Joint Statement from Legal Aid, Coalition for the Homeless in Response to Reporting that the City is Again Considering Sheltering Migrants on Cruise Ships

(NEW YORK, NY) – The Legal Aid Society and Coalition for the Homeless issued the following statement in response to reporting that the City is again considering sheltering migrants on cruise ships:

“This was a questionable idea back in September when the Mayor first raised the possibility of using cruise ships to mitigate the local sprawling homelessness crisis and it remains a flawed idea today.

“To state the obvious, cruise ships are not designed or equipped to provide adequate long-term shelter and services to homeless people, including asylum seekers, and are unlikely to comply with well-established court orders and local laws governing New York’s right to shelter.

“However, both Washington and Albany have refused to provide meaningful assistance to the City during this unprecedented time, and we echo Mayor Adams’ calls for action.

“But until that relief finally arrives, Mayor Adams can and must utilize existing voucher programs, such as CityFHEPS, to help homeless New Yorkers transition from shelters into permanent housing, a solution he has the unilateral authority to implement now. This would make needed shelter capacity available while providing stability for our clients who have long sought homes of their own.”