Brooklyn Coronavirus Update and Open Thread: Reopening, Parking, Commercial Rents (5/12/20)

We’re in the ninth week of sheltering in place and the 36th day of home schooling for New York City schools.

It’s possible New York City could start a phased reopening in June, de Blasio said Monday. The mayor had previously said schools will reopen in September, but the COVID syndrome affecting children makes that less certain, according to The New York Post.

Street cleaning and alternate side parking will be back in effect for one week, from May 18 to May 25.

The consumer outlook on home prices and unemployment for the near term is bleak, and lenders have tightened their credit rules and pulled back on jumbo loans, said The New York Times. Commercial landlords said 58 percent of businesses paid their rent in April, with grocery stores and banks among those who paid, and global clothing chains among those who did not, reported The Real Deal. If missed rent payments cause mortgage defaults, the stability of the financial system could be at risk.

What are your thoughts, and how are you weathering the shutdown? What do you think should be done in Brooklyn to combat the spread of the virus and blunt the damage to local businesses and jobs? Please feel free to comment in a respectful manner (please, no personal attacks, nothing libelous). If you are not already logged in, go up to the top right hand side of the page and log in to be able to comment.