September 23, 2023 (NEW YORK, NY) – The Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless issued the following joint statement in response to the Adams Administration’s Plan to further limit the amount of time adult migrants can reside in shelter from 60 days to 30 days: “Any policy limiting the amount of time that our clients can reside in shelter is arbitrary and devoid of compassion. It is also unnecessary given the announcements just days ago regarding Temporary Protected Status for Venezueleans and efforts to connect new arrivals with job opportunities – something this Administration long has been clamoring for as a means to transition people from shelter. “Pushing new arrivals who have nowhere else to turn out of the shelters risks dramatically increasing the number of people bedding down on the streets, something nobody wants to see happen. “New York has long been a city that has welcomed immigrants with open arms and woven them into our societal fabric. With each day, this Administration, through policies such as these, erodes this long standing virtue that has defined and strengthened our city since its founding.” Background: Last month, Legal Aid, the Coalition for the Homeless and more than 100 other organizations from around New York State representing advocates, services providers, and faith groups issued a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul urgingher to develop a comprehensive statewide decompression and resettlement plan for the new arrivals and to immediately prioritize deploying state resources to ensure sufficient temporary housing capacity for new arrivals and other unhoused New Yorkers. In July, Legal Aid and the Coalition for the Homeless also called on the City to advance a variety of reforms to increase shelter capacity. The next court conference in Callahan v. Carey is scheduled for September 26, 2023, at 2:15 PMbefore New York State Supreme Court Judge Erika Edwards. The courtroom is located at 60 Centre Street – Part 10, Room 412 in Manhattan. Legal Aid and others will hold a media availability for press outside the courthouse following the conference. Please RSVP with Redmond Haskins at rhaskins@legal-aid.org if you plan to attend.
