Posted on July 6, 2015 by Jacquelyn Simone After the tragic killing of a shelter worker by a resident last April, and in light of homelessness in NYC persisting at record levels, the City has engaged in efforts to reevaluate and enhance security measures at all of its more than 250 homeless shelters. The heightened focus on safety in the shelters is long overdue, but the only way the City can truly make a difference is by helping more homeless New Yorkers move out of shelters and into stable, permanent homes. The thousands of homeless men, women and children languishing in shelters each night – as well as the dedicated shelter staff who serve them – deserve a long-term solution. Winnie Hu covered the Department of Homeless Services’ security efforts in a New York Times article. The Department of Homeless Services has increased security at some shelters, conducted on-site security assessments and met with shelter directors and staff members to address their concerns. It has also worked to expand reporting and monitoring of violence and other disruptions at shelters and to develop a new safety training curriculum for all shelter and program workers. City officials have also set up an interagency task force to examine efforts to provide shelter to high-risk populations, which include people who exhibit serious mental illness and violent behavior. The task force will have representatives from homeless services; the health, hospitals, police, probation and correction departments; and the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. Gilbert Taylor, the commissioner of homeless services, said the city was committed to supporting those who “do heroic work each day” by providing shelter and helping rebuild lives. “Their job is difficult, critically important, and we commend and admire their dedication to assisting those in need,” he said. … Mary E. Brosnahan, president and chief executive of the Coalition for the Homeless, an advocacy and direct service organization, said that until more permanent housing is created for the homeless, even the best efforts of shelter workers “will be blunted.” “Workers like Ms. Gadson are the unsung heroes of the emergency shelter system, often toiling in oppressive conditions with staggering caseloads,” Ms. Brosnahan said. “But even the most dedicated and talented person can’t overcome the daily chaos and decades of institutional inertia which continue to characterize many shelters.”
