To our residents,

In light of the continuing situation surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, our primary concern is the well-being and health of our residents and our staff who, as essential workers, serve the needs of our residents as well as the extended South Bronx community.

We are constantly monitoring the continuous stream of updates from the NYC Departments of Health and we are following the City’s recommendations to determine future steps to ensure that what we do helps limit the spread of this virus. As a result, Banana Kelly’s main office remains closed and our office staff is working remotely as we are keeping our interaction with the public to a minimum and suspending all face to face contact and meetings. Please know that we continue to provide our social services on a remote basis. Our case coordinators keep in contact with residents via phone calls, emails and texts to continue to meet residents’ need. And our community organizers are working hard to keep in contact with as many residents as possible. A survey was sent two weeks ago to almost 1000 residents to determine how our residents are coping with this crisis and to see how we can be of assistance. One outcome of this outreach is that it has shined a spot light of the price gauging occurring in our community.  In fact, here is an article in the Mott Haven Herald about our price gouging action. Our staff is also contacting as many residents of the South Bronx as possible to encourage everyone to complete the 2020 Census. Please visit 2020Census to get counted.

Our building Supers, however, are our heroes and as essential workers continue to work in our buildings to ensure that they remain clean, sanitized and well maintained. Supers are expanding their cleaning and disinfecting rounds in all common areas (lobbies, elevators, laundry rooms, mailbox stations, etc.) The Supers have posted valuable information in all our buildings to educate residents on how best to remain safe and infection-free.

As a responsible affordable housing provider, and social service agency, we are working with our partners and property managers to review and activate added emergency management measures to further safeguard you, the residents, who live in our buildings.

If an issue or problem arises in your apartment/building first contact the Super to determine if he or she can address the problem. If it is an emergency, please also contact the Super who will then contact the property manager or the relevant vendor to address the issue. Finally, if the situation requires, you can call our Property Manager Dario Rodriguez at 347-359-8433, or me at 347-930-4196. Rest assured that we will continue to meet the needs of you — our residents — as we have done throughout our 42 year history.

All of us at Banana Kelly thank you for your assistance.  With this virus we are in uncharted territory, with changes happening on a daily basis – sometime on an hourly basis. Collectively, as residents of the South Bronx and as New Yorkers we need to do our part to take steps to slow and eventually stop the spread of Coronavirus. We urge you to please put into action—and commit to habit—the precautions listed on informational notices posted in your building and on the City’s website – nyc.gov/coronavirus. OR call the CONVID-19 hotline 1-888-364-3065.

Don’t forget your elderly neighbors – if you do not show signs of illness – check on your elderly neighborhoods as often as possible.

As residents of the Bronx we will get through this together!

Sincerely,

Hope Burgess, President and CEO