Fighting City Efforts to Close the Shelter Door [UPDATE: More Good News for Now] Posted on December 9, 2011 by Patrick Markee [UPDATE: This morning, following a brief hearing in New York State Supreme Court, the City once again agreed with the Legal Aid Society and Coalition for the Homeless NOT to implement restrictive new shelter eligibility rules for homeless adults. The City agre ..Read More
NY City Council Joins the Fight Against Misguided Shelter Denial Rules Posted on November 29, 2011 by Patrick Markee Today the New York City Council voted to authorize a legal challenge against the City’s proposed new bureaucratic rules that would deny shelter to homeless adults, including those living with mental illness. The Council’s actions were widely cove ..Read More
41,000: NYC Homeless Shelter Population Soars to New All-Time Record Highs Posted on November 9, 2011 by Patrick Markee Today Coalition for the Homeless released a new report documenting how New York City’s homeless shelter population has grown to over 41,000 people – including 17,000 children – for the first time ever, and analyzing the failed Bloomberg polic ..Read More
Remembering Yvonne McCain, A True Hero for Homeless New Yorkers Posted on November 3, 2011 by Patrick Markee Yvonne McCain, lead plaintiff in a historic lawsuit that ensured the right to shelter for homeless children and families, passed away this week. She will be remembered as a true New York hero. McCain, a survivor of domestic violence who was forced to endure ho ..Read More
#OccupyWallStreet March & Rally: Banks and the Wealthy Must Pay Their Fair Share Posted on October 6, 2011 by Patrick Markee Yesterday Coalition for the Homeless joined organized labor, community groups, and thousands of New Yorkers for an historic march and rally to support the Occupy Wall Street protesters, who are in their third week encamped at Zuccotti Park in the heart of Ma ..Read More
Advantage Court Ruling: Bad for Homeless NYers, Bad for Taxpayers, but There’s a Better Solution Posted on September 15, 2011 by Patrick Markee As we reported here yesterday, A New York State Supreme Court judge rules late Tuesday against plaintiffs in a lass-action lawsuit challenging the City’s attempt to cut off Advantage rent subsidies for more than 12,000 formerly-homeless households. The ..Read More
Advantage Tenants: August Rent Will Be Paid Posted on July 29, 2011 by Patrick Markee In response to court orders, the City has announced that it will continue to pay rent subsidies for current Advantage tenants in August. The NYC Department of Homeless Services has informed current Advantage recipients that they will continue to receive rental ..Read More
Right-Wing Heritage Foundation: The Poor Are Not Poor Because…They Have Refrigerators! Posted on July 29, 2011 by Patrick Markee The right-wing Heritage Foundation has long sought to, well, to disprove the existence of poverty, and their latest attempt — a “report” issued last week — is as mendacious as ever. The foundation’s Robert Rector — long an ..Read More
NY Rent Laws Renewed, But Only With Minimal Improvements Posted on June 28, 2011 by Patrick Markee Late last week the New York State Legislature struck a deal to renew rent laws protecting 2.5 million tenants. But the minimal improvements in the law will mean further erosion of affordable, rent-regulated housing in NYC. The deal reached at the end of an oth ..Read More
