THEDOEFUND

RECOMMENDATIONSANDREFORMS
FORHOMELESSSERVICESINNEWYORKCITY

JANUARY28,2016

TheDoeFund
Communications&PublicPolicy
232East84thStreet
NewYork,NY10028
http://blog.doe.org
6466724236
1of7

RECOMMENDATIONSANDREFORMSFORHOMELESSSERVICESINNEWYORKCITY
AFourPointPlantoEnhanceServicesandOutcomesforHomelessNewYorkers

ThecurrenthomelessservicessysteminNewYorkCityasadministeredbytheDepartmentofHomeless
Services(DHS)focusesexclusivelyontheacuteoutcomeofbeingwithoutshelterratherthanthe
contributingandsystemiccausesofhomelessness.Thus,thesystemsprimaryconcern(andsolelegal
responsibilityengenderedbytherighttoshelter)1isprovidinginstantaccesstosheltertohomeless
individualsandfamilies.

Serviceswhichsupportindependentlivingandaddressproblemswhichhaveledtohomelessness(i.e.
sobrietysupport,lifeskills,vocationaltraining,mentalhealthservices,paidtransitionalwork)arescarce,
underfunded,andavailableonlythroughadisconnectedgroupofindependent,nonprofitproviders
whichworkoutsidetheDepartmentofHomelessServices.Inordertoaccessthoseservices,individuals
mustseekthemoutfrommultiplesourceswithoutacoordinating,administrativebodytoprovide
continuityofcare.

Theresultisasystemoutofbalance:anunevenmixofqualitynonprofitshelterproviders,poor
conditionsatcityrunassessmentshelters(thefrontdoorofthesystem),andunsafe,substandard
forprofitshelterswhichhavewoncontractsinemergencyconditionsandprofitedgreatlyfromthe
sufferingofclientsreferredtothem.2Withoutthesoftskillsandtoolstoconveythemselvesoutofthe
sheltersystem,familiesandindividualsarestayinglongerthanever,3causingasystemalready
overburdenedtoseize.

Thecurrentsystem,asimplemented,isnolongerfunctionalorsustainable.Wethereforeproposethis
seriesofreformstoimproveoutcomes,reducewasteandstrain,andprovidethebestpossibleservices
toNewYorkersinneed.

RobinHerman(August27,1981)PactRequiresCitytoShelterHomelessMen
NewYorkTimes.
http://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/27/nyregion/pactrequirescitytoshelterhomelessmen.html
2
AndrewRice(December1,2013)WhyRunaSlumIfYouCanMakeMoreMoneyHousingtheHomeless?
New
YorkMagazine.h
ttp://nymag.com/news/features/podolskyhomelessshelters201312/index1.html
3

MayorsManagementReport(2015)pages19596.
http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/operations/downloads/pdf/mmr2015/dhs.pdf
1

2of7


Recommendations

1. Allowonlynonprofitorganizationstooperatetransitionalresidencesandservicesfor
homelessindividualsandfamilies.
Removeandprohibitallforprofitcompaniesfromthe
transitionalandclustersitenetwork.Cedeassessmentandfrontdoorsheltersfrom
governmentcontroltononprofitoperators.

2. RestructureandstreamlineDHSasanadministrativebody,connectingandcoordinatinga
nonprofitecosystemofserviceproviders.
Leverageoutsideproviders,investintheirprograms,
andutilizetechnologytomonitorclientpathsandoutcomestofacilitatepermanentexitsfrom
thesheltersystemandlongtermstabilityforthemselvesandtheirfamilies.

3. Mergetherighttoshelterwithamandateofservices.
Automaticallyengagetheservice
providernetworkforeachclientandrequireparticipationintransitionalservicestosteadilyand
continuouslyconveypeopleoutofthehomelessservicessystem.

4. Createanewservicespathwayforundomiciledindividualsundercommunitysupervision
(parole).
Recognizethespecialeconomic,vocationalandsocialconditionsofthosereturning
fromprisonandprovideatransitionalpathoutsidethetraditionalsheltersystemtoreduce
recidivismandarrestgenerationalcyclesofincarcerationandhomelessness.

3of7


Recommendation1:Fullnonprofitizationofthesheltersystem

In1990,acommissionchairedbyAndrewCuomowasconvenedbyMayorDavidDinkinstocreatea
citywidestrategytocombathomelessness.Inthereportpublishedbythepanel,TheWayHome,the
DepartmentofHomelessServiceswasenvisionedasanadministrativebody,responsibleforthefunding,
oversight,anddispositionofnonprofitshelteroperators.4Today,thesheltersystemsfrontdooris
operatedbythecitygovernmentthroughnotoriouslyovercrowdedandunsafeassessmentshelters.

Corruptforprofitcompanieshavealsojoinedthesystem,luredbytheopportunitytosecuredealswith
thecityworthhundredsofmillionsofdollarsonlittlemorethanahandshake;conductbusinessthrough
shellnonprofitorganizationssubjecttovirtuallynooversight;andprofitfromapopulationunlikelyto
reportmalfeasance.5

Recently,someforprofitshelterprovidersandlandlordshavecomeunderscrutinyfordangerousand
unsanitaryconditions.Yetoverhalfofallfamiliesinthehomelesssystemstillresideinforprofit
residences.Singleadultslivingonthestreetsaytheyprefertorisktheirlivesinsubzerotemperatures
thanrepeattraumaticexperiencesatcitysheltersandforprofitthreequarterhouses.6

Insteadofincreasingsupplyandthereforethenumberofpeopleservedbythesystem,thegovernment
andforprofitsectormaybeunintentionallyinhibitingpeoplefromaccessingbonafide,effective
services;increasingstreethomelessnessandprolongingstaysintransitionalfacilitiesatthesametime.

Wethereforerecommendapurenonprofitecosystemoftransitionalfacilities,includingtheshelter
systemsfrontdoor.TheDepartmentofHomelessServicesrolewillfocusontheadministrationand
fundingofservices,trackingofdataandpopulationdynamics,andpolicyimplementation;whilethe

TheWayHome:ANewDirectioninSocialPolicyR
eportoftheNewYorkCityCommissionontheHomeless
(February1992).
https://www.dropbox.com/s/s5qfpva3t2u0ni5/The%20Way%20Home_Complete.pdf?dl=0
5

AndrewRice(December1,2013)WhyRunaSlumIfYouCanMakeMoreMoneyHousingtheHomeless?
New
YorkMagazine.h
ttp://nymag.com/news/features/podolskyhomelessshelters201312/index1.html
6
ChaunceyAlcorn,etal.(January4,2016)HorrorstoriesshowwhyNYCshomelessresistsheltersdespitefrigid
temperatures
NewYorkDailyNews.
http://www.nydailynews.com/newyork/horrorstoriesshowhomelessavoidnycsheltersarticle1.2485417
4

4of7


privatesectorsrolewillbelimitedtolegitimatebusinessespursuingdevelopmentofnewaffordable
housingprojects.

Recommendation2:AstreamlinedCityroleandacoordinated,intelligentreferralnetwork

Whilesheltercantemporarilyalleviatetheconditionofhomelessness,itdoesnothingtoaddressthe
rootcausesofit,whichrangefromtheobviousandstraightforward(financialhardship,forexample,or
seriousmentalillness)tonuancedandinterrelated(aperiodofincarcerationduetodrugabusewhich
interruptededucationandprecipitatedlongtermunemployment,familialalienation,andfinally
homelessness).

Yettherearehundredsofhighqualitynonprofitproviderswhospecializeinaddressingmanycomorbid
andcontributingfactorstohomelessness,butwhoremainoutsidethecityshousingfocused
infrastructure.Ironically,toreceivehelpfromtheseprovidershelpthatwillconveythemoutofthe
homelesssystemanindividualorfamilymustseekthemoutindependently.Thatiswhywepropose
connectingtheseindependentproviders,fundingtheirprogramsinnewservicecontracts,and
coordinatingtheirworkthroughacentralizedcityrunadministrativehub.

DHSrolemustthereforechangefromoverseeroperatortoadministrativenervecenterforan
ecosystemofnonprofitserviceproviders.Thisreenvisionedcityroleandthenetworkitwillcreatewill
bethefirsttruecontinuumofcareforhomelessNewYorkersandaffordeachacustomizedservice
packageassembledfromthisflexiblenetworkofserviceproviders.

Usingnewcasemanagementanddatabasetechnologies,thecitycouldmonitorbothindividual
outcomesandsystemwidetrends;identify,fund,andpromotebestpracticesmoreefficiently;cut
waste;andreleaseemergencyfundingforprogramswhendemandsuddenlyrises.Asdataamassover
time,surgesinhomelessnesscouldbepredictedbycitymonitorsand,throughtargetedinterventions,
evenprevented.

5of7


Recommendation3:TheRighttoShelterandaMandateforServices

SupplydrivesdemandintheNewYorkCitysheltersystem,meaningnonumberofbedsalonewill
correctandreverseagrowinghomelesspopulation.Manyhaveexpressedlegitimateconcernthatthe
righttoshelter,litigatedintoexistenceintheearly1980s,hasdonemoreharmthangood,7putting
NewYorkCitytaxpayersonthehooktomeetinexhaustibledemandandattractingindividualsfrom
outsidethecitywhodecidethatNewYorkisaneasierplacetobehomeless.8

Automaticallyengagingservicesthroughthenonprofitnetworkforeachclientwillconveyindividuals
outofhomelessnessmoreeffectively9anddissuadeoutsidepopulationsfromseekingobligationfree
housinginNewYorkCityallwithoutnegativelyimpactingthosewhowouldhavesoughtserviceson
theirownwhilereceivingtransitionalhousingservices.

Byprescribingaminimumsetofservicesbasedonclientcategory(e.g.employmentservicesand
vocationaltrainingforthelongtermunemployed;mentalhealthservicesforthosewhoneedthem;
emotionalsupportandeducationresourcesforchildren;etc),therighttoshelterisnolongera
neverending,infinitelyexpensivecommitmentforthecity,butastartingpointforindividualstoentera
systemdesignedreducerelianceoncityservicesovertime.

Recommendation4:Clearingapathhomefromprison

Currently,thereareover2,000menunderstatesupervisionwhoarehomelessinNewYorkCity,with
thousandsmoreparoleesonthevergeofhomelessnessduetoalackofdomesticstabilityorpoor
employmentprospects.10Yetthecityhasfailedtoinvestinascalablereentrysolutiontomeettheir
needs.
CecliaW.Dugger(January13,1994)MayorUrgedtoRedefineShelterPact
NewYorkTimes.
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/13/nyregion/mayorurgedtoredefineshelterpact.html
8

ReuvenBlau(July31,2012)OutoftownhomelessfamiliesarefloodingNYCshelters
NewYorkDailyNews.
http://www.nydailynews.com/newyork/outoftownhomelessfamiliesfloodingnewyorkcitysheltersarticle1.1
125381
9
StrategicActionPlanonHomelessness(March2007)UnitedStatesDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.
http://www.hhs.gov/programs/socialservices/homelessness/research/strategicactionplanonhomelessness/ind
ex.html
10
NewYorkStateDepartmentofCorrectionsandCommunitySupervision
7

6of7


Asolddrugsentencesexpireandtensofthousandsofmenreturnfromupstate,NewYorkCitywillbe
challengedbyanewkindofhomelessness:onethatresultsfromyearsordecadesofisolationand
deprivationinthecriminaljusticesystem,requiringaholistic,integratedservicemodelwithbothshort
terminterventions(transitionalhousing)andlongterminvestmentsinanindividualssuccess
(vocationaltraining,paidwork,education,etc.).

Thelinksamonghomelessness,druguse,crime,andrecidivismarewellestablished,asaretheircoststo
society.Interveningassoonasanindividualisreleasedintohomelessnesswithaspeciallydesigned,
structuredpathprovidesthebestchancetobreakthecyclesofhomelessnessandrecidivism,reduce
crimeandpressureonthehomelesssystem,andmitigatetaxpayercosts.

WethereforeproposeareentryservicetrackthatbridgesthegapbetweentheStateDepartmentof
CorrectionandCommunitySupervisionandthecitysDepartmentofHomelessServices.Thistrackwill
divertindividualsoutofthetraditionalsingleadultsystemandaddressthespecificvocational,
educational,andsocialneedsoftheformerlyincarcerated,inhibitingrecidivism,restoring
selfsufficiency,andbreakingthegenerationalcycleofhomelessandincarcerationfortheirfamilies.

7of7