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City lawmakers propose ‘Homeless Bill of Rights’ as encampment sweeps continue
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Apr 14, 2022
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John Lamparski/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Apr 14, 2022
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Two city lawmakers are proposing a “Homeless Bill of Rights” that would require the city to convey a list of services that homeless New Yorkers are entitled to under the law — including access to shelter, legal and translation services and educational options for children.
New York City’s public advocate, Jumaane Williams, and Council member Rafael Salamanca introduced the new legislation Thursday, during a meeting of the full City Council. Before the Council met, Williams held a news conference outlining portions of the bill, which comes as the Adams administration continues to clear homeless encampments throughout the city, which critics argue does little to address the underlying problem.
“Unhoused people feel like they're left without any support, without any options, without rights or recourse,” Williams said, standing on the steps of City Hall. “This bill will codify the rights of homeless individuals both outside and within the shelter system, as well as standards required to be met within the shelter system.”
The proposed legislation does not write any new laws but instead “synthesizes” various agency rules into a single declaration, he added. It would not serve as an enforcement mechanism. Alexa Sledge, a spokesperson for the public advocate, said the proposed bill of rights would nevertheless serve as “a tool of information” that would enable homeless individuals to hold the city accountable.
In the weeks since Mayor Eric Adams ordered encampments to be cleared — a practice that was already in effect under former Mayor Bill de Blasio — advocates have decried the strategy as both misdirected and inhumane, saying individuals have elected to sleep on the streets because the city fails to provide safe and adequate shelter or sufficient affordable housing.
Critics have also argued that the sweeps are ineffective at getting more individuals to move to shelters. In the first two weeks of Adams' recent push, city workers removed nearly 240 encampments, but only five people living at those encampments accepted shelter from the city, the mayor said last month.
Adams has pledged to roll out 500 more shelter beds with services that treat physical and mental health and substance abuse. He argued the effort to convince people to accept shelter services would take time.
Asked for an update on the city’s encampment removal efforts and the number of those who had since accepted shelter services, Charles Lutvak, a spokesperson at the mayor’s office, pointed to the same data Adams referred to last month, including the five people he cited as having taken a shelter bed.
The new bill would elucidate existing rights of those living inside shelters, including the right to participate in recreational activities, to be housed with a person who identifies as the same gender, access to bathrooms, laundry machines, diaper changing stations and food accommodations for specific dietary needs.
The city has roughly 48,000 people living in shelters. Around 2,400 people are said to live on the streets, although advocates say the number is an undercount.
Tagged
jumaane williams
shelters
City Council
eric adams
homeless
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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