Posted on December 1, 2017 by Brendan Cheney in Politico New York Politico New York, By Brendan Cheney Mayor Bill de Blasio’s new approach to the city’s homeless crisis is borne of the lessons learned from admitted failures during his first term, but advocates say the city still may not be moving fast enough in the right direction to effect lasting change. The mayor has openly admitted he erred in his handling of the growing crisis of unsheltered homeless during much of his first term, and that he wished he had put forth a more holistic plan. A shift in approach is already underway, with a greater focus not only on increased outreach but on building shelters better suited to draw in a larger swath of the homeless population. Advocates say the real long-term solution to the problem, though, is the most costly and politically complex — building permanent housing that provides not only a roof, but a myriad of social services to ensure that once people are taken off the street, they stay off.
