Governor Commits to Creating Thousands of Supportive Housing Units and Reducing Poverty to Help Prevent Homelessness Statewide

As the End of the Eviction Moratorium Looms, Advocates Urge For Increased Housing Access, Voucher Program Funding

NEW YORK, NY – In response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s first State of the State address, the Family Homelessness Coalition issued the following statement:
The Family Homelessness Coalition applauds Governor Hochul on her first State of the State and we are grateful for the work she has already done to keep more New York families from losing their homes. We commend the Governor for committing to several programs designed to address the challenges faced by New Yorkers who are currently seeking homeless or at risk.

These include: creating and preserving 100,000 low-income rental and co-operative housing units in both urban and rural communities, creating and preserving 10,000 supportive housing units for vulnerable populations, including domestic violence victims, giving New York City the authority to encourage densification, improving housing access for renters with justice involvement or negative credit histories and creating an eviction prevention legal assistance program to improve housing stability. In addition, we celebrate the Governor’s action to reduce poverty and help prevent homelessness statewide by increasing the amount a Public Assistance recipient can earn and the amount they can save before losing eligibility, as well as, eliminating the 45-day waiting period for Safety Net Assistance benefits for those who are not eligible for Public Assistance.

Even prior to the pandemic, almost 70% of shelter residents were represented by women with children. As new COVID-19 variants emerge, thousands more families are at risk of falling into the cycle of homelessness and the life-altering trauma that comes with it. Further, domestic violence remains a key driver of family homelessness in New York City, with over 41% of families entering the city shelter system due to abuse. As we quickly approach the end of the eviction moratorium, the State must have in place long term solutions to ensure families stay in their homes, including enacting and funding the housing access voucher program rent supplement in this year’s budget. It is important that the State continues to increase their ability to keep families and their children housed and safe and that the Governor continues her partnership with the legislature to improve and expand rental subsidies. We stand ready to support the Governor’s efforts to secure more federal ERAP funds and look forward to continuing to work with her in ensuring that all New Yorkers have a stable roof over their head and show that their stability and safety is of the utmost importance.

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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