REMARKS
The need for housing vouchers to address homelessness
0:53:32
·
45 sec
Comptroller Lander emphasizes the critical need for housing vouchers to address homelessness in New York City, expressing disappointment that the state's housing package didn't include the housing access voucher program.
- Lander stresses the importance of vouchers for helping people transition out of shelters and into permanent housing
- He notes that the federal and city governments provide some vouchers, but the state is not funding any
- The comptroller argues that vouchers could be instrumental in ending street homelessness for mentally ill and other homeless individuals
Brad Lander
0:53:32
Probably the biggest thing that I was upset that they didn't include were the housing access voucher program that senator Kavanaugh had been championing and that everyone agreed should be part of the the package.
0:53:44
You know, we want stronger tenant protections.
0:53:46
Yes.
0:53:46
We want more housing, especially more affordable housing, but we need vouchers.
0:53:50
The feds have some vouchers.
0:53:52
The city is now paying some vouchers.
0:53:53
The state is not funding any vouchers, and so no person can get out of shelter even into many of the units that are being created without some housing subsidy.
0:54:04
We could end street homelessness for mentally ill and other street homeless folks if we had the vouchers that could help them off the street into permanent housing units with appropriate social supports.
0:54:14
So that's one just kinda big area that's missing.
