Posted on August 2, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone After decades of failed policies that fueled an unprecedented surge in the City’s shelter census, the number of men, women and children bedding down in homeless shelters remains stubbornly stuck around 60,000. The recent levelling off is largely the result of the City’s enhanced commitment to housing-based solutions to homelessness, including prevention efforts and rental subsidies. However, further action on behalf of both the City and State is needed to begin a significant reduction in homelessness. In order to build upon progress to date, the City must bring new supportive housing units online as quickly as possible, increase the allocation of NYCHA units for homeless families to 2,500, and aggressively enforce laws that prohibit source of income discrimination for people using vouchers to pay rent. The State must also play an instrumental role in tackling near-record homelessness, starting with signing a memorandum of understanding to release funds for supportive housing. In January, Gov. Cuomo pledged 20,000 new supportive housing units over 15 years, the first 6,000 of which would be funded in this year’s budget. But months later, the State has only released $150 million out of the $1.9 billion set aside in the budget for affordable and supportive housing. If State leaders are serious about alleviating the suffering of thousands of our homeless neighbors, all they have to do is sign an MOU to release the remainder of those funds. Eleanor Goldberg of The Huffington Post summarized the policy recommendations put forth in the Coalition’s annual State of the Homeless report. To effectively tackle homelessness, the Coalition for the Homeless called for a number of measures in its annual report. It pushed for an improvement in prevention efforts, an increase in subsidized and supportive housing and also urged the city and state to more effectively collaborate. “The most important thing is that our elected officials embrace housing-based solutions to homelessness: funding and allocating truly affordable housing and supportive housing for the lowest income and homeless New Yorkers,” Routhier said. Steven Banks, commissioner for the Department of Social Services, agreed that homelessness has “steadily” increased over the past 30 years, but said that the city has taken notable steps to tackle the issue. After conducting a 90-day review of homeless services earlier this year, the city is moving forward with recommendations to increase prevention, better connect individuals with services, and improve policies and support for homeless families. Banks told HuffPost he’s eager to work together with the state. “We can achieve so much more for homeless New Yorkers together,” Banks said.
