Language Interpretation Needs Soar in City Homeless Shelters
During the past five years, requests for interpretation in the Department of Homeless Services shelter system increased more than five-fold, jumping from 18,660 in 2020 to 107,083 in 2024.
When it comes to the translation of written materials, such as notices, the city is only legally required—by Local Law 30—to translate information in the 10 most common non-English languages across the five boroughs. The City Council will hold a hearing today to explore if city agencies are complying with that requirement. But advocates say the limited scope of the law has created barriers for many new migrants from Africa, who speak languages like Pulaar and Wolof.
“This really is an unmet need,” said Kathryn Kliff, a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society’s Homeless Rights Project.
