The DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services (MELS), the Building Service 32BJ Legal Services Fund, CUNY’s Citizenship Now! Program and the Emerald Isle Immigration Center (EIIC) are jointly presenting a citizenship seminar on Wednesday Sept. 22 at 6 pm on Zoom. Learn how to become a U.S. citizen and the benefits of citizenship. To join the Benefits of Becoming a U.S. Citizen Seminar, register here.— Sep 15
BY DIANE S. WILLIAMS Torrents of rain poured down as remnants of Hurricane Ida tore through New York City, flooding subways and turning roadways and streets into rushing rivers on Sept. 1. The historic deluge dumped over three inches of rain in an hour and overloaded the city’s vast and aging drainage systems. It created life-threatening conditions and caused millions of dollars in damage, the likes of which have not been seen since Superstorm Sandy made landfall in 2012. Wednesday’s super storm led state and local officials to call a State of Emergency in New York City. Hardest hit were parts of Manhattan and Queens, where subway station stairs became thunderous waterfalls. Ida’s angry floodwaters crashed through house foundations and inundated some ground level businesses and apartments. It quickly made a watery deathtrap for basement dwellers. In New York City, Ida claimed 13 lives, including that of a 2-year-old child. About 15 Local 983 Urban Park Rangers and Associate UPRs worked into the early morning to help stranded tennis fans at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadow Park. “The whole park was flooded. Water was four feet deep in some parts,” said AUPR Joe Oro. Ida caught New York’s drivers [...]— Sep 13
By DIANE S. WILLIAMS This Sept. 11 marks the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93. District Council 37 remembers that horrific day and what New York’s public employees did to save thousands of lives. The union also recounts what its leaders did to protect staff members at 125 Barclay St., and provide uninterrupted services for members and retirees. Dennis Sullivan, the union’s lead negotiator, arrived at 125 Barclay early that morning. “I was scheduled for a 9 a.m. meeting on the 39th floor of the North Tower, Building 1,” he said. “I saw the first plane hit. I was around for the 1993 bombing. I came back to 125 and called the mayor and the police.” About 200 MELS staff were in the union building. Some 150 retirees were waiting to hear City Council Speaker Peter Vallone in Room 1. It was Primary Day and most staff were on field assignments across the city. “As the only administrator on premises, I made an executive decision to evacuate the union headquarters,” Sullivan said. Building Superintendent Al Locasio calmly made the announcement. Sullivan spoke with police and offered use of the union [...]— Sep 10
IMPACT of 9/11 TOXINS 20 YEARS LATER and the FEDERAL RESPONSE THURSDAY, SEPT. 9, 9:30 am to 12 pm and 2 to 3:30 pm FRIDAY, SEPT. 10, 9:30 am to 1 pm Join this live-stream, two-day event from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. This program will bring together health professionals, legal experts, elected officials, as well as responders and 9/11 survivors. Thursday’s presentation will highlight the health effects of the toxins at the WTC, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville crash site and the lifesaving medical monitoring and treatment that responders and survivors receive through the WTC Health Program Clinical Centers of Excellence and National Provider Services that help more than 110,000 responders and survivors in every state across the country. Friday’s program will discuss efforts to pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act and reauthorize the WTC Health Program and the Victim Compensation Fund in 2019. Register here: https://bit.ly/2XPnZth. #WTCHealthProgram ### MELS IMPORTANT UPDATE ON EVICTION MORATORIUMS NEW YORK STATE EVICTION MORATORIUM New York State lawmakers agreed on September 1 to extend sweeping protections against evictions. The state’s amended eviction moratorium, extended through January 15, 2022, is one of the most extensive protections put into [...]— Sep 7
New York State lawmakers agreed on September 1 to extend sweeping protections against evictions. The state’s amended eviction moratorium, extended through January 15, 2022, is one of the most extensive protections put into place in the nation. Under the amended law, landlords can challenge a tenant’s declaration of hardship. However, tenants are still encouraged to file New York State hardship declaration forms. MELS can help with issues related to the N.Y.S. hardship declaration form and the other protections available to tenants. Call our Screening Unit at 212.815.1111 for advice and legal representation. The U.S. Supreme Court has recently invalidated the CDC Federal Eviction Moratorium. This means that tenants who filed a hardship declaration form under the federal CDC provision are no longer protected under that provision. Tenants who owe rent or are facing an eviction case should not give up and move out. There are still many steps landlords must take to proceed with an eviction and there are still many ways tenants can defend their homes. MELS can help. Call our Screening Unit at 212.815.1111 for advice and legal representation. EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ERAP) New York State’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is accepting applications to help [...]— Aug 27
