A Family Affair: Parents, Children and NYC's Homelessness Crisis

VIDEO: Homeless Families Are Waiting Longer in NYC Shelters. Here Are Their Stories

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Dirty bath water and a slew of apartment rejections test the faith of three single moms trying to get out of the city’s homeless shelter system. After 14 months, Johanna Garcia finally found an apartment for her and her children—but the journey wasn’t easy, and the average length of stay in shelter for families like hers is only getting longer, new data shows.

A Family Affair: Parents, Children and NYC's Homelessness Crisis

Bill to Require Mental Health Staff at Family Shelters Spurs Worry Over ‘Unintended Effects’

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Supporters of the legislation, which would require the city to fund the placement of mental health professionals on-site at all homeless shelters with children, say it would increase access to care for families experiencing the crisis of housing insecurity. But some advocates worry it could inadvertently ensnare more low-income families in the child welfare system.

Housing and Homelessness
NYC Mayor Eric Adams talking into a microphone at a press conference podium

Mayor’s Emergency Declaration Will Speed Shelter Openings as Homeless Population Rises 

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The declaration will allow the city to open a new intake facility specifically for asylum-seekers and immigrants who have made their way to city shelters. It will also allow the Department of Homeless Services to issue contracts to nonprofits to open additional shelters, most likely in hotels, while bypassing public review and the usual competitive bidding process.

Housing and Homelessness
PATH Center

Who Are The Families Entering NYC Shelters From the Southern Border? 

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For weeks, City Limits has been talking to several Latin American families who entered the city’s shelter system after arriving in the U.S. from southern border states. Mayor Eric Adams has accused Texas and Arizona of sending newly-arrived immigrants to the city, something governors of both states have denied, and the families who spoke with City Limits said they came here with help from nonprofits.