REMARKS
Council Member Diana I. Ayala opens oversight hearing on the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter system for families with children
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163 sec
Council Member Ayala explains the purpose of the oversight hearing to examine issues facing families with children in the DHS shelter system.
- Ayala notes a 147% increase in entries to family shelters in the first 4 months of fiscal year 2024 compared to 2023
- She highlights long wait times at the PATH intake center and lack of resources for families applying for shelter
- Ayala states the hearing will look at how DHS is meeting needs like childcare, education, employment, mental health for sheltered families
- The hearing also aims to examine how DHS is handling the needs of asylum-seeking families being sheltered
Diana I. Ayala
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Onto our oversight topic for today.
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The DHL shelter system is designed to provide temporary emergency shelter to families with no other housing options available to them.
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At a city wide level, the overall families of families with children entering DHL shelters has increased dramatically over the last few years.
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As compared to the 1st 4 months of fiscal year 23, the 1st 4 months of fiscal year 24 saw a 147% increase in entries to shelter for families with children.
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While average lengths of stay have decreased, this greater number of clients utilizing families with children shelters have strained and already overburden system, and we must start to think outside of the box as to how we can better support families and shelter transition into permanent housing, freeing up vacancies to shelter other families entering the system.
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We also know of the inefficiencies in the shelter application process for families with children.
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Families all across the city must travel to path and take center located in the Bronx.
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Upon doing so, they often have to endure wait waiting on long lines with their children present with limited resources and staff interactions while waiting for hours.
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There are so many drivers of homelessness for families with children, including a lack of affordable housing, poverty, unemployment, and domestic violence.
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Families with children experience homeless experiencing homelessness have several unique needs.
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From childcare to educational support to employment assistance to income support to mental health counseling and trauma informed care.
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We wanna know what the administration is doing to meet these needs.
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We also wanna learn more the specific ways that DHS is responding to the needs of these family of those families who are asylum seekers.
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We are particularly troubled by reports that asylum seeking families, which children have been receiving notices to transfer out of their current shelters within 24 to 48 hours despite the administration's assurance that these families are not subject to the 60 day rule, limiting their stay in city operated shelters to 60 days.
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I look forward to hearing from the administration, providers, and advocates, and gathering feedback on this oversight topic and of all of the relevant current issues as well as on the bills on our agenda.
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At this time, I'd like to acknowledge my colleagues who are here today come members, Riley, Keban, Hussein, Ng.
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I'd also like to thank the committee staff who work diligently to prepare this hearing.
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I meant to Kilo Juan, our senior legislative council Nina Rosenberg, policy analyst Julia Harrimus, Unit Head, Faria Raman, finance analyst, and finally, my staff, Elsie and Gardenacion, chief of staff.
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I will now turn it over to our public advocate, Giovanni Williams, to deliver a statement.
