The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), along with elected officials, allies and asylum seekers rallied at City Hall Park Wednesday to ask the government to stop evicting asylum seekers from emergency shelters after 30- and 60-days.
The City began large-scale implementation of the Right to Shelter settlement agreement last week, which means all new adult asylum seekers without minor children will be permanently evicted from shelters after 30 days for adults over 24 years, and 60 days for adults 18-24 years, barring some exceptions, according to a news release.
"It is counterproductive and cruel to push people out of shelter on an arbitrary schedule just when they are trying to do what the City is asking them to do, which is to take the steps they need to move out," said Josh Goldfein, staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society. "Our new neighbors and longer-term New Yorkers alike would be better served by providing real case management which can help people find jobs, find homes, and rebuild their lives, which is all they want.”
These restrictions will raise street homelessness, cost the city billions of dollars and open the door to confusion, while missing the long-term benefits of asylum seekers contributing to New York’s economy, the advocates said.
“We must uphold the City’s Right to Shelter law which sets New York City apart as a place where our homeless neighbors can still have a roof over their heads,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.
“We have already found the 60-day rule for families to be implemented in an arbitrary and haphazard way. We can do better – we must pass the Stop Shelter Evictions Act, make CityFHEPS vouchers more accessible, and provide strong legal services and case management to help the city’s newest arrivals find stability through compassion, not cruelty.”
The advocates would like the City to pass Stop Shelter Evictions Act (Intro 210), which would prohibit the City from restricting the time you can spend in any shelter.
