New York City is in the midst of the worst homelessness crisis since the Great Depression, with 61,000 people – including more than 21,000 children – sleeping in shelters each night. In order to match the unprecedented need, the City must employ every available affordable housing resource. Mayor de Blasio must align his historic Housing New York plan with the reality of record homelessness by immediately increasing the total number of housing units created for homeless households to 30,000 – 10 percent of his overall 300,000-unit plan.
House Our Future NY is an advocacy campaign formed by the Coalition for the Homeless and 66 partner organizations (and counting!), as well as homeless men, women, and children and other caring New Yorkers. We are asking Mayor de Blasio for 30,000 new units of affordable, permanent housing for homeless New Yorkers by 2026, with 24,000 of these units to be created through new construction.
Please sign our petition to Mayor de Blasio. Organizations can join the campaign here.
Download the report: “Moment of Truth: Bringing Production of Affordable Housing for Homeless Households in de Blasio’s Housing Plan to Scale.”
Follow @HouseOurFuture on Twitter for the latest developments.
Thursday, December 19, 2019 By Gloria Pazmino, NY1
It's a small victory for New Yorkers like Nathylin Flowers Adesegun, a housing advocate who for years has joined other activists calling on the administration to build more units, so that people currently living in shelter, like her, can move into permanent housing....Read more
Thursday, December 19, 2019 By Mark Hallum, AMNewYork
Intro 1211 by city Councilman Rafael Salamanca, will require housing developers receiving city funds to reserve 15 percent of units for homeless New Yorkers, a goal which will provide affordable housing and bring relief to the city’s shelters which house well over 60,000 people....Read more
By Caroline Spivack , Curbed
The legislation, which was introduced in 2018 by Bronx Councilmember Rafael Salamanca, applies to rental buildings with more than 40 units, and is anticipated to create 1,000 new apartments for the homeless per year....Read more
Thursday, December 19, 2019 By Rich Calder, New York Post
“This is a revolutionary change in policy that is necessary and urgent,” Council Speaker Corey Johnson said....Read more
Thursday, December 12, 2019 By Nikita Stewart, Jeffery C. Mays and Matthew Haag, The New York Times
A law would mandate that affordable-housing projects built with city assistance must have 15 percent of the apartments reserved for the homeless....Read more
Thursday, December 12, 2019 By House Our Future NY, Press Release
The following statement from the House Our Future NY steering committee is in response to the City Council introducing an updated Intro. 1211, which would require developers who receive City financial assistance for housing development projects to set aside at least 15 percent of created apartments for homeless individuals and families....Read more
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 By Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist
"The status quo is not working. We are treading water right now," said Johnson during a press conference on Wednesday at City Hall....Read more
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 By Shant Shahrigian, New York Daily News
Salamanca seconded calls from a coalition of housing groups for the city to get developers to set aside 30,000 units for homeless New Yorkers, 24,000 of them built brand new....Read more
Thursday, October 31, 2019 By Janaki Chadha, Politico New York
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson has come out in support of a bill that would require developers to set aside more housing for the homeless in city-financed affordable housing projects....Read more
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 By Will Bredderman , Crain's New York
At an unrelated press conference on Thursday, the mayor indicated he intended to pass some version of Bronx Councilman Rafael Salamanca's proposal to set aside 15% of all units in city-subsidized buildings for the indigent. The remarks came one day after City Council Speaker Corey Johnson endorsed the measure, to which a veto-proof majority of council members have signed on....Read more
Sunday, October 20, 2019 By Ethan Geringer-Sameth, Gotham Gazette
“The only solution is housing,” said Felix Guzman, an organizer with VOCAL-NY who identified as formerly homeless and incarcerated. “We must build housing for the people that need it the most in our city.” ...Read more
Saturday, October 19, 2019 By New Tang Dynasty, Beijing, New Tang Dynasty Television
集會上，人們呼籲市長能有所作為，包括建造數萬套可負擔住房，同時擴大庇護所，改革庇護所的收容程序。...Read more
Friday, October 18, 2019 By CBSNewYork, CBS 2 New York
“The lack of housing and the lack of social services or violence, people think that they are exaggerating. They are, in fact, life and death issues, and there are about four or five families in Chinatown that you can speak to if you don’t believe us,” William said....Read more
By Rich Lamb, WCBS 880
“Any one of us could be homeless. The housing prices now is insanely high, the cost of living here: untenable,” said Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou....Read more
Friday, October 18, 2019 By CBS2 Digital, WCBSTV
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and other advocates call on the mayor's office to do more to curb homelessness in the city....Read more
Friday, October 18, 2019 By Allison Kaden, Pix 11 New York
"What we mean by affordable is actually low rent housing," Giselle Routhier of the Coalition For The Homeless said. "And a lot of times what it could mean specifically for a homeless household, maybe if they are working, they may just be paying 30% of their income on rent."...Read more
Friday, October 18, 2019 By Edwin Martinez, El Diario NY
Así lo manifestó un grupo que realizó este viernes una demostración en la sede de la Alcaldía, para responsabilizar a Bill de Blasio de este crisis, asegurando que en los casi seis años que lleva en el poder, la Administración local “no tiene todavía planes reales y efectivos para terminar o al menos reducir” el problema del desamparo....Read more
By Michael Gartland, New York Daily News
“Homelessness is the result of the mayor not prioritizing the most vulnerable people in our city.”...Read more
Friday, September 27, 2019 By Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist
On a balmy Thursday night, Greenberg, along with about 70 people, convened at City Hall Park for the first sleep out protest since 2012. Activists had suspended sleep-outs under Mayor Bill de Blasio, who promised to alleviate the crisis....Read more
Thursday, September 26, 2019 By Jay Dow, Pix11 News
A modest gathering inside City Hall Park Thursday evening aimed at raising awareness to New York City’s ongoing homeless crisis and the desperate need for more affordable housing....Read more
Thursday, September 26, 2019 By Press Release, House Our Future NY
Homeless New Yorkers, faith leaders, and housing advocates joined together today for a rally and overnight vigil at City Hall Park to urge Mayor de Blasio to commit to building 24,000 new affordable apartments, and preserving the affordability of 6,000 more, for homeless New Yorkers by 2026....Read more
Thursday, September 26, 2019 By Tyler Blint-Welsh, The Wall Street Journal
“We felt all together that it was time to do this again, and continue to put pressure on him,” said Giselle Routhier, policy director at the Coalition for the Homeless, a homeless advocacy group in the city....Read more
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 By Zainab Iqbal, BKLYNER
Homeless activists and VOCAL-NY walked into a luxury apartment building– which the City has deemed as “affordable housing”– to protest Mayor de Blasio’s “affordable” housing plan on Friday....Read more
Monday, September 16, 2019 By Sadef Ali Kully, CityLimits.org
"At the end of the day, thousands of apartments are being sold as ‘affordable’ to New Yorkers, but over 61,000 homeless people in our city will never be able to access those units."...Read more
Friday, September 13, 2019 By Anna Quinn, New York Patch
Friday's rally, which ended when a security guard called police who then asked the protesters to leave, is the latest in a push from advocates to have the mayor build 24,000 new apartments set aside for the homeless and preserve 6,000 more....Read more
Friday, August 23, 2019 By Inside City Hall, NY1
As the de Blasio administration looks to devote more resources to fight homelessness in the subway system, Grace Rauh discussed the crisis with two advocates: Nathylin Flowers of the group VOCAL-NY, who confronted Mayor de Blasio during his morning workout at his gym last year, and Giselle Routhier of the Coalition for the Homeless....Read more
Thursday, August 22, 2019 By Kay Dervishi, NYN Media
The report pins the blame for the continued housing problems on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Housing New York 2.0 plan....Read more
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 By Valeria Ricciulli, Curbed New York
During a rally at City Hall, advocates from several organizations including Coalition for the Homeless held signs that compared NYC’s homelessness numbers—in June, around 60,849 homeless people slept in the city’s shelter system each night—to the total populations of several cities in the U.S., including White Plains, New York, which has 58,111 residents....Read more
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 By Liam Quigley, amNewYork
A coalition of advocates for the homeless gathered on the steps of City Hall Tuesday to demand Mayor Bill de Blasio commit to building thousands of new apartments to combat homelessness....Read more
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 By Gloria Pazmino, NY1
In October of 2018, Ms. Flowers had one plea for Mayor Bill de Blasio: Set aside more units of housing for the homeless. But today, she remains without a home, the mayor's plan remains unchanged, and the homeless crisis is showing few signs of improvement....Read more
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 By Coalition for the Homeless, Press Release
Homeless New Yorkers & Advocates Rally at City Hall for More Housing for the Homeless...Read more
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 By Giselle Routhier, Coalition for the Homeless
As record homelessness persists on New York City’s streets and in its shelter system, it is critical to ask: Why does the homelessness crisis remain unabated after Mayor de Blasio has had nearly six years to implement his much-touted “progressive” policy blueprint?...Read more
Monday, May 13, 2019 By Press Release, House Our Future NY
Following State of the Homeless 2019 release, advocates march to urge Mayor de Blasio to build 24,000 new units of affordable housing for homeless New Yorkers...Read more
Friday, May 3, 2019 By Ashad Hajela & Ben Max, Gotham Gazette
Meanwhile, the main change it wants from de Blasio is an increase in the number of apartments set aside for homeless New Yorkers in his “Housing New York 2.0” plan....Read more
Wednesday, May 1, 2019 By Dana Tyler, CBS 2 New York
Giselle Routhier of the Coalition for the Homeless talks with CBSN New York's Dana Tyler to offer a deeper look into New York City homelessness report card....Read more
Tuesday, April 30, 2019 By Michael Gartland, New York Daily News
De Blasio got an F for his inability to create more housing. “The mayor currently has a completely inadequate plan to address homelessness,” Coalition policy director Giselle Routhier said....Read more
Tuesday, April 30, 2019 By Giselle Routhier, Coalition for the Homeless
The Coalition for the Homeless' annual report on homelessness in New York City....Read more
Sunday, April 28, 2019 By Rev. Peter Cook, The Riverdale Press
While New York City grapples with plummeting temperatures, it can be easy for us to take our everyday blessings for granted and allow our homeless neighbors to fade into the background of day-to-day life....Read more
Monday, April 15, 2019 By Janaki Chadha, PoliticoPro
Activists have called on the mayor to set aside more homeless housing in his broader plan to build or preserve 300,000 affordable housing units by 2026....Read more
Friday, March 22, 2019 By 1010 Wins, 1010 Wins
Activists from House Our Future NY interrupted Friday's City Hall Housing and Budget hearing to demand the construction of more housing for the homeless. "House the homeless" was continuously yelled by activists during the hearing. ...Read more
Friday, March 22, 2019 By CBS New York, CBSN New York
Coalition for the Homeless Policy Director Giselle Routhier joined CBSN New York's Dana Tyler about affordable housing planning and new construction which can help alleviate the city's shelter and street crisis....Read more
Friday, March 22, 2019 By Janaki Chadha, PoliticoPro
“Mayor de Blasio, we have 63,000 New Yorkers living in shelters, shame on you,” one activist with the House Our Future NY campaign shouted during acting Housing Preservation and Development commissioner Eric Enderlin’s testimony. A small group in the Council Chambers’ upper-level seating began chanting, “House the homeless.”...Read more
Friday, March 22, 2019 By Michael Gartland, New York Daily News
“Mayor de Blasio’s callous disregard for the homeless is truly staggering," [CFH Policy Director Giselle] Routhier said....Read more
Friday, March 22, 2019 By Press Release, House Our Future NY
Led by Nathylin Flowers Adesegun–the homeless 73-year old woman who confronted Mayor de Blasio at the Park Slope YMCA in October–activists dropped a banner reading “Build 24K for homeless NYers” and led a mic-check style speak-out before being escorted out by security....Read more
Councilmembers and advocates for homeless New Yorkers held a press conference today, ahead of Council’s Housing and Buildings Committee hearing, to call on Mayor de Blasio to create more housing for the homeless in his signature affordable housing plan....Read more
Tuesday, March 12, 2019 By Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech , The Villager
In the view of the activists, although the city has made progress in terms of homeless services, de Blasio has repeatedly neglected the city’s neediest....Read more
Friday, March 8, 2019 By Press Release, House Our Future NY
Groups call on elected officials and Mayor to include 30,000 units for homeless households, with 24,000 to be created through new construction in Housing New York 2.0 plan...Read more
Thursday, March 7, 2019 By Julio César García, Spectrum Noticias NY1
Pero para más de 63 organizaciones y otros oficiales electos, el plan de de Blasio debería crear soluciones permanentes para los sin hogar, no más albergues....Read more
Friday, March 1, 2019 By Zach Williams, NYN Media
“While we recognize and commend you and your administration for all your efforts to address the crisis, we must call on you to do even more,” reads the letter....Read more
Thursday, January 31, 2019 By Katie Honan, The Wall Street Journal
Some housing advocates have criticized the plan for setting aside too few units—around 5% of the total under the current plan—for homeless New Yorkers. “The number is paltry,” said Giselle Routhier, the policy director at Coalition for the Homeless....Read more
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 By Janaki Chadha, PoliticoPro
The legislation, introduced by Council Member Rafael Salamanca, would require developments receiving city subsidies to set aside 15 percent of housing units for the homeless. Proponents say increased housing supply is needed to address the city’s enduring homelessness crisis, but the de Blasio administration argues the bill would hinder its ability to produce affordable housing....Read more
Monday, January 28, 2019 By Eric Adams, CityLimits.org
Increasing the number of affordable apartments set aside for homeless New Yorkers from 15,000 to 30,000 is necessary and achievable, and would mark an important step at the municipal level to make a dent in homelessness....Read more
Thursday, January 17, 2019 By Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist
Calling his track record a “travesty,” Routhier urged the mayor to finance 2,500 new units each year for homeless New Yorkers....Read more
Wednesday, January 16, 2019 By Sadef Ali Kully, CityLimits.org
The advocates from the campaign House Our Future NY have asked the city to increase the total number of housing units for homeless households to 30,000, adding that 24,000 of those units should be new construction. The campaign supports Salamanca’s bill because it helps to meet the campaign’s goals....Read more
Tuesday, January 15, 2019 By Zach Williams, NYNMedia
“It’s clear that we as a City need bold strokes to help our fellow New Yorkers out of homelessness,” said Councilman Rafael Salamanca Jr. “New York City has reached a record high population of homeless people sleeping in shelters nightly and this all happened under (Mayor Bill de Blasio’s) watch. His housing plan is clearly not serving some of the neediest New Yorkers, and I hope today’s hearing on my bill brings us one step closer to addressing this crisis.”...Read more
Monday, January 14, 2019 By Janaki Chadha, PoliticoPro
As Mayor Bill de Blasio continues to defend his housing plan against critics who say it leaves out the city’s most vulnerable populations, the City Council is taking up a bill that would force a dramatic increase in housing built for the homeless....Read more
Monday, January 14, 2019 By Press Release,
City Council members, Coalition for the Homeless, VOCAL-NY, Urban Pathways and other advocacy groups stood on City Hall steps today to call on the administration to commit to more housing for the homeless. The Committee on Housing and Buildings held an oversight hearing today and heard testimony from the administration and the public on Council Member Salamanca’s bill, Intro 1211 which would require developers who receive any city dollars to set aside at least 15% of the units for the homeless....Read more
Thursday, January 10, 2019 By Press Release,
The following statement is in response to Mayor de Blasio State of the City address today, where he failed to mention the city’s record-breaking homelessness crisis....Read more
Tuesday, December 18, 2018 By Press Release, House Our Future NY Campaign
Advocates with the House Our Future NY coalition and homeless New Yorkers joined faith leaders for a candlelight vigil outside of City Hall today to urge Mayor de Blasio to increase the number of apartments set aside for homeless New Yorkers in his Housing New York 2.0 affordable housing plan to 30,000 units, with 24,000 units to be created through new construction....Read more
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 By John Chandler, NBCNews
Protesters stormed City Hall Tuesday, demanding more housing amid a continuing homelessness crisis....Read more
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 By Jillian Jorgensen, New York Daily News
The group of demonstrators first sought to block the entrance to the mayor’s wing of City Hall. When police didn’t arrest them, they tried the front door. When that didn’t work, they split up and blocked all three doors to City Hall’s main entrance....Read more
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 By Anna Quinn, Park Slope Patch
In their latest effort to have the Mayor Bill de Blasio change his affordable housing plan, housing advocates held a sit-in outside his office on Tuesday....Read more
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 Press Release
Homeless New Yorkers, elected officials, housing advocates, and supporters joined the Coalition for the Homeless, VOCAL-NY, Housing Works, Neighbors Together, and several other groups today as they staged a sit-in at City Hall to demand Mayor de Blasio dedicate 30,000 units of his affordable housing plan for homeless New Yorkers, including 24,000 units to be created through new construction....Read more
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 By Giselle Routhier, Coalition for the Homeless
This paper addresses claims Mayor de Blasio has made regarding the House Our Future NY Campaign and elaborates on the current state of homelessness, the need for more housing, and the mechanisms for achieving our goals....Read more
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 By Giselle Routhier, Gotham Gazette
The progressive mayor who campaigned to end the “tale of two cities” has responded dismissively, sometimes with anger – and always with a series of excuses that don’t hold up to closer examination. Let’s take a look....Read more
Friday, November 16, 2018 By Justin Mitchell, Bklyner
Routhier pointed to a letter signed by members of the city government and about 60 organizations joining the [House Our Future NY] call. “Having those housing resources available in order to offer someone who’s on the streets a real option for getting off the streets is what’s most important,” she said, encouraging concerned residents to support this initiative....Read more
Friday, November 2, 2018 By Jillian Jorgensen, New York Daily News
While she finally got to ask her question, the homeless senior citizen didn’t get the answer she was hoping for, nor did she get any expression of sympathy for her plight....Read more
Friday, November 2, 2018 By Will Bredderman, Crain's New York
On air, she reproached the mayor for opposing a proposal by Bronx Councilman Rafael Salamanca, chairman of the Committee on Land Use, that would obligate developers of city-subsidized buildings to set aside 15% of units for the indigent....Read more
Friday, November 2, 2018 By Gloria Pazmino, PoliticoPro
This time, Nathylin Flowers Adesegun, who goes by Flowers, elicited a resounding “no” from the mayor after she asked him to support a City Council proposal that would require developers to set aside 15 percent of units for homeless New Yorkers....Read more
Friday, November 2, 2018 By Bill Parry, QNS
After the Salamanca legislation was introduced several dozen homeless advocates rallied on the steps of City Hall including Nathylin Flowers Adesegun, a resident of a Long Island City shelter for the past three years who generated headlines last month when she challenged Mayor Bill de Blasio on the issue as he worked out at his gym....Read more
Friday, November 2, 2018 By Press Release, House Our Future NY Campaign
Not everyone in New York is facing the same affordability crises. Homeless New Yorkers have it worst, and the Mayor’s $2 billion housing plan simply is not meeting their needs....Read more
Friday, November 2, 2018 By Yoav Gonen, New York Post
“When are you going to get with us, do what’s right for homeless New Yorkers by doing the modest thing we’re asking, to set aside — only 10 percent — 30,000 units of housing from your affordable housing plan for homeless New Yorkers.”...Read more
Friday, November 2, 2018 By The Brian Lehrer Show, WNYC
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio takes calls from listeners. Nathylin Flowers Adesegun, who confronted the Mayor at the gym, calls in. Asks him to set aside more resources for housing the homeless....Read more
Thursday, November 1, 2018 By Sadef Ali Kully, CityLimits.org
Salamanca was also joined by Councilmembers Stephen Levin, Vanessa Gibson and Jumaane Williams (who is running for public advocate), along with former Council Speaker Christine Quinn —now the CEO of the homeless services organization Women in Need —as well as representatives of the Coalition for the Homeless, Housing Works and other organizations....Read more
Wednesday, October 31, 2018 By Marcia Kramer, CBS 2 New York
“Homelessness in New York City has reached the highest level since the Great Depression in the 1930s,” Salamanca said. “Is this the legacy that you, Mister Mayor, want to leave behind?”...Read more
Wednesday, October 31, 2018 By Press Release,
At today’s City Council Stated Meeting, Council Member Salamanca will introduce a new bill that would require developers who receive city financial assistance for rental housing development projects to set aside no less than 15% of created or preserved dwelling units for homeless individuals and families. ...Read more
Tuesday, October 30, 2018 By Jeff C. Mays, The New York Times
Rafael Salamanca Jr., a councilman from the Bronx, will introduce legislation on Wednesday that will mandate that any rental housing project that receives taxpayer subsidies — such as tax abatements, loans, tax credits or reduced-cost land — has to set aside 15 percent of its created or preserved units for people living in the city’s shelter system....Read more
Thursday, October 25, 2018 By Brendan Krisel, Upper East Side Patch
Advocacy groups involved in Wednesday's march agreed that helping 100,000 New Yorkers avoid the shelter system is a positive achievement, but said the administration's plan to address homelessness fails when it comes to creating new housing....Read more
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 By Kayla Simas, AM New York
More than 100 New Yorkers marched the streets of the Upper East Side on Wednesday, chanting, “Housing is a human right. Fight! Fight! Fight!”...Read more
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 By Marcia Kramer, CBS New York
“I am presently homeless and I need the mayor to hear us,” Felix Guzman said. “We are faced with a problem that has divided the whole city between the haves and the have nots.”...Read more
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 By Carlos Garcia, The Blaze
“The homeless community is sick and tired of these ridiculous things that the mayor is doing,” said ‘Picture The Homeless’ advocate Deborah Dickerson....Read more
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 By Press Release,
Hundreds of homeless New Yorkers, housing advocates and supporters joined the Coalition for the Homeless, VOCAL-NY, Housing Works and dozens of other groups today as they marched on Gracie Mansion to demand Mayor de Blasio dedicate 30,000 units of his affordable housing plan for homeless New Yorkers, including 24,000 units to be created through new construction....Read more
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 By Zach Williams, NYN Media
Homeless advocates are planning to march on Gracie Mansion today. The House Our Future March will start at the intersection of 86th Street and Second Avenue at 11 a.m., before proceeding to the official residence of Mayor Bill de Blasio....Read more
Monday, October 22, 2018 By Press Advisory,
Homeless individuals and advocates will speak about the extreme urgency of the need outside of the Mayor’s home, where campaign members will also deliver a petition with over 1,000 signatures....Read more
Thursday, October 18, 2018 By Nathylin Flowers Adegunsun, New York Daily News
The video of the YMCA confrontation spread all over the internet. In response, the mayor dug his heels in. He refused to commit more housing for homeless people in his city and he criticized me for trying to talk to him at the gym....Read more
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 By Rosa Goldensohn, PoliticoPro
“There’s no way to fully predict this, but I think that if we don’t do this, if we don’t increase the set-aside, we’re likely not going to get out of this shelter population plateau for potentially years.”...Read more
Monday, October 15, 2018 By Kathleen Culliton, Park Slope Patch
"He did not want to talk to me today," said 72-year-old Nathylin Flowers Adesegun. "Here we are, still no mayor."...Read more
Monday, October 15, 2018 By Katie Honan, The Wall Street Journal
Mr. de Blasio didn’t attend, but the group met with senior city officials from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Department of Social Services and the mayor’s office. “They did a lot of listening, but they told us they couldn’t commit to anything in the meeting,” she said....Read more
Monday, October 15, 2018 By Rich Calder, NY Post
Mayor Bill de Blasio was a no-show at a City Hall meeting with a homeless woman who confronted him earlier at the Park Slope Y, so she says she’s going to stake him out again, this time at Gracie Mansion....Read more
Sunday, October 7, 2018 By Azure Gilman, ABC News
“We’ve asked the mayor … 'Will you do this? Will you dedicate 10 percent?' And he’s flat out said no,” said Giselle Routhier, policy director for the Coalition for the Homeless told ABC News. “What we’re really trying to highlight here is this goes against this progressive values. He’s failed on this.”...Read more
Saturday, October 6, 2018 By NBC 4 New York, NBC 4 New York
Bill de Blasio was caught on camera brushing off a homeless woman who confronted him at a Brooklyn gym and interrupted his stretching routine to demand housing reform....Read more
Saturday, October 6, 2018 By Hilary Hanson, HuffPost
The incident has garnered coverage from local and national media and led to criticism from advocates....Read more
Saturday, October 6, 2018 By Jeffery C. Mays, The New York Times
“Out of 300,000 units in your affordable housing program, only 5 percent will go to the homeless: Can you look me in the eye and tell me why?” Ms. Adesegun asks as Mr. de Blasio tries to cut her off....Read more
Friday, October 5, 2018 By Diana Rocco, Pix11 News
“Can you look me in the eye and tell me why,” the woman asked him. Then a second woman who was recording the encounter shouts, “why can't you commit more housing for homeless New Yorkers Mayor de Blasio? Five percent, five percent isn't adequate. We need more housing for homeless New Yorkers."...Read more
Friday, October 5, 2018 By Kathleen Culliton, Park Slope Patch
"I'm doing my workout," video shows de Blasio telling the 72-year-old woman before he stands up and walks away. "I can't do this now."...Read more
Friday, October 5, 2018 By Jacquelyn Simone, Coalition for the Homeless
Paulette Soltani from VOCAL-NY, which is among the 58 House Our Future NY endorsers, wrote about the urgent need for Mayor de Blasio to change course in an op-ed for City Limits....Read more
Friday, October 5, 2018 By Pamela Wong, Bklyner
“I shook the Mayor’s hand this morning, and asked why he wouldn’t do more to help homeless New Yorkers like myself,” Adesegun said in a statement following the rally. “I am 72 years old and have been homeless for three years, but he made it clear that his morning workout was more important to him.”...Read more
Tuesday, October 2, 2018 By Paulette Soltani, CityLimits
But the mayor is not claiming that any of these efforts will rehouse 61,000 people. That would be deceitful. What he’s telling us instead, unabashedly, is that he has no real plan to put people back in homes and that doing so is not his priority....Read more
Friday, September 21, 2018 By The Brian Lehrer Show, WNYC
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio takes calls from listeners. Paulette from Brooklyn asks the Mayor to commit 10% of the units in his affordable housing plan to homeless New Yorkers, with 24,000 of those units to be created through new construction....Read more
Thursday, September 20, 2018 By Brendan Cheney, Politico
The Coalition for the Homeless criticized the fact that the number of [subsidized housing] units for homeless people decreased to 2,318 in fiscal year 2018, down 12 percent from the year before, though it is the second most since 2014....Read more
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 By Katie Honan, The Wall Street Journal
Giselle Routhier, policy director at Coalition for the Homeless, said the shelter population hasn’t decreased that much because there are so few permanent housing options in the city: "There’s not enough units to meet that need."...Read more
Monday, September 17, 2018 By Joel Berg and Giselle Routhier, City Limits
In many of the nation’s big cities, hunger and homelessness remain rampant. But given that de Blasio is enacting so many progressive policies to combat poverty, why are these problems still pervasive here?...Read more
Saturday, August 11, 2018 By M.A. Dennis, New York Daily News
What frustrates me even more is that New York is spending billions of dollars on an “affordable housing” plan that will do nothing to alleviate the suffering of homeless men and women....Read more
Tuesday, August 7, 2018 By Giselle Routhier, NYN Media
De Blasio is settling for half-measures, failing to use the most important tool in his toolbox: actually building homes for homeless people....Read more
Sunday, August 5, 2018 By Ben Adler, City & State New York
"The fundamental reason for homelessness is a lack of affordable housing. The mayor’s housing plan doesn’t match the scale of the homelessness problem,” said Shelly Nortz, deputy executive director for policy at Coalition for the Homeless. ...Read more
Friday, August 3, 2018 By The Brian Lehrer Show, WNYC
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio takes calls from listeners. Dennis from Staten Island asks the Mayor to commit 10% of the units in his affordable housing plan to homeless New Yorkers, with 24,000 of those units to be created through new construction....Read more
Monday, July 23, 2018 By Jacquelyn Simone, Coalition for the Homeless
Giselle Routhier spoke with Joel Berg and Jeff Simmons on their WBAI radio show City Watch. The interview contextualized how past policy failures and the loss of affordable housing have contributed to record homelessness, and highlighted the urgency underlying the House Our Future NY campaign. ...Read more
Monday, June 25, 2018 By Sheryl McCarthy, CUNY TV
Why has the homeless population mushroomed, and in a city where property values and rents are so high, and are steadily rising, can the homeless problem ever be solved? Our guest is Giselle Routhier, policy director at the Coalition for the Homeless. She says New York needs to embrace bolder solutions to address this problem....Read more
Thursday, June 21, 2018 By Tyvan Burns, Amsterdam News
A week before the Day of Action, on June 7, more than 100 children, including many from New York City homeless shelters, joined the Coalition for the Homeless and other advocates in marching to City Hall, using pictures of homes and Lego houses to “demand that the city dedicate 30,000 units of its Housing New York 2.0 plan to homeless households, including 24,000 units created through new construction.”...Read more
Thursday, June 21, 2018 By Jacquelyn Simone, Coalition for the Homeless
The House Our Future NY campaign has garnered endorsements from 57 organizations, many of which sent a letter to Mayor de Blasio on April 23rd. Now, a group of 32 Council Members, 4 Borough Presidents, the Public Advocate, and the Comptroller have echoed this request in a new letter asking the Mayor to set aside 10 percent of his housing plan, or 30,000 units of permanent housing, for homeless New Yorkers....Read more
Thursday, June 21, 2018 By Sam Raskin, Politico NY
A slew of New York City elected officials have signed on to a letter urging Mayor Bill de Blasio to step up his commitment to combating homelessness by doubling the amount of units apportioned to the city's homeless population....Read more
Thursday, June 7, 2018 By Press Release, Coalition for the Homeless
More than one hundred children, including dozens from New York City homeless shelters, joined the Coalition for the Homeless and other advocates in marching to City Hall today, using pictures of homes and Lego houses to demand that the City dedicate 30,000 units of its Housing New York 2.0 plan to homeless households, including 24,000 units created through new construction....Read more
Tuesday, May 1, 2018 By Zach Williams, NYNMedia
The Coalition for the Homeless and more than 40 other groups have sent a letter to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, calling on him to dedicate 30,000 units – some 10 percent – of his housing plan to homeless New Yorkers. ...Read more
Thursday, April 26, 2018 By Jacqueline Simone, Coalition for the Homeless
On Monday, the Coalition for the Homeless and a group of 43 organizations sent a letter to Mayor de Blasio calling on him to dedicate 30,000 units of his Housing New York 2.0 plan to homeless New Yorkers, or 10 percent of the total 300,000-unit plan....Read more
Tuesday, April 24, 2018 By Press Release, Coalition for the Homeless
In current plan, just 5% of housing units targeted to homeless, as shelter population remains near record highs...Read more
Wednesday, March 14, 2018 By Giselle Routhier, Coalition for the Homeless
How the City and State Can Tackle Homelessness by Bringing Housing Investment to Scale ...Read more
Monday, March 5, 2018 By Jarrett Murphy, CityLimits.org
Coalition for the Homeless Policy Director Giselle Routhier visited the Max & Murphy podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on the policies needed to effectively combat record homelessness....Read more
Wednesday, January 31, 2018 By Giselle Routhier, Coalition for the Homeless
By Felix, Coalition for the Homeless CAG
"I don't want to be a statistic forever. I am homeless but not hopeless."...Read more
By Flowers, VOCAL New York
“It’s on you, Bill!”...Read more
By Charisma, Urban Pathways
"This [affordable housing] will help me be a stable, productive member of the community"...Read more
By Griffin, Coalition for the Homeless CAG
“If housing is a human right, then why are humans being denied housing?”...Read more
By Michael, Coalition for the Homeless CAG
"Housing is needed for people with seriously low incomes."...Read more
By Stephen, Urban Pathways
"[Getting affordable housing] is a blessing not only to me, but to the communities of families that have nothing at all and now have a home to call their own."...Read more
By K.J., Coalition for the Homeless CAG
"A permanent home would mean peace of mind and serenity."...Read more
By Althea, VOCAL New York
“We have a real big crisis that will get worse if we don’t start putting people in permanent homes.”...Read more
By Dennis, Coalition for the Homeless CAG
"Permanent housing has given me the mindset, as well as the actual opportunity, to do better and be better."...Read more
The Coalition for the Homeless recently launched House Our Future NY to call on Mayor de Blasio to increase the number of permanent affordable housing units set aside for homeless New Yorkers, and we would like to invite your organization to join our campaign.
Currently, only 15,000 units of the Mayor’s 300,000-unit Housing NY 2.0 plan are set aside for homeless families and individuals, despite record homelessness in New York City. We are urging the Mayor to immediately direct his housing development agencies to increase the total number of housing units for homeless households to 30,000, with 24,000 of these units financed and created as new construction. We officially launched this campaign with the release of a policy brief in January 2018, and reiterated the request in our annual State of the Homeless report in March 2018 and in April 2019.
In order to amplify this critical housing goal, we want to include our allies: organizations serving homeless families, single adults, people with disabilities, domestic violence survivors, and runaway and homeless youth. We are soliciting organizational partners to sign on to the campaign and help with organizing grassroots support for our future multi-pronged advocacy efforts including rallies and other public actions.
ADD YOUR ORGANIZATION
Endorsing Organizations:
The Ali Forney Center Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health Bailey House Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association, Inc. Barrier Free Living Broadway Housing Communities Bronx Health & Housing Consortium Care for the Homeless The Church of the Village (NYC) CitiLeaf Housing Citizens’ Committee for Children Coalition for Homeless Youth Coalition for the Homeless College and Community Fellowship The Collegiate Churches of New York Community Access Community Service Society Comunilife Covenant House New York Emergency Shelter Network Encore Community Services Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church Fierce! Gateway Housing GEMS Harm Reduction Coalition Henry Street Settlement Homeless Services United Hope’s Door Housing Conservation Coordinators Housing Works Human.nyc Hunger Action Network of NYS Hunger Free America Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing Kingdom Faith Developers Lab/Shul The Legal Aid Society Mekong NYC Midtown South Community Council Mutual Housing Association of NY (MHANY) My Dog is My Home National Working Positive Coalition Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter Neighbors Together New Destiny Housing New York Communities for Change New York Society for Ethical Culture New York State Council of Churches Partnership for the Homeless Pax Christi Metro New York Picture the Homeless Presbyterian Church (USA) Safe Horizon Services for the UnderServed Sisters of Charity of New York Society for the Advancement of Judaism St Ann’s Church of Morrisania Strong Families Deliverance Ministries Inc. Tenants & Neighbors Tenants Political Action Committee University Settlement and The Door Urban Justice Center Urban Pathways VOCAL NY WE ACT For Environmental Justice Win
67 Endorsers as of September 19, 2019
Endorsing Elected Officials:
Council Member Stephen Levin (Chair, Committee on General Welfare) Public Advocate and former Council Member Jumaane Williams Former Public Advocate Letitia James Comptroller Scott M. Stringer Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. Queens Borough President Melinda Katz Council Member Ben Kallos (Co-Chair, Progressive Caucus) Council Member Keith Powers (Vice Co-Chair, Progressive Caucus) Council Member Carlos Menchaca (Vice Co-Chair, Progressive Caucus) Council Member Adrienne Adams Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel Council Member Diana Ayala Council Member Inez Barron Council Member Fernando Cabrera Council Member Margaret Chin Council Member Andrew Cohen Council Member Costa Constantinides Council Member Robert Cornegy Council Member Rafael Espinal Council Member Mathieu Eugene Council Member Vanessa Gibson Council Member Barry Grodenchik Council Member Robert Holden Council Member Peter Koo Council Member Brad Lander Council Member Mark Levine Council Member I. Daneek Miller Council Member Francisco Moya Council Member Bill Perkins Council Member Antonio Reynoso Council Member Donovan J. Richards Council Member Carlina Rivera Council Member Helen Rosenthal Council Member Rafael Salamanca Council Member Ritchie Torres Council Member Mark Treyger Council Member James Van Bramer
39 Endorsers as of March 4, 2019
An advocacy campaign to call on Mayor de Blasio to increase the number of permanent affordable housing units set aside for homeless New Yorkers
