Categories: New York City
05.30.2019
The Network's testimony to the Committee on Finance reinforced the urgent need for funding for DOHMH scattered site supporting housing programs in the FY 2020 Executive Budget.
For the second time this budget cycle, Network Executive Director Laura Mascuch testified to the immediate need for $20 million in funding in the FY 2020 City budget to ensure that 1,800 formerly homeless people don’t become homeless again. Testifying at the New York City Council Committee on Finance’s budget hearing, she thanked the Council for including the additional funding for DOHMH scattered site supportive housing in its initial budget and urged the Council to help ensure the ask makes it into the final budget. Besides the human cost of possibly making 1,800 households homeless again, the City would face approximately $69 million in added shelter costs if these individuals and families re-entered the shelter system.
Laura connected the DOHMH need to the broader need faced by the human services sector overall, echoing the Human Services Council’s push for $106 million to fill the gap between the human services providers’ indirect costs and the contract reimbursement rates from the City.
You can read the Network’s full testimony to the Committee on Finance here. You can also watch the Network’s testimony here (starting around 06:12:47).
To join the Network in advocating for DOHMH funding, you can find sample tweets, phone scripts, and emails to send to City leadership here.
For other Network testimonies to the City Council, please click here.