2020 Census – Don’t let the clock run out. Respond TODAY!!! My2020Census.gov or call 844-330-2020
Vol. 55 No. 36
Saturday, September 5, 2020
$1.25
NYC Census 2020 launches final push to obtain a Complete Count BY ROZAAN BOONE
This week marked the beginning of the last 30 days for New Yorkers to be counted in the 2020 Census and census takers continue to work feverishly to canvass local neighborhoods and ensure New York achieves a total count. According to Census officials, with a response rate of only 57.5%, New York is poised to lose billions of dollars for COVID-19 relief and up to two seats in the US Congress and the Electoral College. The state trails behind the nation’s response rate of 64.6%. In Co-op City, while shareholders have done a good job of responding to the census, there is still room for much needed improvement as the community strives for 100% participation.
US Census Bureau map (at right) shows Co-op City in the 75-85% self response percentile for five of its seven tracts. Two tracts lag in the mid-50’s and mid-60’s percentile, respectively.
Of Co-op City’s seven census tracts, five have an 80% response rate while two are at 55% and 66%, respectively. In early August, the Census Bureau began deploying door-to-door census takers to the homes of New Yorkers who have not yet responded to the census. Since the beginning of No Response Follow-Up (NRFU) on Aug. 6, response rate in a number of local communities, including Co-op City, has improved. By all accounts, Co-op City residents have been responding favorably to local census takers knocking on their doors, and those who have not yet responded are urged to cooperate so the 100% participation goal can be achieved. To underscore the importance of the 2020 Census, census data determines congressional representation for the next 10 years as well as how billions of dollars in federal funding are allocated annually in local communities for new schools, clinics, roads, and services for families, the elderly and children, for such programs as Medicaid, Head Start, block grants for community mental (Continued on page 4)
COVID-19: New York City public schools delay reopening Teachers’ strike avoided for now
BY TORIEA McCAUSELAND
Co-op City 2020 Census response rates Tract 302.01 – 79% • Tract 302.02 – 80% Tract 462.03 – 80% • Tract 462.04 – 80% Tract 462.05 – 79% • Tract 462.06 – 55% Tract 463.07 – 66%
Early Closing Notice
In observance of Labor Day, Riverbay’s offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 7. Shareholders with maintenance emergencies may contact the Riverbay switchboard at (718) 320-3300, and follow the prompts for emergency maintenance. Riverbay Public Safety Department can be reached at (718) 671-3050. You may also call 9-1-1 for emergencies. We wish our readers a happy and safe Labor Day holiday weekend.
Mayor Bill de Blasio, Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza, and United Federation of Teachers (UFT) President Michael Mulgrew announced on Tuesday, September 1, that NYC public school openings will be delayed until September 21, 2020. “This is a great day for every public school student in New York City,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We face
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Parents of NYC public school students keep watchful eye on school reopenings nationwide BY BRANDON ORTIZ
When New York City was the epicenter of COVID-19 in America earlier this year, the cooperation of every New Yorker was needed to combat and slow the spread of the virus. Now, it appears the same spirit of cooperation will be desperately needed as parents, teachers, educational officials and health advisors work together to keep New York City’s children in school and navigate safely through a pandemic. Mayor Bill de Blasio’s announcement earlier this week about the change to (Continued on page 3)
REMINDER: COVID-19 is still a threat. Wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer.