Homelessness in America is hitting record highs. The poverty rate in New York City is now nearly double the national average and rising evictions threaten the housing security of thousands of our neighbors. The reality of New York’s housing affordability crisis is visible in the city’s overcrowded shelters and strained public resources. Something must change.
Now, with Grants Pass v. Johnson before the Supreme Court, justices have an opportunity to finally address America’s homelessness crisis in a serious way by answering one question: Is it a crime to be homeless? For decades, criminalizing housing insecurity has been the de facto solution enforced by state and local leaders in states across the country, even though we know from experience that criminalizing unhoused people will not eradicate homelessness. If our elected leaders are serious about moving people off the streets and into homes, increasing access to affordable housing must be our top priority.
The housing crisis requires both long-term and short-term solutions. Here in New York, lawmakers passed a $237 billion budget with significant housing reforms including new tenant protections, zoning changes, and tax incentives to spur housing development. Unfortunately, most of these reforms will take years to implement and fail to address the urgent needs of housing insecure New Yorkers today. Meanwhile, skyrocketing rent is eating into New Yorkers’ income as millions of tenants struggle to pay rent. They do not have years for state policies to wind their way into force – they require immediate action at the city, state and national levels.
That’s why Trinity Church Wall Street and the broader Housing Access NY coalition were so disappointed to see lawmakers yet again fail to enact the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP). With a $250 million investment, a mere .1% of the state budget, lawmakers could have created a Section 8-like voucher to help 30,000 New Yorkers access permanent housing. Long-term rent subsidies like those offered by HAVP are proven to reduce homelessness and promote beneficial outcomes for family well-being. Studies show that only 1% of families with long-term rental vouchers returned to shelter after one year compared to over 15% for families without.
The legislature must also leverage its considerable resources to boost a dwindling housing supply that no longer meets the needs of New Yorkers. We call on lawmakers to pass the Faith-based Affordable Housing Act, which would enable faith-based organizations to more easily develop affordable housing on their land. Faith institutions of all denominations are trusted pillars of their communities, and we stand ready to help upgrade underutilized spaces into affordable and mixed-used housing that is responsive to community needs. A good start would be reforming our outdated and burdensome zoning restrictions. A supermajority of New Yorkers agrees: a Pew Charitable Trust study found that 75% of New Yorkers support building new homes on faith owned land.
With the State unlikely to enact additional housing reforms in this year’s legislative session, it’s more important than ever that Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council move the needle on policy changes to address the housing crisis.
Mayor Adams’ City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan is an ambitious vision to facilitate housing growth across the city, encouraging all neighborhoods to add affordable housing. Trinity is proud to be a member of the Yes to Housing Coalition urging our partners in government to spur housing creation. We’re especially excited to see Mayor Adams’ proposal to allow churches to develop housing on existing campuses, mirroring the vision of the state Faith-based Affordable Housing Act.
It’s also a meaningful effort to ensure we can keep as many unhoused New Yorkers sheltered as possible. New York City’s right to shelter laws are among the strongest in the nation, and they are a critical part of our safety net. That’s why it’s imperative to fully uphold and strengthen this crucial policy.
Homelessness is one of our nation’s most pressing challenges. As a faith-based organization, we hold a strong commitment to advancing an equitable society. We believe in God-given dignity and learning from the experiences of every human being. Too often, unhoused people are treated as invisible. You may even be surprised to learn that some of your peers are homeless or have experienced homelessness. We must approach this crisis with compassion and care.
The status quo of skyrocketing homelessness can no longer continue. We urge our leaders at all levels of government to enact bold, creative solutions that will meet this moment with urgency and get our neighbors on the pathway to housing and stability.
Thehbia Hiwot is Managing Director for Housing and Homelessness initiatives at Trinity Church Wall Street.
Thehbia Hiwot , 2024-05-09 18:03:03
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