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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Lauren Velez, Director of Metro Region at Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
3:29:08
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178 sec
Lauren Velez from the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) testified in support of passing Intro 1100, which aims to expand access to supportive housing for justice-involved populations in New York City. She emphasized the need to modify the eligibility criteria for the city's 15/15 supportive housing program to include individuals exiting jails and prisons.
- Velez argued that the current eligibility criteria, which disqualifies those incarcerated for 90 days or longer, is outdated and ineffective.
- She highlighted that over 50% of people detained in Rikers have a mental health diagnosis, and many are there simply due to homelessness.
- Velez stressed the importance of investing in community-based organizations and adequate housing services to provide proactive resources before people interact with the criminal legal system.
Lauren Velez
3:29:08
Alright, my turn.
3:29:09
Alright, madam chair, nurse, and council members, thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony in support of passing Intro 1,100.
3:29:17
My name is Lauren Velez, I'm the director of the Metro Region for the Corporation for Supportive Housing.
3:29:21
We're a national nonprofit that works to reduce homelessness in communities across the country by helping to provide deeply, permanently affordable housing with wraparound services.
3:29:31
My testimony today is focused on people in New York City who have significant behavioral health needs and are often cycling between jails, prisons, shelters, street homelessness.
3:29:39
We're asking the city to expand access to supportive housing for justice involved populations by passing intro 1,100.
3:29:46
You've heard a lot this afternoon about how critical it is for us to identify and invest in pathways to stability for people leaving jail.
3:29:53
Fifteen fifteen is the city's primary supportive housing program and it has aimed to create 15,000 units over fifteen years for individuals with serious mental illness and or substance use disorders.
3:30:04
Despite being wholly city funded, we are following an outdated and frankly ineffective federal criteria requiring over a year of homelessness, over twelve months of homelessness, and categorically disqualifying those who are incarcerated for ninety days or longer due to a clause that counts institutional days of ninety stays of ninety days or longer as breaks in homelessness.
3:30:27
Jail is not a home.
3:30:29
That is not a break in homelessness.
3:30:31
It's not a placement for ongoing habitation, and these barriers exclude thousands of individuals exiting Rikers prisons and other carceral settings, preventing access to stable housing and undermining the program's mission.
3:30:42
We know that length of time of homelessness is not the only or even best predictor of vulnerability, and expanding eligibility is crucial to ensuring that fifteen fifteen will serve those who need it most.
3:30:52
Instead of promoting access to housing upon release from carceral settings, fifteen fifteen current eligibility criteria forces folks leaving jail and prison into shelters to generate time as homeless just to meet chronicity criteria, perpetuating the cycle of homelessness and overstretching already, you know, dang.
3:31:11
Alright.
3:31:15
I'll skip forward.
3:31:17
The resolution put forth by HRA will barely make a dent in the need for housing for those leaving jail and incarceration.
3:31:23
It also lumps together those in jail with folks that are in medical and psychiatric settings while we know that their respective experiences are incomparable.
3:31:30
It should also be noted that based on the most recent LL three report which captures entry into supportive housing, only twenty four people referred from jail were accepted into supportive housing.
3:31:41
New York City's leadership commitment to closing the jail on Rikers Island by 2027 takes steadfast and consistent investment in community based organizations.
3:31:51
More than fifty percent of the people that are currently detained in Rikers have a mental health diagnosis and hundreds of people languish on Rikers every day simply because they are homeless.
3:31:59
Investments in adequate housing and services will allow our city to have proactive resources before people interact with criminal legal system.