Healthcare Workers and Lawmakers with Shams DaBaron, Homeless Rights Activists: Stop the Deadly Transfers!

Rep. Ritchie Torres, Dr. Oni Blackstock, NYSNA, New York Doctors Council, and more join homeless New Yorkers to demand protections amid public health crisis

BRONX, NY (08/04/2021) (readMedia)-- On Wednesday, Rep. Ritchie Torres, Dr. Oni Blackstock, NYSNA, and more will gather in the Bronx to demand the city stop treating homeless New Yorkers as if their lives are expendable. After a brief pause, the city is planning to resume transfers of homeless New Yorkers from temporary hotel shelters to dangerous, overcrowded congregate shelters. This will cost lives - it is a public health crisis. The Delta variant is surging through the city with Covid cases up 433% since the end of June, both the Mayor and Governor are strongly urging people to wear masks indoors, and the city is instating a vaccine mandate for indoor activities. Nine congregate shelter residents are already in isolation after being exposed to COVID.

Covid-19 made clear the health inequities in communities of color. Especially in the Bronx, ground zero for the pandemic, we saw the worst health statistics in the city among the majority Black and brown population. It is critical that the Mayor and Governor listen to public health professionals and frontline workers by acting to prevent another deadly COVID outbreak now.

Lawmakers, activists, and public health experts will gather at Fordham Plaza with these demands:

  • The Mayor must stop the transfers to congregate shelters
  • FEMA must continue funding hotel shelters
  • The Governor must pursue a pathway to housing by signing the State FHEPS bill
  • Congress must pass Rep. Torres's bill to expand Section 8
WHO:

Shams DaBaron aka Da Homeless Hero

Rep. Ritchie Torres

Dr. Oni Blackstock, Health Justice; New York Doctors Coalition

Ari Moma, NYSNA Board Member

Devon Gilliams, New York Doctors Council, SEIU

Shanequa Charles, homeless rights activist

Dr. Marc Shi, New York Doctors Coalition

Althea Stevens, City Council Candidate

Committee of Interns and Residents, SEIU

LIST IN FORMATION
WHAT:

 Lawmakers and activists will call on all levels of government to stop the transfers, pursue real pathways to permanent housing to prevent another deadly COVID outbreak and end homelessness.
WHEN: Wednesday August 04, 2021 at 01:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
WHERE: Fordham Plaza
Bronx, NY 10458
New York
NOTES: