WORLD WORLDWIDE US USA - New York NY - New York City NYC - THE CITY - City payment delays upend service groups

 

Dear New Yorkers,

Nonprofit organizations New York City relies on to provide core public services, from legal assistance to social work, are still facing months-long delays in getting paid on their city government contracts.

It has forced some to close their doors. Others worry about paying their staff.

THE CITY reported in February that leadership change at the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services and problems with the payment system had left organizations strapped. At the time, organizations were owed millions of dollars and many blamed a new online portal that was supposed to streamline services.

Those issues have persisted and worsened, nearly a dozen people now tell THE CITY.

Nonprofit leaders said they’re mulling layoffs, taking out costly lines of credit or loans, and fundraising just to pay off the interest, rather than focusing on expanding services.

Read more here about how nonprofit service providers have been mired in a snowballing financial crisis due to the persistent delays in city payments.

Weather 🌦

Today has a bit of everything: rain in the morning and clouds throughout the day, with breaks of sunshine. High temperatures will be in the upper 50s.

MTA 🚇

The Wakefield-bound 2 skips multiple stops in The Bronx between 9:15 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and more. Find all the MTA’s planned changes and the latest delays here.

Alternate side parking 🚙

It’s in effect today, Nov. 26.

Our Other Top Stories

When the city built a 2,000-person tent shelter for migrants at Floyd Bennett Field, the move drew condemnation from all points of the political spectrum. Now, in the wake of the election, critics are renewing calls to shut it down. Local Republicans see an opening to convince the incoming Trump administration to close the facility down once and for all — and advocates for the migrants living there say they’re particularly vulnerable to immigration crackdowns, since Floyd Bennett Field is the only city shelter situated on federal land.  More than a dozen community and advocacy groups are joining forces against a $900 million project to “transform” the Cross Bronx Expressway. That effort, which Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in January, aims to repair five bridges along the expressway. A key component: temporary new roadways to keep traffic flowing that would then become permanent bus, bike and pedestrian lanes alongside the highway. Advocates fear that those additional lanes would increase air pollution and stormwater runoff, and are pushing the Hochul to find another way. On the latest episode of FAQ NYC, the hosts discuss the city’s fourth police commissioner in three years, Rep. Ritchie Torres’ prospective challenge to Hochul, and much more. Listen here.

Reporter’s Notebook

Cleaners Win Wages

Workers brought on by the MTA to scrub subway cars during the pandemic won a ruling finding they were underpaid and are owed compensation.

The decision by a city Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings judge resulted from a case brought by city Comptroller Brad Lander, alleging MTA subcontractors Fleetwash, Inc. and LN Pro Services deprived close to 400 workers of more than $2.5 million. They weren’t the only ones who had to fight for their rights: After THE CITY reported cleaners for another company were let go via WhatsApp messages days after Christmas in 2022, workers were able to obtain vacation and sick pay owed.

The case now moves to trial to determine the amount owed to workers and any penalties. “At the height of the pandemic, the MTA contracted with cleaning companies to hire low-wage workers, who risked their own health to clean and disinfect the subway cars that we relied on to get New York City moving again,” Lander said. “This legal finding is an important step to getting subway cleaners the fair wages they deserve.”

— Claudia Irizarry Aponte

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Tuesday, Nov. 26: The Roebling Rink opened for seasonal ice skating this week! Tickets are $10 per session, with limited free tickets available for Brooklyn residents at special times. The rink is open Monday to Thursday from 2 to 9 p.m., and Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., in Emily Warren Roebling Plaza in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Thursday, Nov. 28: The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. If you decide to brave the crowds, here is the route and the entry points. Monday, Dec. 2: “Trio Fadolín: From Near and Far,” a performance of compositions and folk music from Uzbekistan and beyond. Free at 6 p.m. at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

THE KICKER: The last meatpackers in the Meatpacking District are packing up. The last meat market in the area has agreed to leave so that its building can be redeveloped. “The neighborhood I grew up in is just all memories,” one tenant told the AP. “It’s been gone for over 20 years.”

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday.

Love,

THE CITY

PS. Love THE CITY? Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by readers like you. Donate here.

Want to view Scoop in your web browser? Click here.

THE CITY's work is made possible, in part, through the support of our sponsors. Interested in becoming a sponsor of THE CITY? Contact us here.  Copyright © 2024 THE CITY, All rights reserved.