Press Room

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement as the New York State budget is being finalized amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In any budget, it is vital to pair fiscal responsibility with human responsibility, to make decisions while considering moral obligation and human cost.Yet instead we are seeing a practice of selective austerity - one in which there is neither the money nor the time to fund critical services or expand progressive policies, but enough of both to enact policies the Governor has long pushed forward. "The COVID-19 crisis and its immense scope and stakes make it all the more troubling that the Governor, rather than closing the Medicaid funding gap through tax increases on ultra millionaires, is instead rejecting billions in immediate federal aid in favor of enacting his plan to slash funding - in healthcare and other areas.

"But for every critical service facing cuts, apparently still affordable are policies which could only pass buried in the blur of a budget. Again, Albany legislators had the opportunity to reject what would be the worst public financing system in the country, yet despite rejection by the courts and broad opposition from progressives and conservatives alike, it is being pushed through. There is also opposition on the left and right to Albany's continued push to claw back the progress made on bail reform in the budget, to put more New Yorkers behind bars and continue a history of over-incarceration and bias in our system. "As the budget is finalized, as this crisis grows, I implore state leaders not to retreat but to progress through it, uplifting the values we hold and the people we serve."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released a comprehensive report today on the preliminary response and long-term recovery efforts by New York City to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. The report highlights how the city could have acted more swiftly in responding to the pandemic while outlining ways to move forward to better protect lives and mitigate the impact of future crises.

The 54-page report, "COVID-19 Pandemic: Preliminary Response & Recovery," which can be read in full and  downloaded here, addresses a wide range of issues from healthcare, to housing and criminal justice, to education and workforce development, to the census and civic engagement.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of our lives and our city, and meeting this crisis means recognizing that and adapting our systems and processes with the goal of harm reduction, particularly for the most vulnerable New Yorkers," said Public Advocate Williams. "But as we are eventually able to move into long-term recovery, it will be critical to realize the failures and gaps in those systems that were exposed and expanded by the crisis, and do the hard work of closing them to mitigate any future disaster."

Response recommendations in the report point to immediate steps that need to be taken in order to respond to the crisis today and over the next 90 days. Recovery recommendations are long-term actions which should be taken for New York City to recover from the COVID-19 crisis and prepare to mitigate any crises on the horizon.

The response recommendations in the report supplement the Public Advocate's previous calls for a citywide mandatory "Lockdown" to slow the spread of the virus, which included enhancing movement restrictions, enacting an emergency public information campaign, closing outdoor recreational spaces, expediting decarceration efforts, housing homeless New Yorkers, limiting prepared food service to delivery, restricting in-home care to medical necessity, and strengthening a moratorium on non-essential construction.

The Preliminary Response & Recovery Report is designed to be a living document, with efforts adapting as the COVID-19 crisis shifts, declaring "While comprehensive, this report is not exhaustive. There are additional issues to address, as we are in the midst of this crisis. It is the beginning not the end of the conversation."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams called for answers and accountability in a letter to the New York City Department of Correction today, following complaints to the office and public reporting on the inadequacies and dangers of the response to COVID-19 on Rikers Island, where the contraction rate of the virus is seven times higher than the rest of New York City.

In the letter, the Public Advocate cites reports that social distancing policies are being egregiously violated and that incarcerated individuals and staff are not given supplies to sanitize spaces even as the outbreak continues to grow. He questions the criteria to make one eligible for release, the status of PPE supplies, and the medical treatment available for those inside, saying "While your current efforts to curb the impact of COVID-19 within our jails are noted, I still believe there is much more to do to curb the preventable rise of COVID-19 cases within Rikers," and highlights the need to protect vulnerable communities.

The full text of the letter is below and can be downloaded here. Dear Commissioner Brann: I write concerning complaints my office has received, and as reported in varied press accounts, regarding the Department of Correction ("the Department") response to the threats posed by COVID-19 to the incarcerated. My office has received three complaints from concerned family members of incarcerated individuals that protective gear was not worn by staff, particularly in the Eric M. Taylor correctional facility. The facility relies largely on incarcerated individuals to clean their living space, yet complaints allege that staff and incarcerated individuals are not given supplies to properly sanitize and reduce the spread of this deadly virus in the North Infirmary Command unit, the Rosemary Correctional at Rikers and the Obis Bantum Correctional Center. Some individuals have reported having to take initiative and use their own items, purchased from the commissary, to clean, such as shampoo and crushed soap. Our office has received six additional complaints regarding unsanitary conditions in correctional facilities, particularly around lack of availability for soap and sanitizer. Reports have indicated that social distancing has not been put into practice, with individuals allegedly lying on the concrete floor only six inches apart from one another during their intake process and only inches apart from one another during mealtimes. Our office has also received fourteen complaints of social distancing non-compliance from concerned family members of those incarcerated, as well as corrections officers. While some correctional officers are given masks and gloves to wear, inmates are allegedly left without any proper preventative gear. Additionally, reporting in The Intercept today alleges that incarcerated individuals are being asked (or required) to dig mass graves on Hart Island, for a wage of $6 an hour, in addition to receiving protective gear. While your current efforts to curb the impact of COVID-19 within our jails are noted, I still believe there is much more to do to curb the preventable rise of COVID-19 cases within Rikers, which is outpacing the rates of infection of the City. As we continue to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers during this unprecedented time, I have a number of questions concerning the safety and wellbeing of incarcerated people and of workers of the Rikers Island Correctional facility alike: 1. In total, how many people-such as those on technical parole violations, vulnerable populations and those on city sentences-has the Department deemed eligible for release during this crisis? Please disaggregate by age, race, borough, reason for detention/incarceration and whether they have been released into family care, hotel rooms or other location. 2. Can you explain what the department terms "risk to public safety," when determining who is eligible for release during this pandemic? What are the other metrics? 3. What services and supplies are provided for people who are released during this time? 4. Are there any shortages, and, if so, how are they being filled? 5. For people who are released from Rikers into hotel rooms, what programming and activities are provided post release? 6. Are people released from Rikers Island first tested for the coronavirus? If they test positive, what guidance or care is given? 7. What protective gear is provided for Department personnel? Are any reused? 8. Given the shortage of protective masks, what procedures has your office implemented to protect corrections officers, especially those who interact most with incarcerated individuals? 9. What extra cleaning and hygiene supplies are provided to workers and incarcerated individuals alike to ensure maximum hygiene? 10. How does psychotherapy continue to be provided to incarcerated individuals? Has the Department switched to teletherapy when necessary? 11. How is social distancing practiced during mealtime when those incarcerated are scheduled to eat in the same cafeteria? What changes have been made during this crisis? How many complaints have you received regarding the lack of social distancing, broken down by staff complaints and incarcerated individual complaints? 12. How often are facilities cleaned each day to prevent the spread of the virus? 13. Are people in isolation provided books, computers and phone access while in isolation? 14. How are your COVID-19 isolation measures different from those inmates placed in punitive segregation? 15. How often are inmates who test positive receiving treatment? 16. What is the revised policy regarding incarcerated individuals contacting their family members? 17. Are those incarcerated notified if a family member has been diagnosed or hospitalized with COVID-19? If so, are these individuals given extended time to speak with those diagnosed as positive and provided with resources for support? 18. How many increased medical personnel has the Department hired during this pandemic? 19. How many inmates are scheduled to be transferred to state prisons? Given the halt on transfers, how is the Department ensuring their days in Rikers count towards their sentences? 20. With regard to Hart Island, are press accounts true that incarcerated people have been asked or offered the role of digging graves for six dollar per hour (or some other wage short of minimum or living wage)? If true, who determined this wage, and that incarcerated people would engage in this function? Please contact First Deputy Public Advocate for Policy, Nick E. Smith, at nsmith@advocate.nyc.gov, if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you. Sincerely, Jumaane D. Williams Public Advocate for the City of New York

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams today released proposed guidelines for a mandatory lockdown in New York City to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the five boroughs. These lockdown measures would include enhancing movement restrictions, enacting an emergency public information campaign, closing outdoor recreational spaces, expediting decarceration efforts, housing homeless New Yorkers, limiting prepared food service to delivery, restricting in-home care to medical necessity, and strengthening a moratorium on non-essential construction. The Public Advocate's calls for mandating a lockdown come as New York City cases and deaths continue to rise and New York becomes an epicenter of the virus.

"Throughout the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, restrictive measures intended to slow or prevent the spread of the virus have, simply, not worked. In the time these delays have taken, and in part because of them, New York City has become the new epicenter of the outbreak. We can slow the spread of this virus and save lives, but only if we act now, and act together, as New Yorkers," said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams of the plan. "New Yorkers need to be aware of the acute, immediate danger that this disease poses, the potential human cost if we do not act urgently and decisively, and the level of measures that must be put in place to limit it. It's not enough to PAUSE anymore - we need a mandated lockdown. That lockdown status, which I urge our city and state executives to adopt immediately as essential guidance and directives, should be re-evaluated on a biweekly basis to determine its effectiveness and duration."

The Office of the Public Advocate proposes the following recommendations:

Public Lockdown Measures  This is an acute emergency, and the city must immediately improve its communication with all New Yorkers, via several outlets. The city should activate its emergency broadcast alert systems with television/radio/print PSA's and text message reminders to: 1) shelter in place, 2) remain six feet apart from anyone when engaging in essential travel. Essential city vehicles, through loudspeakers, will enhance both the communication of emergency status and the ability of the city to keep New Yorkers within their homes. Enforcement should not focus on arrests or summonses. It should also utilize unarmed Community Affairs officers, in coordination with clergy and community based organizations, with these same reminders. Reduce Public Congestion  The city should issue formal guidance that even during essential travel for groceries, pharmacies, etc., New Yorkers should remain within their neighborhoods, reducing the use of public transportation. Public transportation schedules must be on weekend schedules, which will decrease congestion. Additionally, the city should temporarily close select streets, and allow pedestrian traffic, which will also reduce congestion. Essential businesses (such as grocery stores, pharmacies) should restrict in-store visitation to specific time slots per day for all individuals, and post signs reminding patrons of the 6-foot rule (signage should be mandatory). These steps minimize congestion and increase compliance with the 6-foot social distancing rule. Immediately End Home Insecurity for New Yorkers  The city must direct social workers to help immediately move homeless New Yorkers from the streets-- now -- including the 4,000 New Yorkers who are sleeping on them tonight. A combination of vacant private apartments, hotel rooms and vacant supportive housing units should be made available, at city expense, for several months, while permanent local options are pursued. Healthcare and healthy food options should also be provided to homeless New Yorkers. The city must also identify housing permanency options for other transient New Yorkers, including homeless youth, adults, and families, while simultaneously expanding sufficient isolation and infirmary spaces within shelters. Expedite Decarceration Measures  Incarcerated people on Rikers Island are contracting COVID-19 at a rate seven times that of the rest of the city. The city must consider and prioritize the release of certain members of discrete populations, including seniors, women, those with underlying health conditions, those incarcerated for technical parole violations, and those serving city sentences of less than a year. The city must also suspend most so-called non-violent, low level offense arrests, which could increase exposure rates. Immediate Moratorium on Non-Essential Construction  All non-essential construction must immediately be halted, and we must examine and close any and all loopholes that may arise from the Governor's proposal announced today. Examples of essential construction are the building/completion of medical facilities to help meet the need for beds. In the midst of this global crisis, at its epicenter, the city's primary responsibility is to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. I've long said that the construction industry has an eroding culture of safety, and by allowing non-essential work to continue, we are putting workers, their families, and the public at acute and immediate risk. Recreational Space Closure It is past time to close not only the playgrounds, but the parks. As the Mayor noted, playgrounds are not sanitized, and as has been widely seen, parks have allowed the continued congregation of large groups. Closing city parks and playgrounds, while a sacrifice for many New Yorkers, will reduce congestion and disincentivize group gatherings. Limit Prepared Food Service to Delivery  The Mayor and Governor were right to close bars and restaurants, but while takeout and delivery are both options, congestion and interpersonal contact at restaurants continues to be an issue, while also providing incentives for New Yorkers to leave their homes. Prepared food service should be limited to contactless delivery that employs social distancing and minimizes potential spread of COVID-19. Restrict In-Home Care Services to Medical Necessity Requiring in-home workers to continue to travel to and work within the residents of others exposes them to unnecessary danger. It is critical to limit in-home care services to medically necessary in-home care providers only as we confront this health crisis.

In response to the Public Advocate's proposal, Dr. Celine Gounder, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine & Infectious Diseases, NYU School of Medicine & Bellevue Hospital and CNN Medical Analyst said, "We are currently in the exponential growth phase of the COVID-19 epidemic in NYC. We must take social distancing restrictions seriously for the sake of public health and the health of our economy. The sooner and more aggressively we institute a lockdown, the sooner we can stop transmission and the more deaths we can prevent. The slower we are in instituting a lockdown, the longer we'll have to implement social distancing measures, the more people will die, and the greater the damage to our economy." Dr. Natasha Anushri Anandaraja, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Director of COVID Courage added, "The health of our city, the protection of those most vulnerable among us, and the safety of workers on the front-lines of this crisis depend on every resident taking personal responsibility during this time - being intentional and disciplined about where they are and who they are with.  Clearer communication and additional measures such as those outlined here will support NYC residents to know exactly how to act in order to protect themselves and each other.  It is time for us to take this seriously, and to understand that lives are actually at stake. We are at a time when more stringent public health measures are absolutely necessary, and I believe we are capable of implementing these peacefully, for the best interest of our families and communities. This is the moment, and we only have one chance to get it right."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement today on the scope and stakes of the COVID-19 outbreak and the urgency for New Yorkers to stay inside, flatten the curve, and slow the spread of the virus - a message amplified in an additional video statement here.

"Combatting the further spread of this virus on a local and statewide level centers on two components - testing, where we are moving well relative to the federal constraints and inaction, and restrictive measures to reduce congestion, where we are not. We are still behind where we should be, relative to the scope and stakes of this crisis.

"The Governor recently said that between 40 and 80 percent of New Yorkers will contract COVID-19. Globally, in some areas we have seen a fatality rate of around 0.5 percent in places with the most proactive responses, in others around 3 percent with inadequate response. To many, these numbers may seem like abstractions - but in reality, they represent real, human cost and dire call to action.

"With a low mortality and a low contract rate, experts estimate that under 20,000 lives could be lost in New York City through this crisis - a number comparable to casualties from a very bad flu, where sadly, we may have lost neighbors who had other conditions as well. With high rates, that number could be more than 200,000 in New York City alone. While one life lost is tragic, hundreds of thousands are hard to even conceive. This is a sobering but clear call to action, one we can and must meet with urgency and purpose.

"The difference between realizing the best case and the worst is us, is our actions, is our social responsibility. We can all do the right thing, following the new restrictions and imploring those we know to do the same. We can beat the projections, we can flatten the curve, we can save lives, and we have a moral obligation to do what we can."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement today in response to Governor Cuomo's PAUSE order for New York State.

"I thank the Governor for making the difficult decision to put New York on PAUSE, and Mayor de Blasio for recently raising the option - though it is one I believe needs to take effect sooner than over 48 hours from now. At a time when we lack executive leadership in the federal government, it is imperative that we have clear, decisive and quicker actions from our local and city executives for all New Yorkers moving forward.

"Knowing the immediate health risk of waiting even 24 hours, especially as New York experiences the greatest number of cases in the nation, we cannot and should not wait, and must immediately begin following the PAUSE measures, which many have been pushing for some time. Non-essential employees should not be leaving the home, and individuals should stay indoors except when absolutely necessary. When leaving home at all - for groceries, pharmaceutical needs, light solitary exercise - social distancing is absolutely vital.

"I know this will be difficult for many, but it is crucial for all - that the people less vulnerable take these actions on behalf of those at greater risk. It is my sincere hope that this action has been quick enough, and is adhered to closely enough, that we are able to flatten this pandemic's curve to the necessary extent and save lives. I implore New Yorkers to immediately follow these guidelines  to protect the most vulnerable people in our city and state - only through a united effort, individually and systemically, can we accomplish that goal."

This morning, the Public Advocate held a press conference with city elected officials to call for these shelter-in-place/PAUSE measures. Video is available here.