New York – Today, Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, New Destiny Housing, and Enterprise Community Partners issued the following statement on behalf of the Family Homelessness Coalition:

“New York City is facing a severe housing crisis which requires bold policies and funding to mitigate the devastating effects of homelessness on families and children. Mayor Adams enacting veto power to reverse the CityFHEPS bills is a direct attack against the tens of thousands of families and children in shelters and the dedicated workers who support them.

With homelessness at a record high, we urge the City Council to override Mayor Adams’ veto. The package of CityFHEPS bills will help families avoid shelter all together, leave shelter sooner when they come into care, and create more space within shelters to respond to the needs of migrants and others in urgent need of support.

But overriding the Mayor’s veto isn’t enough to solve the city’s urgent homelessness crisis. Mayor Adams has also proposed budget cuts that will only serve to worsen the crisis and will result in unacceptable human and fiscal costs. A 2.5% reduction in funding for city-wide agency staff and non-profit homeless services contracts will block access to the very supports needed to prevent entrance into shelter and to expedite access to permanent housing from shelter. These cuts must be rejected and furthermore a multiyear COLA for the human service workforce must be achieved.”

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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.