Categories: New York City
05.27.2020
Network Executive Director Laura Mascuch, along with a number of our member agencies, testified about proposed cuts to HPD’s capital budget at the City Council Subcommittee on Capital Budget and Finance hearing May 21st.
Laura stressed that the proposed cuts to HPD and the Supportive Housing Loan Program – possibly as much as 40% -- would stall, if not stop, the creation of 2,500 units of supportive/affordable currently in the pipeline, exactly when the city needs this housing the most. She emphasized that supportive housing not only provides safe and stable homes for the most vulnerable homeless New Yorkers as well as low-income households, development and maintenance of this housing also creates jobs, which is of the utmost importance with record unemployment.
She further noted the ripple effect that cuts to will have on the very communities that have been hit hardest by the pandemic. She urged the Council to oppose the cuts and restore HPD’s budget.
The Network would like to thank David Cleghorn from HELP USA, Arlo Chase from S:US, JoAnne Page from The Fortune Society, Diane Louard-Michel from Lantern Community Services, Jim Dill from HSI, and Brenda Tong from New Destiny for presenting testimony, along with Network members Barrier Free Living, Project Renewal, Concern for Independent Living, West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, and Breaking Ground that submitted written testimony.
Click here to watch the Network’s testimony here (starting at 9:02:40)
For previous Network testimonies, please visit this page.