Every day, we are seeing hundreds of people dying in New York City due to the Novel Coronavirus pandemic. The City was not adequately prepared to deal with a health crisis of this magnitude. We have heard accounts from family members who were told by hospitals that they would only be able to hold the bodies of their loved ones for a few days before they have to release them to the City for burial or cremation. Apart from dealing with the loss of a loved one, New Yorkers must also face the stark reality of paying the expensive cost of cremation or burial.

The poorest New Yorkers need the support of the City in order to be able to cover the expensive costs associated with cremating or burying their loved ones. Thousands of New Yorkers have lost their jobs, hundreds more are going through the pain that comes with the loss of a loved one and the challenges that come with the cost of burial or cremation. I am calling on the City to help cover the costs of cremation or burials for those New Yorkers who cannot afford proper burial proceedings. To help offset the costs associated with burials, the City could look at Hart Island for COVID burial.

On January 5th, with the support of Melinda Hunt of the Hart Island Project, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Speaker Corey Johnson, colleagues and advocates, we were able to transfer the jurisdiction of Hart Island from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Parks & Recreations. In doing so, we restored dignity and respect to the over 1 million people who lay to rest on Hart Island. Today, the largest cemetery in the nation could also be a place where the City, with the permission of the families, could bury New Yorkers who have died due to the virus. The City is facing a challenge the likes of which have not been seen in modern-day history; hundreds of people are dying each day because of the Novel Coronavirus. We need to set up the proper proceedings for burials or cremations without severely affecting the already financially burdened New Yorkers.

Currently, Local law 210 which saw the transfer of control over Hart Island from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Parks and Recreation is set to take effect on June 2nd, 2020. I am calling on the City to expedite this process in order for the Parks and Recreations Department to begin making planning for a possible increase in Hart Island burials. Additionally, I am calling on all funeral homes and crematoriums to help the City deal with the large numbers of deaths occurring across the City. This is about bringing respect to New Yorkers who perished due to the Novel Coronavirus.