PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Velasquez on Shelter System Experiences and Challenges
3:23:01
·
7 min
Velasquez, a single parent with a 6-year-old daughter, shared her experiences with the NYC shelter system over 18 months. She highlighted issues with frequent shelter transfers, lack of proper case management, and difficulties in obtaining housing vouchers despite having work permits and social security.
- Described being moved twice between shelters, disrupting her daughter's education and their lives
- Pointed out the absence of social workers and caseworkers in their current shelter
- Expressed frustration with the process of obtaining the 30% voucher to leave the shelter system
- Highlighted the existence of empty rooms in shelters that could house families affected by the 60-day rule
- Shared an example of misinformation leading to a family's eviction from the shelter
Velasquez (via Member of the Public)
3:23:01
Good afternoon.
3:23:02
My name is
Alexa Avilés
3:23:03
Velasquez.
Velasquez (via Member of the Public)
3:23:04
Velasquez.
3:23:09
My family group is my daughter who is 6 years old and I.
3:23:19
I'm not under the rule of 60 day rule.
3:23:27
Even though in September, they sent us a notice that we were going to go into that group.
3:23:38
In 18 months that I've been in the system, they have moved me twice.
3:23:49
From a family shelter to a shelter only for single parents.
3:24:00
Which became, with time, a family shelter.
3:24:09
But they didn't renew the contract with the hotel, and we all had to leave.
3:24:18
That was going to be in April.
3:24:20
Thanks to the Brooklyn community and the school.
3:24:28
We were able to wait.
3:24:30
They extended the time, and we were able to wait till June till the children left school.
3:24:45
In the may experience with the moving around, the process becomes stalled.
3:24:56
Due to the social workers, they don't work as well.
3:25:07
Today my daughter is the in the same school because she traveled 2 stations to get there.
3:25:19
Transportation service is provided by the school, not the shelter.
UNKNOWN
3:25:27
At the
Alexa Avilés
3:25:27
moment, no.
Velasquez (via Member of the Public)
3:25:29
We arrived, we had a social worker.
3:25:32
At the moment, we don't have a caseworker.
3:25:34
We don't have anything.
3:25:42
And, but she or he didn't, do his job well.
3:25:47
He didn't do anything well.
3:25:58
A lot of people now have the h HTA service because I took upon myself to tell them and help them out with it.
3:26:13
And in October, I got my social security and my work permit.
3:26:25
And the next step was going to apply for the voucher of 30 days so that I could leave the system, the shelter.
3:26:41
But then I was sent to different offices, but I've been told that the shelter is the ones that gotta do it.
3:27:01
Now we are 4 families in my shelter that have everything ready.
3:27:06
And we're just waiting for the 30% voucher, but we don't get it.
3:27:10
We
Alexa Avilés
3:27:12
haven't gotten
Karin Takahashi
3:27:17
it.
3:27:19
To have
Velasquez (via Member of the Public)
3:27:22
To have a living place, will benefit myself and my daughter emotionally, and also for food, and also to be able to get a job.
3:27:47
So that, I could have help from somebody else whenever I have to work and my daughter has to take the day off.
3:28:02
Because in the shelter system, I'm not allowed to have a friend or a babysitter to come and babysit my daughter my daughter.
UNKNOWN
3:28:12
But I
Velasquez (via Member of the Public)
3:28:12
have to work.
3:28:16
And I also wanted to make another comment.
3:28:22
For you to know that I have been to 3 shelters.
3:28:30
In which there is always empty rooms.
3:28:35
For months.
3:28:42
Where families in the process of 60 days could be placed.
3:28:49
For example, in my shelter, which is called metropolis 406 has 1 more than 1 month.
3:29:04
In which and the city is paying for it.
3:29:10
And there is another, issue that the city is They are giving us a voucher for $5,000 or $4,000 to be able to get an apartment.
3:29:30
So that's 1 month of deposit and 1 month of rent.
3:29:39
But I have not until this day met someone who's getting it.
3:29:54
But I had met families that had to leave New York because of the lies.
3:29:59
For example, room 405, the guy They told him that the check has arrived, but he's in Dallas now with a daughter of 6 months.
Diana Ayala
3:30:18
Uh-huh.
Velasquez (via Member of the Public)
3:30:23
Because they evict him from the shelter, because supposedly the check had had already arrived.
3:30:32
Thank you.
