Around Brooklyn: Legislators seek to extend eviction moratorium

Legislators seek to extend eviction moratorium

Two New York State legislators have introduced a bill that would extend anti-eviction measures until the end of December, according to the New York Post. They are Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Riverdale) and State Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan). “The governor’s 90-day eviction moratorium was a good step, but it’s not good enough,” said Hoylman. Approximately two-thirds of all New Yorkers rent their homes, the Post said.

Luxury real estate quarter started strong

Brooklyn’s luxury real estate market started the first quarter strong until the coronavirus pandemic brought sales to a virtual halt, according to Mansion Global, a website that concentrates on the luxury housing market. CORE, a large real estate firm, reported a 14 percent increase over last year for sales of more than $2 million. A first-quarter sales report from Douglas Elliman also reported strong initial price increases, with the average sales price more than $1 million for the first time ever. The slowdown is also affecting the rental market, Mansion Global said.

Photographer, roommates create indoor photo shoots

Like many people, photographer Liz Devine and her roommates Annie and Marybeth have been inside their apartment for four weeks. However, they are using their time to create elaborate photoshoots in their Ditmas Park apartment, according to Gothamist. “When I posted our first photo on Instagram, it became obvious that people needed some content that made them smile,” Devine said. She added that the roommates have many dress-up items that can be used as props.

Brooklyn churches stream Easter Sunday services

Several Brooklyn churches streamed their services to parishioners and others on Easter Sunday morning, the Brooklyn Paper said. Among them were the Brooklyn Tabernacle in Downtown Brooklyn, Good Shepherd Roman Catholic Church in Marine Park, St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Brooklyn Heights and Greenwood Baptist Church in Park Slope.

Six-story apt. building planned for Williamsburg

Investmates and INOA Architecture have collaborated on the development and design of a six-story residential building in north Williamsburg, according to New York YIMBY. The property is located at 256 North 9th St., and the small garage structures that were on the property have recently been torn down. There will be 10 residential units, each one with a recessed balcony and large floor-to-ceiling windows. No timetable has been announced for the start or end of construction, New York YIMBY said.

Daughter of Brooklyn MD said life was ‘stolen from him’

Dr. David Wolin of The Brooklyn Hospital Center, like many doctors and nurses, recently became a victim of coronavirus, and his daughter, Helen, told CBS News, “I am really angry about the 20-plus years that was stolen from him because of this horrible virus.” He started feeling symptoms on March 31. Four days later, he got better, but five days after that, he collapsed at his home. The night that he died, his wife also was hospitalized for symptoms of coronavirus, and she’s currently on a ventilator, CBS News reported.

Catholic Diocese tries to lift people’s spirits

The Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn closed its doors on March 20 to comply with social distancing guidelines, according to Bklyner. “A lot of people are in their homes alone. And they’re getting kind of, I guess the word is stir-crazy. Or some people are even suffering from a bit of depression,” said Msgr. Cassato, the priest at St. Athanasius and St. Dominic at Bensonhurst. He has been making personal calls to many older members of the parish to check up on them. He also has been posting daily messages on Facebook with a spiritual bent, Bklyner said. In general, Catholic churches in Brooklyn are streaming Mass in English, Spanish, Creole, Italian, Polish, Korean and Mandarin.

Four-story apartment buildings planned in Bushwick

Permits have been filed for three four-story residential buildings at 99-103 Grove St. in Brooklyn, according to New York YIMBY. The site, located between Evergreen and Central avenues, is five blocks from the J and Z train’s Gates Avenue subway station. Daniel Yaghoubi, under the name 103 Grove St. LLC, is listed as the owner on the application, while Wu Woody Chen of Infocus is listed as the architect of record. Each of the buildings will have eight residential units. The lots are currently vacant, New York YIMBY said.

Corner stores selling lots of unusual items

Corner stores are selling large numbers of some unexpected items during the current coronavirus pandemic, according to Time Out New York. At Marlow & Daughters, a butcher shop in Williamsburg, the team has been stocking more of the store’s She Wolf bread. In Bushwick, Foster Sundry has had a run on yeast, signifying that more people are baking. Beans have also been “flying off the shelf.” Maya Bed-Stuy, an order-at-the-counter restaurant, has begun to offer items such as met cuts and stacks of toilet paper. The shop is also stocking $1 “dime packs of herbs and other rare goodies” to encourage customers to experiment with their cooking, Time Out New York said.

Long wait for ambulances during current pandemic
Ambulances in Brooklyn are being delayed by up to two hours, according to the Brooklyn Paper. “Generally an ambulance used to get in and out between 20 to 30 minutes, now it’s like an hour to two hours depending on the severity,” said Vinny Variale, FDNY EMT and president of the Uniformed EMS Officers Union. The problem is finding a hospital that’s available. In addition, he said, almost a quarter of first responders are out sick. Many paramedics are working 16-hour shifts, the Brooklyn Paper reported.

Cemeteries struggling with overwhelming caseload

Brooklyn cemeteries are struggling with the large number of coronavirus-related deaths and record numbers of burials and creations, according to amNewYork. The famed Green-Wood Cemetery has limited the number of cremations to about 20 per day due to its limited space capacity. There were 13 interments on Thursday rather than the usual two or three per day, said a Green-Wood spokesperson. In addition, the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn has limited the number of people at graveside services to 10, giving families hard choices. For the city’s Jewish cemeteries, the New York Board of Rabbis has recommended that rabbis host burial rites and funeral services by videoconference while limiting funeral attendance to four mourners, amNewYork said.

Group homes become medical facilities

Group homes for people with developmental disabilities and the mentally ill have been transformed into round-the-clock medical facilities, according to the Brooklyn Paper. They have been the object of budget cuts for years, however. “We’re just like a nursing home, we become an incubator. If somebody gets sick it’s like somebody getting sick in your house,” said Bill Guarinello, CEO of HeartShare Human Services, which operates more than 100 sites across Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island

Brooklyn, Queens COVID-19 infections, deaths slowly rise

Brooklyn is second in the city in the number of both coronavirus hospitalization and deaths, according to the Brooklyn Paper. As of April 9, Brooklyn had 22,550 infections and 1,220 deaths. In the lead spot is Queens, with 27,036 infections and 1,377 fatalities. In the entire city, according to the Brooklyn Paper, the whole city has a total of 84,273 infections, 4,426 of which have been fatal.