Posted on August 15, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone While thousands of New Yorkers endure dangerously high temperatures on the city’s scorching streets and in crowded shelters, politicians in Albany are needlessly delaying the development of housing that could rescue them from the indignity and perils of homelessness. Research definitively proves that supportive housing is the most cost-effective, successful model for breaking the cycle of chronic homelessness for people living with mental illness and other special needs. In January, Gov. Cuomo committed to building 20,000 new supportive units over 15 years to address record homelessness statewide. The State budget set aside $1.9 billion for affordable and supportive housing – to fund the first 6,000 supportive units – subject to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Cuomo, Assembly Speaker Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Flanagan. This additional legislative hurdle concerned advocates, since Albany has a spotty record in actually signing MOUs. Sure enough, only $150 million of the $1.9 billion was released by the end of the legislative session in June. Now, months after Cuomo made his bold promise, the Governor is once again pushing back the timeline by suggesting that the remaining 90 percent of the funds won’t be released until 2017. As Joe Anuta writes in Crain’s, the recent development is disheartening to advocates: “We are disappointed to hear that Governor Cuomo is not committed to signing the MOU eight months after he promised to create 20,000 units of supportive housing for homeless New Yorkers,” said the Campaign 4 NY/NY Housing, a group made up of housing advocates and builders, in a statement. “Without a long-term commitment to fund supportive housing, his promise means nothing.” … Weeks after the budget was signed, Cuomo’s affordable housing czar, James Rubin, told housing advocates that the plan would be rolled out within weeks or months. When no such agreement transpired, numerous organizations began demanding the state take action, while the Campaign 4 NY/NY went as far as picketing outside of the governor’s office. The problem, they argue, is that affordable housing builders won’t start projects until there is some certainty about the state’s plan and when the money will be released. “Everybody is sitting on their hands,” said Shelly Nortz, the deputy executive director for policy for the Coalition for the Homeless, a member organization of the Campaign 4 NY/NY Housing. Nortz said that in 2014, the state promised to dole out housing funds via an MOU that was never signed. “We’ve been around this corner before,” she said. “Developers are not going to scoop up three [development] properties and wait for the governor to come up with the money in three years.” The Coalition and other members of the Campaign 4 NY/NY Housing have been picketing outside Gov. Cuomo’s Manhattan office for the past three consecutive Wednesdays, and we will continue to hold the Governor accountable for the promises he’s made. Join us at 9am this Wednesday at 633 Third Avenue as we tell Gov. Cuomo that there’s no excuse for holding up these funds – New Yorkers need supportive housing now!
