(NEW YORK, NY) – The Legal Aid Society and Coalition for the Homeless released the following statement on violations of the right to shelter at the City’s shelter intake facility for single men in Manhattan: “It is now clear that this City’s Administration simply does not have a handle on the city’s sprawling homelessness crisis and the serious capacity issues in the Department of Homeless Services’ (DHS) shelters. In addition to the violations that took place in July at the City’s shelter intake facility for homeless families with children, we just learned that at least 60 individuals were denied shelter placements last night at the intake facility for single adult men, a serious breach of law and a court order. We are extremely alarmed by the frequency of these violations under this Administration, and, as legally required, the City must immediately promulgate a plan to ensure that no further violations occur. Any New Yorker, including an individual seeking asylum, is legally entitled to placement in a safe and decent shelter. Should the City continue to deprive our clients of this codified right, we’ll seek action from the court.”
