NYLAG Obtains Records From NYC’s Department of Homeless Services That Show Agency Projects Lack of Shelter Capacity

March 7, 2023
1:52 pm

In response to the ongoing homelessness crisis in New York City, NYLAG submitted a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to the Department of Homelessness Services (DHS), seeking the agency’s data about the capacity of its homeless shelter system and its projections for future shelter capacity.

The data NYLAG obtained through the FOIL shows that for over six months, since May 2022, DHS has projected that its shelters, especially shelters for families with children, will be over capacity, meaning that there will not be enough beds for the vulnerable New Yorkers who need them.

You can review the nearly sixty projections that DHS provided to NYLAG through this FOIL here.

Share this post

A street view of the awning for ASA College

NY Focus: For Scandal-Plagued For-Profit Colleges, No State Is More Welcoming Than New York

February 23, 2023 No Comments

NYLAG’s Jessica Ranucci was interviewed for this piece from New York Focus on New York State’s tuition subsidies for poorly-performing for-profit colleges.

NY Times: Migrants Protest Move From Midtown Hotel to Barracks-Style Shelter

January 30, 2023 No Comments

NYLAG’s Deborah Berkman, supervising attorney in our Shelter Advocacy Initiative, spoke to the New York Times about the immense barriers recent asylum-seekers face in finding housing in New York City.

NYLAG, Legal Aid, Dechert LLP, File Federal Class Action Lawsuit Against City for Failing to Process SNAP and Cash Assistance Applications and Recertifications, Forcing Thousands of Families to Face Food Instability

January 30, 2023 No Comments

New York Legal Assistance Group, The Legal Aid Society, and Dechert LLP, filed a class action lawsuit against the New York City Department of Social Services and Human Resources Administration for failing to process applications and recertification for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and cash assistance within the 30-day timeframe required by federal and state law.

Gothamist: New Yorkers Sue City Over Delays to Food Stamps

January 29, 2023 No Comments

NYLAG’s Abby Biberman was quoted in Gothamist about NYLAG’s class action lawsuit, along with the Legal Aid Society, on behalf of New Yorkers who were left without essential food and cash assistance because their applications weren’t processed in the 30 days required by federal law.

Gothamist: NYC Receives $38 Million Funding Boost for Lawyers Litigating Special Education Lawsuits

January 25, 2023 No Comments

NYLAG’s Danielle Tarantolo spoke to Gothamist about the New York City Department of Education’s efforts to get additional funding for staff to handle cases brought by families of students with disabilities. NYLAG’s class action lawsuit against the City over delays in adjudicating such cases has brought attention to DOE’s inadequate resources.

Newsday: New York State Department of Labor receives $9.1M grant to make accessing unemployment services easier

January 19, 2023 No Comments

NYLAG’s Ciara Farrell spoke with Newsday about new federal grant funding to improve the state’s unemployment insurance system and reduce barriers for underserved residents.