Mayors Public Engegement Unit

November 2022

What's NEW at PEU!

GetCoveredNYC Specialists at an event for newly arrived asylum seekers

About the Public Engagement Unit (PEU)

The NYC Public Engagement Unit (PEU) uses community organizing principles to re-envision how the city provides services to its most vulnerable communities. Rather than expecting constituents to navigate a complex city bureaucracy to get the help they need, PEU adopts grassroots tactics to meet residents where they are — at their doors and on their phones, in their social media feeds and in their communities. PEU combines this proactive outreach with comprehensive case management, and in doing so, builds long-term relationships between New Yorkers and their government.

TEAM WINS

Health Coverage for College Students

Over the last several weeks, our GetCoveredNYC Specialists attended 8 college resource fairs presented by our partners at MetroPlus Health. Our Specialists were there to provide information to college students about low-cost and no-cost insurance options. The event series has come to an end, but you can always reach out to GetCoveredNYC for help with health insurance. If you’re a college student in NYC, we promise there’s a plan that works for you.

To contact GetCoveredNYC, call 311 and say “Get Covered,” text CoveredNYC to 877877, or visit nyc.gov/GetCoveredNYC.

GCNYC Specialist at Medgar Evers College spreading the word about affordable insurance options for college students

Connecting Families to Forever Homes

This month, we collaborated with NYC brokers, landlords, and our agency partners to arrange an apartment viewing “week of action” for families with 3+ bedroom vouchers looking for their forever homes. PEU’s Home Support Unit conducted outreach to landlords and brokers, identified over 100 vacant units and scheduled over 50 viewings for these units over a three-day period. The team then worked in close partnership with NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS) and other providers of Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) to spread the word about these listings to voucher recipients. Learn more about our Home Support Unit here!

Supporting Asylum Seekers in NYC

Since early August, PEU team members have been at Port Authority Bus Terminal to welcome recent arrivals from Texas and Florida. Our staff have been on site to direct people to temporary housing, coordinate their transportation, connect them to critical City services, and much more.

Over the last month, staff from every PEU office have also participated in a robust donation drive, collecting much-needed goods like winter clothes, canned goods, and hygiene products for the asylum seekers we’ve been welcoming at Port Authority. As a result, a filled-to-the-brim cargo van made a special delivery to a very grateful non-profit partner in Queens last week.

September is Emergency Preparedness Month! Have you got an emergency plan in place?

TSU’s Rent Freeze team joined Senator Andrew Lanza for his annual senior information day. PEU met with many senior New Yorkers and talked about housing support programs available for those over the age of 62. Eligible seniors can enroll in New York’s Rent Freeze or Homeowner Tax Exemption programs to stop their rent or property taxes from increasing. Act fast because the sooner you enroll, the more money you save! Reach out to our Hotline for support: 929-252-7242.

PEU Specialists at Senator Andrew Lanza’s annual senior information day sharing resources with seniors.

Black Churches For Digital Equity Promote Affordable Internet

PEU joined Black Churches 4 Digital Equity to help New Yorkers sign up for the Affordable Connectivity Program. Depending on your eligibility, you could get $30 off your monthly internet bill! Learn more at GetInternet.gov.

Celebrating Diversity at PEU

Latinx Heritage Month:

Last month, we wrapped up our “Latinx of PEU” stories on social media in honor of Latinx Heritage Month. It was a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity and culture of our PEU Latinx staff! We encourage you to read their stories on our social media platforms @mayorspeu and at #LatinxOfPEU.

Filipino American History Month:

We're proud to celebrate all Filipino American New Yorkers and our staff, and to reflect on all the contributions that Filipino Americans have made both to NYC and the entire U.S. Read one of our Specialist’s story here.

LGBT History Month and National Coming Out Day:

We celebrated LGBTQ+ New Yorkers this National Coming Out Day and shared some of our queer staff’s coming out stories on social media. Did you know October is also LGBT History Month? Take some time to learn about LGBT history here: glsen.org/lgbtq-history.

SPECIALIST SPOTLIGHT

This month, one of our GetCoveredNYC Specialists, Alexa, went above and beyond to help a military veteran regain his Medicaid coverage. When they met, Alexa’s new client told her that his Medicaid had been “shut off” and he had no idea why. He also shared that, while deployed many years ago, a piece of shrapnel had lodged in his hip, causing inflammation that created a cancerous tumor. The client now has Stage IV cancer and was in the middle of chemotherapy treatments. Without insurance, he was not able to continue treatment. First, GetCoveredNYC Specialist Alexa urged her client to contact his hospital’s financial department about their charity system, which he did, and they offered him his next Chemo treatment for free so he wouldn’t have a gap in treatment. Then, Alexa reached out to MetroPlus Health and Medicaid to figure out how to get the client back on his insurance plan. Working together to wade through the complex problem, they got his insurance back up and running in just a few days. Alexa followed up with her client to let him know and he was beyond appreciative. He shares his story because of his gratitude, and we share it here to let all New Yorkers know: PEU is here for you! Learn more about GetCoveredNYC, and contact us here: nyc.gov/GetCoveredNYC.

TWEET OF THE MONTH

In the News

New America published an interview with PEU’s Executive Director, Adrienne Lever, as part of their series spotlighting successful co-governance models! Read it here.

RESOURCES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Heat Season

Heat season in New York City begins on October 1st and ends on May 31st. During these months, your landlord is required by law to provide you with adequate heat. That means:

If the outside temperature drops below 55 degrees between 6 AM and 10 PM, your landlord must make sure that your unit is at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Between 10 PM and 6 AM, your landlord must always maintain your apartment's temperature above 62 degrees Fahrenheit (regardless of the temperature outside).

The Tenant Helpline is a centralized hub where New Yorkers facing housing-related issues can access information about tenants’ rights and get connected to resources that address their needs. Have questions about Heat Season? Give us a call: dial 311 and ask for the "Tenant Helpline."

PEU’s Tenant Support Unit

(TSU)

is at RiseBoro Farmers Market every other week doing community outreach. You can catch them next on Saturday, November 19th at Maria Hernandez Park.

Mental health counselors are available 24 hours a day to provide free support in many languages. You can contact them directly by calling 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355), Text WELL to 65173 or Chat nyc.gov/nycwell

If your apartment is rent stabilized, your rent can only be increased in compliance with the rent increases voted on each June by the NYC Rent Guidelines Board. This year’s rent changes are valid for rent-stabilized apartments with leases starting on or after October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023. Call 311 and ask for the "Tenant Helpline" to connect to a Specialist to learn more about what this means for you!

NYC Fair Fares: Eligible New York City residents can get a 50% discount on eligible transportation. Help us to spread the word by sharing this HRA toolkit and check your eligibility at nyc.gov/fairfares or by calling 311.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is available to help you pay for broadband internet service! Qualifying individuals and families can receive up to $30 per month off their broadband costs. You can learn more about and sign up for the Affordable Connectivity Program here: GetInternet.gov.

There are more than 30 programs you or your family may be eligible for regardless of immigration status and even if you’re already receiving benefits or have a job. Use ACCESS NYC to find help in NYC with food, money, housing, work and more.

Walk-ins available for first and second doses of the monkeypox (MPV) vaccine

No appointment needed

Find a walk-in location: nyc.gov/vaaccinefinder

Help NYC decide how to spend five million dollars! The NYC Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) invites New Yorkers to represent their neighborhood in NYC's first-ever citywide participatory budgeting process by submitting ideas to address community needs. The CEC is holding idea generation sessions across the City, and you’re invited! Idea generation sessions provide us with the opportunity to engage in fun activities, while learning more about the city budget, and the power that our voices can hold to enact real change. The next session is in Queens! Please RSVP for the event in your borough here.

Queens: Thursday, November 10th at 5pm at the Queens Borough Hall (Helen Marshall Cultural Center) located at 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Queens, NY 11424.

Election Day (November 8th) is almost here and early voting is already underway! Learn about what’s on the ballot, find your polling place, and more at nycvotes.org.

When you vote, remember to flip over your ballot to vote yes or no on proposed ballot changes. There are three ballot questions on the back of your ballot that are intended to improve racial justice in NYC. New York’s Racial Justice Commission worked to identify structural barriers facing people of color in NYC and have developed these ballot proposals aimed at reducing barriers and promoting racial equity. To learn more about the 3 Ballot Questions, click here.

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