Just Another Day at the Food Pantries That Help the Bronx Survive Posted on December 12, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone in City Limits Although a man could be barred from the afterlife for letting another man go hungry in ancient Egypt, New York City didn’t cook up the idea of soup kitchens as a way to feed the poor until the Great Depression. Now more than 1,100 soup kitchens and food pant ..Read More
New York’s Mayors Throw Support Behind Rental Subsidy Plan Posted on December 6, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone in Queens Examiner A statewide organization of mayors announced their support for the Home Stability Support (HSS) plan, a program that would provide rental assistance for vulnerable New Yorkers. The New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials (NYCOM), which repr ..Read More
Understanding the Many Ways New York City’s Homeless Population Gets Housed Posted on December 12, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone in amNewYork It too often takes a tragedy to prompt action on homelessness. One such event took place last week. What will come of it remains to be seen. On Wednesday, two toddlers, aged 1 and 2, were burned to death in Hunts Point, according to authorities, when a radiato ..Read More
Today’s Read: Supporting a Right to Counsel in Housing Court Posted on December 9, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone The citywide affordable housing crisis has pushed many New Yorkers to the brink of homelessness. More than half of NYC tenants pay over 30 percent of their income toward rent, just one missed paycheck or unexpected medical bill away from falling behind. If the ..Read More
City Schools Struggle to Keep Pace With Rise in Number of Homeless Students Posted on December 8, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone in Politico New York At PS 294 in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx, where about a third of the school’s students are homeless, principal Daniel Russo has arranged “walk pools” to nearby shelters to make sure young students get to school safely. At PS 446 in Brownsvil ..Read More
Who’s Supporting a Right to Counsel in Housing Court? Posted on December 8, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone in City Limits Back in 2008, a slim majority of 29 New York City Councilmembers voted to extend term limits after a remarkably fast debate. Today, a bill to require that lawyers be provided to low-income people facing the loss of their homes in housing court has a far larger ..Read More
Choosing Between Shelter and School Posted on December 8, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone in The Atlantic The Flatlands Family Residence is a shelter for homeless families that sits near the end of a subway line in Brooklyn next to a truck depot and across the street from an industrial air-conditioning business. Drawings made by the children who live there are tap ..Read More
Clock is Ticking on Vital Affordable-Housing Funds Posted on December 6, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone in Crain's New Yorkers are at risk of losing thousands of new, affordable housing units if state officials fail to provide $2 billion in housing funds that have been languishing since the state budget was passed on April 1. This $2 billion, promised in a memorandum of un ..Read More
Today’s Read: Momentum Builds for Home Stability Support Posted on December 7, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone Faced with a worsening affordable housing crisis and record homelessness statewide, a growing number of elected leaders and advocates are endorsing the innovative Home Stability Support proposal introduced by State Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi (D- Forest Hills ..Read More
