New York City and the Homeless

by Blue Crush | November 22, 2008 at 08:08 pm

884 views | 38 Recommendations | 13 comments

During the current decade the number of homeless people sleeping each night in New York City shelters has reached modern-day record levels.

NEW YORK - Twenty-two New York City churches have been ordered by the city to stop providing shelter to the homeless.

With temperatures below freezing Saturday, the churches had to follow a city rule requiring faith-based shelters to be open at least five days a week or not at all.

Arnold Cohen, president of the Partnership for the Homeless, a non-profit organization that serves as a link between city officials and shelters, delivered the news to the churches several weeks ago that they no longer qualify.

As a result hundreds of people now won't have a place to sleep, he said.

The city's emergency shelter network contract requires sites to operate at least five nights a week. The 22 churches have limited resources, since they operate their homeless beds using mostly volunteers.

There are currently 35,000 homeless people living in New York City shelters.

Amidst growing signs that the Wall Street meltdown and the stalling economy are devastating New York City and the rest of the state, there is alarming new evidence of the impact of the economic recession on New York City homelessness.

According to little-noticed data from the New York City Department of Homeless Services, the number of new homeless families entering the municipal shelter system has surpassed all-time record levels each of the past three months.

In September alone, 1,464 homeless families entered New York City shelters.

Despite evidence of rising family homelessness, Governor Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg, and State and City officials are planning dramatic budget cutbacks in vital services – building on recent cuts in homelessness prevention and other services. The current City budget already includes more than $3 million in cutbacks to homelessness prevention programs, while the State has also reduced funding for prevention and other vital homeless services.

Does it make sense to order closure of 22 churches, just because their volunteers cannot be open a minimum of five days a week?

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Blue Crush

at 21:47 on November 22nd, 2008

Yes, I think so too. The Salvation Army was the first at our door, (besides our Priest) when we had a death in our immediate family. I have a whole lot of respect for them. That was a while ago, wonder if they all still make house calls, like they used to?

Blue Crush

at 20:51 on November 22nd, 2008

Sure is! Can you imagine how many homeless FAMILIES are being put out? Some people could stay with friends/relatives some of the time, but may feel they wanna give them a break from their kids once in a while? Those churches would be (and I'm sure, were) ideal "Safe Houses" for them. About 250 beds ... gone!

Barry Artiste

at 21:36 on November 22nd, 2008

Thank Christ for Churches and the Sally Ann

Blue Crush

at 21:38 on November 22nd, 2008

Isn't this supposed to be the most powerful city, too?

globalpunditorg

at 01:15 on November 23rd, 2008

not ot mention all the warehoused stuff FEMA gave away as 'surplus' to other states when there were still thousands of families in need of basic support in these areas. what a mess and a lack of prioritizing.

Amy Judd

at 20:27 on November 22nd, 2008

I don't understand - why does this matter if they can't stay open 5 days a week? That is the silliest thing I've heard today!

Paschen

at 20:52 on November 22nd, 2008

A bad and shameful record to be holding for any country, yet especially for the most powerful one there is.

Paschen

at 21:01 on November 22nd, 2008

This is what the Churches used to be until the end of the second World War and since then they have embraced some sort of snobbism and segregation of well of and poor.

Paschen

at 22:38 on November 22nd, 2008

Good point, Yes it is in the eyes of most probably.

hussain

at 23:21 on November 22nd, 2008

Where are the people who are policing around the world killing and maiming innocents with missile strikes?

Jordan Yerman

at 06:59 on November 23rd, 2008

The US Dept of Health and Human Services defines the poverty line at $17,600 a year for a family of three. Rent alone in NYC would be more than that ($18,000 per year if you don't mind living in a sketchy neighborhood... sketchy by NYC standards), never mind food, healthcare, school supplies, clothes, transit, sundries, etc, etc.

Appleby (not verified)

at 13:40 on November 26th, 2008

Our local teen drop-in centre is open Monday thru Friday, 9-5. On weekends and evenings the kids are on their own. This cuts seriously into the ability of full-time employees to volunteer and it also makes it very difficult for us to contribute in-kind to the Centre as we have to haul our contributions downtown on the subway at rush hour and walk up to the Shelter during our lunch hour if we can.

They claim they cannot get anybody to work evenings and weekends. They have never asked anybody that I know about.

I think the whole thing is just what happens when the churches abdicate their responsibilities and dump them on the government. Jesus did not say Force The Government to Feed My Sheep.

whatareyougawkingat (not verified)

at 18:19 on December 20th, 2008

Why? Try living homeless for one day, no friends no family no money, not even for public transit, and when you do not have clothes but what the shelter MIGHT have to offer you, you won't just up and find a job. 5 days is a big deal, because being ill and needing a place to stay to heal during the day is important, for anyone. You will find that when the doors close to a shelter at night, there is no where to go, everywhere else is full. When the shelter you might of found to sleep in opens in the morning, there is no where to go during the day, after the doors close and unless you are looking for a job, and best of luck finding one of those.