March 31, 2015 For Immediate Release: March 31, 2015 Contact: Dan Levitan, Dan@Berlinrosen.com, 646 200-5315 COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS RESPONDS TO NEW YORK STATE BUDGET AGREEMENT The Coalition for the Homeless released today the following statement from President and CEO Mary Brosnahan: “Today’s budget agreement includes welcome new investments in anti-homelessness initiatives – and we are grateful to the Assembly Majority for adding over $29 million in new funds to prevent homelessness. “However, with record homelessness in New York City, this budget must represent a floor – not a ceiling – for the Governor’s negotiations with the Mayor on a multi-year NY/NY IV Agreement to expand invaluable supportive housing. “Permanent supportive housing is a cost-effective resource proven to reduce homelessness for our most vulnerable neighbors who often languish for years on our streets. But today’s budget would actually create far less supportive housing units per year than the last agreement – NY/NY III – which was codified when homeless was half what it is today. “It’s imperative that Governor Cuomo move immediately to build upon this budget by significantly increasing Albany’s investment in supportive housing to at least 30,000 NY-NY IV units in NYC in the next ten years via a new City-State Agreement and his next Executive Budget. “The absence of additional funding above this floor for supportive housing would represent an appalling retreat in State leadership to reduce the misery of homeless New Yorkers.”
