Categories: New York State, Network Events
02.04.2025
On February 3rd the Network hosted its 2025 State Lobby Day at the State Capitol in Albany. Over 200 supportive housing staff and tenants from across the State joined us to advocate for critical funding for supportive housing programs: the New York State Supportive Housing Program (NYSSHP) and the Homeless Housing Assistance Program (HHAP), to pass the Supportive Housing Modernization Act (S136/A2134), and include a 7.8% investment in the human services sector in the final state budget. The day included more than 70 meetings with representatives, a lunch program and a press conference.
Tenant Advocate Kenny Alvarez emceed the lunch program stating, “Supportive housing is the tool that saved my life. I believe in supportive housing as a tool for anyone else who finds it and we’re here today to support that. It saves lives and ends homelessness.”
Senator Roxanne Persaud said, “Supportive housing is a proven model to support New Yorkers living with disabilities and mental health concerns. Unfortunately, the State has underfunded the New York State Supportive Housing Program (NYYSHP) so we must continue to fight and ask for the funding because we know the importance of funding it. With your help we will get there.”
Senator Brian Kavanaugh said, “We know supportive housing is most essential things State government can support. We have made real progress in executive budget and we want to push to increase funding levels and get parity for programs to ensure you have funding for services and create more units.”
Tenant Advocate with New Destiny Housing Yahira said, “Security in our housing is not a luxury it’s a necessity, but many supportive housing buildings lack security or staff to watch security feeds. We must invest in making supportive housing truly safe by funding security and staff.”
Urban Pathways Consumer Advocate and Care for the Homeless Board Member Will Woods joined to speak about the Homeless Protection Act (HPA), “The HPA would make people experiencing homelessness a protected class under the hate crime statute. It would not only create a mechanism to document incidents, but would work towards fighting against further anti-homelessness stigma.”
Network Executive Director Pascale Leone, who emceed the press conference, led the group in chants, “housing is a human right, fight, fight, fight!” and said,” We must modernize the existing program NYSSHP. The program is so outdated, it’s been unchanged for 40 years, and as a result 9,000 units are at risk of going offline.
Assembly Member Harvey Epstein said, “We don’t have enough supportive housing units coming online every year and we need to invest in supportive housing and the workforce.”
Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal, said “Stable housing is a fundamental human right, yet thousands of supportive housing tenants live in unacceptable conditions. We need to build more and preserve affordable and supportive housing. No one should live in a building that is falling apart.”
Tenant Advocate Loretta Glover said, “Two weeks ago the bathroom ceiling caved in our building. We need to take good care of our older people and one another.”
Assembly Member Maritza Davila said, “New York State has over 62,000 supportive housing units. Who benefits from this? Everyone benefits. Communities benefit. The individuals, their families, and their children all benefit.”
Remarks were also provided by Centered Housing Options Inc. Senior Homeless Outreach & Engagement Specialist Stephen Rosa and New Destiny Housing Corporation Executive Director Nicole Branca and tenant advocate Sharike.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and made your voices heard.
To learn more about the Network’s State Advocacy priorities see HERE.
See press coverage from the event below:
Supportive housing units look to Albany for support
Supportive housing advocates rally for increased funding in New York