Categories: New York State, New York City
11.25.2015
City Council rally/hearing supporting 30,000 NY/NY Agreement for NYC
City Council Member Carlos Menchaca and Campaign 4 NYNY Housing rallyers
One day after Mayor de Blasio’s historic commitment to creating 15,000 units of supportive housing in New York City, the City Council held a hearing on a resolution calling on the City and State to negotiate a new NY/NY Agreement splitting the cost of creating 30,000 units. A press conference and rally that both celebrated the Mayor’s unprecedented commitment and encouraged the Governor to make a similar commitment preceded the hearing.
The rally/press conference was emceed by Network Executive Director Laura Mascuch and featured brief remarks by seven council members -- General Welfare Chair Stephen Levin, Brad Lander, Housing and Building Chair Jumaane Williams, Carlos Menchaca, Donovan Richards, Antonio Reynoso, and Margaret Chin – all of whom lauded the Mayor’s commitment of $2.6 billion for supportive housing, called on the Governor to come to the table and spoke of the transformative power of supportive housing.
NYS Assembly member Andy Hevesi also spoke to the crowd, reminding attendees that while “the Governor and I don’t often see eye to eye, he is unquestionably a governor who gets things done” expressing his confidence that at the end of the day, the Governor would indeed negotiate a visionary new agreement to create 35,000 units of supportive housing across New York State, citing Governor Cuomo’s lifelong commitment to housing and homelessness.
Doug Collins, a tenant at Housing & Services, Inc.’s Naragansett residence, told the crowd that this would be the last time he advocated with us in New York, as he was moving out of the state with a new partner to his own home and a new job! Mr. Collins spoke movingly about the role supportive housing – and the incredible staff at HSI had played in his being able to make these moves. “You all were there for me at a crucial time in my life. That made all the difference.” Reverend Laura Jervis, one of the faith leaders endorsing the campaign and former Executive Director of WSFSSH, reminded the crowd of just how spectacularly the earlier NY/NY Agreements had worked maximizing the passion and expertise of city and state agency stakeholders. She exhorted the Mayor and Governor to ”break bread.”
At the City Council hearing that followed the press conference, a wide range of stakeholders testified, including HRA Commissioner Steve Banks and Assistant Commissioner for Special Needs Housing at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Jessica Katz, who outlined the de Blasio’s administration’s 15,000 unit commitment. Other supporters who testified included NYS Assembly Member Andrew Hevesi, Laura Mascuch, HSI Executive Director Jim Dill, Urban Pathways’ Nicole Bramstadt and supportive housing tenants including Freddy Cox, who lives at Breaking Ground’s Times Square and had introduced First Lady Chirlane McCray, the day before at the Mayor’s announcement.