Migrant families required to reapply for shelter every 60 days due to City Hall policy

On Monday, officials announced that the Adams administration is pushing through with its controversial plan to require migrant families with children who are currently residing in the city’s shelter system to reapply for housing every 60 days.

According to officials, the latest regulations are designed to encourage newly arrived individuals to seek alternative accommodations. The policy is similar to one that mandates single adult migrants residing in city shelters to renew their housing applications every 30 days.

The City Hall has taken strict measures to address the increasing number of people residing in city shelters. The number of individuals living in city shelters has doubled since the onset of the migrant crisis last year. Currently, over 118,000 people, including 64,000 migrants, are residing in city-run or city-funded facilities.

Mayor Eric Adams explained in a statement that since there are still over 64,100 asylum seekers under the city’s care and with thousands more arriving every week, extending the policy to all asylum seekers in their care is the best possible way to assist migrants in taking the next steps of their journeys. He further added that this move is an expansion of their current efforts, which includes providing notices and intensified casework services to adults in their care, to help them transition to alternative housing.

According to sources, the policy has been in development for quite some time and there were speculations that the announcement would have been made last Friday.

According to recent reports, the number of migrant arrivals in New York City has increased significantly in the past few weeks, despite the ongoing crisis. This surge in arrivals has put a renewed strain on the city’s safety net, which is already under pressure from previous waves of migrants. As per the latest statistics, the city is now receiving around 600 new arrivals per day, making it even more challenging to provide support and assistance to those who need it.

According to Joshua Goldfein, a prominent lawyer representing Legal Aid in the ongoing battle for the right to shelter, imposing a set time limit on shelter stays is not only counterproductive but also harmful.

According to him, children have a stable factor in their lives, their school placement, and it is unfortunate that this will now be disrupted, causing chaos in their lives. Additionally, this will also cause a disturbance in the daily operations of their schools as children will be constantly coming in and out.

Furthermore, Adams’ team has released more information regarding the shelter that will be established at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field. This former naval air base, which is now under the National Park Service, has been the center of a legal dispute due to its proposed use as a shelter for migrants. Despite the controversy, the administration has revealed additional details about the facility’s size and scope.

The plan is to accommodate around 500 families in a ‘semi-congregate’ facility, but it may be in conflict with state regulations that require each household to have their own room.

In a series of legal settlements and court decisions, there has been a mandate known as the ‘right to shelter’ which demands that officials provide shelter for individuals in need, regardless of their citizenship status. This requirement has been implemented to ensure that accommodations are accessible to all those who require them. Recently, Governor Hochul has supported Eric Adams in rolling back this right to shelter for migrants.

The rule still holds, which signifies that if migrants persist in applying for shelter, the authorities are obliged to provide them with accommodations.

The legal team representing City Hall is currently advocating for the reduction or suspension of regulations in Manhattan Supreme Court.

The next hearing regarding their request has been scheduled for Thursday.

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