Coronavirus Update, July 27, 2020
Over the weekend 7 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Tompkins County, and 1 new case was reported Monday by the County Health Department. There are now 35 active cases in Tompkins, and 184 recoveries. Close to 23,000 people have been tested for the virus.
In Schuyler County, there were no new cases of COVID-19 reported as of Monday, according to their Health Department. The 4 active cases have recovered, and there have been 21 cases of the virus total to date in Schuyler County.
This week, the extra $600 in unemployment insurance that residents have been getting throughout the pandemic will expire. And amid mounting pressure in Ithaca to cancel rent for those economically impacted by the pandemic, a program is available to tenants in need of temporary help paying for housing.
According to the Ithaca Voice, the program will give eligible persons a one-time rental subsidy that will not require repayment. The COVID Rent Relief program through New York State is eligible to households under 80% of the area median income, and fall under the category of giving up more than 30% of their gross monthly income toward rent payments.
Applicants must also prove financial hardship as a result of the pandemic; they must have a lower monthly income in any month between April 2020 and July 2020 than before March 1 of this year due to the novel coronavirus.
For more information or to apply, visit covidrentrelief.hcr.ny.gov. That website one more time is covidrentrelief.hcr.ny.gov.
Ithaca College has announced they will be reducing the cost of room and board for the Fall 2020 semester. Tuition, however, will not be decreased, according to the Ithacan.
The decreased cost will be dependent on when students move in throughout the college’s phased return, spanning from early September to early October. The college has stated they would not be responsible for any form of refunds if they are forced to shut down campus again.
IC is waiving its on-campus residency requirement because of the number of students who may not be able to return to campus due to New York State travel restrictions. And, some students may decide to attend remotely.
The total cost of tuition, regardless of how the student plans to attend, is over $46,000 for the 2020-2021 academic year. The total cost for students will depend on when they arrive for the fall semester. Students will also now be able to take up to 3 credits for free during the winter and summer breaks.
Tuition, room, and board charges for the fall semester will be sent to students by the first week of August and will need to be paid by September 1st.
Contributing writing by WRFI News Intern Phoebe Harms and WRFI News Contributors Esther Racoosin and Joanne Izbicki