Seeking Advice - Investment Research Associate Intern

Incoming Investment Research Summer Associate on the Private Credit/Distressed Debt team at a $200bn+ Fund Shop placed in their NYC office for this upcoming summer. I am a non-traditional undergrad from a non-target and secured this role after my mentor sent my CV to one of the senior-most members of the group, who he had previously done business with and leaned on them to at least offer me an interview. This is essentially a "dream gig" as far as summer roles go given my interest in working within the credit alternatives and distressed debt investing. Seeking advice on:

1. How I might best go about reaching out to members of the team to connect ahead of my start (if at all?)? I go to school in the Greater Boston area and am in NYC here and there for other networking meetings so I wouldn't necessarily be "forcing" it, so to speak. That said, this seems like a pretty grey area from what I can tell.

2. Any solid leads on housing for the summer internship period. The office is in Midtown on 6th near Rockefeller Center and the Radio City Music Hall.

Thanks to all you hardos in advance for all the insights/comments!