QUESTION
What is the proper routing for 311 service requests related to homelessness and homeless encampments?
1:15:48
·
117 sec
Council Member Erik Bottcher raises concerns that 311 service requests for homeless assistance or regarding homeless encampments are being routed to the NYPD instead of the Department of Homeland Services (DHS) and contracted outreach workers, which he believes is the intended protocol.
- Deputy Commissioner Joe Morrisroe explains that requests for assistance with individual homeless persons are sent to the Department of Social Services (DSS)/DHS.
- For reports of homeless encampments, the information goes to the NYPD first to identify the encampment before notifying DSS/DHS.
- Bottcher suggests re-evaluating the process to ensure DHS takes a more primary role in responding to such requests, as currently the NYPD is routinely closing out these cases.
- Morrisroe acknowledges the feedback and agrees to further discussions on improving the routing process.
Erik Bottcher
1:15:48
311 service requests for homeless assistance or regarding homeless encampments My understanding was that those are supposed to be routed to the Department of Homeland Services and contracted homeless outreach workers.
1:16:06
What we're finding in our district office is that in almost every case, they're being referred to the NYPD.
1:16:15
Our service requests for homeless assistance should they be routed to DHS service contracted outreach workers, or should they be routed to the NYPD?
Joe Morrisroe
1:16:31
Thank you for the question, council member, and I appreciate the distinction.
1:16:34
I can speak to the 311 process with respect to that and and which is the intake piece.
1:16:41
And I'll split them the way you did for a homeless person assistance that is routed to DSS, Department of Social Services, Department of Homeland Services, If there's a request if if the filing is for an encampment, I believe I'm gonna make sure I get the sequence straight.
1:16:59
The information is sent to NYPD to identify as an encampment.
1:17:03
And then if then from there, they they notify Department of Social Services.
1:17:08
I'd love to talk to
Erik Bottcher
1:17:09
you more about how that's playing out because what we're finding is that in almost every case, the response that we get back rather promptly is this service request has been closed by the NYPD.
1:17:22
And I would suggest that We rework the way that that takes place.
1:17:29
I think the Department of Homeland Services should be the primary responder to that.
1:17:34
And I think we should we should talk to you about what kind of feedback we're getting to make sure that that process works better.
Joe Morrisroe
1:17:42
Appreciate that.
1:17:43
And yes, we look forward to that.
