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rights, rather than vice-versa. The task will be worsened by lack of internet or telephone or language access problems, and these vulnerable households will undoubtedly be harmed by these barriers to accessing the legal rights created by the Parker-Richardson Moratorium Act. Finally, the DPS has not required utilities to tell their customers to first avail themselves of the myriad federal and state programs that offer financial assistance to consumers in arrears, before seeking a deferred payment agreement that could begin resolving their arrears, but also cut them off from further government help if given in the wrong order.
These failures to communicate basic consumer rights and needs in the face of the pandemic-caused arrears crisis are harmful enough on their own but are compounded by the fact that progress in the PSC’s special COVID19 (Case 20-M-0266) proceeding has completely stalled. This is worsened by the inexplicable, almost complete failure by the State’s Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (“OTDA”), the funnel though which billions of dollars of federal relief to consumers must flow, to take any definitive transparent and accountable action. No plans have been put forward publicly by the PSC and DPS to address the unprecedented debt crisis and reduce the impending threats of shutoffs in a manner compliant with the Home Energy Fair Practices Act, or the federally funded Emergency Rent and Utility Assistance Program (“ERAP”). Regardless of those lost opportunities, it is irrefutably clear: the time to act was a year ago, but if the PSC and OTDA do not act transparently and decisively now, they are dooming millions of New Yorkers to crushing unnecessary and unpaid utility debt, and their communities to years of economic depression.
It took more than a decade for New York’s economically vulnerable households to bounce back from the Great Recession. If our regulators continue to drag their feet, it might just take until the next financial meltdown for those hit hardest by COVID-19—communities of color, low-income and medically vulnerable households, and seniors—to recover financially.
a platform that is attuned to the demonstration of SEL skills and competencies and also, to teach these skills as well. The program has amassed great success in advancing SEL skills among its students and is a model for districts to consider.
There is a unique opportunity and perhaps responsibility for us to best position support staff in schools and in out-of-school organizations to serve the SEL needs of stu-
Kevin Parker is a New York State senator (D-21). Richard Berkley, Esq., is executive director and Ian Donaldson is communications aide of the Public Utility Law Project of New York.
SEL dents and adults, while modeling it. For this reason, we should strive to increase the caContinued from page 12 pacity to teach, monitor, and build SEL competencies. Social workers and interns are severely underrepresented and at this time, we must change this. Now is the time for schools and districts to partner with community-based organizations and nearby institutions of higher learning to ensure the social-emotional wellness of young people. Kandra Knowles is a doctoral student at Fordham University and is an advocate for student and adolescent wellness.
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