Last May, Mayor Adams and Gov. Hochul initiated an assault on New York’s legal right to shelter for single adults based totally upon two misguided premises: first, that the town wanted extra flexibility in responding to the inflow of hundreds of asylum seekers than allowed underneath the 1981 Callahan consent decree, and 2d, that disposing of or proscribing that proper would lead to fewer new arrivals coming to the town.
The salvo was once needless, as the town and advocates had already been in negotiations for greater than a yr about supply safe haven temporarily for such a lot of other folks, and the town was once given all of the flexibility it had to make the most of amenities that have been not strictly compliant with Callahan regulations whilst nonetheless protecting other folks protected.
The 2d statement, that getting rid of the proper to safe haven would forestall the inflow of new arrivals, failed to recognize that individuals come right here as a result of financial alternative, kinship networks, cultural range and tolerance, and all of the different causes that give an explanation for the massive inexperienced statue in New York Harbor.
But the mayor and governor dug in, and for the previous 10 months the Legal Aid Society and professional bono suggest representing the Coalition for the Homeless as plaintiffs in Callahan engaged in a long and heated struggle to protect the proper to safe haven.
The settlement agreement signed last week is simply that: a agreement. No affordable particular person would name it a victory — with the exception of that it does, severely, stay the Callahan consent decree intact. The settlement creates a transient disaster plan for unmarried grownup new arrivals, and lets in the town to refuse to supply greater than 30 days of safe haven (60 days for other folks underneath 23) to these not making efforts to seek out different accommodation. It additionally precludes the town from hanging other folks in “waiting rooms” to sleep for days in chairs, with out a get entry to to showers or foods.
Our base line hasn’t ever modified: No person who wishes safe haven will have to ever be relegated to the streets. Justice Gerald Lebovits additionally made that transparent when he signed the settlement, pointing out: “the provisions of this settlement…do not take away from the protections that Callahan already provides and will continue to provide to ensure that single adults in the city can always obtain shelter.”
But we’re not naïve. We know what the town’s objective is: to temporarily scale back the collection of new arrivals within the safe haven gadget.
That’s why this agreement is not the tip of the struggle; it’s the beginning. The Callahan consent decree was once signed 43 years in the past, and not a day has long gone by means of since then that we’ve got not needed to struggle teeth and nail to get the town to conform. The Coalition in truth helped greater than 3,000 folks download their rights and navigate the safe haven gadget remaining yr on my own.
This agreement will not exchange that. Our paintings to be sure that nobody who wishes safe haven is became away continues. But each longer-term New Yorkers and new arrivals will have to be given lend a hand to transport from shelters into strong housing.
The governor’s efficiency in this entrance has been not anything in need of disgraceful. Refugee resettlement is historically a state serve as, and but the governor presentations no real interest in making even her personal Migrant Relocation Assistance Program paintings. Resettlement will have to change into a precedence of the governor’s place of job
We are relieved that the prison struggle over Callahan is over. We also are involved that, when criticized concerning the town’s failure to supply safe haven to these nonetheless in want, the mayor reverts to touting what number of people the town has served up to now. The town merits credit for locating tens of hundreds extra beds, however it’s possibly untimely for the mayor to hold a “Mission Accomplished!” banner. Too many nonetheless require lend a hand getting better from their hard trips right here and resettling into our neighborhood.
We will have to understand that, traditionally, each wave of immigration to New York has ended in super advantages to our town and state — to its tradition, range, and naturally, to its financial system. This present inflow will have to be seen not as a disaster, however as a present — particularly for the reason that there are more or less 460,000 unfilled jobs in New York State.
Let’s settle for the present, and display the arena that New Yorkers will not flip our backs on the ones in want, will not go away other folks to sleep at the streets, and can lend a hand our new neighbors settle into their new lives with us. That is what we will have to be celebrating.
Giffen is government director of the Coalition for the Homeless. Holder is leader legal professional of the civil follow on the Legal Aid Society.