Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Lily Shapiro, Policy Counsel at Fortune Society's David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy
8:33:20
ยท
142 sec
Lily Shapiro testified about the need for greater investments in and access to supportive housing, particularly through increased funding for the Justice Involved Supportive Housing (JISH) program and the passage of Intro 1100. She emphasized the effectiveness of supportive housing in addressing homelessness, mental health challenges, and repeated incarceration.
- Requested $4,800,000 annually as a line item in the DOHMH budget to increase service rates for 300 JISH units
- Highlighted a study showing 63% of participants in the FUSE program (JISH precursor) had zero additional encounters with jail or shelter after an initial stabilization period
- Emphasized the cost-effectiveness of supportive housing, with potential savings of $45 million for the city if all eligible individuals were enrolled
Lily Shapiro
8:33:20
Thank you.
8:33:20
Good evening chairs, Leanne Schulman and members of the committee.
8:33:23
If there are any left, can't see from this far away.
8:33:26
My name is Lily Shapiro and I'm policy counsel in the Fortune Society's David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy.
8:33:32
Thank you for the opportunity to testify about the need for greater investments in and access to supportive housing through increased funding for the justice involved supportive housing program and the passage of the intro 1,100.
8:33:44
We all know that supportive housing is a proven solution to homelessness, mental health challenges and repeated incarceration, but we must fully invest in it and expand access.
8:33:52
First, we need to ensure that the city fulfills its commitment to bring online 380 more units of JISH with increased adequate service rate funding because 33% of people entering our jails are unhoused at the time of admission.
8:34:06
Twenty one percent have a serious mental health diagnosis and remain on Rikers twice as long as the overall average length of stay.
8:34:12
And we know that supportive housing like JISH works.
8:34:14
A ten year follow-up study of the FUSE program, which was the JISH precursor, showed that sixty three percent of participants had zero additional encounters with jail or shelter after an initial stabilization period, which is a remarkable success rate for people who had been cycling in and out of jail, the streets, shelters, and hospitals.
8:34:33
Over five years, the city saved $45,000 per person in publicly funded jail and shelter costs.
8:34:39
And if everyone who had been eligible could have been enrolled, the city would have saved $45,000,000.
8:34:44
So besides being a huge win for individual well-being and community safety, it is clearly the fiscally wise choice, especially since now housing one person on Rikers now costs over half a million dollars annually.
8:34:56
In FY '25, the city council provided $6,400,000 in discretionary funds to increase service rates for the 120 operational GIS units for which Fortune is very grateful as we operate half of them.
8:35:08
But that did not solve the problem of expanding the program as intended to a full 500 units, which is why we are asking for an additional $4,800,000 annually as a line item in the DOHMH budget to increase the service rates for the remaining 300
UNKNOWN
8:35:22
expired.
Lynn Schulman
8:35:23
Thank you.
8:35:24
You can can finish, but just finish up quickly.
Lily Shapiro
8:35:27
Yep.
8:35:27
Will do.
8:35:28
Refer you to my written testimony about the related need to pass intro 1,100, which would expand eligibility for city funded supportive housing programs.
8:35:36
And I would thank you so much for the opportunity to test ify today and for your leadership on these issues.
8:35:41
Thank you.