Posted on November 2, 2018 by House Our Future NY in Press Release Press Release, By House Our Future NY “The Mayor’s testy response to a 72-year-old homeless woman advocating powerfully for herself and others like her shows our work is far from done. Even as the majority of City elected officials agree that setting aside 30,000 units of housing for the homeless, with 24,000 to be created through new construction, is a smart approach to addressing the crisis the City continues to grapple with, the Mayor continues to dig in his heels. Yes, his plan currently is subsidizing luxury housing, including a full 10 percent of units with rents set over $2,500 per month. The remainder of his plan includes a yearly goal of over 10,500 new construction units, with just 194 per year dedicated for homeless households. No, his claim that 90,000 people have moved out of shelters over 5 years does not make up for the suffering of 62,000 sleeping in shelters tonight, including 22,000 children. The shelter census has stubbornly remained in excess of 60,000 men, women and children for almost his entire time in office because of the lack of affordable housing for these families and individuals. No, the proposed plan to set aside 30,000 units (including 24,000 new construction) for homeless households out of the Mayor’s 300,000-unit plan will not take units away from the poorest New Yorkers. It will simply – and sensibly – target resources where they are needed most. What it will do is produce a modest 2,500 newly constructed units per year to be built specifically for homeless New Yorkers. Not everyone in New York is facing the same affordability crises. Homeless New Yorkers have it worst, and the Mayor’s $2 billion housing plan simply is not meeting their needs.” Listen to the Mayor’s remarks starting at minute 19
