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POLICY MATTERS
A monthly update on policy issues in the fight against homelessness in NYC.
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City Council Passes the "Right to Counsel" in Eviction Cases
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Last month, New York City became the first city in the U.S. to guarantee legal representation for low-income tenants in housing court for eviction proceedings. Intro 214b, expands the right to counsel guaranteed in Criminal Court to Housing Court. This bill, passed overwhelmingly by a margin of 43 to 2, calls on the Office of Civil Justice Coordinator to ensure that all New Yorkers facing eviction are provided with legal services. Soon all low-income individuals will be appointed legal representation during eviction proceedings, and all individuals will receive legal advice prior to their hearing. The office is also tasked with supplying legal services to all New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents undergoing administrative proceedings to terminate their tenancy - proceedings that are often the first step in the eviction process.
The Right to Counsel is expected to cost $93 million as it is fully implemented over the course of five years. The proposal begins by offering legal counsel to people in specific low-income zip codes and by 2022 tenants at 200% of the poverty line will have access to full legal representation in eviction cases in housing court. The bill will ultimately save the city millions considering it costs $2,500 dollars to pay for a tenant’s legal fees, while it costs well over $3,000 per month to provide shelter for a family experiencing homelessness.
NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said that 99% of city landlords hired attorneys for housing court proceedings, while only 1% of tenants were represented in these proceedings. Since the creation of the Office of the Civil Justice Coordinator in 2015, a pilot program in the Bronx resulted in the percentage of represented tenants rising to 27 percent, while residential evictions dropped by 24%.
The Right to Counsel Bill will have a positive impact on low-income communities. It is a great move on the part of the city to meet its commitment to protect the most disenfranchised in NYC. This legislation will help those often targeted by developers, land speculators, and property owners looking to increase rents. There is still a great deal to be done to even the playing field between landlords and tenants in New York City but this is an incredible step towards that goal. Read more here.
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Mayoral Candidates’ Talk About Shelter Vetting Process
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One of the points of discussion in the current mayoral race in New York City is how to address the homelessness crisis. We’ve written about the need to hear that discussion here. One solution offered has centered on making the shelter vetting process more vigorous in order to lower the number of eligible families. According to the New York Post, the percentage of low-income families that meet the criteria for entering a shelter rose from 39% in 2013 to 50% in 2016. The Coalition for the Homeless reports that the current rate of eligibility is around 42.6%.
This still means about half of the families seeking shelter are turned away. The fact that many families that get turned away are all admitted on a second attempt for shelter raises the issue of whether any "more rigorous" vetting is actually helpful or harmful. New York is mandated by law to supply people experiencing homelessness with shelter, in most cases, under a court order.
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Those in favor of a more stringent shelter vetting process argue increasing the difficulty of entering this system will make certain those in shelters are only those with the greatest need. This process involves convincing a DHS' Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing (PATH) intake worker that you have nowhere else you can stay. Those denied shelter by PATH are often forced to survive on the street or in extraordinarily sub-standard conditions. Families often have to apply multiple times.
Read more here.
Though shelters are intended to combat domestic violence, substance abuse, dangers of the street life, and overexposure, they are no substitute for a robust housing program that treats people with respect, avoids discrimination, and does not enable abuse. Candidates for mayor need to commit to providing affordable permanent housing if their goal is end homelessness.
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As our representatives in Congress debate the ever changing federal budget proposal we must seize the opportunity to call and advocate for safety net programs and supports such as housing and health care. Let’s get our Senators into a bipartisan discussion to improve the nation's healthcare system rather than replace the Affordable Care Act. Let’s advocate for increased funding in federal housing programs so that the demand for affordable housing is met and we can keep people from becoming homeless. Call and make your voices heard! You can reach your members of Congress through the Capitol Switchboard in Washington at (202) 224-3121 or you can find your representative here.
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On Saturday, July 15th, Care for the Homeless joined Picture the Homeless and other advocates for a community visioning session in front of three city owned vacant lots in East Harlem that have been vacant since the 1970’s. CFH Client leader Philip Malebranche addressed an audience of 100 people about the importance of the Housing not Warehousing Act currently in front of City Council. The Act made up of three bills would mandate an annual count of vacant property in NYC, mandate a registry for all landlords holding their properties vacant and compile a list of all city, state and federally owned vacant property. The idea is that rather than warehousing properties, and keeping valuable land off the market, it could be used to provide housing for people in poverty, or with extremely low income, which would be a decisive step in ending the homelessness crisis in NYC. If you would like to see these bills get passed contact your local City Council Member to express your support. You can find them here.
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The Busy Advocate's August Calendar
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Wed., Aug. 9th, 1:30 p.m.,
Stated Meeting New York City Council, Bi-monthly meeting where council members introduce and vote on legislation. This meeting will be open to the public. The agenda will be posted no later than August 8th. New York City Hall, New York, NY 10007.
Sun. – Sat., Aug. 13th - 19th, National Health Center Week, recognizing the vital work healthcare providers, like those at Care for the Homeless, do every day! Click here for more Info.
Wed., Aug. 16th, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Health Care for the Homeless Day, NYC Providers of Health Care for the Homeless will hold an event, Jacob Javits Federal Office Building, 26 Federal Plaza, New York. Admission by invitation only.
Wed., Aug. 24th, 1:30 p.m., Stated Meeting New York City Council, Bi-monthly meeting where council members introduce and vote on legislation. This meeting will be open to the public. The agenda will be posted no later than August 23rd. New York City Hall, New York, NY 10007
Wed., Aug. 30th, 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., CFH Consumer Advisory Board Picnic, Riverbank State Park, exclusively for CAB Members.
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A monthly update on policy issues in the fight against homelessness in NYC.
Thank you for your generous support of our mission.
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