PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Elizabeth Saka, Administrator of Anti-Human Trafficking at Covenant House New York (CHNY) on the Safe Hotels Act
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121 sec
Elizabeth Saka, representing Covenant House New York, testifies in support of the Safe Hotels Act. She emphasizes the importance of the bill in combating human trafficking and protecting vulnerable individuals, particularly youth experiencing homelessness.
- CHNY serves over 1600 homeless youth annually, many of whom are survivors of human trafficking
- The Safe Hotels Act addresses key safety issues by mandating human trafficking recognition training, requiring panic buttons and surveillance systems, and prohibiting short-term room rentals
- Saka urges the council to pass the act to make New York City safer and hold hotels accountable for maintaining secure operations
Elizabeth Saka
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Good afternoon.
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My name is Elizabeth Saka, and the administrator of anti human at Covenant House New York.
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We serve at youth ages 16 to 24 who are experiencing homelessness, many of whom are survivors of human trafficking.
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I want to thank the committee on consumer and worker protection for the opportunity to submit testimony in support of the Safe Hotels Act.
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And for your ongoing commitment to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers, especially the most vulnerable.
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CHNY is the largest provider of services to homeless youth in New York City, serving over 1600 young people annually.
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Beyond providing safe shelter, we offer a comprehensive array of services, including medical care, mental health services, education, employment training, and critical legal assistance.
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Many of the young people who come to us have faced unimaginable trauma, including trap picking, which is all too common in environments that lack proper oversight and accountability, hotels being one such environment.
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I'm here today to strongly support the Safe Hotels Act because we know from our work that hotels are often sites where traffickers exploit vulnerable individuals.
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Many of the young people who come to Covenant House have been trafficked through hotels that lack basic safety measures such as proper surveillance, well trained staff, or adequate oversight.
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This bill is crucial because it addresses key gaps in hotel safety by mandating human trafficking, recognition training for hotel employees, ensuring that staff can identify and report suspicious activities, requiring panic buttons and surveillance systems to protect both workers and guests from dangerous situations, prohibiting short term prohibiting short duration room rentals, which traffickers often exploit to operate in secrecy.
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By passing the Safe Hotels Act, you'll be making New York City a safer place for everyone.
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This bill will protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation and hold hotels accountable for maintaining secure responsible operations.
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At covenant house, we see the lasting impact of human trafficking every day.
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And this legislation will help close a critical avenue used by traffickers.
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I urge the council to pass the Safe Hotels Act and help prevent further harm to those most at risk.
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Thank you for your time and leadership with this important issue.
