Only one in four survey respondents approve of the mayor’s handling of homelessness, even though most say they haven’t seen an increase in homelessness under the mayor.
Homelessness exacerbates chronic conditions, reduces life expectancy and raises medical costs. Public policies ought to reflect that reality.
The next mayor will inherit a substantial homelessness problem. He should prevent evictions by giving tenants representation in housing court.
The population of the city’s shelter system having skyrocketed to 50,000 people, the mayoral candidates propose a variety of ways to address the crisis.
An effort to register homeless people for the 2013 election encountered dozens who thought they had lost their right to vote, and some who thought they’d lost it forever.
The plaintiffs say their neighborhood is overburdened by shelters and other social-service facilities. But the city says it’s merely trying to keep the homeless close to their neighborhoods.
At the request of the federal government, the city’s street homeless survey targeted young people this year. But advocates feel the results suggest a stronger tallying effort is needed next time.
Homeless policy has dogged the last four mayors of New York City. A recent panel looked at how the next mayor might turn the page.
Responding to the shelter surge, the city has placed homeless families in clusters of apartments in private buildings. The pricey program might undermine rent stabilization.
The Department of Homeless Services announced a “decline of 28 percent across the five boroughs since 2005.” That was the good news.
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