QUESTION
What is being done to use faith-based facilities for asylum seeker operations in NYC, and are current efforts sufficient?
2:24:32
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120 sec
The NYC Mayor's Office of Asylum Seeker Operations (MOASO) is actively engaging faith-based facilities to support asylum seekers, but faces challenges in expediting the process due to safety regulations.
- MOASO agrees with the need for utilizing faith-based facilities for asylum seekers and is working towards this goal.
- Three faith-based sites have recently been opened, showing progress in efforts to involve religious institutions.
- Collaboration with the Department of Buildings (DOB) and Fire Department New York (FDNY) aims to ensure safety while attempting to simplify regulations.
- Despite efforts, Council Member Gale Brewer expresses concern that current regulatory relaxations may not be sufficient to open a significant number of sites.
- The process of involving faith-based facilities is described as too rigid, potentially hindering the goal of offering more support to asylum seekers.
Gale Brewer
2:24:32
But I'm just you know, so your kid goes from 5th grade to middle school, and then you're screwed because you're not under the under your elementary school, you can stay in Manhattan issue.
2:24:42
So I I'm just suggesting that the 2nd round of 60 days be reconsidered.
2:24:46
I'm putting it on the table.
2:24:48
Number 2, I always ask, and you hate the answer, but the faith based.
2:24:52
What in hell's name are we doing about the faith based?
2:24:55
I have synagogues and churches, forget the sprinkler system we got 2 axes.
2:25:00
We've been doing it for 30 years.
2:25:02
Nobody ever got hurt.
2:25:03
And of course, in the mosques, you got hundreds of people I know plenty of sutures and something like they're just doing it, but they're doing it for 8, they're doing it for 10, they don't have a damn sprinkler because they don't need one.
2:25:14
They got 2 exits.
2:25:16
I know it's made up of your fault.
2:25:17
You can get with a 1000 or 2000 people tomorrow if we open up these faith based all of which wanna open up.
2:25:25
I'm sorry.
2:25:26
It it costs half what you're paying in the shelters or maybe less.
2:25:31
I don't understand this, really.
Molly Schaeffer
2:25:32
We, a 100% agree with you.
Anne Faucet
2:25:34
What do
Gale Brewer
2:25:34
you notice?
Molly Schaeffer
2:25:35
It's a key tenant of where we wanna move forward.
2:25:37
We've actually been able to open a couple There were 3.
2:25:41
3.
2:25:41
Yeah.
2:25:41
But it's moving much more
Gale Brewer
2:25:43
There were 2 last week.
2:25:44
Now there are 3.
Molly Schaeffer
2:25:45
Yes.
2:25:46
There isn't it's moving much more quickly than it has been.
2:25:48
We've been able to work with our partners in DOB and FTNY to ensure that we're doing this in this safest way possible, but also loosening some of the restrictions so we can bring on these sites more quickly.
2:26:01
It's something we also really wanna see as the next phase of this.
2:26:04
And where we actually help connect people so that they can have that community and faith support.
Gale Brewer
2:26:09
Okay.
2:26:10
I mean, it's I'll leave it at that, but just so you know, I don't think even what you have loosened in terms of the rules are gonna be enough to open up enough.
2:26:18
We want 5th 19 to 15 fine.
2:26:20
Some of the folks only take 10.
2:26:23
Take 10.
2:26:25
Okay.
2:26:25
It's it's the same thing.
2:26:26
It's too rigid.
2:26:27
It's too rigid.
2:26:28
That's why you have some of these issues because you're being too rigid, in my opinion.