To the Editor: (re: Epoch Times article “Seniors to Make Up Nearly 1 in 5 New Yorkers by 2035,” Sept. 2)
I appreciate your coverage of the important issues facing New York City’s growing senior population, but I believe you have overlooked several key points. In fact, the City Council and Mayor de Blasio have already made some great strides this year to help our seniors.
In May, the council passed a major expansion to the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program. Mayor de Blasio quickly signed that expansion into law, and it went into effect on July 1. SCRIE is a lifeline for low- and middle-income seniors living in rent-regulated apartments, since it provides them with a vital rent freeze.
Also, in June, the council and Mayor de Blasio agreed on a budget that increased funding for the city’s Department for the Aging (DFTA) by nearly 10 percent. After years of cuts by the previous administration, that large funding boost gives DFTA new tools to fight elder abuse, provide meals for seniors and help our residents age in place across the city.
Although many seniors continue to face difficult circumstances, we will continue these efforts to improve their safety, security and quality of life.
Council member Margaret Chin, District 1 Chair of the Council’s Committee on Aging
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