TESTIMONY
Nicole Krishtul, Housing Organizer at the New York City Comptroller's Office, on the Detriments of the 30-60 Day Shelter Limitation Policies
2:29:13
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156 sec
Nicole Krishtul testifies against the imposition of 30-60 day shelter limitations in NYC, advocating for better management and support.
- Krishtul emphasizes the negative impact of the 30-60 day shelter limitations, arguing they undermine the city’s right to shelter.
- She cites her personal background to highlight the necessity of prolonged government assistance for immigrant families.
- The New York City Comptroller’s office is conducting an investigation into the policy’s implementation and its effects on asylum applications and children’s schooling.
- Krishtul advocates for better fiscal management over shelter evictions to support asylum seekers and boost economic recovery.
- She concludes by underlining the significance of maintaining the right to shelter and adopting a more compassionate and competent approach.
Nicole Krishtul
2:29:13
Thank you, General Welfare Committee for the calling this hearing and to council member, Hanif, for introducing a bill, which would put an end to the city's cruel and inefficient 30 60 day shelter limitations.
2:29:25
My name is Nicole Crystal, housing organizer at the New York City Commptroller's office.
2:29:30
As a child of immigrants from Ukraine, I've seen the ways government assistance made all the difference.
2:29:35
When my family came to the US, it did not take them 30 or 60 days to get on their feet.
2:29:41
It took closer to a decade, a decade with rental assistance free English language classes, and a strong community of support and political will.
2:29:49
The New York City Commptroller's office strongly opposes the 30 60 day shelter limit policies, which are nothing more than a backdoor effort to chip away at the city's forty year old right to shelter.
2:30:00
Our office commends council member her need for standing up to the scapegoating, IMMIGRANTS AND URGENTLY SUPPORT HER BILL.
2:30:07
BETTER MANAGEMENT, NOT SHELTER EVICTIONS, WOULD HELP ASYLUM SEEKERS GET ON THEIR FEET join our workforce, and accelerate our economic recovery.
2:30:15
Our office has been closely tracking the numbers of recent arrivals impacted by these shelter state limits.
2:30:21
As of February 4th, a total of over 7000 families with children in emergency shelters have been given 60 day notices.
2:30:29
Those 7000 households include approximately 14200 adults and 13400 children.
2:30:36
I'm happy to break those numbers down further.
2:30:39
In January, our office launched an investigation into the 60 day rule to learn more about how this policy is being implemented.
2:30:46
Its potential harmful impact on asylum applications and work authorization, and the extent to which this policy is displacing children from their schools.
2:30:54
This investigation is currently ongoing, and we will update the counsel when we have findings to share.
2:30:59
Earlier this week, our office released a report that found a lack of court Across multiple emergency contracts that led city agencies to overpay 1,000,000 of dollars to staff asylum seeker services.
2:31:10
Rather than evicting families from shelter in the middle of winter, the city should insist on getting the most competitive prices from its own contractors to keep costs down.
2:31:20
Emma Lazar has famously said, give me your tired, your poor, but not just for 30 or 60 days.
2:31:26
There are other paths forward through immigration legal help workforce development, and real case management.
2:31:32
We can't roll back the city's fundamentally ingrained right to shelter in the moments when we need it most.
2:31:37
We can address this challenge with common sense, competence, and compassion.
2:31:41
Thank you.
2:31:42
We've submitted more detailed written testimony that also highlights the experiences our office has had with the CCP's secret crisis.
2:31:48
Thank you.
