YOUR RIGHT TO SHELTER: GOOD NEWS FROM LEGAL AID’S HOMELESS RIGHTS PROJECT

(Article published in HWW Oct 2008)

Legal Aid wants you to know about an important victory for homeless families.

On September 17, 2008, after 25 years of court battles, New York City has acknowledged that homeless children and their families who have nowhere else to go have a right to shelter in New York City. The City also agreed that shelters must have decent conditions and that homeless families should be treated fairly and not put in any danger because they have applied for shelter.

The City has agreed to new procedures for how applications will be processed and to report to the public on how well the application process is working. The City has also agreed that families with children should not lose their public assistance benefits because their address changes.

Public announcements explaining the settlement in more detail will be posted in shelters and public assistance offices soon. The Homeless Rights Project of the Legal Aid Society will be conducting trainings in the community to explain the settlement, and the Court will hold a hearing to review the settlement sometime soon. If you would like to have a training at your shelter, call the Homeless Rights Project at (800) 649-9125.