REMARKS
Council Member Rivera introduces legislation on supportive housing eligibility for justice-involved individuals
0:53:45
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88 sec
Council Member Carlina Rivera introduces new legislation requiring the Department of Social Services to include recent justice system involvement as an eligibility parameter for city-funded supportive housing programs. She emphasizes the importance of stable housing for individuals with criminal legal system involvement and the benefits of supportive housing.
- The legislation aims to address barriers faced by justice-involved individuals in accessing supportive housing.
- Rivera highlights data showing that supportive housing leads to fewer days spent in jail and shelter, better individual outcomes, and cost savings for the government.
- She acknowledges pre-introduction co-sponsors and advocates who helped craft the bill.
Carlina Rivera
0:53:45
Thank you.
0:53:45
Majority leader.
0:53:47
Today, I'm introducing legislation, which would require the Department of Social Services to include Justice system involvement in the last 12 months eligibility parameters for any existing supportive housing program administered and wholly funded by the city.
0:54:01
Access to permanent and stable housing is a key component of well-being and too often people with criminal legal system involvement faced increased barriers to securing this housing.
0:54:11
With some incarceration stays interrupting chronicity requirements that really deters the facilitation of act access to supportive housing.
0:54:21
So supportive housing, as we all know, is an invaluable tool to support individuals in avoiding involvement with the criminal ecosystem, as well as reintegration with the community following incarceration or detention.
0:54:33
And data shows that supportive housing results in fewer days spent in jail, shelter, and better individual outcomes all around, and it saves the government and taxpayers valuable funding.
0:54:45
We must update our housing policies to be sensitive to these unique vulnerabilities and expand access to and investments in support of housing across the board.
0:54:58
I respectfully ask you to sign on as a co sponsor to this bill, I wanna thank the preintroduction co sponsors, council member, Stevens Hudson, Brewer, Nurse, Sanchez, and Narciss, and, of course, all the advocates and supporters who helped craft this bill.
0:55:12
Thank you.
