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Mayor Defends Charging Working Homeless For Rent
By
Jen Chung
Published May 10, 2009
Modified May 10, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 10, 2009
Modified May 10, 2009
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Yesterday, the NY Times revealed that the "Bloomberg administration has quietly begun charging rent to homeless families who live in publicly run shelters but have income from jobs." The city was apparently starting to make good on a 1997 state law—and the state wants the city to pay back $2.4 million in homeless aid. If families do not pay, they could be forced out of shelters. However, advocates for the homeless (already critical of the city's efforts to stop giving homeless families priority for federal housing vouchers) suggest that the homeless and city would be better served if the homeless could save up towards getting a place of their own. One woman, told she needs to pay $336/month rent from her $840/month income told the Times, "I pay my baby sitter, I buy diapers, and I’m trying to save money so I can get out of here. I don’t want to be in the shelter forever." In response to the article, Mayor Bloomberg said, "Everybody else is doing it, and we're told we have to do it, so we're going to do it." Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said, "If this is a state requirement, New York City should be taking the lead in getting it changed."
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homeless
mayor bloomberg
public shelters
rent
working homeless
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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