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NYCHA Sets Aside 3,200 Housing Units for the Homeless

The New York City Housing Authority has identified roughly 3,200 units to be set aside for homeless families over the next four years, part of Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to address the city's surging homeless crisis, the Observer reports.
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Jackson-Houses3The New York City Housing Authority has identified roughly 3,200 units to be set aside for homeless families over the next four years, part of Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to address the city's surging homeless crisis, the Observer reports.

However, some city council members are expressing concern that that number may be too low.  Under Mayor Rudy Giuliani, 3,418 NYCHA units a year were set aside  for the homeless.

The number of New Yorkers spending the night in shelters has hovered at 53,000 since January, an unprecedented number for the city.  And city council members are saying that 750-800 units a year would not be enough to make a significant dent in the homeless problem.

"Why are we setting aside less units when homelessness has risen?" asked City Councilmember Ritchie Torres. "Why not maximize public housing units to the families greatest in need? 

NYCHA Commissioner Shola Olatoye pointed to a significant reduction in federal funding since former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani was mayor and a desire to foster income diversity in public housing.




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