New York – Today, Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, New Destiny Housing, and Enterprise Community Partners issued the following statement on the New York City Council’s response to Mayor Eric Adams’ Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2024:

“As we battle a housing crisis that has left thousands of New Yorkers living in shelters and on the street, the Family Homelessness Coalition applauds the New York City Council for proposing critical investments in its response to Mayor Eric Adams’ Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2024.

The coalition is pleased that the City Council is urging the Adams administration to enact the CityFHEPS rate increase that was passed into law last year and increase housing capital. The coalition especially applauds the Council for calling on the Adams administration to fill vacant positions at HPD to ensure that there is always adequate staffing for housing development. We also appreciate the Council’s efforts to reverse harmful budget cuts to NYCHA, create more supportive housing for foster care children aging out of the system, fund mental health supports for students in shelters, and establish housing stability microgrants to individuals impacted by domestic violence.

Many of New York City’s most vulnerable could not survive without the staff at nonprofit organizations and the City’s housing and homelessness agencies, which provide essential work to end family homelessness; however, these agencies are significantly underfunded and understaffed. We stand alongside the Council in calling for more source of income staff members, baselining funding for shelter-based community coordinators, and providing a cost-of-living-adjustment to nonprofit employees.

We have an opportunity to guarantee the safety and security of New York’s children and families by investing in programs that will mitigate our city’s housing crisis. We look forward to working alongside the Council and Adams’ administration to ensure New York families have the resources they need to secure and maintain a safe living environment.”

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This statement is from the Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, Enterprise Community Partners and New Destiny Housing on behalf of the Family Homelessness Coalition.

ABOUT

The Family Homelessness Coalition (FHC) is composed of 16 organizations representing service and housing providers and children’s advocacy organizations. FHC is united by the goal of launching a coordinated, collaborative, multi-agency effort focused on preventing family homelessness, improving the well-being of children and families in shelters, and supporting the long-term stability of families with children who leave shelters.