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April 16, 2020 By Allie Griffin
New York City will offer 11,000 free hotel rooms to New Yorkers who live in overcrowded households in an effort to control the spread of COVID-19, Mayor Bill de Blasio said today.
The initiative, which begins next Wednesday, is targeted toward hard-hit communities where many impoverished families live in small overcrowded apartments.
“There are many people in multi-generational homes, particularly in lower income communities, that just don’t have a lot of space,” de Blasio said.
Overcrowded and densely-populated neighborhoods have seen a greater level of spread than other areas. Elmhurst and Corona, known for their density, have the highest number of COVID-19 cases in New York City, data shows.
Overcrowding is especially a concern for households that are multi-generational, the mayor said, as older relatives are more likely to die should they contract the virus.
The city’s public hospital staff and community health providers will identify people who qualify for a free room beginning next Wednesday.
They will offer hotel rooms to people in need who have tested positive for the virus; high risk individuals; and those symptomatic or exposed individuals who can’t socially distance in their homes.
The effort will help ease some of the economic disparities faced by communities in light of the pandemic, de Blasio said.
“We’re seeing some real disparities in how this horrible disease is affecting our city,” the mayor said.
“We’re seeing some places hit particularly hard; we’re seeing lower income communities hit particularly hard; we’re seeing communities where people have not gotten enough healthcare historically hit hard; communities of color hit very hard; immigrant communities hit hard — so we’re making additional adjustments to our approach.”
Free hotel rooms will also be offered to hospital workers and the homeless, he added.
Healthcare workers — whether or not they exhibit symptoms — can get a free hotel room if they wish to isolate away from their families for fear of infecting them.
The city is also using hotel rooms to house homeless New Yorkers, as shelters can not cater to the same number of people as before given the need for social distancing.
“This is something that’s going to help us protect people and slow the spread further,” de Blasio said.
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18 Comments
Actually Joe it is a great way to spend tax payer dollars. 1- Many hotels are virtually closed from the shut down, even hotels like the NY Hilton and Sheraton N.Y. They obviously can use the money. 2- if helps stop the spread why not., 3- These transactions will generate income for the ailing hotels and much needed tax revenue for the city and state. 4-Maybe now the city will go after the illegal subdivisions of houses in Corona and Elmhurst and bring them back into compliance and fine the owners to help pay for some of the carnage this practice created.
Then may I respectfully suggest you donate directly to the NY Hilton and Sheraton NY instead of the city spending my hard earned tax dollars under threat of confiscation of property?
Joe – You obviously have no suggestions on solutions on how to address any of the problems our government and society are facing, you just cry about solutions others put forward. You’re devoid of ideas and knowledge and more than likely devoid of property and have nothing to confiscate.
Joe – Your tax dollars are not the only tax dollars. Sunnysiders tax dollars are in the mix, my tax dollars, my neighbors, my brothers and so on. You’re pretty self absorbed to the point of a narcissistic personality disorder. Get treatment.
Apparently you don’t pay as much tax as the rest of us, seeing how you seem to actually believe the story’s depiction of “free hotel rooms”. Nothing is free and someone always has to pay. Except bernie..lol
Joe- You need to take a remedial reading class. It’s “free” to the recipient.
Joe- You have trouble grasping the word “free” in its context when used in a sentence. I’ve read your exchanges here when you either lose a discussion or don’t fully understand the issue at hand you start posting hostility and accusations that are unrelated to the discussion. You need to raise your standards when posting in the public discourse arena.
Sunnysider/J Brendan – Well said comrades!
You didn’t work that hard Joe. Let’s not kid ourselves.
Obviously Joe lost that discussion if he’s resorting to “you pay it” attacks. Joe can’t dispute the facts.
Barbara L – spoken like a true hypocrite… everything should be given away free as long as it’s not me that pays or sacrifices and screw those that actually do pay and have the audacity “whine”.
Joe- Is “hypocrite” the correct word in your response to Barbara? Barbara’s talking about your falling off the target of the discussion. Nothing about the subject of free or paying. You’re easily drawn off subject.
Ok, so please never call the fire department.
The people getting the rooms pay taxes (at a minimum sales tax) too. I’m not sure why that fact is lost on you.
Additionally, these rooms are available to you too if you qualify.
You don’t pay more taxes the more you need the police. I pay the same health insurance rate as someone that gets a heart transplant even if I never use it. New York State pays federal taxes that help build roads in poor states like Alabama. You pay taxes for public schools even if you never have kids. No one lives in a bubble.
These are pragmatic solutions to difficult problems. Sometimes equals is not fair.
What a great way to spend taxpayer dollars. I hope they don’t forget about the chocolate mints on the pillows and the $15 bag of nuts from the mini bar. After all, its new yorkers that foot the bill.
Joe – I don’t know what article you read but I read this article and I saw no mention of the St. Regis, Peninsula or Marriott. If it’s anything like the travel lodge, Mets or LaQuinta there far from luxurious. Fine and charge the people who have illegally sub divided homes basements and commercial properties into illegal dwellings to cover the expenses of this program. Tax payers shouldn’t have to pay for this. You do know big luxury hotels throughout city are at 0% occupancy this could actually boost their cash flow.,
Well, I make too much money to get a stimulus check.
Can I have yours since I paid for it?
Outrageous, This clown has no clue on how to run a City, Very Good at spending other people’s money thought.
Are you get a stimulus check? Then you’re spending my money.