News from New Destiny, August 2023

New Destiny News. 29 Years of Building Better Futures.

Meet our Team!

This month, we’re continuing to showcase all the staff and Board Members who make New Destiny’s mission a reality.

Meet Board Member

Elaine Calos

"I worked for 21 years for the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), where I led various programs focused on the rehabilitation and new construction of affordable housing. I had the pleasure to work with New Destiny on multiple occasions and was thrilled to be invited to join their Board after I retired from the agency 13 years ago.

I currently chair the Board’s Project Development Committee. My favorite part is working with our housing development staff and witnessing first-hand how projects move from conception to construction to completion and rent up. Getting to meet some of the happy families that move into New Destiny housing, either at ribbon-cuttings or the Annual Gala, is always rewarding!

One of my passions is to learn about ancient civilizations. Since retiring, I have been fortunate to be able to travel and visit some of the oldest remains in most corners of the world."

Meet Janet Hutter,

Sr. Tax Credit Finance Manager at New Destiny

“September 2023 will mark my 16th anniversary of working in finance and accounting at New Destiny, where I currently serve as the Tax Credit Finance Manager. When I started at New Destiny, I was the one and only accountant on the staff. Then, New Destiny was developing its very first new construction of affordable housing. Now we have completed seven supportive housing projects and co-developed three others. Each of these new buildings qualifies for a Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit; thus, my job title. I report to our Chief Financial Officer, and there are now 5 additional staff in our department.

I am a native of Brooklyn, NY. I have always been motivated by the mission of New Destiny, which is to better NYC by providing affordable and supportive housing to survivors of domestic violence.

I am a CPA, with both MS and BA degrees. You’d probably be surprised to know that I was initially a college dropout.”

Save the Date

Join us for our Second Annual Symposium on October 30th! The symposium will elevate innovative housing interventions to help survivors find and maintain housing stability.

When? Monday, October 30th from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Where? Engelman Recital Hall – Baruch Performing Arts Center, 1 Bernard Baruch Way – 25th Street (between Lexington & 3rd Aves)

Mark your calendars. Registration and details will follow.

We are Looking for Real Estate Brokers, Property Managers, and Landlord Partners

Our Landlord Engagement Unit is part of the secret sauce that makes up our successful housing assistance program. The Unit creates and maintains relationships with property managers, building owners, and real estate agents. The Landlord Engagement team plays a key role in helping find quality housing for our clients at a fast pace and addressing issues to streamline lease ups. They have been successful in cementing longstanding partnerships with multiple stakeholders, some of whom have gone above and beyond to ensure the stability of the households we serve.

Are you a landlord ready to rent? Check out our newest Instagram reel and learn about the HousingLink Rental Assistance program:

The cover image of the instagram reel featuring Elsa Rose Farnam. There is a textbox that reads "What is the HousingLink Rental Assistance Program?"

Thanks Queens Borough President!

Our sincere gratitude and appreciation to Queens Borough President Donovan Richards’ office for delivering a donation of period products. This generous contribution will greatly benefit domestic violence survivors currently residing in our supportive housing building in the borough.

Advocacy Updates

Earlier this summer, our Director of Policy & Communications, Gabriela Sandoval Requena, was invited to emcee a rally organized by New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and the Family Homelessness Coalition. Alongside Speaker Adams, Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, Housing and Buildings Committee Chair Pierina Sanchez, Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, and Council Member Crystal Hudson, she spoke about how domestic violence continues to be the main cause of family homelessness and advocated to advance New Destiny’s policy and budget priorities. Bombas teamed up with the Family Homelessness Coalition to distribute 29,000 pairs of socks to family shelters across the city representing the 29,000 children in shelter.

Gabriela Sandoval Requena speaking at the FHC rally

Then, Gabriela and our Summer Advocacy Intern, Vola Finn, returned to City Hall Park to stand with Council Members Sanchez, Cabán, Krishnan, Feliz, and Farías, as well as advocates, in support of the Council’s decision to override the Mayor’s veto of the CityFHEPS legislation package.

A collage of images of Vola and Gabriela Sandoval Requena at the rally.

New Destiny in the News

Make sure to check out the Hear Our Voices Podcast, hosted by Family Homelessness Coalition fellows, Kadisha Davis and Lurden Corona. Our Policy and Communications Director, Gabriela Sandoval Requena, spoke with Kadisha and Lurden, in English and Spanish respectively, about the many hurdles domestic violence survivors are faced with when looking for permanent housing in our city, as well the important advocacy work New Destiny is leading to expand housing resources for survivors and their families.

Listen to the episodes here: Domestic Violence & Homelessness Part One (EN), Domestic Violence & Homelessness Part Two (EN), Nuevo Destiny with Gabriela Sandoval Requena (SP).

Also, Gabriela connected with Emma Whitford at City Limits in July about the city’s new shelter census monthly report: Local Law 79 of 2022. Creating one homeless shelter census had been a top legislative priority for New Destiny for a very long time. Limited public disclosure of the numbers of individuals in the city’s specialized shelters – including thousands of survivors living in domestic violence shelters, youth in the DYCD shelter system, and others – had obscured the full scale of homelessness. This has not only prevented a true understanding of who is homeless but resulted in these population being excluded from critical housing resources.