NYC NOW - July 11, 2023: Midday News

Episode Date: July 11, 2023

Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne declares a state of emergency this morning, citing extensive damage to roads, bridges, and culverts after Sunday’s flooding. Madison Square Garden’s operation permit expires this year, and the city requests concessions for the first time in exchange for another decade. Also, amid the rising homelessness and eviction rates in New York City, the city’s social services agency denies tens of thousands of emergency assistance loan applications, intended to cover back rent and prevent evictions. WNYC’s David Brand has the story. Finally, marking the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, WNYC and Gothamist spotlight some of the women from our area shaping and influenced by hip-hop culture, including Alexa Marie “Lotus” Alerte.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Tuesday, July 11th. Here's the midday news from Michael Hill. Putnam County is joining the list of places in the Hudson Valley declaring a state of emergency. After Sunday flooding, County Executive Kevin Byrne made the move this morning, citing damage to roads, bridges, and culverts throughout the county. parts of the Putman Valley saw almost nine inches of rain during the storm. Parts of Mayapack and Lake Carmel are recovering from extensive flash flooding. Governor Kathy Hokel has declared states of emergency in nearby Orange and Ontario counties. Those continue into today.

Madison Square Gardens permit to operate expires this year, and for the first time, the city's asking for concessions in exchange for another 10 years. Deviled to NIC, Stephen Nesson reports. The Department of City Planning is proposing to allow Madison Square Garden to sit atop Penn Station for another decade, but there are strings attached. First, the Garden must play ball with the MTA's $7 billion renovation of the transit hub, which may force the garden to give up property. Under the proposal, the venue must also make improvements outside of the arena, with better signs, more public seating, and more consolidated truck deliveries. The Department of City Planning will vote on the permanent extension on Wednesday. the city council has 50 days to approve it or make changes,

and finally, the mayor can veto it if he chooses. A hot few days in New York City in the area this week, highs through Thursday in the low 90s. Meteorologists say the heat is only a few degrees above average temperatures from mid-July, and the forecast of light breezers will not provide much relief at all. The National Weather Service says the air is supposed to cool on Friday. 84 and sunny now, sunny and near 90 today. tomorrow's sunny in 92, then on Thursday, slim chance of mid-afternoon showers and storms and 91.

Here in New York, evictions are on the rise and homeless shelters are stretched to the brink. Yet the city's social services agency is rejecting tens of thousands of tenants who apply for emergency assistance loans to cover their background and keep them in their homes. WNYC's David Brand reports. In June, Harlem tenant Raina Felice found herself in Manhattan, housing court, where she was trying to hang on to her home. She was answering an eviction notice from her landlord after she and her family fell behind on rent. The same thing happened prior to the pandemic. They owed around $7,000 and received an emergency loan from the city called a one-shot deal to cover it. She says the money made a big difference for her and many of her low-income neighbors.

I know a lot of people that have gotten their help and they have kept them from getting evicted from going to the street or to go to any shelters. But now, city data shows that help is getting harder to obtain. During the first nine months of 2022, New York City's Department of Social Services rejected two-thirds of one-shot deal applications. Back in 2018, the city denied just 33% of applications. On-shots can also be used to pay for things like moving costs, utility bills, and storage fees.

About 60% of those applications get a lot. approved. Denise Agren is a lawyer with Manhattan legal services and helps tenants apply for aid. She says applicants who get legal help have a much better chance of getting approved, but others fall through the cracks. Clients losing their apartments and going to stay in a shelter is something that the city doesn't want because it costs more to house people in shelters than it is to keep people in their current apartments to stabilize. Lones from the one-shot deal program averaged just over $4,200 last year, much less than it costs a city to house a family in a shelter for a single month. The Department of Social Services says it's committed to getting the money to

people who need it. The agency says the number of rejections doesn't account for people who applied multiple times or who completed only a portion of the process. And they say a state rule requiring people to prove they can pay the money back can lead to rejections. But tenant advocates say that rule isn't new. What's new is the high rate of rejection. Dinah Luck is an attorney with mobilization for justice. The process has always been confusing, but now, it's harder to navigate. Eventually at some point, if you're not able to get a one-shot, you're going to get evicted. Records show marshals have evicted more than 9,000 households in New York City since the start of last year. David Brand, WNYC News.

This summer marks 50 years since hip-hop first emerged on the streets of the Bronx. To honor this milestone. WNYC and Gothamus are amplifying the voices of some of the women from our area who've been influenced by and are influencing hip-hop culture. My name is Alexa Marie Lotus Alerte, and I am an all-around artist, creative movement artists, and walking art. I was born in Manhattan, raised between Long Island and Queens. I spent a majority of my adulthood in basically all five boroughs. I've lived in every borough you can think of at least for four years.

So I am a all-around New York dated. I actually started dancing when I was two years old. My parents put me in ballet, tap, and jazz, mainly to keep me busy and keep me out of the house. But it ended up turning into my love language. My first introduction to hip hop was my sister. My sister loved Jay-Z. That girl and Jay-B were like, what did the same? It made me also fall in love with lyricism

and how they decided to express themselves, the metaphors, the way that they were telling a story that I actually was a witness to. Like I saw those things going on around me. It was just like, dang, this is like literally all of our experience. The way that hip hop has affected me is almost been an embodiment.

Everything from my style to the way I talk to the things that I'm actually interested in, people that I look up to even now in my grown age and see what they've done. Calees, Missy Elliott, those were the people that broke stereotypes of hip-hop for me, especially as a PFC woman. Hip hop literally raised me into this very outlandish,

very, you know, walking art-esque blend of a person. And I don't know what I would be without hip hop, to be honest. Alexa Marie Lotus Alerte is an artist originally from Manhattan. She was raised in Queens and Long Island. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday. Three times a day for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives.

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