June 1, 2021


Dear Community Partner:
 
Thank you for your ongoing partnership in our shared commitment to serve New Yorkers in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Following our standing weekly call, we continue to share important updates as well as an ongoing synopsis of the information shared in prior communications which can be found on our DSS COVID-19 Community Updates page
 
COVID-19 Vaccination Updates
 
As of May 27, New Yorkers aged 12 to 17 who receive their COVID-19 vaccine can have their names entered into a random drawing for a full scholarship to SUNY or CUNY. Winners receive a full scholarship to any public college or university, including tuition and room and board. New York State will administer the random drawing and select 10 winners a week over five weeks, for a total of 50 winners. Sign up to be notified when the drawing begins by registering here. 

The City has created detailed fact sheets for outreach to families with children aged 12-15 years who are newly eligible for the Pfizer vaccine. Flyers can be found here.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced a new funding opportunity of $1 million in grants available to CBO's. The funds are intended for educating and assisting individuals in accessing and receiving COVID-19 vaccinations and supporting “vulnerable and medically underserved communities, including racial and ethnic minority groups and individuals living in areas of high social vulnerability.” Applications due on June 9, 2021. The national Community-Based Workforce Alliance (CBWA) is hosting a free event to support CBOs in the application process. The event is on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 from 3:30 - 5:30 and interested parties can register here.
 
NYC Mobile Vaccine Buses continue to provide vaccines in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens. The full schedule of mobile vaccine locations can be found online here. Walk-ups are welcome and you can also book in advance through the Vax4NYC website.
 
As a reminder, New Yorkers ages 12 years and older can continue to receive their COVID-19 vaccine without an appointment at select sites across NYC. Sites can be found here. New Yorkers are required to provide proof of age and residency in order to receive the vaccine. Additional information can be found here.
 
While walk-up vaccines are available at City operated vaccination sites, appointments can still be made by using vaccinefinder.nyc.gov.
 
The in-home vaccination program is continuing. Homebound New Yorkers interested in receiving an in-home vaccination can sign up here or by calling 1-877-VAX-4-NYC.

COVID-19 Testing
 
Free testing continues to be available throughout the five boroughs. A schedule of mobile testing locations throughout the City as well as detailed information on locations and types of testing offered at regular testing sites (including rapid testing and antibody tests) can be found here. Locations of testing sites can also be accessed by texting “COVID TEST” to 855-48. These are no cost testing sites open to all New Yorkers.
 
The Test-and-Trace corps offers the COVID 19 Wait Times Dashboard, which displays estimated wait times for NYC Health + Hospitals COVID-19 testing locations. This wait time information is updated by site staff every two hours.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
 
The State OTDA announced last week that the Emergency Rental Assistance Program would begin accepting applications for rental assistance through its portal, opening on June 1, 2021. 
 
The OTDA ERAP web page has detailed information on eligibility and the application process. The State OTDA has also opened a help line at 844-NY1-RENT (844-691-7368).
 
The Department of Social Services has contracted with community-based organizations in each borough to provide outreach and enrollment assistance to potentially eligible New Yorkers. Information, including a list of the organizations contracted to provide enrollment services, can be found here.
 
HRA is sending notices to all benefits recipients notifying them of the availability of this federal benefit.

New York residents are eligible for ERAP if they meet all of the following criteria:

  • Household gross income is at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI).
  • On or after March 13, 2020, a member of the household received unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in income, incurred significant costs or experienced financial hardship, directly or indirectly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The applicant is obligated to pay rent at their primary residence and has rental arrears (rent overdue) at their current residence for rent owed on or after March 13, 2020.
  • The household must be at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, which can be demonstrated by having rental arrears owed on or after March 13, 2020.

There are no immigration status requirements to qualify for the program.
 
Households eligible for rental arrears may also be eligible for help paying utility arrears at the same rental unit.

During the first 30 days of the program, New York State is prioritizing households with income at or below 50% of AMI and at least one household member within the following categories:
 
  • unemployed for at least 90 days since March 13, 2020
  • veteran
  • experiencing domestic violence or is a survivor of human trafficking
  • has an eviction case pending in court
  • lives in a community that was disproportionately impacted by COVID-19
  • lives in a building with 20 or fewer units
  • resides in a mobile home
 
After the initial 30-day period, applications will be reviewed on a first-come first-served basis. Funds are limited so all eligible households should apply as soon as possible regardless of whether they are in a priority group.
 
Households approved for ERAP may receive:
 
  • Up to 12 months of rental arrears payments for rents accrued on or after March 13, 2020.
  • Up to 3 months of additional rental assistance if the household is expected to spend 30 percent or more of their gross monthly income to pay for rent.
  • Up to 12 months of electric or gas utility arrears payments for arrears that have accrued on or after March 13, 2020.

Payments will be made directly to the landlord/property owner and utility company on behalf of the tenant. Payments issued under ERAP do not need to be paid back.
 
Calls from HRA to clients

As a reminder, when clients are receiving calls from HRA – from Infoline or for a CA/SNAP interview – there are four telephone numbers that the calls may come from:
  • 347-227-3301
  • 718-269-3231
  • 929-267-5002
  • 914-274-5743

Missing Child Care Payments

HRA does not process child care payments. To report a payment that was not made, please call the ACS Voucher Payment Unit at (212) 835-7610.
 
Small Business Recovery Grant Program

On May 25, the Governor announced financial assistance for small businesses experiencing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The small business recovery grant program will provide funding to small and micro businesses and small for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations to help them recover from the economic impact of the pandemic, with priority being given to socially and economically disadvantaged business owners, including minority- and women-owned business enterprises, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses and veteran-owned businesses, and businesses located in economically distressed communities. Grants will be for a minimum award of $5,000 and a maximum award of $50,000 and will be calculated based on a New York State business' annual gross receipts for 2019. 

Please refer to NYSBusinessRecovery.ny.gov which highlights the various resources available to support small businesses seeking pandemic relief. The website will be continuously updated as more details and funding information as it becomes available. 
 
Paid College Seminar for High School Students
 
Freedom & Citizenship is a free four-week academic enrichment program for New York City high school students that introduces them to college-level work in the humanities and prepares them for lives as informed, responsible citizens. This year, the program is offering a $1,000 stipend to support students who would otherwise have worked during July. Apply Now
 
Jobs Available with the City Cleanup Corps

The City Cleanup Corps (CCC) is an economic recovery program with the aim of creating 10,000 jobs and making New York City the "cleanest, greenest city in the United States." The CCC is funded via federal stimulus dollars and is part of the Mayor’s Recovery For All of Us plan.

Non-profit organizations interested in a full-time CCC intern should visit nyc.gov/CCC for more information. HRA and the JCC of Greater Coney Island have partnered to place paid full-time interns in community organizations. 
 
NYCHA-CUNY Resident Scholarship Program
 
NYCHA is offering $1,000 scholarships to resident CUNY students. Applications open on June 14 and close on July 19, 2021. These scholarships are offered in five categories. More information can be found here. Two virtual information sessions are being held on June 1 at 10 am and on June 3 at 6 pm. To register visit https://selfserve.nycha.info/, or call the REES hotline at 718-289-8100.
 
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Cooling Assistance Component Flyer
 
The State OTDA has created a new outreach flyer to promote the HEAP Cooling Assistance Component. The flyer briefly outlines eligibility guidelines and provides information on how to apply. Please share the flyer widely with potentially eligible clients and constituents. The new flyer can be found here.
 
Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Office/Section 8 Vouchers
 
As we have shared previously, starting on May 3, 2021, HPD’s Division of Tenant Resources’ Client Services office at 100 Gold Street has re-opened by appointment only. Appointments will be scheduled only when business may not be handled virtually or by phone. The most efficient way to reach HPD staff is by using email. Follow this link for HPD staff email addresses.
 
HPD has extended voucher terms:
  • Applicants and participant movers with vouchers that expired during the pandemic have been mailed notice of their extensions. Any Section 8 voucher holders with questions or concerns about their voucher status should reach out to the Division of Tenant Resources (DTR) at DTRInitials@hpd.nyc.gov.
  • Clients who need more time should submit a request for an extension within 30 days of their voucher expiration date. Requests will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
  • The Extension Request form may be uploaded to the DTR Portal or emailed to DTRInitials@hpd.nyc.gov for applicants or Portability@hpd.nyc.gov for participants that are moving or porting with their voucher.
 
Child Tax Credit (CTC) 2021
 
As we have shared previously, for tax year 2021, families claiming the Child Tax Credit (CTC) will receive up to $3,000 per qualifying child between the ages of 6 and 17 at the end of 2021. They will receive $3,600 per qualifying child under age 6 at the end of 2021. Under the prior law, the amount of the CTC was up to $2,000 per qualifying child under the age of 17 at the end of the year.
 
The increased amounts are reduced (phased out), for incomes over $150,000 for married taxpayers filing a joint return and qualifying widows or widowers, $112,500 for heads of household, and $75,000 for all other taxpayers.
 
Advance payments of the 2021 Child Tax Credit will be made regularly from July through December to eligible taxpayers who have a main home in the United States for more than half of the year. The total of the advance payments will be up to 50 percent of the Child Tax Credit. Advance payments will be estimated from information included in eligible taxpayers' 2020 tax returns (or their 2019 returns if the 2020 returns are not filed and processed yet).
 
The IRS urges people with children to file their 2020 tax returns as soon as possible to make sure they're eligible for the appropriate amount of the CTC as well as any other tax credits they're eligible for, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Filing electronically with direct deposit also can speed refunds and future advance CTC payments.
 
For those who have not filed taxes, the IRS will be sharing information on how to register for the CTC payments. The previous non-filer tool used by the IRS for individuals who did not file taxes to receive Economic Impact Payments is now closed. We will share additional information as soon as it is available.
 
Information is regularly updated on the IRS website.
 
The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) has additional resources for those who need assistance accessing these and other tax credits. More information can be found on this factsheet and on their website.
 
Economic Impact Payment (EIP)
 
The former IRS non-filer tool is no longer available. As such, individuals who do not normally file a return will need to file a 2020 tax return to receive the Economic Impact Payment (EIP).

Important information about the third round of economic impact payments can be found here.

Individuals and families who did not receive the first two EIP payments can still qualify for those payments when they file their 2020 return by claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit. There is a special section on IRS.gov that can provide help: Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you are not required to file a tax return.

Individuals experiencing homeless are eligible for all three rounds of EIP and will need to file a tax return in order to receive the payments. Services are available through NYC Free Tax Prep. Both a valid form of ID and SSN/ITIN are required. (Acceptable forms of ID include: a driver’s license, IDNYC, DHS/shelter ID, State ID, employer ID, school ID, military ID, national ID, visa, or passport).

More people qualify for the 3rd EIP than for earlier payments. Here’s what is different:

  • Payment amounts. Most families will get $1,400 per person, including all eligible dependents claimed on their tax return.
  • Qualifying dependents. Not restricted to children under 17. Eligible individuals will get a payment based on all their qualifying dependents claimed on their return.
  • Taxpayers who file using an ITIN may be eligible to receive a third payment for their qualifying dependent. Up to $1,400 per qualified dependent who has a valid SSN can be received if the taxpayer does not have a valid SSN but meets all the other eligibility and income requirements.
 
Getting the payment

  • The IRS will use available information to determine eligibility and issue the 3rd payment to eligible people who:
  • Filed a 2020 tax return
  • Filed a 2019 tax return if the 2020 tax return has not been submitted or processed yet
  • Did not file a 2020 or 2019 tax return but registered for the first EIP payment with the Non-Filers tool in 2020
  • Are federal benefit recipients who do not usually file a tax return.

NOTE:  If none of the above applies, the individual will need to file a 2020 federal tax return.

Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
 
The American Rescue Plan expands the size of the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Parents are eligible for this tax credit if they needed care for any child under age 13 or a dependent with a disability of any age while working or looking for work. This includes any amount paid (full or co-pay) for center-based child care, babysitter care, summer camp, or care by adult relatives outside of the tax household. ITIN holders, including immigrant families with children born in the U.S. with a social security number, are eligible to receive this credit.
 
Families should keep records of their child care expenses to report on their 2021 tax returns. Even those who do not owe taxes should file because the credit will be fully refundable.
 
Funeral Assistance Fact Sheet
 
The NYC Dept of Health has created a fact sheet to navigate the process of applying for and receiving funeral assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA) and the NYC Human Resource Administration COVID-19 Burial Assistance. The flyer can be accessed here, and is available in additional languages here
 
New York State Homes and Community Renewal Waitlist Lottery
 
As we reported previously, the Section 8 Waitlist Lottery for New York State Homes & Community Renewal's New York City vouchers is open for applications from May 17th through May 28th, 2021. 
 
New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) operates a federally funded Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program in New York City. Income eligible applicants are selected to receive a voucher through a waitlist. That voucher provides a subsidy to ensure that recipients do not pay more than 30% of their adjusted gross income towards housing costs. 
 
Applicants will be able to apply using an online portal on HCR’s website during the application period. A call center will be available to assist applicants. HCR will also be initiating an extensive and wide-ranging advertising campaign. Applying does not guarantee a voucher. HCR will select 15,000 households for the waitlist through a lottery. Those selected for the waitlist will be offered a voucher as one becomes available and will be subject to additional eligibility screening. There will be a preference for households experiencing homelessness/at risk households.
 
New York City Public Schools 2021-22 School Year
 
The New York City Department of Education has announced plans to re-open public schools in New York City for in-person learning in September 2021. School will be 100% in-person with no remote learning. More information can be found on the DOE website.

Benefit Card Assistance/Issuance of Replacement or Temporary CBIC Cards
In response to questions received on our weekly call, we are providing the information below which was provided in a prior communication and can be found on the COVID-19 Community Updates page on our website.

Benefit cards are sent directly to clients by mail via the State’s vendor. There is no need to come in to a service center to request a card or receive a replacement CBIC card. If an emergency card is needed for a new applicant who is eligible for expedited SNAP or an immediate needs grant, applicants can visit any open HRA center to request a Vault Card (temporary benefit card). Note that State photo cards cannot be issued in-person or through the mail for clients who never had their photo taken as part of the prior Automated Finger Imaging System (AFIS) process which has been eliminated by the State, a change for which we advocated.
 
Clients can request a replacement card from the State by calling EBT Customer Service at 888-328-6399 for account information or to request that a replacement Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card for SNAP or Cash Assistance be mailed. For anyone having difficulty accessing a replacement card by phone, cards can also be requested by setting up an online EBT account at https://www.connectebt.com/. Clients can use this account to request a replacement card, check card balance, review transaction history, change a PIN, and more.
 
For the purposes of proof of identity for receipt of benefits, HRA does not require a photo ID. New York State and New York City operate a public benefits eligibility process whereby if individuals can provide a Social Security Number and the correct name and date of birth, no additional identification documentation is required. In some cases, HRA can also accept an attestation from someone who knows the individual applying for benefits. 
 
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) 2020-21 School Year
 
As we have reported previously, the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) is providing Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits to all households with children who receive free school lunch under the National School Lunch Act and whose school was closed or operating with reduced school attendance due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 school year. OTDA has confirmed that the State’s P-EBT implementation plan for the 2020-2021 school year has been approved by the federal government. For students in schools in NYC the benefit amount will be based on counts of in-person and virtual learning days for each month, provided by the NYC Department of Education. The benefit amount for each child in a household is calculated based on the cost of breakfast, lunch, and snack for days the child was not in the school building during the 2020-21 school year (September 2020 – June 2021). The State expects to issue benefits in one payment for September through March. This payment will likely be issued in June 2021. The remaining benefit covering the period from April – June 2021 is projected to be issued during the months of July – September 2021. We will share additional information about the State’s plan to roll-out the benefit as it becomes available. 
 
As a reminder, the State OTDA has distributed all P-EBT benefits for March – June 2020. The State OTDA is providing a P-EBT helpline at 833-452-0096 for questions concerning the disbursement of these benefits (for the months of March – June 2020). The helpline is available from 8:30am – 5pm, Monday through Friday. Translation services are available.
 
Obtaining Temporary CIN for Clients without Social Security Number
 
For clients applying for benefits who do not have a social security number, the social security number of the eldest child will be used to identify the case. When an application is initially submitted through ACCESS HRA, the system is not yet able to connect the case using the SSN of the eldest child. In these cases, when a client needs to access a case before processing has begun, they can obtain a temporary CIN as follows (this process is for use by CBOs only at this time and is not available for applicants directly):
  • CBOs can email the ITS HRA team to ask for the temporary CIN, as an alternative if POS is not an option. The contacts are:
  • Mikhail Blank, blankm@dss.nyc.gov
  • Anatoliy Shnayder, shnaydera@dss.nyc.gov
 
When submitting a request, CBOs should include the following information;
  • ACCESS HRA confirmation number for the online application submitted
  • Client name and date of birth
  • AHRA Username (can be an email address)
 
Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Emergency Broadband Benefit
 
As we shared previously, as of May 12, 2021, qualified New York City residents may be eligible to receive a temporary discount for current or new monthly internet service subscriptions. This discount is available as part of the Federal Communications Commission’s Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB), a $3.2 billion-dollar short-term emergency subsidy program during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
Funds will be allocated to qualifying households on a first-come, first-served basis for as long as funds last.
 
Eligible New York City residents can receive: 
  • Monthly Benefit: a discount of up to $50/month for broadband service, equipment, and device rentals.
  • One-time Device Discount: up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of $10 - $50), where available.
 
To learn more on how to sign up, visit the USAC website or call 833-511-0311. Additional information can also be found at the City’s website.

Community-wide Conference Call

We appreciate your continued participation in our weekly briefing calls and your ongoing work to help make sure that the critical information and details about changes we are making in response to the pandemic are being communicated to our clients. Your active engagement is appreciated, and your questions and suggestions help us better understand the needs of those we serve and respond accordingly. 

If you were not able to join our weekly call (usually on Tuesdays), please find an audio recording here and use Covid-19 as the password The information contained in this communication is a synopsis of what was shared as well as new developments.

Each week, we will provide all of the information included in each of our prior communications on our website on the COVID-19 Community Updates page. If you would like to reference a specific prior communication, links to each of the prior communications can be found on the community updates page.
 
As a reminder, we have a standing informational call on Tuesdays at 4:00PM. In the event that the date or time of the weekly call needs to change due to extenuating circumstances, a notification is sent out from DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov, in addition to an updated calendar invitation to those who have signed up to join the calls. To be added to this list, please reach out to DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov.

Please note that there are several hundred participants on these weekly calls, and as a result they may start a few minutes late to allow as many people to join as possible and hear all the information. In addition, the large number of participants does not allow us to have individual conversations efficiently, which is why we respond to individual inquiries through the chat box. If you have additional questions after the call, please reach out to DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov or the appropriate contact area listed on our COVID 19 Community Updates page.

CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) is available during these calls as an accommodation for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Please contact oria@dss.nyc.gov at least four hours prior to the call to enable this service.

As always, thank you for your continued partnership in serving New Yorkers in need, particularly now when our clients need us more than ever. If you have any questions or concerns about the changes we have made and are continuing to develop to address the COVID pandemic, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of Advocacy and Outreach at DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov.


Sincerely,


Steven Banks
DSS Commissioner
New York City Department of Social Services