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Pandemic hitting older New Yorkers of color hardest
Nov 18, 2020 1:45 pm
A new report released November 17, by AARP NY, Asian American Federation, Hispanic Federation, NAACP and the Urban League found that older New Yorkers of color have fallen behind on rent payments and are struggling with food insecurity at far greater rates than their white counterparts during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statement released by AARP New York. Specifics from the report:
▪ Half of the black tenant households statewide fell behind on their rent as of late May/early June 2020
▪ About 25 percent of black and Latino families reported not being able to pay their rent in May 2020 versus 14 percent of white households
▪ Even before the pandemic, Asian Americans in New York City consistently faced higher rates of income poverty, material hardship and health problems than whites from 2014 through 2018
▪ The number of New York City residents facing food insecurity has nearly doubled since the onset of the pandemic, from 1.2 million to nearly 2.2 million, roughly 25 percent of the population; 39 percent of black families in New York City, and 37 percent of Hispanic families are struggling with food insecurity
▪ Unemployment rates reached nearly 19 percent in April among Latinos and 17 percent among blacks
▪ COVID-19 is widening housing disparities by race and income
Among the organizations' recommendations:
▪ An independent review of the state’s handling of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities since the onset of the pandemic and a task force of stakeholders to promote models for improvement;
▪ Adequately funding cost-effective home and community-based services, which help New Yorkers age in their own homes;
▪ Enhancing enrollment in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and ensuring recipients can shop for food online and have it delivered to their homes;
▪ Ensuring a lawyer for any renter with income up to 400 percent of the federal poverty to help fight unwarranted evictions, and;
▪ Establishing a housing access voucher program for New Yorkers who are homeless or face an imminent loss of housing.
Read the full report at empirereportnewyork.com.
▪ Half of the black tenant households statewide fell behind on their rent as of late May/early June 2020
▪ About 25 percent of black and Latino families reported not being able to pay their rent in May 2020 versus 14 percent of white households
▪ Even before the pandemic, Asian Americans in New York City consistently faced higher rates of income poverty, material hardship and health problems than whites from 2014 through 2018
▪ The number of New York City residents facing food insecurity has nearly doubled since the onset of the pandemic, from 1.2 million to nearly 2.2 million, roughly 25 percent of the population; 39 percent of black families in New York City, and 37 percent of Hispanic families are struggling with food insecurity
▪ Unemployment rates reached nearly 19 percent in April among Latinos and 17 percent among blacks
▪ COVID-19 is widening housing disparities by race and income
Among the organizations' recommendations:
▪ An independent review of the state’s handling of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities since the onset of the pandemic and a task force of stakeholders to promote models for improvement;
▪ Adequately funding cost-effective home and community-based services, which help New Yorkers age in their own homes;
▪ Enhancing enrollment in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and ensuring recipients can shop for food online and have it delivered to their homes;
▪ Ensuring a lawyer for any renter with income up to 400 percent of the federal poverty to help fight unwarranted evictions, and;
▪ Establishing a housing access voucher program for New Yorkers who are homeless or face an imminent loss of housing.
Read the full report at empirereportnewyork.com.