Int. No. 1065-A
By Council Members Koppell, Gonzalez, Barron, Brewer, Cabrera, Chin, Comrie, Dickens, Eugene, James, Koo, Lander, Mendez, Palma, Richards, Nelson, Jackson, Levin, Gennaro, Gentile, Greenfield, Dromm, Van Bramer, Lappin, Williams, Halloran and Ulrich
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the creation of an outreach and recovery plan to assist vulnerable and homebound individuals before, during and after certain emergency events.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 30 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 30-111 to read as follows:
§ 30-111 Plan for outreach and recovery to vulnerable and homebound individuals. The commissioner, in consultation with relevant federal, state and local agencies, shall develop or update, no later than December first, two thousand thirteen, an outreach and recovery plan to assist vulnerable and homebound individuals before, during and after coastal storms and other severe weather and natural disaster events. Such plan shall include but not be limited to the following features, provided that nothing herein shall be construed to interfere with the ability of agencies responding to an emergency to implement plans, modify plans, or take steps not described in any written plan, in a manner appropriate to circumstances particular to that emergency:
a. a description of how the office will identify, conduct outreach to, communicate with, and otherwise assist vulnerable and homebound individuals before, during and after the impact of such events;
b. the development of a mechanism for utilizing lists of homebound and vulnerable individuals, to the extent consistent with applicable confidentiality requirements, which shall include: (1) the use of existing lists of such individuals maintained by community based organizations, service providers and relevant agencies, including but not limited to the department for the aging, the department of health and mental hygiene, the department of social services/human resources administration, and the New York city housing authority; (2) the office's Advance Warning System or successor system; and (3) a process whereby vulnerable and homebound individuals receive information about how to request that they be included in such existing lists or system;
c. a description of how the office will coordinate with relevant agencies, community based organizations and service providers to assist such individuals before, during and after the impact of such events;
d. the creation of a Door-to-Door Task Force that will be responsible for developing and implementing a strategy to locate and assist vulnerable and homebound individuals, provide such individuals with information, and assist with any recovery efforts that take place after such events, including the delivery of necessary supplies and services;
e. a description of how information, supplies, services, and transportation will be made available to such individuals to facilitate the relocation of such individuals if necessary;
f. a mechanism to provide that, to the extent practicable, all public communications, written or otherwise, are available in the most commonly spoken languages of affected communities; and
g. a mechanism for consulting community based organizations and service providers with relevant expertise, including but not limited to those representing the interests of homebound and vulnerable individuals, in regard to the development of such plan.
§2. This local law shall take effect take effect immediately.
RCC/CJG/KET
7/16/13 10:27PM