POLICY MATTERS
A monthly update on policy issues in the fight against homelessness in NYC.
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City’s New Management Report:
A Long Way to go in Fighting Homelessness
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Just a few days ago the City issued its new Mayor’s Management Report with figures for fiscal year 2018, running through June 30, 2018. The report attempts to track and measure problems and progress on issues in New York City, like the issue of homelessness. The FY 2018 figures include some good news, and some bad, meaning we still have a long way to go.
In announcing the new report the Mayor’s office noted it showed the average number of families with children in DHS shelters decreased from 12,818 families to 12,619. And there were figures reporting other promising if very incremental progress for families with children in DHS shelters. But while it wasn’t mentioned in any press releases, single adults entering the DHS shelter system increased from 19,800 in FY 2017 to an all-time high of 21,177 in FY 2018, and the average number of single adults in the shelter system per day increased from 13,626 to 14,847.
The average length of stay in DHS shelters increased in each category. The averages are 401 days for single adults, 561 days for adult families without children, and 438 days for families with children. One important statistic that showed improvement was the percentage of households leaving DHS shelter that re-entered within a year. The percentage of single adults who re-entered the shelter system within one year fell a full 1%, from 17.1% to 16.1 from FY17 to FY18. Adult families re-entering shelter within one year fell by 3.5% to 8.0%. Families with children re-entered shelter within one year at the rate of 8.3%, very slightly up from 8.1% in the previous fiscal year.
Read more here.
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CFH Fighting Proposed Rule Making It Harder for
Immigrants to Get Services
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Last week the federal Department of Homeland Security released a draft new regulation that could endanger lives, cut access to healthcare and intimidate documented people legally in the U.S. from getting legally available and necessary services. The new draft “public charge” rule would change current practices to harshly apply a new level of anti-legal immigrant policy.
The draft rule would alter longstanding immigration policy creating a new standard for immigration officials to use in deciding if immigrants legally in the U.S. can become lawful permanent residents – that is, get a “green card” or extend or change a temporary status, and whether those applying for legal entry to rejoin their family can be admitted. The new rule would empower immigration officials to deny entry or disapprove a new status if the applicant has received, or is likely to receive in the future, any of a list of benefits based on need.
Immigration officials could also use as a factor in decision making whether an individual’s family income is below 125% of the federal poverty level (about $31,375 for a family of four) or give preference to those whose income exceeds 250% of poverty (about $62,750 for a family of four). Current policy only provides for considering whether more than half of an individual’s income comes from direct cash assistance.
The new rule, if adopted, would deter the use of a wide array of benefits including non-cash benefits that provide food, health coverage and housing assistance, specifically including Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps), and some medical prescription assistance for low-income beneficiaries.
We at CFH know that harsh immigration policies of this sort, or even widespread discussion of them, have a “chilling effect” on both lawful immigrants as well as undocumented people and their families in even seeking available assistance. It intimidates people and discourages their use of the vital resources legally available to them. The Center on Budget and Policies Priorities points out “it would (also) enable the Trump Administration to keep out of the country individuals who are working, or would work, in low-paid jobs because they would likely qualify for one or more of the targeted benefits in the future. This may reflect a deeply mistaken White House view that such immigrants do not contribute to the U.S. economy.”
Read more here.
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Let's March For More Housing!
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With the current number of people in shelter in NYC at 60,719 (DHS Shelter Census 9/24/18), including 22,538 children, it is imperative to pursue plans that will make a dent in the homelessness crisis. Mayor Bill De Blasio has the tool to do that in his Housing New York Plan 2.0, which promises to create 300,000 units of affordable housing. Unfortunately, the plan only commits 10,000 units of affordable housing to people experiencing homelessness, or a small 3.3% of his 300,000 plan. Of those 10,000, only 4,000 will be newly constructed units. The other 6,000 units will come from the preservation of occupied units serving formerly homeless households. Although it is a small step in the right direction, it does not go far enough.
CFH is part of the “House Our Future” campaign calling for 30,000 of the units in the City’s affordable housing plan to be set aside for the New Yorkers most in need, those experiencing homelessness. That’s just 10% of the overall plan, with 24,000 of those units to be new construction. Targeting newly created units means families and individuals would be able to immediately move from shelter into permanent affordable housing, essentially cutting the current shelter census by at least half.
Read more here.
We have been collecting signatures in support of this campaign and CFH alone has surpassed our 500+-signature goal. With our coalition partners, we will have collected thousands and thousands of signatures on our “House Our Future” petitions. If you would like to sign the petition online you can do so
here.
CFH will also be joining our “House Our Future” colleagues participating in a march to Gracie Mansion on Wednesday, October 24th from 11 am – 1 pm. We will meet at 86th Street and 2nd Avenue (Q train stop) and march east to Gracie Mansion. The march is free and open to all. Join us as we ask Mayor De Blasio to increase the production of affordable housing for extremely low income New Yorkers to meet the need!
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The Busy Advocate's October Calendar
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Mon., Oct. 4, 5:30 p.m., CFH’s “First Monday Policy Briefing”, on the House Our Future campaign to provide 30,000 units of affordable housing for people in shelter, featuring Coalition for the Homeless Policy Director Giselle Routhier. 30 E. 33rd Street, 5th Floor, Manhattan, NY, 10016.
Wed., Oct. 17, 1:30 p.m., NYC Council Meeting, New York City Hall, Council Chambers, New York, NY 10007.
Mon., Oct. 24, 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m., “House Our Future” action event at NYC’s Gracie Mansion, advocating for 30,000 units of affordable housing through 2026 for people in shelters. Meet at 86th Street and 2nd Avenue (Q train stop) and march east to Gracie Mansion.
Wed., Oct. 31, 1:30 p.m., NYC Council Meeting, New York City Hall, Council Chambers, New York, NY 10007.
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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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