Long Island’s Homeless Problem Posted on December 28, 2015 by Jacquelyn Simone in Newsday We talk often about affordable housing on Long Island. Mostly, we think of young workers still living with their parents, or older adults who no longer want their sprawling homes. Rarely do we think of the Long Islanders who are homeless. But we must. There ar ..Read More
Buffalo: Housing First Program Has Assisted Nearly All of City’s Chronically Homeless Posted on December 28, 2015 by Jacquelyn Simone in The Buffalo News The goal, ending chronic homelessness, sounded like the stuff of fairy tales when it was announced a few years ago. It seemed more like do-gooders tilting at windmills than an actual goal that could plausibly be achieved. But, surprise: It’s happening in Buf ..Read More
New York Faces Struggle in Curbing Flophouse Schemes That Victimize Addicts Posted on December 28, 2015 by Jacquelyn Simone in The New York Times The newly renovated townhouse on Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn was described as being ideal for a family. “Be the first to live in this,” a rental advertisement says. Instead, about 36 men squeeze inside the building, climbing into bunk beds at night, waiting i ..Read More
Once Homeless, NYC Family Starts New Life at ‘Sugar Hill’ Posted on December 25, 2015 by Jacquelyn Simone in CBS New York Tisha Houser’s new apartment in Harlem is a work in progress — though she has no furniture yet, she does have a Christmas tree, and a place to call ‘home.’ As CBS2’s Kenneth Craig reported, Houser’s family spent nearly two years living in one of Ne ..Read More
Some Homeless New Yorkers Choose the Street Over a Shelter Posted on December 27, 2015 by Jacquelyn Simone in The Wall Street Journal At Penn Station, dozens of homeless people sat quietly amid the Christmas decorations as travelers headed home for the holidays. If New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has his way, they and others who camp out on city streets will be moved into shelters as the city ..Read More
City Pledges New School Buses After I-Team Exposes Homeless Kids Forced to Take Long Subway Trips Posted on December 25, 2015 by Jacquelyn Simone in NBC New York Hundreds of new school buses are on the way to homeless children after an I-Team report last month exposed some students in shelters traveling more than four hours a day on subways just to get to and from school. In an exclusive interview, Mayor de Blasio said ..Read More
Ending the Revolving Door of Homelessness Posted on December 28, 2015 by Jacquelyn Simone in Gotham Gazette While Mayor Bill de Blasio works on the details of a 15-year, $2.6 billion supportive housing program to address homelessness, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is creating a statewide plan to reduce homelessness. New York should draw on approaches that have helped in the pas ..Read More
Finally, Urgency on New York’s Homeless Posted on December 23, 2015 by Jacquelyn Simone in The New York Times In the final days of his second year in office, Mayor Bill de Blasio has stirred himself to greater action on homelessness. Under fire for months over a problem that he had promised long ago to solve — but one that he seemed inclined to dismiss or play down, ..Read More
Upstate NY Groups Sheltering Homeless Call for More Housing Posted on December 22, 2015 by Jacquelyn Simone in Associated Press Organizations that shelter homeless people in the greater Albany area say they’re overflowing on the coldest nights and are calling on the governor and Legislature to back 35,000 more units of supportive housing statewide over the next decade, including ..Read More