A council of experts will coordinate a six-month community process to develop a strategic plan for preventing and ending youth homelessness
NYC's Health and Human Services launched yesterday the first-ever Youth Homelessness Task Force to help inform the city's next steps for preventing and ending youth homelessness. The task force is comprised of city agencies and initiatives, nonprofits and youth leaders from the Youth Action Board.
"This task force brings together a powerful group of agencies and experts in this administration who have already shown their commitment to making life better for our most vulnerable New Yorkers," said NYC First Lady Chirlane McCray. "If we are to truly help New York youth reach their full potential and contribute their talents and energies to our city then we need to find some new solutions to the homeless problem. Having a place to live is a basic human right."
The Youth Homelessness Task Force builds upon various initiatives taken by the de Blasio administration to prevent and reduce youth homelessness. Earlier this year, City Council passed legislation allowing homeless young adults to stay in shelters until they are 24 years old, raising the age from 21 years previously. In September 2017, First Lady McCray launched the NYC Unity Project, a new $9.5 million initiative to prevent and address homelessness for LGBTQ youth, which also included funding for the city's first-ever LGBTQ youth shelter.
"I'm proud that my administration was at the forefront of moving the needle in the State Legislature and City Council to raise the age at which homeless youth can stay in shelters to 24," said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. "This comprehensive task force is a further step in the right direction to ensuring all of Brooklyn's young people, particularly LGBTQ+ and vulnerable youth, have a loving and warm place to call home, regardless of their circumstances."
