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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Juan Diaz, Policy and Advocacy Associate at Citizens Committee for Children
4:03:45
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129 sec
Juan Diaz from Citizens Committee for Children testifies on the urgent need for increased investments in services and supports for low-income children and families in New York City. He highlights rising child poverty rates and increasing evictions, urging the city to take action on various fronts including rental assistance, home-based services, and food assistance programs.
- Calls for restoration of $325 million in rental assistance funding and additional $37.9 million for home-based services
- Recommends expanding Fair Fares program to 200% of federal poverty level and baseline funding of $54.2 million
- Advocates for increased funding for guaranteed income programs and $100 million for the Community Food Connection program
Juan Diaz
4:03:45
Thank you, Chair Ayala, for holding today's budget hearing.
4:03:49
My name is Juan Diaz, and I am a policy and advocacy associate at Citizens Committee for Children, a multi issue children's advocacy organization.
4:03:56
CCC is a steering committee member of the Huff Family Homelessness Coalition.
4:04:01
A recently released Robin Hood and Columbia University report highlighted that in 2023, child poverty in New York City rose to 26%, the highest since 2017, which is nearly double the national poverty level.
4:04:15
Additionally, in 02/2024, there were more than two 12,000 residential evictions.
4:04:21
The rising cost of living and escalating housing crisis make it even more urgent for the city to invest in services and supports for low income children and families.
4:04:31
CCC urges you to support the following investments.
4:04:35
Restore $325,000,000 in rental assistance funding, and consider enhancing funding to support thousands of households experiencing rental arrears and housing court eviction proceedings.
4:04:48
Additionally, support implementation and funding of city fairs expansion.
4:04:54
With the ever increasing demand of home based services, we ask you to prioritize home based services by providing an additional 37,900,000 in funding to support community based organizations who administer homeless prevention programs.
4:05:12
Expand Fair Fees to 200% of the federal poverty level, and baseline 54,200,000 to ensure that all low income families have access to public transportation.
4:05:23
Guaranteed income is a vehicle of economic stability and poverty reduction.
4:05:28
Therefore, we recommend additional funding to support these type of programs, including the speaker Adams five million proposal to expand the city's guaranteed income pilot program to expected modest.
4:05:40
Increased funding for the community food connections program to 100,000,000, and baseline funding to meet the growing demand for food assistance across New York City.
4:05:49
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
4:05:51
Pregnant testimony will be submitted with more details and recommendations.