FAQ NYC
Another PSA created by the city.

Dispatch from City Hall, NYC: Friday, March 27th. Evening.

Alex Brook Lynn

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TGIF

We hope this round-up of daily NYC news finds you safe and sound, and not about town. 

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Medical Supplies

Mayor Bill de Blasio warned today that, on or around April 5th, he will be “very, very worried” about supplies. Although a lot of publications are getting reports that some hospitals are already short on PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), the city is adamant that they have enough supplies for at least these next two weeks, and are getting enough to last until April 5th. 

The First of the Month Guide

This weekend, FAQ.NYC will be working on a “First of the Month Guide,” which will include all the facts, links, and resources available to New Yorkers who are anxious about April 1. 

Some questions we have are: 

  • Will there be a pause on rent for all NYC residents? 
    • Will there be a partial pause for those in need? 
  • What happens at the end of the 90 day moratorium on evictions? 
    • Do tenants owe all that money at once? 
    • What relief plans are in place so far?
  • If a landlord isn’t collecting rent, do they have to pay their mortgage?
    • Will there be more government regulation on what banks can and can’t ask from a property owner?
    • What about the cost of building maintenance and sanitation services? Will the city step in? 
  • Is there any relief coming for gig economy workers who are not, as of now, eligible for unemployment?
    • How can I find resources?
    • What do I say to my landlord/utility company/phone provider if I can’t pay this month?

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT APRIL 1st & YOU THINK WE SHOULD INCLUDE THEM IN OUT FIRST OF THE MONTH GUIDE, EMAIL alex@theracketmedia.com

Rent 

  • Mayor Bill de Blasio today called for a “rent freeze,” which means that while this crisis is going on, landlords will not be able to raise rent on rent regulated apartments. He said that he would work with the State to make that happen. According to the Mayor’s office, rent stabilized units account for “2.3 million tenants in nearly 1 million stabilized units across the City.”
  • Governor Andrew Cuomo answered a reporter’s question today on whether he would consider suspending rent by answering that we already had a moratorium on evictions in place. 

Worship is Canceled

  • Even though the majority of religious organizations have ceased in-person worship, there are a few who are still holding services where groups gather. 
  • The Mayor said that this weekend, “after an initial warning, NYPD will be enforcing the suspension of religious services this weekend and will impose fines and other penalties, including building closure, on those who are not adhering to the guidance.”

Hospitals

Data of the Sick

  • Today is the second day that the Mayor’s office did NOT provide the number of ICU cases of persons infected with COVID-19. 
  • The Mayor’s office did provide a map of the positive COVID-19 cases broken down by Neighborhood: however, the Mayor then went on to explain that it was inaccurate. “…it gives you unfortunately a very incomplete picture because it was not based on a uniform testing standard.” Because there was no singular standard applied to who did and did not get tested across the city, these numbers could be entirely wrong. 
  • A handful of local journalists got really mad about it, Alex Brook Lynn included. Read their angry tweets. 

Construction

Rosa Goldensohn of The City has been reporting on the unsafe workplace conditions that construction workers face. Cuomo has called off “non essential” construction, however Rosa tweeted out earlier that the construction of affordable housing is essential. Rosa tweeted today that to qualify for that category of “affordable housing,” only 20% of the units needed to be for that purpose. 

Jails

A state judge ordered inmates who were jailed due to “noncriminal technical parole violations,” be released. Read more about it at Law 360

Fire

A train fire killed an MTA worker and injured 16 others in Harlem early this morning. Read more at the NY POST

Some of our Favorite Local News Sources:

Twitter List for NYC reporters to follow

For anyone who is new to Twitter, or just new to following local politics, I made a list of some NYC reporters that you can follow to stay in-the-know.

Here is how to donate to stuff or volunteer if you want

The Numbers

Friday 4/17, 1pmMonday 4/20, 2:30pm
Total Cases122148132467
– Manhattan1595216987
– Brooklyn3249935203
– Queens3744740714
– The Bronx2701429505
– Staten Island91669986
Hospitalization Rate26.8%26.2%
ICU Rate????
Confirmed Deaths7890(NYC) / 8893(NYS)9101(NYC) / 10022(NYS)
Probable Deaths43094582

This weekend: 1200+ deaths

Andrew Cuomo Says Cities Are in Trouble in a ‘Post-Covid World’

Will Lee Zeldin Defund the MTA?

Lee Zeldin Is ‘That Guy’