2nd Phase Special Operations Plan Issued
Providence Housing urges ongoing and increased resident and community vigilance to protect vulnerable residents as it releases the 2nd phase of its Emergency Operations Plan with ongoing efforts to keep public housing communities safe.
A Statement on 2nd Phase of Operation Plan by PHA Director Melissa Sanzaro
“As we complete our seventh week of emergency operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Providence Housing Authority (PHA) is adopting additional best practices and policies to further protect the health and safety of our residents, employees, vendors, and the community at-large. We’re closely following recommendations from top health and government officials as we join together to further stop the spread of illness into our communities.
“We ask that all PHA residents limit visitors into our buildings and common spaces, especially in our high-rise buildings and to wear a mask when out of your home. All visitors to PHA property for food or medicine deliveries, or to provide critical home healthcare must wear masks. The better residents and visitors do at covering their faces, social distancing and adhering to isolation practices when sick or quarantined, the more successful we will be in as a community in overcoming this immense challenge.
“We appreciate all of the outpouring of support from community partner agencies and others wanting to help our residents. Any organization seeking to provide services or goods to public housing residents MAY NOT go on site to our buildings without permission from PHA. You can email inquiries@provhousing.org, submit our online request form, or call Director of Strategy and Development Peter Asen at 401-709-1102. This includes existing partners who have done events in our communities in the past. Thank you for understanding our need to keep tenants safe.
Providence Housing urges ongoing and increased resident and community vigilance to protect vulnerable residents as it releases the 2nd phase of its Emergency Operations Plan with ongoing efforts to keep public housing communities safe.
A Statement on 2nd Phase of Operation Plan by PHA Director Melissa Sanzaro
“As we complete our seventh week of emergency operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Providence Housing Authority (PHA) is adopting additional best practices and policies to further protect the health and safety of our residents, employees, vendors, and the community at-large. We’re closely following recommendations from top health and government officials as we join together to further stop the spread of illness into our communities.
“We ask that all PHA residents limit visitors into our buildings and common spaces, especially in our high-rise buildings and to wear a mask when out of your home. All visitors to PHA property for food or medicine deliveries, or to provide critical home healthcare must wear masks. The better residents and visitors do at covering their faces, social distancing and adhering to isolation practices when sick or quarantined, the more successful we will be in as a community in overcoming this immense challenge.
“We appreciate all of the outpouring of support from community partner agencies and others wanting to help our residents. Any organization seeking to provide services or goods to public housing residents MAY NOT go on site to our buildings without permission from PHA. You can email inquiries@provhousing.org, submit our online request form, or call Director of Strategy and Development Peter Asen at 401-709-1102. This includes existing partners who have done events in our communities in the past. Thank you for understanding our need to keep tenants safe.
“Additional recent changes to our operation plan include:
- All employees who work on site are having their temperature taken by a supervisor and self-certifying as to a lack of symptoms and known COVID-19 exposure before beginning a shift.
- A continued suspension of eviction activity and late fees through at least July 23, 2020 in accordance with the CARES Act. Section 8 tenants also cannot be evicted or lose their voucher based on nonpayment during this period. We ask tenants to continue paying their rent and to notify the PHA if there is a change in their income. While we have suspending evictions based on economic circumstances, the PHA will take necessary enforcement actions up to and including seeking eviction, against tenants in cases of perpetrating domestic violence and other behaviors that endanger the safety of our community.
- Closure of PHA-owned basketball courts and playgrounds, as they continued to be gathering places for large groups.
- Requiring all staff, residents and visitors to wear face masks when at our offices or developments. The PHA team has conducted thousands of wellness calls via phone to residents and participants, checking on them during this troubling time and connecting them to resources and support. We recently set a letter to tenants we have been unable to reach by phone and are continuing to check in with residents we’ve spoken to earlier on.
- Establishing a COVID-19 hotline (401-709-1848) for our residents to self-report if they have tested positive or are quarantining due to the virus.
“I am also extremely grateful to announce that the PHA received a $75,000 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation and United Way COVID Relief Fund to expand our Providence Housing Authority Food Task Force, which has provided 676 high rise residents with boxes of nutritionally balanced, shelf stable food, with plans to deliver another 1,300 boxes in the upcoming months. We have also distributed more than 250 food boxes from the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s Senior Box Program this month utilizing the new safe delivery method established by the PHA’s task force.
“A few weeks back, we announced the PHA’s special operations plan for COVID-19 which included limiting face-to-face interactions through telecommuting, attending to emergency work orders only, hiring a vendor to help keep our developments safe and bringing in a cleaning company to disinfect high touch areas in our high rises twice per day to name a few steps taken to modify our operations.
“This pandemic presents an unprecedented challenge and the brave PHA team has come together to adapt our operations and ready ourselves for what comes next. It is humbling to have such an amazing team working so diligently for the communities we care about. They continue to show compassion, creativity, and flexibility as we continue to adapt our operations plan.
“We remain open for business to continue to best serve the City of Providence during this difficult time. To stay up-to-date with our latest COVID-19 responses and to find our online resource guide, check back often or follow us on social media @ProvHousing.
“Special thanks to our Board of Commissions, Resident Advisory Board members, labor and trade unions, partners, staff and residents who continue to rally together during this crisis.
While we may be physically separated, we have only been made stronger by this distance.”
Media Inquiries on the 2nd Phase of our COVID-19 Special Operations Plan
Contact: Peter Asen, 401-709-1102 (o) 401-516-0651 (c) or pasen@provhousing.org
About the Providence Housing Authority
Founded in 1939, the PHA develops and maintains decent, safe and sanitary housing and addresses the economic and social needs of its residents. They operate 2,606 public housing units in Providence and administer more than 2,600 units of Section 8 rental assistance, that allow low-income families to rent in the private market or project-based units throughout Providence. In total, the PHA serves of 12,000 Rhode Islanders with housing and social services.
See all our COVID-19 Responses, including 2nd Phase Updates
For a full list of our resources and updates on operations.
La PHA ruega a los residentes y a la comunidad de continuar en curso y aumentar la vigilancia a proteger a los residentes vulnerables a medida de lanzar la segunda fase de su Plan de Operaciones de Emergencia con los esfuerzos en curso para mantener seguridad a las comunidades de vivienda pública.
Una declaración de la directora de la Autoridad de Vivienda de Providence, Melissa Sanzaro
“A medida que completamos nuestra séptima semana de operaciones de emergencia debido a la pandemia de COVID-19, la Autoridad de Vivienda de Providence (PHA) está adoptando mejores prácticas y políticas adicionales para proteger aún más la salud y seguridad de nuestros residentes, empleados, proveedores y la comunidad en -grande. Seguimos de cerca las recomendaciones de los principales funcionarios de salud y gubernamentales a medida que nos unimos para detener aún más la propagación de enfermedades a nuestras comunidades. “Pedimos que todos los residentes de la PHA limiten a los visitantes a nuestros edificios y espacios comunes, especialmente en nuestros edificios de gran altura y que usen una máscara cuando estén fuera de su hogar. Todos los visitantes a la propiedad de la PHA para entregas de alimentos o medicamentos, o para brindar atención médica crítica en el hogar deben usar máscaras. Mientras residentes y visitantes se cubran el rostro, se alejen socialmente y se adhieran a las prácticas de aislamiento, cuando están enfermos o en cuarentena, más éxito tendremos como comunidad para superar este inmenso desafío. “Apreciamos toda la efusión de apoyo de las agencias asociadas de la comunidad y otros que desean ayudar a nuestros residentes. Cualquier organización que busque proporcionar servicios o bienes a residentes de viviendas públicas NO PUEDE ir a nuestros edificios sin permiso de la PHA. Puede enviar un correo electrónico a inquies@provhousing.org, envíe nuestro formulario de solicitud en línea, o llamar al Director de Estrategia y Desarrollo Peter Asen al 401-709-1102. Esto incluye socios existentes que han realizado eventos en nuestras comunidades en el pasado. Gracias por comprender nuestra necesidad de mantener seguros a los inquilinos.“Los cambios adicionales a nuestro plan de operación a medida que implementamos la Fase 2 incluyen:
- Todos los empleados que trabajan en el sitio un supervisor les está tomando la temperatura y se autocertifica en cuanto a la falta de síntomas y la exposición conocida a COVID-19 antes de comenzar un turno.
- Una suspensión continua de la actividad de desalojo y recargos hasta al menos el 23 de Julio de 2020 de conformidad con la Ley CARES. Los inquilinos de la Sección 8 tampoco pueden ser desalojados o perder su cupón por falta de pago durante este período. Pedimos a los inquilinos que continúen pagando el alquiler y que notifiquen a la PHA si hay un cambio en sus ingresos. Si bien hemos suspendido los desalojos en función de las circunstancias económicas, la PHA tomará las medidas de aplicación necesarias, incluso la búsqueda de desalojos, contra inquilinos en casos de violencia doméstica y otros delitos que pongan en peligro la seguridad de nuestra comunidad.
- Cierre de canchas de baloncesto y parques infantiles de la propiedad de la PHA, ya que seguían siendo lugares de reunión para grupos grandes.
- Se requiere que todo el personal y los visitantes usen mascarillas en nuestras oficinas o desarrollos. Pedir a los residentes que usen máscaras cada vez que salen de sus unidades. El equipo de la PHA ha conducido miles de llamadas de bienestar por teléfono a residentes y participantes, verificándolos durante este momento problemático y conectándolos con recursos y apoyo. Recientemente enviamos una carta a los inquilinos a los que no hemos podido comunicarnos por teléfono y seguimos comunicándonos con los residentes con los que hemos hablado anteriormente.
- El equipo de PHA realizó más de 4,000 llamadas de bienestar por teléfono a residentes y participantes, verificándolos durante este momento problemático y conectándolos con recursos y apoyo.
- Establecimiento de una línea directa COVID-19 (401-709-1848) para que nuestros residentes se autoinformen si dieron positivo o están en cuarentena debido al virus.
“También estoy extremadamente agradecido de anunciar que la PHA recibió una subvención de $75,000 de la Fundación Rhode Island y United Way COVID Relief Fund para expandir nuestra Fuerza de Tarea de Alimentos de la Autoridad de Vivienda de Providence, que ha proporcionado a 676 residentes de gran altura cajas de alimentos nutricionalmente equilibrados y estables, con planes de entregar otras 1.300 cajas en los próximos meses. También hemos distribuido más de 250 cajas de alimentos del Programa Senior Box del Banco de Alimentos de la Comunidad de Rhode Island este mes utilizando el nuevo método de entrega segura establecido por el grupo de trabajo de la PHA.
“Hace unas semanas, anunciamos el plan de operaciones especiales de la PHA para COVID-19 que incluía limitar las interacciones cara a cara a través del teletrabajo, atender solo las órdenes de trabajo de emergencia, contratar a un proveedor para ayudar a mantener nuestros desarrollos seguros y traer una empresa de limpieza para desinfectar áreas de alto contacto en nuestros rascacielos dos veces al día, por nombrar algunos pasos dados para modificar nuestras operaciones.
“Esta pandemia presenta un desafío sin precedentes y el valiente equipo de PHA se ha unido para adaptar nuestras operaciones y prepararnos para lo que viene después. Es alentador tener un equipo tan increíble trabajando tan diligentemente para las comunidades que nos importan. Continúan mostrando compasión, creatividad y flexibilidad a medida que continuamos adaptando nuestro plan de operaciones.
“Seguimos abiertos a los negocios para continuar sirviendo mejor a la Ciudad de Providence durante este momento difícil. Para mantenerse al día con nuestras últimas respuestas COVID-19 y para encontrar nuestra guía de recursos en línea aqui o síguenos en las redes sociales @ProvHousing.
“Un agradecimiento especial a nuestra Junta de Comisiones, miembros de la Junta Asesora Residente, sindicatos, socios, personal y residentes que continúan reuniéndose durante esta crisis.
Si bien, podemos estar físicamente separados, solo nos hemos hecho más fuertes por esta distancia.”
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