New York City will invest in high-quality services and resources to help the homeless get off the streets and out of the subway system and into more stable residences, Mayor Eric Adams said Sunday. This includes the investment to finance 1,400 beds that will bring the total to more than 4,000.
To this end, the Democrat noted that he will allocate an additional $171 million per year, beginning in fiscal year 2023 (FY23), to expand and improve outreach efforts and specialized resources, including Safe Havensstabilization beds and Reception Centers (DIC).
Too many of our neighbors are experiencing homelessness. They deserve safety and they deserve our support.
We’re making an historic $171 million investment in street outreach and Safe Haven beds to bring them inside and put them on the path to a permanent home. pic.twitter.com/ZutBD6yyaF
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 24, 2022
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This is the largest investment made by any city administration in street outreach and low-barrier programs to support some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers who find themselves homeless on the streets and on the train.
“Too many of our fellow New Yorkers are homeless and unprotected, but we cannot and will not abandon them,” said Mayor Adams. “We are making the largest investment in street outreach and low-barrier beds ever made by a city administration, in an effort to nearly double the number of outreach beds. Safe Haven and stabilization services available to New Yorkers. These resources will encourage people to come in and pave the way for the permanent housing and stability that all New Yorkers deserve.”
The Metro Safety Plan introduced in February has already succeeded in increasing bed capacity to serve homeless New Yorkers.
So far, the city has opened new high-quality sites offering dedicated support to more than 400 New Yorkers as part of the nearly 500 specialty beds announced in the plan earlier this year. More than 100 additional beds are expected to come online in the coming months, exceeding the goal originally announced in the plan.
With Sunday’s announcement, the city will also offer nearly 900 more beds, bringing the total new capacity funded by this investment to more than 1,400 beds. In addition, 570 specialty beds are expected to come online by the end of this year, with another 325 by mid-2023. Once online, the city will have more than 4,000 specialty beds to serve and support some of the toughest New Yorkers. vulnerable.
In addition to funding for beds, Sunday’s announcement includes $19 million to be allocated toward creating three additional DICs, as well as providing improved medical and behavioral health services at city DICs, including funding for staff specialists, such as nurses, psychiatrists and social workers.
Ultimately, $12 million of the funds will be allocated to DSS’s enhanced and expanded comprehensive outreach program that:
- Increases dedicated outreach staff to further intensify DSS metro outreach and location efforts.
- Add transportation services and other resources, which will help further streamline the process of connecting customers with suitable location opportunities.
The city’s low-barrier programs, including Safe Havensstabilization beds and DICs are often the first step in helping homeless New Yorkers accept services and transition off the streets and off the subway.
Safe Shelters and Stabilization Beds are small-scale, low-barrier programs designed specifically for unsheltered individuals who may be reluctant to accept or may not be better served by other services, including traditional transitional housing settings. These sites are equipped with on-site services and compassionate staff who work closely with these New Yorkers to build trust, stabilize lives, and encourage further transition off the streets and subways, ultimately helping them transition to a permanent housing.
DICs provide basic services aimed at meeting the immediate needs of unsheltered New Yorkers, such as showers, meals, and connections to health care, while also offering on-site case management staff and services, providing a immediate option for people who want to transition off the streets and off the subway.
“The investments announced today will support thousands of beds for homeless adults,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “I want to thank the Mayor for prioritizing these dollars now and in the future, and I look forward to working with interagency and community partners to support all New Yorkers on their journey toward obtaining a permanent home.”
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