January 27, 2023 (NEW YORK, NY) – The Legal Aid Society and Coalition for the Homeless issued the following statement in response to Mayor Eric Adams’ remarks on WNYC’s Morning Edition suggesting once again that asylum seekers are not entitled to New York’s Right to Shelter protections: “Once again, we remind Mayor Adams that anyone in need of shelter in New York City, including asylum seekers, is entitled to it, thanks to multiple long-standing court orders and local law. While we recognize that the State and Federal government have not provided the help that they should, the Right to Shelter is not open to interpretation or debate. “It is time to focus on real solutions, – including overhauling the CityFHEPS voucher process to better transition homeless New Yorkers into permanent housing, which would free up capacity in the City’s shelter system. “The Mayor should stop pretending the City can debate its way out of its legal obligations and instead focus on real problem solving.”
