COVID 19 Update #6 from NYCHA

Dear partners,

NYCHA has been working closely with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to monitor the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and based on their guidance, we wanted to inform you of new measures the Authority is taking to prioritize the health and safety of our residents and employees and to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

We are going to provide updates across a number of different areas:

• Communication with External Stakeholders
• Communication with NYCHA residents
• NYCHA's Emergency Telework Policy
• NYCHA wide Response to the Novel Coronavirus
• Precautionary steps for our most vulnerable population
• Suspensions of NYCHA policies
• NYCHA employees

Communication with External Stakeholders

• NYCHA has cancelled the March Board of Directors meeting. As of now, the April 29th Board Meeting will proceed and all March Items will be moved to April’s Meeting. Administering Departments will determine if action on the March Items is necessary prior to Board approval on April 29th. In those instances, the Items will be presented to the Board in April as ratifications

• We have made individual phone calls to all TA presidents and leadership and are keeping them abreast through regular email updates.
   

• NYCHA is working diligently to ensure continuous services of essential and emergency repairs at all of our developments. · NYCHA continues to make COVID-19 information available through direct outreach to residents through robocalls, emails, multilingual posters, the MyNYCHA App, daily social media posts, and posting on resident, employee and public websites. ·

• Beginning Monday, March 16, NYCHA’s property management offices will be open, as the Property office staff will continue to assist residents via telephone, email, and through scheduled appointments to speak to staff from behind the reception desk. Residents should use MyNYCHA to reschedule work orders and submit emergency repair requests. This policy will be reevaluated in 30 days. Property management will suspend direct-contact meetings with residents in an effort to enhance social distancing practices per DOHMH guidance.  

• Residents can also call the CCC at 718-707-7771 to report emergencies, schedule routine maintenance repairs in their apartments and developments. Trained representatives are on standby 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to handle emergencies and to schedule routine maintenance repairs for Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to midnight.

• Property Management Offices will accept documentation in the office or via email; be available to discuss confidential information via phone or in the office; accept notices of intent to vacate and return keys, cylinder/mailbox change or copies of keys; and accept responses to Annual Window Guard Notice and Child Under 6 Survey.

• NYCHA staff will continue to perform EMERGENCY maintenance and repairs at developments and in apartments. Emergencies are defined as: Water leaks; Gas leaks; Local power issues; Stoppages; Hazardous conditions (e.g., electrical issues or fire hazards). If residents do require EMERGENCY maintenance, NYCHA staff will take precautionary measures before entering apartments including asking about residents’ health and maintaining social distance. Staffers may choose to wear masks or gloves while working in the apartment. They also may ask to open windows in the apartment to increase ventilation during the repair. If safe health conditions are not possible, NYCHA will reschedule the appointment

• NYCHA has implemented and notified all staff of NYCHA's Emergency Telework Policy, which is consistent with Mayor Bill de Blasio's request for 10 percent of the City's workforce to work from home, as well as guidance from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on best practices for social distancing to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

• Non-senior residences are being cleaned daily by a combination of in-house staff and caretakers and additional cleaning service companies. Our approximately 3,200 caretakers are also responsible for grounds maintenance, sweeping floors, checking roofs and waste removal.

• NYCHA’s daily cleaning efforts are concentrated in high-traffic areas - including door handles, hopper doors, mailboxes and elevator controls - in our 2,200 buildings, 3,843 lobbies, 3,140 elevators and 25,805 floors.

• Presently, we are working with another contractor to provide thorough cleaning at developments impacted by school closures.

• NYCHA has hired a contractor to clean senior buildings with a two-step treatment plan that includes cleaning and applying a deep-cleaning agent and a bio-ecofriendly protective coating that kills germs before they attach to surfaces. The deep-cleaner and protective coating are applied at the same time and typically lasts for 90 days but we are going to a 30-day cycle as a precautionary measure, and basic cleaning is recommended two times a week after application.

• As of Saturday, March 15th, all 71 senior buildings have been cleaned with the first step in the two- step intensive cleaning process.  

• Through our robust Community Engagement and Partnerships department and programs, we are making ongoing individual phone calls to our vulnerable population to confirm first-hand that they understand the precautions regarding COVID-19 and to identify whether they have any special needs at this time. We are also making sure they have food, medication and necessary health and social services, and we are making them aware of the City’s mental health counseling services, available by phone, if they need help coping with social distancing, stress or anxiety.

• We have daily calls with DFTA, Dept. of Health, and other City agencies to monitor policies related to the senior population. NYC Department for the Aging (DFTA) has made arrangements for seniors to pick up meals at the DFTA Senior Centers and NYC Department of Education is offering pick up meals for children at schools. Meals on Wheels will continue delivery services. NYCHA and partner agencies are continuing to explore additional meal resources for senior residents.

• Additionally, we speak directly to tenant leadership  to exchange relevant updates regarding services for vulnerable residents.

Suspensions of NYCHA policies

• NYCHA is halting resident evictions in tandem with the City's duration of the state of emergency notice. NYCHA took decisive action last week to keep our residents healthy and housed during these uncertain times.

• As per NYCHA’s existing rent hardship policy, residents can file an interim recertification to decrease their rent due to decreased income. Rent hardship qualifications include at least a 5 percent reduction to gross income, current rent at more than 30 percent of the net household income and a reduction in income has lasted at least two months.

• Tenants can apply for an interim recertification on NYCHA’s self-service portal or by calling the management office. An interim recertification is a change in a household’s composition, income, disability, senior, citizenship status or student status that occurs between annual recertification periods.

• NYCHA has provided guidance to Public Housing and Section 8 residents regarding the suspension of evictions, rent hardship and methods of paying rent including mail, phone, MYNYCHA App and online through authorized banks.

• NYCHA’s Administrative Hearing Office is postponing all cases until the end of March, at which time we will reevaluate the hearing schedule to determine if the postponement should be extended.

• Starting Monday, March 16th, NYCHA is postponing all in-person public meetings and events at NYCHA offices and developments for 30 days.

• The Brooklyn and Bronx Customer Contact Walk-in Centers are closed to the public until further notice.

• NYCHA has provided guidance to Resident Association leaders and requested residents postpone large group meetings, including resident elections.

NYCHA employees

• NYCHA is communicating information to our employees regarding HR policies and we are reviewing and adjusting our plans as we learn more information.

• NYCHA IT has provided all staff with guidance on Technology Tools for Telecommuting.

• During the state of emergency, NYCHA is working to ensure adequate staffing levels to provide each development with essential services.

• In addition to reallocating resources and reassigning personnel if necessary, NYCHA’s Emergency Services staff and our Environmental Health and Safety Department’s Crisis Responders Addressing Safety & Health Teams will be utilized to support front-line staff. 

• Beginning on March 17, 2020, the DEO office will conduct complaint intake over the phone for NYCHA residents, employees, applicants, and Section 8 voucher holders, to allow the agency to keep both staff and the public safe while still ensuring NYCHA DEO’s ability to monitor compliance with prevailing wage, employment, and fair housing anti-discrimination laws, and NYCHA non-discrimination policies and procedures

• NYCHA continues to make COVID-19 information available through direct communication with our managers, teleconferencing, emails, and posting on resident, employee and public websites.