A policy brief by Lily Zimmerman with suggestions for responding to disrupted social services access after COVID-19.

1. Improving Access to NYC Social Services in Response to COVID-19 and
Rising Demands for Racial Equity
Policy Brief & Recommendations by Lily Z
Problem Statement
Due to COVID-19’s highly contagious nature, many in-person social service
centers in New York City have been closed or have implemented limited hours1
. In
addition to the friction caused by existing accessibility barriers, the rise of civil protest
and the ensuing curfews further confine New Yorkers to their homes. As a result, New
Yorkers depend, now more than ever, on digital accessibility as a means to ensure that
their rights to health, safety, and civic engagement are upheld.
Background
New York City is a global leader in placing digital equity at the core of city
planning; yet, there are still areas where New Yorkers face barriers to accessing city
services and programs. The pandemic has magnified existing inequities that stem, in
part, from the effects of past racist and classist practices. For example, digital redlining
resulted in a failure to invest sufficiently in social services and internet infrastructure in
low-income and majority non-white communities2
. Historically, broadband was the
primary mode of access to the internet. It is now increasingly common to depend on
smartphones and wireless internet for access to social programs. This is why one
element of New York City’s effort to reduce inequity involves implementing universal
public wifi across the city3
. The city’s Deputy Chief Technology Officer, Joshua Breitbart,
said in this past year’s Digital Inclusion conference,
… The ultimate vision is that the infrastructure, the technology, the tools, and the public
information are there in place for every New Yorker to make use of that technology, to participate in the
economy and the storytelling process, and to be a part of shaping that future. 4
1
Gartland, Michael. “Closing of Welfare Offices over Coronavirus Means NYC’s Poor Will Have a Hard
Time Getting Help, Advocates Say.” nydailynews.com, 27 Mar. 2020.
2
“OneNYC 2050 Full Report.” http://onenyc.cityofnewyork.us/, Apr. 2019
3
“NYC Connected Truth in Broadband: Public Wifi in New York City.” http://cityofnewyork.us, May 2019.
4
Breitbart, Joshua. “NYC Digital Inclusion Conference (DiCon).” YouTube, uploaded by Mayor’s Office
for People with Disabilities, 16 May 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a_tM1qYUEs (351:08)
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2. Accessibility in NYC During COVID-19 & Civil Protest
New York’s 2019 City Charter asserts, “All residents need dignified access to
City services, whatever their abilities or language preferences. Services should meet or
exceed accessibility standards...”.5
Additionally, NYC is required by federal law (namely,
the Civil Rights Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act) to provide equal access to
public spaces and services6
. Yet, in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, many
New Yorkers have been unable to access essential public benefits including those
provided by the Human Resources Administration. As nonprofit New York Legal
Assistance Group reports, current access barriers include frequent crashes for the NYC
Access HRA app and long waits on the HRA “Infoline” phone line.7
With the app
instability, and with unreliable HRA fax machines, the absence of an HRA contact email
address excludes some individuals who would otherwise submit documentation for
benefits in person.
The COVID-19 crisis exacerbates the effects of digital disenfranchisement and
necessitates an even greater effort to ensure equitable distribution of public services
and resources to underserved communities8
. People of color, people with disabilities,
and the sizable population of aging adults in NYC are at particular risk of being
excluded from civic participation due to access issues related to ability and/or digital
inequity. The following policy recommendations would be funded by revising the
upcoming city budget. As City Comptroller Stringer has proposed, reallocating just five
percent of the upcoming FY21 NYPD budget would free up nearly $265 million towards
vital projects like increasing access to social services.9
In addition to working with scarce resources and services due to the pandemic,
Black Americans are responding to widely publicized acts of police violence against
members of their community, and are leading the movement demanding reform to
protect and support Black lives. The Change the NYPD campaign is supported by
numerous well-respected NYC nonprofits and was just endorsed by over 230 current
and former DiBlasio staffers10
. Change the NYPD calls for the reduction of the immense
5
“NYC Digital Playbook.” https://playbook.cityofnewyork.us, 2016 (Page 4).
6
Americans with Disabilities Act, Civil Rights Act
7
“New Yorkers Not Able to Access Food, Health, and Cash Benefits During COVID-19.” nylag.org, 26
May 2020.
8
“COVID-19 Response: Considerations for Children and Adults with Disabilities.” unicef.org, 2020.
9
“Comptroller Stringer to Mayor de Blasio: Cut $1.1 Billion in NYPD Spending Over Four Years and
Reinvest in Vulnerable Communities and Vital Services.” https://comptroller.nyc.gov, 4 June 2020.
10
Shant, Shahrigian. “De Blasio Staffers Demand ‘Radical Change from Mayor’ in Open Letter.” h
ttp://nydailynews.com [New York, New York], 3 May 2020.
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3. NYPD budget. Even a small percentage of the NYPD budget, diverted toward social
programs, could fund these policy recommendations and help prevent the variety of
access issues that New Yorkers are currently battling11
. Funds redirected toward
programs like LinkNYC would allow for the expansion of access to wifi and other
technology that serve to make sure that all New Yorkers can participate fully in society.
Along with the primary recommendation of an HRA access overhaul, I suggest
increasing collaboration between public, private, and civil society entities in service of
building a broader movement to advance accessibility in NYC.
Proposed Policy Actions
1) Reallocate funds from the NYPD budget to social services such as
healthcare, financial support and housing.
2) Expand public wifi access.
3) Create an HRA email address.12
4) Centralize NYC access resources online and increase collaboration
between city agencies.
Visit the following link to view a partial list of online NYC access resources:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kqOi_3ceoRZ74-BlbyRGkfllG4j_wKRvJ_pdfx2AW
nI/edit?usp=sharing
11
“NYC Budget Justice.” https://www.changethenypd.org, 21 May 2020.
12
“New Yorkers Not Able to Access Food, Health, and Cash Benefits During COVID-19.” nylag.org, 26
May 2020
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