Posted on September 24, 2019 by Elizabeth Kim in Gothamist Gothamist, By Elizabeth Kim Homeless advocates and elected officials on Tuesday voiced their opposition to the city’s plan to require working homeless New Yorkers to set aside 30 percent of their paychecks into a government-controlled savings account. The proposal by the Department of Homeless Services is intended to make the city comply with state law, which requires homeless people with income to pay rent to stay in a shelter. New York City had been exempted from the law, but as part of the 2018 state budget, the city agreed to the savings requirement so as to continue the exemption. But critics view the policy as paternalistic and misguided. Under the proposed savings rule, shelter residents participating in the savings plan will not be able to access their money until they find permanent housing or can prove an emergency. Those who do not deposit the required funds into the savings account could lose their shelter services.
