Census Deadline Cut Short to October 15 following Supreme Court Ruling

By SÍLE MOLONEY

At noon on Wednesday, Oct. 14, NYC Census 2020 and partners hosted an emergency virtual press conference to raise awareness about the shortened timeline for the completion of the census which now ends Oct. 15, and to mobilize the community in a final sprint to respond and encourage their neighbors, friends, and family to do so also. On Friday, Sept. 24, U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh had ordered the Census Bureau to keep conducting the census count until Oct. 31 but a subsequent Supreme Court ruling allowed the Trump administration to end the 2020 Census on Oct. 15.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The annual Affordable Homeownership Summit hosted by the Center for NYC Neighborhoods will take place, virtually, over two days on Oct. 7 and 8, between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. EST. It will discuss recovery strategies from the global pandemic, Black homeownership, the racial wealth gap, and climate change. The center will bring together hundreds of leaders, policymakers, government officials, lenders and advocates, virtually, for its seventh annual summit, which will run for two days with five panels, as experts discuss innovative solutions and current best practices for low, and moderate-income homeowners. Keynote speaker Andre Perry, fellow on

By SÍLE MOLONEY

On Friday, Sept. 24, U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh ordered the Census Bureau to keep conducting the census count until October 31. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who yesterday announced his withdrawal from the mayoral race in New York City, and 2020 Census Task Force Co-Chairs, Carlos Menchaca and Carlina Rivera, issued a statement on the court ruling extending the census period. “This is a win for New York and gives us another month to get a complete count in the City. We have seen the Trump Administration try and fail, again and again, to exclude immigrants

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Bronx native, attorney, and board member of Northwest Bronx Democrats 4 Change, Oswald Feliz, is clear on what his top three issues are in running for City Council in the 15th District. “Number one, I will work to racially and economically desegregate our public-school system,” he said. “We actually have the most racially and economically segregated system in the country, and that has to change.” Feliz said that in a city which has the largest public-school system in the country, with over 1.1 million students, where 70 percent are from minority communities, it is unjust that only a

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sept. 16 that the City will issue a week of furloughs for mayoral office employees. This action, in addition to savings from the adopted budget, will represent a 12% cut to the FY21 Mayor’s Office budget. “Dedicated public servants have worked tirelessly for our city and their fellow New Yorkers throughout this crisis,” said De Blasio. “This is a painful step, but it shows just how committed we are to responsible budgeting and leading the City through these challenging times. Today’s announcement makes it clear we need Albany to step

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Richard A. Carranza announced on Sept. 14, the opening of the Department of Education COVID Response Situation Room—a multi-agency partnership between the Department of Education (DOE), Department of Health and Mental Health (DOHMH), and the Test & Trace Corps—to facilitate a rapid response to positive COVID-19 cases in public schools. The Situation Room provides a single point-of-contact between schools and agency partners responsible for performing both testing, contact tracing, and ensuring the appropriate interventions are being taken by school communities. “The Situation Room is the precise system we need

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has reiterated the Trump Administration’s commitment to minimize displacement and evictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic in line with President Trump’s executive order, “Fighting the Spread of COVID-19 by Providing Assistance to Renters and Homeowners.” On Sept. 1, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the “Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19,” order. It took effect on Sept. 4, and declares a national moratorium on certain residential evictions for nonpayment of rent, as well as other fees or charges. In fact,

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, who formally announced her intention to run for Bronx borough president at the end of August, joined some of her staff members, Friends of Mosholu Parkland and members of the City Parks’ department on Monday Aug. 31 for another park clean-up, as part of the ongoing “Meaningful Monday” initiative. This time it was at Azalea Garden at Jerome Avenue and East Mosholu Parkway in the Bronx. The campaign which is trending on social media under the hashtag #meaningfulmonday was launched in July by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., in an effort to gather members of

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Dionel Then has withdrawn from the 11th City Council District race in the Northwest Bronx and is endorsing candidate, Dan Padernacht, for the position, it was announced on Aug. 31. The 11th district comprises the neighborhoods of Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Riverdale, Van Cortlandt Village, Wakefield, and Woodlawn, and the seat is currently held by Councilman Andrew Cohen. The news means there are now five remaining candidates in the race, as reported recently by Norwood News. Marcos Sierra officially filed last month to join Eric Dinowitz, Jessica Haller, Padernacht and Abigail Martin. In a press release coinciding with