Coronavirus: Buffalo Mayor Gives Updates On City's Response To COVID-19

From the City of Buffalo:

Posted March 17, 2020

Buffalo, NY - Mayor Byron W. Brown and the City of Buffalo are working to ensure public safety and prioritize the health and welfare of residents and visitors. We are doing our part to continue to reduce the potential circles of exposure to COVID-19 in our community. The following list indicates the latest updates and changes to City of Buffalo government operations that affect the public, effective March 17, 2020.

At this time, there are 1,374 confirmed Coronavirus cases in New York State, 12 deaths statewide and 11 diagnosed in Erie County, 4 of which are in Buffalo.

Reminder: Code Blue is in effect tonight. Harbor House, St. Luke’s and Holy Cross are open from 8 pm to 8 am;

Again, all municipal buildings, including City Hall, remain closed to the general public; despite interest and late fee payments being suspended, City Hall bill payments remain operational. You can make a payment online by visiting the City’s website or by calling the following numbers:

•851-4399

•851-5716

WITH REGARD TO PARKING:

• All 9 am to 4 pm zones can park on either side of the street, 24/7, until further notice. 6 am to 6 pm zones will remain in effect for the purposes of access for emergency vehicles;
• If a vehicle has been impounded, it can be retrieved by appointment only, by calling 851-5369 or 851-5832 or by emailing parking@buffalony.gov;
• And, to assist restaurants operating under the takeout or delivery-only order, we are in the process of helping them establish an “On-street Drive-Thru”; for more information, email parking@buffalony.gov;
• The City will temporarily stop residential and commercial evictions until further notice, after Governor Andrew Cuomo enacted a moratorium on all evictions, ensuring struggling households and tenants won’t be displaced during this time;

To assist those with child care issues, The Childcare Resource Network is providing free help finding the right child care option for parents and families. Call 877-6666;

The COVID-19 outbreak is also resulting in volunteer opportunities. If you’re not sick and have a vehicle go to buffalony.gov/volunteer;

More than 3,600 residents signed up for BuffAlert on Monday, March 16th to stay informed on important information like emergencies and cancellations. You can sign up by texting Join BUFFALERT to 30890;

Mayor Brown continues to encourage people to give blood, if able. There is a shortage of blood in Erie County. Call 529-4270 to make an appointment or email connectlifegiveblood.org.

The City continues to work toward a complete count of our community during Census 2020. Census information has or is arriving in local mailboxes. It is critically important that every resident is counted so we get our fair share of federal funding. Go to 2020Census.gov to fill out your form;

THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF NEW CANCELLATIONS AND POSTPONEMENTS:

• The Administrative Secretary, Administrative Secretary Spanish-Speaking, Sign Fabricator and Supervising Accountant Auditor Civil Service exams set for March 28th are canceled; All affected candidates will be notified when the exams are rescheduled at a later date;
• Updates from The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority include:
• A public hearing, scheduled for March 19th, on its proposed 2020 Agency Plan will be rescheduled; the public comment period will remain open until further notice;
• BMHA’s Thursday Board of Commissioners meeting at noon, will take place online rather than in-person;
• All 37 Buffalo & Erie County Public Libraries are now closed;
• As indicated on Monday, March 16th, City Court is closed until further notice, however arraignments, warrant returns and other emergency matters will continue to be conducted at the County Court Building Part 27, at 25 Delaware Avenue (www.nycourts.gov );
• Traffic court cases are adjourned and anyone with a scheduled court appearance should call 311 for further information;
• Trash and garbage collection in the parks will continue as normal;

LOTS OF INFORMATION CONTINUES TO CIRCULATE:

• To ensure City residents have the facts and resources they need to protect themselves from COVID-19, the City posted a number of links to health information at www.buffalony.gov;
• For more information about COVID-19, including symptoms of the Coronavirus, visit the Erie County Health Department website at www.erie.gov/health or call the State Department of Health hotline at 1-888-364-3065;
• For further assistance, please call 3-1-1.

This press release was produced by the City of Albany. The views expressed here are the author’s own.