The Cycle Repeats
As state and local agencies grapple with the housing and mental health needs of unsheltered New Yorkers, internal city numbers obtained by THE CITY show long odds for getting a spot in apartments designed to support people who need psychiatric or substance use treatment.
Long Odds for Supportive Housing
Out of 955 people who were living on the streets and subways who were approved for supportive housing during the period tracked by the city social service and health agencies over several months last year, 175 successfully obtained a spot — just 18% of the total.
Challenges in the System
Nearly 400 people were still waiting to be referred to a supportive housing provider for an interview, despite thousands of apartments sitting empty, while 131 people waited more than a year and had their applications expire without getting a placement. Dozens didn’t appear for their interview or had it cancelled on them. Another 33 people were rejected by the nonprofit housing provider that interviewed them, and four died before they could be housed, figures obtained by Legal Services NYC through a Freedom of Information Law request show.
Criticism from Advocates
"It is a true indictment of the deep bureaucracy of discrimination and of other issues that have riddled supportive housing application placement for years," said Craig Hughes, a housing social worker at Bronx Legal Services who obtained the data. "Instead of really dealing with it, we have continued it year after year after year in New York."
Thousand of Vacant Units
Seth Frazier, a supervising social worker at the Safety Net Project, who works closely with homeless New Yorkers pointed to the thousands of supportive housing units sitting vacant. "There are 4,000 empty supportive housing beds. That’s more than enough to house everyone on this list plus nearly all street homeless folks," he said. "It’s a tragedy."
The Cycle Repeats
Curbing street homelessness has been an issue mayors have attempted to tackle for decades. The issue once again lurked into the headlines again last week after a 57-year-old homeless woman, Debrina Kawam, was set on fire by another homeless man riding the F-train at the Coney Island subway stop.
Conclusion
The data reveals a stark reality: the system is broken, and the cycle of homelessness continues to repeat itself. With thousands of supportive housing units sitting empty, it’s clear that the city and state must do more to address the issue. A simple and streamlined process is necessary to ensure that those in need of support receive it.
FAQs
Q: How many people were approved for supportive housing?
A: 955 people were approved for supportive housing during the period tracked.
Q: How many people successfully obtained a spot in supportive housing?
A: 175 people successfully obtained a spot, just 18% of the total.
Q: Why are there so many vacant supportive housing units?
A: There are several reasons, including the need for renovation or rehab, the complexity of the system, and the patchwork of funding streams.
Q: What can be done to improve the system?
A: Streamlining the process, simplifying eligibility criteria, and increasing transparency are all necessary to ensure that those in need receive the support they deserve.
