Categories: New York City
03.07.2025
On March 6th the Network hosted its second annual virtual City Council Lobby Day. Over 100 participants representing 40 unique organizations and over twenty tenants joined us for 21 meetings with Council offices throughout the day to advocate for budgetary and legislative priorities to advance supportive housing in New York City. Our top four priorities were:
- Invest in NYC 15/15 reallocation
- Support housing opportunities for individuals with justice involvement
- Invest in a peer-led mental health crisis response system
- Support Intro 514: interest to be paid on late payments to nonprofit contracts.
Learn more about our policy priorities HERE.
The day started with a virtual kick-off with participants to ground us in our advocacy for the day:
Network Executive Director Pascale Leone launched our kick-off program, "Everyone here is connected to supportive housing. Your story is your super power. Use it today. Elected officials can fight statistics and data, but they cannot fight your story. We are here to show that this community and movement is a force."
Council Member Carlina Rivera then spoke on Intro 1100, a bill that would expand access to supportive housing for individuals with justice involvement, "We need to be serious about getting people into homes, not jail cells. Thank you for ringing the alarm and stressing the message that supportive housing is a proven model. it provides stability and opportunities to neighbors. It centers our humanity. These are people. Every single life is worth a fight."
Victor Walker, advocate and tenant with Jericho Project, then spoke, "I believe in supportive housing. I believe that it changes lives because it changed my life and I know it changed some of your lives. Every time I participate in advocacy, my voice gets stronger."
Helen Taylor, advocate and tenant with The Fortune Society said, "I live to fight. Today I am fighting for something positive. Supportive housing saved my life. It changed everything."
Thank you to Council Member offices for meeting with us: Council Members Shekar Krishnan, Nantasha Williams, Kevin C. Riley, Pierina Sanchez, Mercedes Narcisse, Chris Banks, Crystal Hudson, Christopher Marte, Darlene Mealy, Kamillah Hanks, Sean Abreu, Sandy Nurse, Linda Lee, Lynn Schulman, Erik Bottcher, Yusef Salaam, Oswald Feliz, Francisco Moya, Tiffany Cabán, Gale Brewer, Carlina Rivera, and Speaker Adrienne Adams.
See a press release for the event HERE.
Thank you to everyone who participated for your advocacy!