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United Homeless Organization Shut Down by Court Order
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 15, 2009
Modified Dec 15, 2009
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By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 15, 2009
Modified Dec 15, 2009
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Last month Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed a lawsuit against the United Homeless Organization, accusing the group of running a scam that funnels money to the bosses at the top and the workers who solicit donations throughout Manhattan, in the name of "helping the homeless." Today Cuomo obtained an interim court order requiring the not-for-profit group to immediately halt all charitable solicitations from the public by any means. The order also freezes UHO’s assets, including bank accounts and vehicles.
According to the lawsuit, individuals (many of them homeless or on the margins) pay Riley a flat-rate $15 to $25 to rent a table and empty water jug for a four-hour shift. "In exchange for paying a fee to UHO founder Steven Riley, workers received tables and UHO-branded materials, including a tablecloth, apron and plastic jug, and the right to claim membership in UHO," the suit alleges. "Today’s court order prevents UHO from further exploiting the trust and good will of New Yorkers," said Cuomo in a statement. "But this organization’s bad behavior shouldn’t undermine the public’s willingness to donate to legitimate charities."
Nevertheless, some New Yorkers who regularly dropped change into the UHO's jug are furious, and WCBS hit the streets last month to get some juicy public reactions. "I put $2 in the bottle. Everywhere I go I put change. I feel like they was playing me because now I come to find out I'm paying for her light bill. Why I got to pay for her light bill? I got to pay for my own light bill," said Edwin Olieva of Coney Island. And one homeless man was incensed to find out that the donations are pocketed by workers, telling one UHO rep, "You're hustling people in my name. In my name you're hustling people."
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andrew cuomo
court order
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shut down
uho
united homeless organization
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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