In a recent development, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has expressed her support for the city's bid to temporarily suspend a unique legal agreement that mandates the provision of emergency housing for the homeless.
This move comes in response to the city's shelter system being overwhelmed by a significant influx of migrants.
Governor Hochul, in a court filing this week, endorsed New York City's challenge to the mandate. She stated to reporters on Thursday that the requirement was never intended to apply to an international humanitarian crisis of this magnitude.
For several months, the city has been striving to retract the so-called 'right to shelter' rule. This follows the arrival of over 120,000 migrants since the previous year. Many of these migrants have arrived without secure housing or employment, compelling the city to establish emergency shelters and offer various government services. The estimated cost of these services is projected to be around $12 billion over the forthcoming years.
The 'right to shelter' requirement has been a part of New York City's legal framework for over four decades. It originated from a legal agreement that obligated the city to provide temporary housing for every homeless individual. No other major city in America has a similar requirement.
Governor Hochul, a Democrat, stated, "I don't know how the right to shelter dedicated to help those people, which I believe in, help families can or should be interpreted to be an open invitation to 8 billion people who live on this planet, that if you show up in the streets of New York, that the city of New York has an obligation to provide you with a hotel room or shelter."
Recently, New York City Mayor Eric Adams requested a court to permit the city to suspend the mandate during a state of emergency, particularly when the shelter population of single adults escalates rapidly. In support of the city's request, New York state filed a court document on Wednesday, deeming it reasonable.
In response to overcrowding, New York City has also tightened shelter rules, restricting adult migrants to a maximum of 30 days in city-run facilities.
However, Dave Giffen, executive director of the Coalition for the Homeless, warned that the city's request to suspend the mandate could have a wide-ranging impact and potentially lead to large homeless encampments in New York.
He stated, "Make no mistake: if the mayor and governor get their way, they will be closing the door of the shelter system to thousands of people without homes, leaving them nowhere to sleep but the streets."
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