Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Budget Cuts Force LGBT Homeless Youth Into "Survival Sex"
By
Jacob Dobkin
Published Feb 13, 2015
Modified Feb 13, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jacob Dobkin
Published Feb 13, 2015
Modified Feb 13, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
As the city grapples with a homelessness epidemic not seen since the Great Depression, elected officials gathered at City Hall yesterday to protest the fact that funding for youth homeless shelters has been slashed more than 66% since 2008.
State Senator Brad Hoylman noted that were over 5,000 instances in 2012 where teenagers were turned away from shelters due to a lack of beds, a huge increase over the 573 that were turned away in 2008, the most recent data available.
"It's unconscionable that thousands of kids struggle each year to find a safe place to sleep," Hoylman said.
New York Comptroller Scott Stringer, who yesterday released a report noting the renewed strength of the New York City economy, said the "peace dividend" of higher tax revenues could easily be used to solve this problem, as the $4.75 million Hoylman's coalition is asking for during this month's budget negotiations is a "drop in the bucket" compared to the $77.7 billion city budget and $141 billion State Budget.
According to the Coalition for Homeless Youth, there are 953 beds for homeless youths in their teens and early 20s across the state—the restored budget allocation would add 1,000 more beds to the system.
NYC Public Advocate Letitia James noted that lesbian, gay, and transgender teens make up 40% of the homeless youth population, and many are forced to leave home because of their sexual orientation, and a lack of beds in the shelter system often forces them to engage in "survival sex" to pay for a place to sleep. "Housing is one of the strongest preventatives of HIV," James said, and added that the current amount allocated is a "badge of dishonor for all of us."
Torreano Santiago, age 20, said he'd been kicked out of an abusive, homophobic home. "At certain times I would be afraid. When am I going to get my next meal?"
Santiago is currently living at Sylvia's Place, a shelter for LGBT youth. "They are helping me. But if there’s no funding, where am I going to go?"
Mahayla McElroy is a 23-year-old transgender woman currently living at the Ali Forney Center.
"I know so many people that got killed or murdered and raped just because of a lack of services, because of budget cuts," McElroy said. "And it is really hard to see someone that you really care about on the street, or on a memorial poster, because last week you’ve just seen them and then you find out that they’re dead because they couldn’t have a stable place to go to, because of a lack of resources."
Jim Bolas, the Director of the Coalition for the Homeless, pointed out that "available shelter actually saves the state and localities from paying exorbitant costs to the medical, jail, or mental health care systems" caring for teenagers who have been forced into sexual exploitation.
Manhattan Borough President Gail Brewer was also at yesterday's rally, and noted that the $4.75 million the coalition was asking for is still below the "full 2008 level of $6.3 million", and called for the restoration of the full amount.
According the Coalition for the Homeless, 60,352 people are currently homeless in New York City. Of this total, 48,026 are children and adults in 14,159 families. There were also 3,262 single women, and 9,064 single men in the New York City shelter system, and at least 3000 "unsheltered homeless," mainly men, living on the streets.
Additional reporting by Rabi Abonour
Tagged
brad hoylman
City hall
homelessness
rally
state budget
original
Jacob Dobkin
Jake Dobkin co-founded Gothamist with Jen Chung. In 2019, Jake released Ask a Native New Yorker, a book based on his Gothamist advice column.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
Critics say the moratorium harms businesses in neighborhoods without a tradition of street fairs.
By
Carol Chen
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 4:24 p.m. ET
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
The new deck will be used to store buses and supplies while crews tear down and rebuild the Midtown bus terminal. Once the project wraps, the space will be converted into a new park.
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
News
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
The new deck will be used to store buses and supplies while crews tear down and rebuild the Midtown bus terminal. Once the project wraps, the space will be converted into a new park.
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
By
Brittany Kriegstein
NJ early voting begins Saturday. Here's everything you need to know.
By
Mike Hayes
Countdown clocks are coming to an NYC bus stop near you
By
Stephen Nessen
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .