly impacted New Yorkers to reimagine a better, more equitable food system.”

 

“As we continue to learn to live with and through the coronavirus, we continue to see how important food is in that conversation, said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “Over the last few years, food insecurity has been on the rise and people with diet-related chronic diseases were at higher risk for more severe disease complications due to the virus. Therefore, today’s conference could not come at a better time. Thank you to the mayor for his elevation of these issues to local and national audiences and to everyone participating in today’s discussions.”

 

“Schools are truly the center of our communities and play an essential role in combatting food insecurity,” said New York City Department of Education Chancellor David C. Banks. “I’m incredibly proud that our schools have been able to serve as a resource for our students throughout the pandemic and am committed to ensuring that this vital work continues.”

  

“The administration has already demonstrated its commitment to leading on issues of food equity, and today’s assembly underscores how New York City can be a national leader on these issues,” said Mayor’s Office of Food Policy Executive Director Kate MacKenzie. “We were proud to host this conference with a broad range of stakeholders, and we will continue to advocate for policies to address the profound inequities in our food system, both here in New York and across the nation.”

 

“Given the critical link between diet and health outcomes, NYC Health + Hospitals is committed to making nutrition a core part of health care, using innovative approaches such as expanding lifestyle medicine services to support patients in adopting healthier eating patterns, implementing fruit and vegetable prescription programs, and enhancing nutrition education for both patients and health care providers,” said Michelle McMacken, MD, FACP, DipABLM, executive director, Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine, NYC Health + Hospitals. “We welcome the opportunity to participate in this convening, which will help inform national strategies to reduce diet-related chronic disease and nutrition insecurity.”

 

“During the pandemic there was period of time when we the phrase 'underlying conditions' was ubiquitous,” said Jimmy Oddo, chief of staff, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “As a nation, it seemed we finally had a sense of urgency to confront the reality that we are three of four generations into the Standard American Diet pummeling our health, and we seemed poised to begin to attack the causes of the chronic disease that plagues us. My hope is this conference will spearhead a new awareness and commitment to fight.”

 

Earlier this year, President Joseph Biden announced that the White House will host a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health this September — the first time the White House has hosted a conference on these issues in more than 50 years. To inform and achieve the goals of the conference, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Food Systems for the Future, the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, and World Central Kitchen formed the Task Force on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, along with an accompanying Strategy Group on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health to advise the task force. These efforts — while not formally endorsed by the White House — seek to elevate and identify policy solutions to some of the issues this year’s conference aims to address.

 

Since taking office, Mayor Adams has taken bold steps to make the city’s food system cleaner, healthier, and more equitable for all New Yorkers, including:

• Introducing “Plant-Powered Fridays” in all New York City public schools;
• Expanding lifestyle medicine programs to public health sites in all five boroughs;
• Signing executive orders to formalize the city’s commitment to good food purchasing and promote healthy food advertising on city property; and
• Investing an additional $30 million in funding to the Emergency Food Assistance Program in Fiscal Year 2023 — bringing the total investment to $53 million.

 

“This first convening will provide the task force with a unique opportunity to hear from not only experts but many working on the front lines to end hunger and malnutrition,” said Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, co-chair, Task Force on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health; founder and CEO, Food Systems for the Future; former executive director, World Food Programme. The convening participants will offer evidence to identify not only the root causes of health disparities and hunger in America, but the multisector solutions for positive change. To address these complex, nationwide issues, a successful White House conference will require diverse and geographically widespread participation as well as citizen-driven momentum. I look forward to the outcomes and ideas generated from this dialogue and the many local conversations to follow.”

 

“I’m honored to be a part of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health — we’re recognizing that food is a universal human right and we must do everything we can to ensure everyone, especially children, have access to fresh and healthy food,” said José Andrés, co-chair, Task Force on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health; founder and chief feeding officer, World Central Kitchen; CEO, ThinkFoodGroup. “For this to become a reality, we have to address where our food system is broken or threatened from all angles — and seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity to make food part of the solution to many of the problems we face. Building longer tables, creating resilience in the face of future crises. Food at the end of the day is the heart of every single thing we are.”

 

“I am honored to be a part of this task force that will inform how our country approaches the current hunger, nutrition, and health crisis,” said Senator Bill Frist, co-chair, Task Force on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health; former Majority Leader, U.S. Senate; global board vice-chair, The Nature Conservancy; senior fellow, Bipartisan Policy Center; adjunct professor of surgery, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Department of Cardiac Surgery. “Overcoming this challenge starts during these key community listening sessions where we can engage and listen to those of us who have lived experiences with hunger.”

 

“I am delighted that Mayor Adams’s and New York City are leading the way in encouraging access to healthier food in the city, especially for school-age children,” said Secretary Dan Glickman, co-chair, Task Force on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health; senior fellow, Bipartisan Policy Center, former secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

 

“Today, more Americans are sick than are healthy, suffering from diet-related chronic diseases caused by a food system and policies that make it hard to achieve good nutrition,” said Dean Dariush Mozaffarian, co-chair, Task Force on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health; Dean and Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University; Professor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine and Division of Cardiology, Tufts Medical Center. “These challenges are harming Americans in all 50 states in profound ways — and especially Americans who have lower incomes or are racial or ethnic minorities, who face higher rates of food insecurity, as well as diabetes, obesity, stroke, and heart disease. These problems are crushing not only people’s health but also our economy. It’s time for government at every level — from national to local — to take an active role in finding and supporting solutions. For years, the city of New York has been at the forefront of innovative policies around food, nutrition, and health. I am delighted that Mayor Adams is partnering with us to host this event around the power of cities to reduce hunger, improve nutrition, and advance health for all. It’s time for real change.”

 

“I’m honored to join Mayor Adams for today’s convening on the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. New York State has so many people and groups who are devoted to ensuring that all New Yorkers, from school children to seniors, have access to fresh, healthy food – but there is so much more that can be done,” said New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball. “Conversations like these are critical to the development of steps and strategies that can address these challenges in our state and nationwide.”

  

ELDERLY BRONX WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO STEALING NEARLY $655,000 IN SOCIAL SECURITY AND HRA BENEFITS

 

Defendant Sentenced to Five Years’ Probation, Ordered to Pay Restitution

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a 77-year-old Bronx woman has pleaded guilty to illegally collecting Social Security and Human Resources Administration benefits for decades, using multiple fake identities to claim benefits. She was sentenced to five years’ probation and was ordered to pay back the money, most of which was spent gambling at a casino.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant collected money under three different names, and carefully orchestrated a scheme to collect benefits she was not entitled to. The defendant was caught after she attempted to renew her driver’s license, and the Department of Motor Vehicles’ facial recognition software determined the defendant had multiple identities.”

 Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, said, “This sentencing should stand as a warning to those who are thinking of defrauding the Social Security Administration to receive benefits – we will hold you accountable. The Office of the Inspector General will continue to work to ensure the integrity of SSA’s programs, which provide a critical safety net for those who qualify.” Special Agent in Charge MacDermott thanked the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, and law enforcement partners for their efforts leading to today’s sentencing.

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Carmen Soto, 77, AKA Gloria Sanchez, AKA Carmen Maldonado, was sentenced today to five years of probation by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Rosenblueth. Soto pleaded guilty to second-degree Grand Larceny on May 11, 2022.

 According to the investigation by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Inspector General, Soto defrauded the city’s Human Resources Administration of $266,479.40 and the United States Social Security Administration of $388,322.24. In 1960, Soto was issued three Social Security numbers, under the names Carmen Soto, Gloria Sanchez, and Carmen Maldonado. The defendant applied for Social Security under all three names, eventually getting approved for Social Security in 1994 under the Sanchez and Maldonado aliases. She also obtained drivers licenses or non-driver IDs under all names. Between November 4, 1993 and April 1, 1996, the defendant applied for and received HRA benefits under multiple identities.

 Soto subsequently opened two separate bank accounts to receive Social Security payments and well as two PO boxes. She also applied for and obtained passports under her name and aliases. Soto was caught after having her driver’s license renewed. The DMV used facial recognition software revealing her multiple identities.

 District Attorney Clark also thanked NYPD Detective Eric Bolger and Sergeant William Planeta from the NYPD Financial Crimes Specialty Section, Document Fraud Squad.

 District Attorney Clark thanked Special Agent Mark Balsam of the Social Security Administration New York Field Division, Associate Fraud Investigator Sarah Zaveloff of the Human Resources Administration, and Senior Investigator Doug Jones of the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles, Division of Field Investigation, Bronx Office.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE'S STATEMENT AHEAD OF THE RENT GUIDELINES BOARD VOTE

 

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement before the Rent Guidelines Board's final vote this evening on proposed rent increases for rent-regulated apartments in New York City. He also testified before the Board last week in the Bronx – video of that testimony is available here.

"This evening, the Rent Guidelines Board will vote on proposed rent increases for the two million New Yorkers who live in rent-stabilized apartments. Increasing rents – as they seem poised to do – would only exacerbate the issues the board is tasked with considering, helping neither tenants nor owners. Landlords cannot get more money from people who just don’t have it, and the eviction crisis will only become more entrenched. 

"Just last week, the median rent in Manhattan hit $4,000. Our city is growing ever more unaffordable and inaccessible to the people who call it home, make it run, and help define New York. The minimum wage remains flat while everything else grows more expensive – groceries, childcare, utilities, and now, rent. Once again, we’re asking the people with the least to do more with less. We’re evicting the very same people we called “heroes” in 2020 and sending a resounding message that they don’t deserve a safe and stable place to live. 

"There are already tens of thousands of homeless New Yorkers, and since last year, there has been a sharp rise in the number of New Yorkers living on the street. If the Board follows through with the proposed increases, they vote to add even more families, children, disabled New Yorkers, and lifelong neighbors to that number. The suggested increases are unreasonable, untenable, and unacceptable."

NYC Council LGBTQIA+ Caucus co-chairs Council Members Tiffany Cabán and Crystal Hudson propose the creation of a new commission for LGBTQIA+ elders within the Department for the Aging

 

Bill for LGBTQIA+ Aging Commission introduced at first-ever NYC Council Hearing on LGBTQIA+ elders

 SAGE, the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer and/or questioning (LGBTQ+) elders, applauds Aging Committee Chair Crystal Hudson and Women and Gender Equity Committee Chair Tiffany Cabán for leading a groundbreaking joint oversight hearing on the “Challenges Facing LGBTQIA+ Older Adults” and co-sponsoring a new bill to address these challenges head-on by creating a commission on LGTBQIA+ older people within the New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA).

“Our city’s LGBTQ+ elders and older New Yorkers living with HIV have been the at forefront of the movement for LGBTQ+ equality and justice. They are a resilient, growing demographic that has unique needs as they age—needs that New York City must address and prioritize,” said Lynn Faria, Executive Vice President of SAGE. “This first-ever, history-making hearing and proposal to create a commission dedicated to addressing the unique needs of LGBTQ+ elders will help ensure these pioneers can age with the dignity and respect they deserve. This progress is a testament to the meaningful impact of representation in City Hall. SAGE applauds Council Members Cabán and Hudson for their tireless advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ+ elders and looks forward to continuing our partnership with the Department for the Aging and Commissioner Cortés-Vázquez.”

LGBTQIA+ elders have faced a lifetime of discrimination and, as a result, face disparities in health, economic security, caregiving, and social connections—LGBTQIA+ older people of color and transgender older people face even deeper disparities.

The proposed commission on LGBTQIA+ aging would investigate, analyze, and study the health, housing, financial, social, home-and-community-based services, assisted living, and long-term care needs of LGBTQIA+ older adults and older New Yorkers living with HIV. If passed and signed into law, membership of this commission would consist of New Yorkers from the LGBTQIA+ aging advocacy groups, community-based healthcare organizations, HIV and AIDS service providers, trans-led advocacy organizations, labor organizations, disability services, and organizations that serve Black, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, Indigenous, and Latinx LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers, as well as appointments by the Department for the Aging (DFTA) Commissioner. 

“It’s time our city actively worked to engage older LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers and addressed their diverse needs with meaningful legislation and tangible solutions,” said Council Member Crystal Hudson (D35). “This is the generation on whose shoulders we stand, and that has paved the way with its tireless advocacy and courageous determination. Queer New Yorkers now live in a city that is at once more accepting and more replete with resources to meet the needs of our community, and we must continue to take heed from our older neighbors and work to guarantee that their needs—from housing and health care, to food security and culturally competent city services—are always met. By establishing this Commission, we are ensuring that older LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers are not just part of the conversation, but always at the decision-making table.”

“While it is well-known that an historic percentage of New York’s young people identify as LGBTQIA+, discussions of the over 100,000 LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers aged 65 or older are rare,” said Council Member Tiffany Cabán (D22). “This Pride Month, let us hear from our beloved older LGBTQIA+ neighbors, friends, and family. What do they need to allow them to age with dignity, how culturally competent and equitable are the city’s services, and how can the Council help improve these outcomes? I’m so glad to help chair today’s hearing, to probe into these and related questions and help make our city safer, healthier, and more welcoming to all who live here."

“During Pride Month, our communities continue to advocate for equality and simultaneously celebrate progress – and a vital reason for historic progress for our communities has been our LGBTQIA+ older adults. Despite discrimination, health inequities, housing insecurity, and so many other barriers, it was our older adults who persevered and paved the way for so many to be out and proud today,” said Wendy Stark, Executive Director of Callen-Lorde Community Health Center. “We applaud the sponsors, Councilperson Cabán and Councilperson Hudson, for introducing legislation to create a commission dedicated to addressing long-standing issues that this community faces every single day. These are our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and chosen family and they deserve a New York that is safe, affirming, and equitable.”

"LiveOn NY applauds Council Member Crystal Hudson and Council Member Tiffany Cabán for holding this historic first hearing on the challenges facing LGBTQIA+ older adults," said Brianna Paden-Williams, Communications and Policy Associate at LiveOn NY. "LGBTQIA+ older adults are pioneers of the movement who refuse to be invisible, yet often face challenges of being disconnected from critical community-based services such as older adult centers, health services and affordable housing. No one should have to hide who they are or who they love to age safely in community. At LiveOn NY, we are committed to uplifting the LGBTQIA+ community and ensuring all older New Yorkers have access to equitable LGBTQIA+ affirming services throughout the five boroughs."

This bill to establish a commission on LGTBQIA+ older adults within DFTA is being pre-considered at the time of the June 21, 2022 oversight hearing and does not yet have a bill number. Following its introduction, it will have to pass out of the New York City Council’s Committee on Aging with a majority vote before being sent to the full Council, where it can be considered and voted on at a Stated Meeting.

MAYOR ADAMS AND HEALTH COMMISSIONER DR. VASAN ANNOUNCE NEW YORK CITY HAS MOVED DOWN INTO MEDIUM RISK ON COVID-19 ALERT SYSTEM

 

 New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan today released the following joint statement after New York City moved down from ‘high’ to ‘medium’ on the COVID-19 alert system: 

 

“Day after day, New Yorkers are stepping up and doing their part, and because of our collective efforts we are winning the fight against COVID-19. We’re grateful to New Yorkers for their continued attention and vigilance as we’ve made our way through to the other side of this wave, and, as a result, we’re pleased to announce that New York has fallen into the ‘medium’ risk category. This surge has taught us a lot about how the virus is currently behaving, and how to prepare for the coming weeks and months. 

 

“Testing, vaccinations, treatments, and masking have been vital tools to keep people alive and out of the hospital. But we know there remains no greater defense against this virus than vaccination, which is why we’re pleased that young children are now eligible for the protection they deserve, and can’t wait to begin under-5 vaccination tomorrow.” 

 

DOHMH has provided more than 55,000 courses of the antiviral Paxlovid through home delivery already this year, in addition to the thousands of courses issued through providers, helping reduce the severity of those infected with COVID-19.  

 

Additionally, NYC Test + Trace has distributed more than 16.5 million at-home tests to New Yorkers over the last month and over 33 million tests since January to help keep New Yorkers home when infected. 

 

COVID-19 cases per 100,000 are now at 240.4 and hospitalizations per 100,000 have fallen to 9.8. This puts New York City into medium risk, according to the current risk alert system.