Mayor’s FY 2022 Executive Budget Analysis
The mayor recently released the $98.6 billion Executive Budget for fiscal year 2022 (FY22). Read on for budget highlights pertaining to supportive housing and the human services sector

Please Join Us for Our 2021 Friday Forums
In lieu of our annual statewide supportive housing conference, the Network is hosting a series of virtual panels called Network Friday Forums. This year, our Friday Forums will take place each Friday in June and will feature two panels each day, the first at 10 AM and the second at 1 PM. We will convene panels of experts on topics ranging from democratizing land use to wage equity in the human services sector. Visit our Friday Forum page on our website to learn more about purchasing a series pass and sponsorship opportunities.
HHAP Window Remains Open
The Board of the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s Homeless Housing Assistance Corporation approved six more supportive housing projects April 7th. Additionally, the Board opted to keep the application window open, adding the new $128 million in 2021 funding to the pool available to projects with current applications as well as new ones. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications when ready. If you are interested in getting feedback on your project, you can submit a concept paper to HHAP. Find guidelines and contact information for submitting a concept paper here.

The Miracle of COVID-19 Vaccines: A Guest Blog by CUCS’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Van Yu
As awful as COVID-19 has been, things would have been much worse without vaccines. When SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, first started spreading last spring, every human was vulnerable to it. There have been some modest improvements in the treatment of COVID-19, but people are still largely at the mercy of whatever SARS-CoV-2 has in store for them, and it has killed 575,000 people in the United States alone. In Brazil, people have been reinfected showing that even a previous infection is not a guarantee of protection raising the specter of repeated deadly waves with mutant variants. With three effective vaccines, however, the United States is on the brink of an almost-normal summer.

My Journey from Hesitancy to Fully Vaccinated: A Guest Blog by BestSelf’s Kelly Dumas
Kelly Dumas, LCSW, Chief Strategic Initiatives Officer at BestSelf Behavioral Health, was kind enough to share her journey from feeling hesitant about getting the COVID-19 vaccine to ultimately choosing to get vaccinated. As Kelly says, “I encourage anyone who has been vaccinated to share your journey. You may not know who sees you as a trusted individual and your story may be just what is needed to help them decide. If we agree to cancel judgement and listen to understand why someone may be resistant or hesitant to being vaccinated, I think we could have more success in helping some move from hesitancy to fully vaccinated.”

The Network is a New York State Partner for National HoUSed Campaign
The Network has been selected by National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) as a New York State partner for their national HoUSed campaign, which aims to end the housing crisis by advancing anti-racist policies and bold proposals to ensure people with the lowest incomes and those who are the most marginalized have stable, affordable homes.

May Community Corner
Good news: as a result of years of advocacy by groups including VOCAL-NY, the Brennan Center, NYCLU, Alliance of Families for Justice, and Let NY Vote, the legislature passed and Governor Cuomo just signed into law a bill lifting a ban on voting rights for parolees. The law allows all formerly incarcerated people in New York the right to vote immediately upon release. 

Upstate Peer-to-Peer Networkshops
Over the last three months, the Network hosted a three part series of peer-to-peer workshops geared towards our upstate membership. The workshops included Working with Substance Users in a Recovery Supportive Housing Model, Re-Entry and Trauma Informed Care, and Aging in Supportive Housing. Thank you to our members who shared their expertise and facilitated these workshops. Find recordings of the workshops here.
Apply to Become a NYU Wagner Capstone Client
NYU Wagner’s Capstone program is currently open. Organizations can apply for a team of NYU Wagner graduate students who will help solve critical organizational challenges. Selected Capstone clients will be assigned a team that will familiarize themselves with the organization, conduct relevant research and analysis, and make recommendations. Capstone clients report that Capstone teams help their organization solve challenges that they would not otherwise have the time or resources to address. In NYU Wagner's annual survey, over 90% of its Capstone clients consistently express satisfaction with the tools and resources they receive and their overall Capstone experience.

How to Apply: To learn more, please visit the NYU Wagner Capstone Employer page. The Capstone RFP for the 2021-22 academic year is open until May 28, 2021. Email wagner.capstone@nyu.edu with any questions.
April CAPS Webinar
The Network partnered with HRA to present a training on new system enhancements in preparation for its June 30th deadline. As of that date, housing providers will be required to complete all placement data in CAPS before submitting the monthly TAD report. See a recording of the training here.
COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Partner Engagement Project
Community-based organizations are invited to apply for up to $9 million in funding to lead outreach, engagement and navigation in the 33 Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity (TRIE) neighborhoods, which have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, systemic racism, and disinvestment. The RFP is issued by the Fund for Public Health in New York City (FPHNYC), on behalf of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s (NYC DOHMH) Center for Health Equity and Community Wellness. Applications are due June 1st Read more about the RFP and apply here.
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