NYS Reaches Final State Budget Deal – Funds Year 6 of ESSHI
The Governor and Legislature reached a final budget agreement on April 7th and several budget bills have passed. The Network has summarized the budget areas important to supportive housing.
Federal Policy Update: Recovery Act Passed, Fudge Confirmed, and More
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act which was signed into law on March 11th included $21.5 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance. This is in addition to the $25 billion added in December 2020. New York State including all localities will get $1.3 billion. See the recently passed state budget for more information. Additionally, states and localities will receive a share of the $5 billion in Homeless Housing relief, distributed according to the HOME formula.
 
The Network Participates in NLIHC Federal Lobby Day as part of HoUSed Campaign
On April 1st the Network and the New York Housing Conference (NYHC) participated in the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC) annual federal lobby day as part of their HoUsed campaign, of which the Network and NYHC are the New York State grantees. 
 
The Network Testifies to City Council on the Mayor’s Preliminary Budget
The Network’s Senior Policy Analyst Tierra Labrada testified before the City Council on March 16 about the Mayor’s proposed budget and its impact on creating and sustaining supportive housing. As previously reported the Network supported the City’s restoration and increase of HPD funding in the FY 22 budget to $1.45 billion. The Network is also relieved to see there were no significant cuts in the expense budget that would impact supportive housing services. Additionally, however, the Network strongly urged that HPD lift its hiring freeze, which, in conjunction with lack of pay raises at the agency is negatively impacting both new development and re-rentals.
 
The Network Releases 2021 Policy Platform
As the 2021 New York City mayoral race heats up, the Network released a supportive housing policy platform, Reinvest, Recover, Revitalize: Supportive Housing Solutions for a Better New York, outlining how the next administration can ensure that supportive housing can meet its true potential to transform lives, end chronic homelessness and help New York rebuild.  

The Network Hosts Its Inaugural Mayoral Forum
On April 8th, the Network, in partnership with Trinity Church Wall Street, Enterprise Community Partners and the National Association of Social Workers - New York City Chapter, hosted its first ever mayoral forum, “A New New York: A Mayoral Town Hall on Supportive Housing.” View the full forum here. For the press release see here. For coverage in POLITICO see here. 

Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act Passes
As a result of years-long advocacy, the use of solitary confinement in New York’s jails and prisons will be severely limited or outright banned for certain populations starting in March of next year. Governor Cuomo signed the HALT (Humane Alternatives to Long-Term) Solitary Confinement Act, which means no one can be placed in solitary for more than 15 days and the practice is outright banned for various populations including minors, seniors and people with disabilities – including individuals with serious mental illness. The practice has been deemed by the United Nations as having lifelong deleterious health and mental health impacts. This legislation is an important first step in undoing the most barbaric practices in the criminal legal system – which disproportionately impact Black people.
 
The Network Celebrates the Past Year in Supportive Housing
On March 11th, the Network joined the supportive housing community for our 2021 Annual Meeting to reflect on and celebrate the past year in accomplishments and challenges as well as vote in our 2021 Board of Directors. New York City Health Commissioner David A. Chokshi was our featured speaker. A slideshow of images and development details of all the newly opened supportive housing buildings and affordable housing with supportive set-asides ran as people joined the event and spun in and out of break-out rooms. The slideshow can be viewed here. 

Condemning Recent Violence Against Asian Communities
Violence against Asian Americans – which has increased exponentially during the pandemic fueled by the ex-president and his hateful rhetoric -- is not new. Even though attacks are up 150% over the past year, it took the brutal murder of eight people in Georgia last month, including six women of Asian American descent –to bring these attacks to widespread attention. This excellent piece from NPR’s Code Switch looks into America’s long history of discrimination and violence against Asian Americans and unpacks the sexualization and marginalization of Asian American women.

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