Housing is a Human Right!

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Hi Friend,
* Saturday volunteers needed: help distribute free produce, including fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables to public housing residents at Gowanus Houses, Wyckoff Gardens, and Warren Street Houses. We need volunteers to unload, bag, and distribute produce every other Saturday morning starting May 6th. Sign up here ([link removed]) for a shift. More questions? Email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

* CHiPS volunteers needed: we need your help with our CHiPS food distribution on May 3rd at Kensington Plaza – sign up here ([link removed]) .

* We’ve signed a lease for our new office and will be available for visits soon!. In the meantime, we are unable to offer in-person appointments with extremely limited exceptions. If you need help, call us at (718) 499-1090 or send us an email at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

The Stop Shelter Evictions Act

This week I was overjoyed to join JFREJ’s “Seder in the Streets for Migrant & Housing Justice,” which uplifted the urgent need to pass my bill, Intro. 210 - the Stop Shelter Evictions Act. This bill would require the Mayor to cease his cruel and counterintuitive policies that evict asylum seekers out of shelters and onto the streets. At the seder, I was moved by how my Jewish constituents connected the historic Passover story of fleeing persecution and finding sanctuary to the modern-day influx of migrants to NYC. This inspiring demonstration of solidarity is empowering and I’m excited to get this bill across the finish line in City Hall.

Council Member Hanif at the Seder in the Streets for Migrant & Housing Justice this Thursday.

The Human Toll of Shelter Evictions

Since the 1980s, New York City has upheld the Right to Shelter, which guarantees a shelter bed to all who need one. This unique policy has ensured that we do not experience the same level of mass street homelessness seen in other cities. Last year, Mayor Adams undermined this policy by creating a separate and unequal shelter system for asylum seekers which caps their shelter stay at a mere 30 days for individual adults and 60 days for families with children. These arbitrary caps have created a humanitarian crisis for new arrivals, exacerbating street homelessness and denying them the stability they need to develop self-sufficient lives in New York City.

Evicted single adults are often having their requests for new shelter placements rejected by the City, leaving them in dire situations including having to sleep on the streets, in subway stations, or in makeshift and unsafe living arrangements. Families with children are given new placements, but are still destabilized as they are shuffled around from one shelter to another. Over 1000 school-age children, who should be focused on a fresh start with education, have instead been uprooted from their schools, disrupting their academic progress and social connections. Progress that their parents have made on asylum, TPS, or work authorization applications is hindered by the operational complications of an address change.

Earlier this month the Committee on Immigration held a landmark hearing addressing the unique challenges faced by Black migrants in NYC, drawing over a thousand migrants to City Hall. At the hearing, we heard about how the 30 and 60 Day Rule is disproportionately harming them, underscoring that this is a critical racial justice issue. We also heard loud and clear that impacted asylum seekers aren’t looking to live in shelters in perpetuity. They want stability and a life that will allow them to secure employment and permanent housing, so that they can ultimately integrate and contribute to our city without relying on the shelter system.

Interfaith Coalition Supports Intro. 210

A growing coalition of New Yorkers, including the New York Jewish Agenda, B'nai Jeshurun Synagogue, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, Tirdof: New York Jewish Clergy for Justice, Judson Memorial Church, T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, Women in Need, and more are rallying to get the Stop Shelter Evictions Act passed. I’m also thrilled to have the support of Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and Comptroller Brad Lander. Additionally, I am proud to have the backing of my colleagues, with 17 other Council Members signed on as co-sponsors. The bill was heard last month by the Committee on General Welfare, meaning that it is now eligible to be voted on. We encourage your organization to endorse Intro. 210 by filling out this form ([link removed]) .

As the daughter of immigrants, I find it unconscionable to see how this city is treating so many that have come here for safety and a chance at democracy. I am urging my colleagues to join me in sponsoring the Stop Shelter Evictions Act so that it can swiftly be brought up for a vote. Together, let us uphold our commitment to justice, compassion, and dignity for all New Yorkers.

Council Member Hanif at the Rally to End 30-60 Day Rule.

Community Bulletin
* Get your tickets ([link removed]) for Bangla-dish!: An Evening with Cookbook Author Dina Begum
* Park Slope/Windsor Terrace Artists group (PSWT Artists) are having their Spring Open Studio weekend Saturday 5/4 and Sunday 5/5 – get details here ([link removed]) .
* A free Mammogram Early Detection Bus hosted by Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon will be at 341 Smith Street on Thursday 5/9 from 9:00 AM– 4:30 PM. You can schedule at 718-246-4889 or 1-877-628-9090. Eligibility: women ages 40 - 79, currently living in New York City, and no mammogram in the past 12 months.
* The Bandung 2024-2025 Residency is calling on AAPI artists, educators, and organizers to join them as they help uplift your work! Find out more and apply here ([link removed]) .
* The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is hosting a NYC Small Business Month Expo to provide a variety of free information, resources, and direct services – sign up here ([link removed]) .
* South Brooklyn Sanctuary is offering free legal help for TPS applications and Work Authorization permits. Sign up for their resources in Arabic ([link removed]) , French ([link removed]) , and Spanish ([link removed]) .
* As the Summer and hot weather approaches, did you know the City can offer assistance in the purchase of a cooling system? The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) can help eligible New Yorkers heat and cool their homes – learn more and determine your eligibility here ([link removed]) !

In Solidarity,

Shahana
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