In a bid to improve living conditions for homeless families, New York City has been facilitating easier pathways for nonprofits to develop and own shelters with the recent opening of the new 95-bed Win shelter in the Bronx being a case in point. This initiative, designed to enable nonprofits to be self-reliant rather than lease spaces, is expected to not only provide more welcoming spaces but also save taxpayer money in the long run. According to Gothamist, Christine Quinn, CEO of Win stated, "We should be developers and owners of shelters because we do it better."
Attempting to counterbalance the issue of homelessness, the Adams administration is piloting a program that holds shelter clients accountable for unruly behavior and unresponsiveness to housing offers. Notably, the program, which could result in ejection pending due process, is being watched closely due to concerns voiced by Council Member Tiffany Caban and groups like the Coalition for the Homeless. They fear the policy might bump up street homelessness numbers, a claim the administration dismisses, highlighting the pilot's small scale. In an article by City Journal, it’s reported that only 20 shelters will be initially involved in this program.
Contrasting sharply with past accommodations, the newly developed Ruby Dee shelter boasts apartment-style units with full kitchens, cool blue hallways, and vinyl-tiled floors; a significant upgrade from the old shelter next door slated for demolition. The city's approach to adopting a ownership model for shelters is like "paying a fixed rate 30-year mortgage rather than paying rent to landlords who can jack up the price or refuse to make capital improvements," DHS Commissioner Molly Wasow Park explained to Gothamist.
However, the initiative has detractors. Progressives who tend to oppose attaching behavioral conditions to social benefits are critical of the mayor’s more stringent shelter policies. While mayor Adams has remained focused on providing a variety of enhanced services, such as the expansion of Safe Haven shelter beds, the forthcoming mayoral election points to the pressing need for a detailed strategy for dealing with New York City's native homeless population, a topic that remains acutely relevant as the numbers are rising. The insights provided by City Journal underline that beyond managing the migrant crisis, there is a native population that is approximately 25 percent larger than it was in spring 2022, a demographic that the next administration must address with policy and care.
