As 2015 winds down, we’re grateful to the dedicated volunteers and advocacy organizations who achieved victories in many areas, the Fight for $15, climate change, prison and sentencing reform among them. Yet in one area–housing our city’s growing homeless population–victory has been elusive. You can do something about that today.
Recently, the number of homeless men, women, and children living in NYC rose to over 59,000. That number includes the chronically homeless, people with severe mental illness or drug addiction and, according to Housing Works, some 6,000 people with HIV. Almost all want jobs and active lives that are impossible without safe, stable, affordable housing.
Since 1990, agreements between New York City and State have created 15,000 units of supportive housing statewide to alleviate this aspect of homelessness. But we still need more to aid our most vulnerable New Yorkers. Recently Mayor de Blasio unveiled a substantive proposal to build 15,000 more units in 15 years. Now we need Governor Cuomo to commit to a comprehensive, integrated approach.
WHAT IS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING?
An effective, cost-efficient model for affordable housing combined with site services that include job training and mental and physical health care delivery.
WHO BENEFITS?
- Residents: Through dramatic improvements in emotional and employment stability
- Government: By aligning and targeting public funds with nonprofit and community partners
- Community: From significant tax savings through reduced expenditures for use of shelters, hospitals, emergency rooms, prisons, and jails
“AN ABDICATION OF RESPONSIBILITY”
These facts provided the rationale for the NY/NY agreements, an important series of city-state commitments. Since 1990, the agreements have created 15,000 units of supportive housing statewide.The need for a new and expanded program to replace the expiring NY/NY III agreement is growing. But the public feud between our state and city executives has blocked the kind of integrated approach embraced by their predecessors. While Mayor De Blasio has done his part, Governor Cuomo’s leadership is lacking. Earlier this year, the governor proposed building a mere 5,000 units–4,000 in NYC and an additional 1,000 statewide–an amount so tiny that the New York Times Editorial Board called it “an abdication of responsibility.”
A statewide supportive housing program consisting of 35,000 units–30,000 in our city, 5,000 in localities across the state–over the next ten years would go a long way toward reducing the number of homeless residents in city and state. GNYCfC is advocating with the Campaign 4 NY/NY Housing to get out this message.
Will you join us in this fight to reduce homelessness? Sign this petition today to help us tell Governor Cuomo and make your voice heard.
