U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez holds rally at Bushwick Social Security office.
On April 15 at 10:30 local seniors gathered in front of the Bushwick Social Security Office on 785 Flushing Avenue to stand up and say “Hands off” to the Trump administration who had begun implementing changes to the Social Security Administration (SSA) the day before.
Many of the changes are tied to access. First there was the announcement of 12% staff reduction. This will translate to longer wait times when there are issues. CBS News reported the average wait time for Social Security calls has doubled in the last six months to 104 minutes.
CBS also shared the story of Anne Bacon, when her check didn’t arrive it took calling the office and being put on hold for more than six hours in two separate calls. To remove staff when there are long wait times is adding stress to seniors. Most seniors depend on their check from SSA, many of those need it the moment they receive it. Any delay increases the worry and hassle that comes with correcting an error.
“We should not be cutting back; we should be expanding it, adding staff, and improving services so it works for the people it was meant to serve,” said U.S. Representative Nydia Velázquez at the April 15 rally. 83,532 in Velázquez’s district depend on SSA payments.
The Trump Administration wants to limit/discourage in-person assistance as this would cut costs. There are plans to close offices, leaving less offices to serve the same population of seniors who may have to travel longer to reach one. Instead they encourage setting up an account on the SSA website and getting services there. However, not all seniors are online savvy or have devices. Those who are unable to use the online verification system will have to go to a SSA office in person.
“Many of my clients don’t have access to the internet. They don’t have access to tablets or smartphones,” said Shandanette Chase, supervising attorney for Urban Justice Center Mental Health Project’s disability advocacy program, at the rally in a counter response to the idea that moving the system to become more online based would be a help.
“We urge [SSA] to reconsider the proposed staff reductions and reaffirm their commitment to providing essential services for all its beneficiaries,” said Evelyn Castillo, founder of the Rainbow Connection Alliance.
Thus far there has been no mention of benefit cuts. However, the current changes have added some obstacles to seniors receiving their funds and services.
The Greenline 