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TESTIMONY

Alexandra Dougherty from Brooklyn Defenders on Access Barriers and Punitive Actions in NYC Shelters

2:46:27

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Alexandra Dougherty, representing Brooklyn Defenders, testifies on the increasing barriers and punitive actions in NYC shelters, isolating many New Yorkers.

Discusses the heightened surveillance of families in shelters and the lack of staff training in de-escalation techniques.
Details incidents where shelter staff resort to law enforcement or ACS on baseless allegations, affecting residents negatively.
Highlights the particularly detrimental impact on immigrant families, including asylum seekers, due to minor infractions leading to potential deportation.
Supports the passage of bills aimed at improving shelter conditions and emphasizes the need for robust social services, mental healthcare, and legal aid to secure stable housing for residents.

Alexandra Dougherty

2:46:27

Hi.

2:46:27

Good afternoon.

2:46:28

My name is Alexandra Daugherty.

2:46:29

I'm a senior staff attorney and policy counsel in the civil justice practice at Brooklyn defenders.

2:46:35

And I'd like to thank counsel for inviting us to testify today.

2:46:39

I'd specifically like to talk about barriers to accessing shelter as well as increasing instances of punitive actions by shelter staff, which have made the right to shelter inaccessible to many New Yorkers.

2:46:53

All families living in shelter are under high levels of stress and uncertainty and are subject to heightened surveillance.

2:47:00

Residents are at an increased risk of contact with the criminal and family legal systems because shelter staff are not adequately trained to deescalate potential conflicts and they often resort to calling law enforcement or ACS rather than problem solving.

2:47:15

And this just perpetuates the trauma and disruption that shelter residents are already experiencing.

2:47:22

Recently, we've been seeing shelter staff call ACS to report residents based on completely unfounded allegations and minor shelter rule interactions.

2:47:31

One client was recently informed that a failure to purchase to paint in a mandatory fire drill, which was set to happen within a 24 window, 24 hour window, would be considered child neglect and would result in ACS complete.

2:47:46

Involvement in the criminal or family legal systems can have particularly devastating consequences for any family, but particularly for recently arrived immigrants without legal or pending status.

2:47:59

An arrest alone can lead an asylum seeker to immigration detention, and he recently announced changes to our detainer laws would allow ICE to detain and deport someone without any criminal trial or conviction even.

2:48:13

And amidst this environment, shelters are increasingly creating a pipeline from migrant shelters to the criminal and family legal systems.

2:48:25

Because our clients are often navigating well, I'll direct you to our comments for more detail, and I'll just drop up by saying we holy support today's bills.

2:48:35

That's an important step to ensuring the right to shelter for all New Yorkers, and we'd like to encourage the city to take this opportunity to address problems and shelters with more robust social services, as folks before we have mentioned, we need access to benefits in housing subsidies in all shelters.

2:48:53

We need access to mental health care legal services to get folks into permanent stable housing.

2:49:00

Thank you.

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Christine Clark, Chief of Litigation and Advocacy at Legal Services NYC, on the Harmful Effects of Shelter Length of Stay Restrictions on Children

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Chris Mann on the Impact of the 30-60 Day Rule Policies on Homeless Families in NYC