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Q&A
Process for reallocating immigrant families during shelter closures
2:37:04
·
120 sec
OASO Director Schaefer explains the process for reallocating immigrant families when shelters close. The approach varies depending on the shelter and where people are moving.
- For immigrant families with 60-day notices, they may adjust the date to coincide with shelter closure
- Families are sent back to the arrival center for the best placement based on their preferences and needs
- Considerations include school locations and ties to other boroughs
- The process focuses on non-DHS (Department of Homeless Services) side of the system
Molly Schaefer
2:37:04
So it depends on the shelter and it depends on where people are moving.
2:37:11
The easiest way that we have done it so far is especially with our Herx is that for immigrant families we if peoples have their sixty day notice we'll either bring it up to a sixty day period.
2:37:26
So if someone's of the closure date, so like let's say a closure date is January 15 and someone's sixty day notice date is January 20, then we'll bring it up to January 15.
2:37:39
We'll give them that new notice so that they can go back to the arrival center and we can make the best placement at that point based on what they want, what their school is, you know if they have ties other boroughs or other places that they'd rather be and make that analysis then.
2:37:58
That's been the best way to do it.
2:38:02
That's for families sometimes and I can't speak to the DHS side of the house so I'm specifically talking about the non DHS side of the house.
2:38:10
But that's really been the method we have done this is really focusing on sixty day notices and giving people and for sixty day notices that are past the point when a site would close, bringing those up a little bit so that people can go back to the arrival center and we can make the best placement based on where somebody is.
Alexa Avilés
2:38:31
In terms of, are there specific programs in place to assist immigrant families in transitioning from shelters to stable long term housing?
Molly Schaefer
2:38:41
So we really rely on our partners in DHS for all of their work around long term homelessness and the resources available to help people transition from long term homelessness.
2:38:56
We did a little bit of resettlement as folks know upstate, but the majority goes through our Department of Homeless Services.