New York, NY – The Coalition for the Homeless today released the following statement on behalf of Deputy Executive Director for Policy Shelly Nortz, referring to the below budget language: “The Governor’s petty power grab will only serve to undermine the ability of the counties and New York City to fight homelessness and meet the needs of New York’s most vulnerable individuals and families. This claw back provision demands that these localities – which in many cases are already doing far more than the State to respond to record homelessness – get the Administration’s explicit approval before receiving a dollar of social services aid they are owed for having already provided cash assistance, eviction prevention, shelters, and rent subsidies to the most desperately needy households. Simply put, these changes put brinkmanship above common sense and sound policy – and we call on Governor Cuomo to stop playing politics with our most vulnerable neighbors whose needs hang in the balance.”
