Categories: New York City
03.05.2025
On March 4th, Network Executive Director Pascale Leone testified at the NYC Charter Review Commission on the need to review processes and policies surrounding the creation of much-needed supportive housing. She emphasized that certain procedures are adding years to the development process while failing to prioritize the City’s overall need to create housing for individuals and families experiencing long-term homelessness as quickly as possible. Specifically, she pointed to possible revisions of the Uniform Land Use Review Process (ULURP) process which typically adds one to two years to the time it takes to develop new affordable and supportive housing. Her testimony also included recommendations for coordinating systems that touch affordable housing development, wherein inspections and reviews can also add unnecessarily to the time it takes to build and open residences.
Finally, Pascale asked the CRC to ensure systems are in place to register contracts and pay nonprofit providers in a timely fashion, noting that these organizations are on the front lines of the homelessness crisis: “Fair contract rates, timely contract registration, and timely payment are crucial to the fiscal health of these organizations, as well as to the pipeline of permanent supportive housing that the City so desperately needs.” Read the testimony HERE.