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Discussion on costs and budgeting for food in NYC shelters
1:29:15
·
148 sec
Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr. inquires about the number of shelters in the DHS system and the costs associated with providing food to shelter residents. The discussion reveals that there are over 400 shelters under DHS jurisdiction, and the average per diem rates for food in the three primary DHS food contracts range from $11.50 to $14.25 per person, covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- The council member initially thought the rate might be as low as $8 per day per family
- DHS does not establish minimum, maximum, or set food per diems for contracts
- Each shelter contract is bid individually, resulting in a variety of food per diems
Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
1:29:15
So first I was happy to see this list that they provided.
1:29:19
That list that was provided, is that a list of all the shelters in the city of New York?
Jill Berry
1:29:27
Those were the shelter repair scorecards for the shelters administered by DHS.
Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
1:29:33
Only DHS.
1:29:35
Meaning, you have not for profits that are running these shelters.
1:29:41
So you're giving contracts to them?
Jill Berry
1:29:43
It includes all shelters that are under the DHS jurisdiction.
Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
1:29:47
How many shelters are there under the DHS system?
1:29:50
Over 400.
1:29:51
Alright.
1:29:52
So it's safe to say that my district has the highest amount of shelters on that list because I have the highest amount of homeless shelters or transitional housing shelters in the City Of New York.
1:30:04
So my question here has to be, what is the I don't know if you have this answer.
1:30:11
What is the average cost to house a family in a homeless shelter in a transitional housing setting?
Jill Berry
1:30:18
I don't have that information here with
Christopher Leon Johnson
1:30:20
me What
Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
1:30:21
is the average cost per person per meal that you that a provider pays the individual that's providing these services for food?
Jill Berry
1:30:37
For food specifically?
1:30:38
Yes.
1:30:39
The the the we do not establish a minimum, maximum, or set food per diem for our contracts.
1:30:48
Each contract is bid individually for the shelter and that per diem is then calculated as a result of that bid.
1:30:56
So there is a wide variety of food per diems
Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
1:30:59
in But what's the average?
1:31:01
I've heard $8 a day per family.
Alexa Aviles
1:31:04
$15.
Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
1:31:05
15 dollars.
1:31:05
Yeah.
1:31:05
What's what's what's the average?
1:31:07
Is there is there an average?
1:31:09
And the reason I'm asking this is because I'm trying to get when I found out that some contracts they're paying $8 a day per family, and I'm like, so you're paying $8 a day, are they getting breakfast, lunch, and dinner for $8 a day?
Jill Berry
1:31:22
So I can tell you for the three primary food contracts that that DHS has, the the per diems for those three are $12, 11 50, and $14.25.
Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
1:31:36
Okay.
1:31:36
So alright.
1:31:37
That's thank you for that.
Amanda Farías
1:31:38
Mhmm.
Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
1:31:39
And that includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
Jill Berry
1:31:42
Correct.