101 lawmakers sign Hevesi letter demanding homelessness prevention tool
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Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi has renewed his push to establish a statewide Home Stability Support rental supplement for families at risk of becoming homeless. Photo courtesy of Hevesi’s Office.
By David Brand
More than 100 state and local lawmakers have signed a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo demanding that New York establish a housing supplement that would prevent low-income families from sliding into homelessness.
The Home Stability Support program, an initiative championed by Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi, would create a rent supplement for New Yorkers who are eligible for public assistance benefits and who face eviction or loss of housing due to domestic violence or dangerous living conditions. Hevesi, who drafted the letter to Cuomo, first introduced a bill to create HSS in 2016.
“As state and local elected officials, we are alarmed by the increasing magnitude of homelessness throughout New York State, along with the human and financial costs to our communities,” the letter states. “We call on you to initiate a new program to combat the wave of displacement that is driving large numbers of families and individuals into homelessness each and every day.”
The program’s price tag has factored into opposition. Cost estimates have ranged from $450 million a year to roughly $1 billion a year, according to Gotham Gazette. Advocates say that is still less than the state and individual municipalities pay to provide temporary shelter, however.
A total of 59,378 people, including 21,352, stayed in a Department of Homeless Services shelter on the night of Jan. 2, according to city’s most recent daily census. But that number accounts for only a sliver of the tens of thousands of people experiencing homelessness across New York City and state.
More than 114,000 New York City schoolchildren — one-in-10 students — experienced homelessness at some point during the 2018-2019 school year, according to state data compiled and published by Advocates for Children of New York. Many families live “doubled up” with family, friends or other people in apartments where their names do not appear on the lease.
“The homeless crisis has reached a critical juncture, and the costs to our communities are unsustainable,” the letter continues. “It is time to boldly and sufficiently attack the growth of the homeless crisis.”
Various Queens lawmakers added their name to the latest effort to establish the HSS program. Assemblymembers Jeffrion Aubry, Edward Braunstein, Brian Barnwell, Vivian Cook, Catalina Cruz, Michael DenDekker, Alicia Hyndman, Ron Kim, Mike Miller, Cathy Nolan, Stacey Pheffer-Amato, Aravella Simotas and Clyde Vanel each signed the letter, as did former Assemblymember Michele Titus, who now serves in Queens Civil Court.
Queens State Sens. Joseph Addabbo, Leroy Comrie, John Liu, Jessica Ramos, James Sanders Jr. and Toby Ann Stavisky also signed the letter. State Sen. Michael Gianaris did not sign the letter but co-sponsors the bill.
