Budget Cuts To 'Advantage' Program Leave New York City Homeless In The Lurch

Recent budget cuts to a New York City program that helps families get out of homeless shelters and into apartments have sparked controversy, starting a blame game between the city and the state, and leaving the fate of 15,000 families and their homes up in the air.

The Associated Press reported that the city sent letters to participants in the Department of Homeless Services' Advantage program, informing them that they could no longer expect it to subsidize their housing. The program had assisted homeless families by allowing them to move out of the shelters and work, paying 30 to 40 percent of their income toward rent, with the city paying the remainder (for one to two years) with money from the state.

But without money from the state, the city says that it has no choice but to discontinue the program -- a move that, according to city officials, would force 4,400 families back into the shelter system.

According to the Department of Homeless Services' website, the program's termination is immediate -- new lease signings were halted on Monday, and the site states that "there will be no rent payments by the City on April 1, 2011."

AP quotes Department Commissioner Seth Diamond on how these families will cope:

"It will be difficult, certainly for families, particularly those who recently left shelter, to maintain their apartments," said Diamond. "The premise of the program is it gives people time to grow into their apartments and have their income grow and maintain stability. So that is very troubling and of great concern."

What has ensued since the announcement has been a blame game between the city and state, with the city citing proposed state budget cuts as the reason for the program's cancellation, and opponents accusing the city of gambling its homeless residents' welfare to put pressure on state officials to restore the funds.

The efficacy of the program has also been called into question, with the city and the Coalition for the Homeless (which vowed to sue in court to prevent the city from stopping payments) posting different statistics on the program's success.

Only one thing is clear -- without Advantage in place, the city will have no program to move families out of the shelters, meaning a lot more homeless families needing space in a shelter. Without the program, the city says it anticipates the homeless family population will increase by 51 percent and the city will have to build an additional 70 shelters. According to a blog on the New York Times website, the city may be looking at up to a 66 percent increase in spending on homeless shelters.

Comments

[Kimiko Austin-Rijs]

04:25 AM on 04/25/2011

Bloomberg is rich enough to fund this program as a charity.

[jamerican negril]

05:48 PM on 03/23/2011

please d0n't help the p00r, ever. just keep giving tax cuts t0 billi0naires.

[TruelyFedUp]

05:30 PM on 03/21/2011

“If we had access to some of the almost 1billion acres of land (around 30% of the US land mass) that the government is holding for the "use and benefit" of the American people we could create free, self sustaining eco villages for the use and benefit on any American that has no job, is homeless, is in need of a safe base and food or just doesn't want to work as a wage slave to corporatio­ns. This country should have thousands of free eco-villag­es where people are free to live as long as they contribute to the production of organic food and the building and maintainan­ce of common buildings and lands.

The organic food farming, building and government should all be done locally by the residents themselves. Schools and training facilities, nursing care, etc. should be provided by residents. If the work hours required for food and shelter were kept to 2-4 hours a day people would have time to get training, look for jobs, etc.

What is really needed is access to free, arable land.

[Kimiko Austin-Rijs]

04:24 AM on 04/25/2011

No we do not need more land. There is plenty of that already. What we need is to learn to live appropriately with what we have. Your scare tactics are as bad as any tea baggers.

[TruelyFedUp]

10:37 AM on 04/25/2011

Are you even paying attention to this blog? Have you ever been homeless? Or are you sitting in your comfortable world pontificating on how everybody should live just like you while doing absolutely nothing to determine if your world view is viable, environmentally practical, just?

The quickest way to get people without jobs, hope of jobs and without homes stable and comfortable is to get them living sustainably. With stable land bases where they are self sufficient they won't worry, struggle or suffer. And they can live with dignity instead of as social outcasts.

I suppose this is just too cruel for you to consider...

[Actraiser]

04:16 PM on 03/21/2011

First of all, I am no expert of any kind, so this post shouldn't be considered advice of any kind.

That being said, if I were in this situation that I were an Advantage Program recipient who couldn't afford my rent next month, I'd request a "FAIR HEARING".

http://www.nyc.gov/apps/311/allServices.htm?requestType=listService&filterServ=Finance+-+Benefit&serviceName=Public+Benefit+Fair+Hearing+Request&intentId=88438F14-8139-11DE-8E9F-96DAE110FEB8

I don't think it should be used as a protest mechanism by those who DON'T need it since those that DO need it will need clear lines of communication and a convenient appointment.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I believe the Advantage Program is horrible, for the reasons stated here:

http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/pages/revolving-door

But I deplore the city and state governments for giving program holders only 2 weeks notice to either pay their rent or find a new place to live. I hope advocates of all kinds can band together to combat this injustice.

[CelestePulchra]

03:18 PM on 03/21/2011

(shakes head). So we are cutting funding to people on the edge of homelessness. They will then become completely homeless and cost us more. I want to clarify right now that I did not vote for Bloomberg.

[lrae2007]

10:07 AM on 03/21/2011

It appears the construction of homeless shelters would be a windfall for construction interests.
With such money involved it is possible this program has ended because of corporate payoffs/bribes to the leaders who have ended this program.

[CelestePulchra]

03:18 PM on 03/21/2011

good idea, i hadn't thought of that.

[Kimiko Austin-Rijs]

04:26 AM on 04/25/2011

That IS sad indeed if that is the case.

[Dan Creamer]

02:50 AM on 03/21/2011

What is probably really happening is that some fat cat builder (La Costa Nostra Type) wants a city contract to build the seventy shelters they will need to house all the pawns er' families they are breaking their promise to.

[meeks]

08:45 AM on 03/21/2011

I don't know about that. I work in homeless services and shelters are losing their place in the assistance game. The new model that is slowly becoming country wide is shelter for two weeks only. It is yet to be seen what the next step will be.

[ZENNEPHI]

07:43 PM on 03/20/2011

Some extended Families prefer the great outdoors.
With more emphasis on our free-agency. Indegent single man as well
Choose what the best phalanthropy/Good will, tithes & offerings.
Money talks, but it can't dance, and it can't walk.


We invade our Clinics/Hospital/Hospice factualties.
Unless meal intake is "leven", Our displaced "fellow-travlers"of all walks and talks are
most certainly aime to violate..thus aimed to to cross the fine-line of the law.
If a convicted felon breaks the {perfect law} of liberty, why then why
does our State and [Super-max] facilities house "tenents" of the Prision system.???

Three Hots an and a Cot. Alot of "startchy food".And US Commadidy People Butter.

Pretty good reasoning. Pay the time, for doing the Crime.

[Dan Creamer]

02:52 AM on 03/21/2011

You got any more of whatever your on?

[CelestePulchra]

03:19 PM on 03/21/2011

@Dan hahaha