The Network Testifies at the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare
Sep.28.2023
On Wednesday September 27th, the Network’s Director of Policy and Planning Rebecca Zangen testified at the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare hearing on public benefits processing delays at HRA, urging the City to create a system to expedite the process of one shot deal applications. Rebecca also urged the City to exempt DSS and HRA from PEGS in order to ensure supportive housing tenants have resources they need to live stable lives.
Continue Reading …Breaking Ground Breaks Ground on Sutphin Senior Housing
Sep.21.2023
On Wednesday, September 20th, Breaking Ground joined project partners and elected and government officials to break ground on affordable/supportive housing residence, Sutphin Senior Housing. When complete, Sutphin Senior Housing will create 173 new affordable apartments, including 52 supportive for seniors, in Jamaica, Queens. On-site services will be provided by Breaking Ground funded by NYC 15/15 through New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH).
Continue Reading …Selfhelp Opens The Allan and Geraldine Rosenberg Residence
Sep.20.2023
On September 19th, Selfhelp Community Services Inc. and Selfhelp Realty Group joined developers and elected officials for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for new affordable/supportive housing residence, The Allan and Geraldine Rosenberg Residence in Freeport, Nassau County. The residence is creating 45 affordable apartments for adults aged 55 and older, 14 of which are set aside for formerly homeless seniors. On-site services are provided by Selfhelp Community Services and funded by the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI) through the New York State Department of Health.
Continue Reading …West Side Federation for Senior Supportive Housing Break Ground on Fischer Senior Apartments
Sep.13.2023
Some 50 staff and partners turned out September 12th to break ground on West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing’s (WSFSSH) Fischer Senior Apartments, a new apartment complex in the Highbridge section of the Bronx that will provide affordable homes to 105 seniors including 54 supportive units. Onsite services will be funded by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene through the NYC 15/15 Supportive Housing Initiative.
Continue Reading …The Network’s Statement in Response to the City’s LL3 Report
Sep.06.2023
The report released by New York City confirms what the Network has been saying for years: that demand for supportive housing is huge and far outpaces available supply. It also suggests that we need to right-size the portfolio of supportive housing to better meet the needs of today’s unhoused population. At the same time, the City’s increased efficiencies in the referral and placement system have resulted in more and more New Yorkers being connected to critical housing and support.
Continue Reading …Project Renewal Tops Off Bedford Green House Phase II
Jul.17.2023
On Friday, July 14 Project Renewal joined project partners and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson for a topping-off celebration of Bedford Green House Phase II, which will create 116 new affordable apartments, 70 supportive, in the Fordham Heights section of the Bronx. Bedford Green House Phase I opened in January 2022 and created 117 affordable apartments, including 71 supportive. Together, the two buildings will provide 233 supportive and affordable homes. Project Renewal will provide on-site services, including case management, occupational therapy, entitlement support and horticultural therapy, funded by the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI) through the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYS OMH).
Continue Reading …NYC Council and Adams Administration Adopt FY24 Budget
Jul.03.2023
On Friday, June 30th, the New York City Council and Mayor Adams concluded budget negotiations and adopted the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.
Continue Reading …The Network Responds to Recent Press Coverage on Arrears in Supportive Housing
Jun.01.2023
There have been multiple media reports in recent weeks about nonprofit supportive housing providers engaging in legal proceedings to address record-high rent arrears among tenants. Rent arrears is pervasive and has reached crisis levels since the pandemic not just in our community, but also in affordable and public housing, impacting thousands of New Yorkers across the five boroughs.
Continue Reading …The Network Testifies at Two NYC Council Committee Hearings
Jun.01.2023
On May 4th, Network Associate Director of Engagement and Communications Joelle Ballam-Schwan testified at a hearing of the New York City Council Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addiction Mental Health hearing regarding the Council’s Mental Health Roadmap. Joelle thanked the Council for putting forward a holistic Mental Health Roadmap that calls for targeted investments in the historically underfunded mental health infrastructure and addresses the workforce crisis. She then noted that missing from the roadmap was the 6.5% COLA for the human services sector and urged the council to only expand the City’s mental health pilot, B-HEARD, if significant changes are made to the program, Read the full testimony HERE.
Continue Reading …The Network Joins the Human Services Coalition and 6K Human Services Workers to Rally for #JustPay
May.26.2023
On May 25th the Network joined the Human Services Coalition (HSC) alongside over 6,000 human services workers for a #JustPay rally to advocate for a 6.5% COLA for the sector in the City’s final budget. The rally took place as part of HSC’s Day Without Human Services where organizations across the City shut down 30% of their programs to demonstrate solidarity in advocating for the COLA after the administration had been unresponsive to the calls of the sector.
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