NYC mayor Eric Adams has received a lot of criticism regarding crackdowns in homeless encampments and the subway safety plan, which would hurt Black and Latinx populations the most. Where will all these people go with this much displacement, and where is the plan to make shelters safer and more accessible? Spectrum News reports that New York City is scheduled to allocate an additional $171 million a year going outreach efforts, specialized resources, and 900 additional Safe Haven and stabilization beds.
Funding will also go towards drop-in centers, which are locations that are not living spaces, but offer showers, meals, caseworkers, and health care. $12 million of the funds would be put toward the city Department of Homeless Services’ outreach to those living on the streets and subways.
“Too many of our fellow New Yorkers are experiencing unsheltered homelessness — but we cannot and will not abandon them,” said Mayor Adams. “We are making the largest investment in street outreach and low-barrier beds that a city administration ever has, in an effort to almost double the number of Safe Haven and stabilization beds available to New Yorkers. These resources will encourage people to come inside and will pave a way toward permanent housing and the stability that every New Yorker deserves.”
Adams also previewed a new initiative which would deploy hundreds of volunteers onto city streets. While the mayor has yet to get into more detail on the plan, which is expected to be officially announced in coming weeks, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams praised the plan and asked the mayor to team up with the council to create more affordable and supportive housing.
“This $171 million investment in solutions that can better help support unhoused New Yorkers transition from homelessness is the right approach and a major step forward for our city,” the speaker said. “Safe Havens, stabilization beds, and drop-in centers with health care services, along with care-centered street outreach, should be the consistent focus of the City’s efforts directed to our unsheltered neighbors.”