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Welcome to the January 2014 issue of Network News, the Supportive Housing Network of New York's monthly e-newsletter. In this issue, you'll find stories on the release of a major new report on the NY/NY III Agreement, a New England Journal of Medicine article in support of supportive housing, Governor Cuomo's State of the State address, the grand opening of a new supportive housing residence in Brooklyn and much more. As always, we welcome story ideas and tips for future issues. Thanks for reading!
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Mayor de Blasio names key Deputy Mayors, Commissioners
Picks signal progressive shift at NYC Mayor's Office
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(left to right) NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Lilliam Barrios-Paoli and First Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris.
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New York City's 109th mayor has taken office. Following a campaign in which he regularly cited affordable housing as a key issue facing NYC, Mayor Bill de Blasio has begun the day-to-day work of running America's largest city. The de Blasio administration continues to take shape as the mayor appoints deputy mayors, commissioners and other key officials. Many of these new appointees will have a direct impact on supportive housing and homelessness.
Key figures in the new administration so far include:
Alicia Glen, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development. In a symbolic break from her predecessors, Ms. Glen will explicitly include "housing" in her job title. She arrives at city government by way of Goldman Sachs, where she served for 12 years as the Managing Director of the Urban Investment Group, an entity that offers investments and loans in underserved neighborhoods. Prior to that, she served as Assistant Commissioner for Housing Finance at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). She is deeply familiar with supportive housing, having served on the board of CSH.
In her new position, Ms. Glen will oversee all economic development and housing-related city agencies, including HPD, the NYC Housing Development Corporation (HDC), and the NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA). Ms. Glen said in a statement: "We can't remain the greatest city in the world when half of New Yorkers are living in or near poverty. We can do so much more to lift people up by investing in our neighborhoods, especially in the outer boroughs. Mayor de Blasio and I share the same vision. We believe in tough bargains that get the most out of every dollar we invest. And we believe that, with the right policies, we can raise the floor on workers' wages, develop and preserve more affordable housing and give families a shot to make it here."
Her appointment was praised by members of the nonprofit and private sectors alike.
"Alicia Glen brings an unparalleled commitment, tenacity and a hefty dose of experience from the public and private sectors to helping the most underserved neighborhoods across New York," said Terri Ludwig, President and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners.
Our complete analysis of Mayor de Blasio's appointments includes information on Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Lilliam Barrios-Paoli, First Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris, Department of Homeless Services Commissioner Gilbert Taylor and many others. Click the link below to read our full coverage at Network Newsfeed. We look forward to working with all of Mayor de Blasio's appointees in our effort to preserve and expand supportive housing in New York City!
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Gov. Cuomo delivers State of the State
Speech includes notes on housing, reentry, nonprofit sector
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Photo credit: Mike Groll/AP
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Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered his fourth State of the State address in Albany earlier this week. While the governor focused much of the address on tax relief and other economic issues, there was some news of interest to the supportive housing community.
Governor Cuomo's speech affirmed the continuation of the House NY plan with a $100 million commitment for affordable housing. This funding will create and preserve 3,500 units of affordable housing across the state. For renters earning less than $100,000, the governor also proposed a renters' tax credit. This policy could help prevent homelessness if it takes into account high-rent burdens, particularly for extremely low-income families. The governor also renewed his commitment to streamline the grant reimbursement process for nonprofits through the Grants Gateway program.
In light of New York's declining prison population, the governor proposed the creation of a re-entry council to help avoid recidivism through job training and other social support services. The governor would direct $15 million to this effort. The Network will advocate for the inclusion of a supportive housing strategy as part of this initiative.
The Network plans to hold its annual Advocacy Day in Albany on March 18. We will have more details on this event as the date gets closer.
For our full analysis on the State of the State address, visit Network Newsfeed:
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Community comes together to focus on youth homelessness
Experts brainstorm, share ideas during full-day event
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Advocates, government officials, formerly homeless youth and others gather to map out ways to lower the number of NYC homeless youth on December 10, 2013.
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Some 70 stakeholders working to end youth homelessness congregated on December 10 to map what resources NYC has and what it lacks to address the needs of homeless young people. The day-long work session, hosted by Robin Hood and led by the Youth Committee of the NYC Coalition on the Continuum of Care (CoC), brought together representatives from nine different city, state and federal government agencies; youth outreach, drop-in, housing and service provider organizations; homeless youth advocates and foundations; and most importantly, a number of young adults who had experienced homelessness themselves.
The forum was brilliantly facilitated by Abt Associates, courtesy of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and its continued provision of technical assistance experts to New York City.
While there is no comprehensive count of the number of homeless youth today, previous counts and a recent pilot count point to thousands of runaway and homeless youth in New York City, most of whom have no access to crisis, transitional or permanent housing. Further, findings from a survey of homeless youth conducted in January 2013 showed that NYC youth are homeless for a disturbing average duration of 927 days. The findings also showed, as with most other recent research, that the majority of homeless youth had been in foster care and/or the criminal justice system and nearly half lacked a high school degree.
The December forum sought to take a deep look at the systems serving homeless youth to determine where, how and to what extent youth are falling between the cracks as a basis for policy recommendations for the housing, shelter, foster care, health, education and corrections systems going forward.
The CoC Youth Committee is co-led by the Ali Forney Center and the Network. For more information or if you'd like to join this campaign, please contact Nicole Branca. |
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Report: NY/NY III supportive housing saved city $10,100 per tenant per year
Report issued by DOHMH, HRA, OMH
On New Year's Eve, New York City released the first major report on the cost-savings impacts of supportive housing created under the New York/New York III Supportive Housing Agreement. Reviewing data from the first years of the agreement, the report found that homeless or institutionalized people placed into NY/NY III supportive housing saved taxpayers a net average of $10,100 per person per year. The entire report is available here.
The report's analysis confirms similar findings by more than 30 studies nationwide that showed how supportive housing can significantly reduce the costly public expenses associated with homelessness. You can read the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)'s press release for the report here.
The New York/New York III Supportive Housing Evaluation was conducted by DOHMH in collaboration with the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH). The evaluation is particularly significant because it compared those found eligible for and placed into NY/NY III housing with a control group made up of those who were also found eligible but did not receive a supportive housing placement. The study looked at two years of costs prior to placement/non-placement and one year post for everyone who was placed or not placed into NY/NY housing between 2007 and 2009.
The study measured public costs associated with participants' use of shelter, jail, cash assistance, food stamps, state psychiatric care and Medicaid. The report found that, after subtracting the NY/NY III housing and service costs, each NY/NY III tenant housed saves the public an average of $10,100 a year.
For a full analysis of this essential new report, head over to Network Newsfeed:
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New England Journal of Medicine endorses supportive housing
New York experts pen piece for renowned medical journal
The New England Journal of Medicine has published a think piece on New York's efforts to reform Medicaid through supportive housing.
Citing numerous studies, the piece argues that investments in social service programs, including supportive housing, can decrease the amount a society spends on healthcare. The article offers the latest example of an emerging consensus: that supportive housing is healthcare. It was written by three esteemed figures in the field: NYS Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Nirav Shah, NYS Office of Health Insurance Programs Deputy Director Elizabeth Misa and Dr. Kelly Doran of New York University. You can read their perspective here.
The authors stress that supportive housing achieves multiple goals for New York State. Our model helps reduce healthcare costs, improves the quality of care for individuals on Medicaid and improves the overall health of these individuals. On the cost-savings front, the authors lay out a clear argument on the benefits of supportive housing:
"New York Medicaid payments for nursing-facility stays are $217 per day, as compared with costs of $50 to $70 per day for supportive housing. Furthermore, preventing even a few inpatient hospitalizations, at $2,219 per day, could pay for many days of supportive housing [...] Studies have shown that the costs of supportive housing are largely offset by resultant savings in services used, mostly from reduced use of the health care system. Some studies of high-risk patients have found that savings exceeded the costs of providing housing, thus yielding a net positive return on investment."
We strongly urge you to read and share this emphatic endorsement of supportive housing!
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HCR announces early Unified Funding Round winners
Regular UFR awards should be announced this spring
 NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has announced the winners of its early Unified Funding Round awards. HCR funded ten projects with a total of $9.8 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). This amount represents more than one-third of the $26 million available this year. The agency also allocated more than $12 million in funding through the Housing Trust Fund. This amount equals roughly 40% of the total amount available. The Network estimates that at least $3.4 million in LIHTC funds remain to be allocated under the regular round supportive housing set-aside, with awards expected to be announced in the spring.
You can read the full list of awardees here.
This early round prioritized shovel-ready projects, which included supportive housing for veterans with special needs and affordable housing that reserved up to 20 percent of its units for persons with developmental disabilities. The latter projects were supported by the NYS Office for People with Development Disabilities (OPWDD).
HCR funded one supportive housing project through its priority to house veterans. Concern for Independent Living received $1.275 million in LIHTCs for its Ronkonkoma project, which will include 30 units of veteran supportive housing in a 59-unit, mixed-use project. Several Network members were also involved in other early-round projects as either developers and/or service providers: Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany, Dunn Development Corporation, Housing Visions, Independent Home Care and Providence Housing Development Corporation.
We would like to congratulate all of our members who were successful in this year's early round process. |
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RIP Robert Hess, former Department of Homeless Services Commissioner
Mr. Hess served under Mayor Bloomberg from 2006-2010
 The Network is deeply saddened to report the passing of Robert Hess, former Commissioner of the NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS). Mr. Hess passed away on Christmas Eve after being diagnosed with liver cancer in 2013. He was 57 years old.
As DHS Commissioner from 2006 to 2010, Mr. Hess oversaw a period of great change and experimentation, despite a major recession and multiple fiscal challenges. During his time at DHS, the agency reduced the number of long-term shelter stayers and people living on the streets by nearly half. Mr. Hess also worked hard to improve and expand homeless families' and individuals' access to rent subsidies and permanent housing. "Rob Hess was among the best of DHS commissioners," says Tony Hannigan, Network Board Member and Executive Director of the Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS). "In addition to completely reorienting street outreach services to prioritize chronically homeless people, he also implemented a design for accountability, including performance-based contracting, that ensured the job got done. Commissioner Hess truly cared about homeless people." "Rob Hess transformed DHS and homeless services in New York City by demonstrating that even the most intractable problems are in fact solvable," says George Nashak, Executive Vice President at HELP USA. "The best example of this was his leadership on street homeless services. Rob invented safe havens and reengineered the street outreach contracts so that we were moving street homeless clients indoors at a pace that had never been seen before. I will miss him enormously."
Click the link below to read our complete obituary of Mr. Hess:
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Grand opening held for Jefferson Ave.
Housing Works brings supportive housing to formerly vacant row house in Brooklyn
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Partners gather to cut the ribbon outside Jefferson Avenue Residence on December 13. Photo courtesy of Housing Works.
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Dozens of supporters gathered on December 13 to celebrate the opening of Jefferson Avenue Residence, a 12-unit supportive housing residence in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford Stuyvesant.
Attendees braved below-freezing temps to hear from the project's partners and witness the ceremonial ribbon cutting just outside the building. Jefferson Ave. brings the total number of supportive housing units from Housing Works, the versatile NYC nonprofit known for its commitment to individuals with HIV/AIDS, to 214 units.
Twelve formerly homeless New Yorkers will soon have a place to live thanks to this $3 million development. The residence will house individuals coping with both mental illness and chemical addiction (MICA). A preference will be given to individuals who also have HIV/AIDS.
In addition to their very own studio apartments, tenants will have access to an array of on-site social services, including case management, health care and life skills classes. Housing Works hopes to have the building rented up shortly.
For the full story on this grand opening, head over to our blog:
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Nonprofit Revitalization Act signed
Law represents major reform to the nonprofit sector
On December 18, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a new law that makes major improvements to New York State's Charities Law. The Nonprofit Revitalization Act is the first major reform in four decades to our sector. The law promises to improve governance, reduce fraud and modernize nonprofit governance. It will streamline the process of merging agencies and eliminate unnecessary requirements allowing boards of directors to operate more efficiently. The legislation was drafted by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and passed the Assembly and Senate with broad, bipartisan support led by Sen. Michael Ranzehofer (R) and Rep. James Brennan (D).
The Network thanks all involved for making our members' jobs a little easier. Click here to read the press releases from Attorney General Schneiderman's office. |
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Cuomo highlights supportive housing in end-of-year report
New York Rising makes argument that housing is healthcare
Governor Andrew Cuomo released his 2013 year-end report last month. The 54-page document offers an overview of the various initiatives supported by his administration, including supportive housing. We are encouraged by these words and the Governor's continued endorsement of the supportive housing model as part of his efforts to reform Medicaid. You can read New York Rising in full here.
"There is a growing national recognition that addressing the social determinants of health is critical for both improving health status and reducing costs," the report states. "This is most evident in the matter of housing. Governor Cuomo announced the allocation of $86 million to support nearly 5,500 individuals through the Medicaid Redesign Team Supportive Housing Program. The funds are managed by multiple State agencies working cooperatively, and support both capital projects and rental and service subsidies. To date, funds have been committed to construct 12 new buildings, which will create 483 new supportive housing units. Funding has also provided over 4,300 individuals with rental subsidies and service supports. Although the link between stable housing and Medicaid cost control is well known, this is the first time that projected Medicaid savings have been directed to the development of supportive housing."
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Network Jobs Board Check out these job openings and many others on our Jobs Board. Network members can post their employment opportunities for free!
Kitchen Aide Henry Street Settlement
Assistant Rehabilitation Specialist Goddard Riverside Community Center Clinical Coordinator Center for Urban Community Services |
Upcoming Events
The Network will co-sponsor several events in January and February with the Center for Urban Community Services. Our events include a panel on serving chronically homeless individuals (January 29), a case management workshop (February 5) and a panel on job opportunities for supportive housing tenants (February 24). You can learn more and sign up for our upcoming events here.
CUCS will also hold a training later this month with the NYS Office of Mental Health on working with young adults. The event will take place January 31 in New York City. To learn more, click here to read the event flyer.
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News Clips
Benjamin Dulchin of the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development published a column in the New York Daily News on January 5 on affordable housing and the de Blasio administration. You'll find it here.
George McDonald of The Doe Fund wrote a column on estate-tax reform for Crain's New York Business on January 9. You can read it here.
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Member Updates
Long Island Coalition for the Homeless has received a $250,000 grant from the Island Outreach Foundation to support construction costs at its new Community Resource Center in Amityville. This grant will help complete the rehabilitation of the community center, which will house 10 nonprofit organizations that provide housing and services for veterans and homeless Long Islanders. The center is scheduled to open early this year. We congratulate the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless and the nonprofit providers who will soon operate out of this community center!
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Comings & Goings
Denise Scott is the new Executive Vice President of Programs at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Ms. Scott began her new position on January 1 after 12 years as the Executive Director of New York City LISC. She now oversees LISC's 30 urban sites, 12 national programs and rural development work in 39 states. Ms. Scott is also a member of the Network's Board of Directors. We're thrilled to see her take over this position and are confident that she'll bring the same level of competence and enthusiasm that she has brought to NYC LISC.
Holly Leicht has been named the new Regional Director for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s New York and New Jersey region. Ms. Leicht will arrive at HUD later this month after serving as the Executive Director of New Yorkers for Parks for nearly three years. In previous posts, she has served as the Deputy Commissioner for Development at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Director of Planning at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. We look forward to working with Ms. Leicht as she takes on this new position.
Settlement Housing Fund has named Alexa Sewell its new Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Sewell has held a number of high-level positions in the housing world. Until recently, she served as Senior Vice President for Corporate Strategy at the Community Preservation Corporation. She'd previously acted as a Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff at HPD as well as a Policy Analyst at the National Alliance to End Homelessness. She begins her new role on February 1. We congratulate her on this new appointment!
Daquetta Jones has taken over as the new Executive Director of the YWCA of the Greater Capital Region. Ms. Jones previously worked as the Operations Manager of HIV Services at Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Services in Albany. Ms. Jones has also worked directly with homeless youth and domestic violence survivors. We look forward to working with Ms. Jones as she takes the reins at the YWCA.
Jim Mutton has moved from his position as Director of Residential Services at Project Renewal, where he worked since 1997, to Concern for Independent Living, where he is Consultant/Acting Director of MacDougal Street Apartments, a supportive housing residence in Brooklyn. We congratulate both him and Concern for Independent Living on this new development.
Bret Garwood has begun his new position as Senior Vice President, Multifamily at NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR)'s Office of Finance & Development. Mr. Garwood had served as Director of Business and Housing Development for the City of Rochester from 2007 until late last year. We look forward to working with him in his new post at HCR!
Lastly, we'd like to congratulate our own Edline Jacquet on the birth of her daughter Gabriella. Edline will be away on maternity leave for much of this winter. We wish her plenty of rest as she recuperates and raises her little one.
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