Categories: Funding, New York State, Network Events
02.17.2015
The Network, along with HSU, brought a 75-person strong force to Albany on February 3rd to lobby for an expanded statewide NY/NY 4 agreement.
Front row from left to right: The Network’s Edline Jacquet, Jeff Nemetsky –Brooklyn Housing & Community Services Inc., Senator Velmanette Montgomery, Samelys Lopez & Eric Herman –Common Ground. Back row from left to right: Kate Milkens – Lantern Community Services, Evelyn Rodriguez – BronxWorks, Janet Miller – CAMBA, Elizabeth Hoffman- Citizens’ Committee for Children of NY
The Network, along with HSU, brought a 75-person strong force to Albany on February 3rd to lobby for an expanded statewide NY/NY 4 agreement and budget increases for critical supportive housing and homelessness prevention programs. Here is a slideshow from the day -- feel free to share!
The day was productive and full – amidst 38 meetings with legislators and staff, the Network also hosted a luncheon that included a brief chance to meet and greet the Governor’s new Assistant Secretary for Housing, Kisha Santiago-Martinez, who was introduced by Network Executive Director Laura Mascuch.
Our goals for lobby day were clear: the Governor’s current proposal of 5,000 units is a start, but does not adequately meet the enormous need for supportive housing particularly in New York City which currently has 60,000 people in its shelter system. Our ask is for 30,000 units in NYC with 15,000 new construction units in NYC, and 5,000 new construction for the rest of the state over a ten-year period. In addition, we are asking for increased supportive housing funding in the budget which includes:
- adding $8 million to the OTDA Homeless Housing and Prevention Services budget -- $2.46 million for the NYS Supportive housing Program (NYSSHP); $530,000 for a 2% increase for supportive housing direct service staff; and $5 million for the Solutions to End Homelessness Program (STEHP);
- and adding an additional $99 million to the Office of Mental Health’s budget to fully fund more than 22,000 units of licensed and unlicensed housing that have been chronically underfunded for many years: $43 million for 17,000 units of Supported Housing; $24 million for 3,000 units of CR/SRO housing; and $13 million for 2,700 units of SP/SRO Housing.
Network staff and members brought compelling statistics to the legislators with whom we met. The OTDA Homeless Housing and Prevention Services budget line funds cost-effective, supportive housing services and homelessness prevention programs that have had proven success ending and preventing homelessness among individuals and families: NYSSHP pays for essential housing-based services and supports for 16,296 individuals, families and youth in 237 residences across the state and STEHP funds 70 programs in all areas of the state to provide homelessness prevention services.
We hope that you will join us for our second lobby day of the year, on Tuesday, March 3rd. For more details, please contact Steve Piasecki.
We’ve also asked our legislators to contact their leadership to support these priorities.
A big thank you to all of our members, tenants and fellow advocates who joined us!