Just 3% of New York’s Hurricane Relief Fund For Immigrants Distributed So Far

Early Arrival: Nearly half of New Yorkers waiting for street vendor licenses are from Brooklyn and the Bronx

Feb 07, 2022

Organizaciones locales de Nueva York piden que víctimas del huracán Ida pidan el fondo de alivio antes de Abril 29

NEW YORK CITY - SEPTEMBER 03: Eddie, an immigrant from Mexico, walks through his flooded basement level apartment in a Queens neighborhood that saw massive flooding and numerous deaths following a night of heavy wind and rain from the remnants of Hurricane Ida on September 03, 2021 in New York City. Over 40 people were killed on the East Coast by tornadoes and flash floods did heavy damage to parts of New York and New Jersey as the evening storm caught many off guard with the severity of its rain, wind and flooding. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

This summary was featured in Documented’s Early Arrival newsletter. You can subscribe to receive it in your inbox three times per week here.

New York has distributed less than $1 million — about 3% — of the $27 million relief fund it pledged for undocumented immigrants and others ineligible for federal assistance after Hurricane Ida, which happened close to five months ago. About 500 applicants are supposed to get payments, but administrators do not anticipate the fund will be exhausted. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget proposal includes the leftover funds, which would ensure they’re available, but Hochul hasn’t specified how they will be used. Groups distributing the money are pushing for the government to create a permanent relief fund for undocumented immigrants affected by a similar disaster in the future. THE CITY

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Nearly Half of New Yorkers Waiting for Vendor Licenses are From Brooklyn and the Bronx

There are 11,923 open applications on the New York City Department of Consumer Worker Protections’ waiting list for vendor licenses. Of those vendors, 2,928 are Brooklyn based and 2,837 are in the Bronx. Advocates are demanding the state senate to pass bill S1175A to legitimize about 20,000 vendors in the state. Pascual Domingo, a Fordham road vendor selling rice and beans, said he has been waiting for an update on his application since 2015. Marta Delriego, a vendor of hand-knit accessories said the city has denied her application twice without proper explanation. BronxTimes

ICYMI: Everything You Need to Know About Fire and Safety Rental Rights

📍Documented Original
Following the recent fires in the Bronx that took the lives and homes of immigrants, members of Documented’s WhatsApp community have asked us questions regarding their rights as tenants. New York law requires landlords to provide a safe, well-maintained structure that is secure and free of vermin, leaks and other hazards. Tenants are also protected from discrimination and harassment, as well as from eviction without proper procedure. Documented created a city-backed guidance that informs immigrants of how to protect themselves as tenants.

Fisayo Okare

Fisayo writes Documented’s "Early Arrival" newsletter and "Our City" column. She is an MSc. graduate of Columbia Journalism School, New York, and earned her BSc. degree in Mass Comm. from Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.

@fisvyo