NYC Shelters Now Charging Rent

Published May 12, 2009 @ 11:20AM PT

"Start paying rent, or get out." This sums up the notice thousands of residents of of New York City's publicly-operated homeless shelters found under their doors last week after the Bloomberg administration decided to quietly start enforcing a 1997 state statute. This sloppy execution of a ill-informed policy will no doubt lengthen the amount of time spent in shelter, thus further contributing to the clogging the NYC shelter system.

Here's some background from the NY Times:

Vanessa Dacosta, who earns $8.40 an hour as a cashier at Sbarro, received a notice under her door several weeks ago informing her that she had to give $336 of her approximately $800 per month in wages to the Clinton Family Inn, a shelter in Hell's Kitchen where she has lived since March.

"It's not right," said Ms. Dacosta, a single mother of a 2-year-old who said she spends nearly $100 a week on child care. "I pay my baby sitter, I buy diapers, and I'm trying to save money so I can get out of here. I don't want to be in the shelter forever."

City officials said the new rent requirement had been in the works since a 2007 state audit that forced them to pay back $2.4 million in state housing aid that should have been covered by homeless families with income. They argued that homeless people with income should be expected to pay for a portion of their shelter costs, a model that echoes the federal Section 8 housing voucher program.

"I think it's hard to argue that families that can contribute to their shelter cost shouldn't," Robert V. Hess, the city's commissioner of homeless services, said in a telephone interview Friday. "I don't see this playing out in an adverse way. Our objective is not for families to remain in shelter. Our objective is to move families back into their own homes and into the community."

It is unclear why the state law has not been enforced until now. New York's situation is unusual, with far more working homeless families than elsewhere in the state, and higher housing costs than virtually anywhere in the country.

Until policies are in the pipeline to realistically improve the gap between living expenses and income for low-income people, I somewhat understand the logic of simulating real-world circumstances for people in shelters; balancing work, budgeting rent, etc. But in reality, most people become homeless because of a one-time, "perfect storm" of circumstances that derails them. So "teaching" the skills needed to keep a home is pointless; what these people really need is financial independence.

But what makes this story so frustrating is the sudden enforcement. To impose such a ill-conceived policy suddenly, with no notice, throws an unnecessary curveball to already struggling families. I think Arnold Cohen of the Partnership for the Homeless said it best: "We're dealing with the poorest people, the people who are the most in need, and we're asking them to pay for a shelter of last resort. As a city and a state that has a history of social and economic justice, I think we can do better than that."

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Comments (6)

Its so sad these people would do this towards people who are having a hard time. I did check out the website of this place and the shelter is run by the Homes for the homeless.

Now according to them:Homes for the Homeless (HFH) is a 501(c)3 private, non-profit organization. Funding for the programming at our American Family Inns comes from a variety of sources including individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies.
http://www.homesforthehomeless.com/

Since that is the case, I guess they have to be greedy... maybe they need to loose their tax exempt as well.

Since according to IRS on the 501( c ) 3 it states:

Exemption Requirements
To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) are commonly referred to as charitable organizations. Organizations described in section 501(c)(3), other than testing for public safety organizations, are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170.

The organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, and no part of a section 501(c)(3) organization's net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. If the organization engages in an excess benefit transaction with a person having substantial influence over the organization, an excise tax may be imposed on the person and any organization managers agreeing to the transaction.

Section 501(c)(3) organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. For a detailed discussion, see Political and Lobbying Activities. For more information about lobbying activities by charities, see the article Lobbying Issues; for more information about political activities of charities, see the FY-2002 CPE topic Election Year Issues.

Page Last Reviewed or Updated: January 05, 2009
http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=96099,00.html

Posted by Lara Nunes on 05/12/2009 @ 02:27PM PT
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This is PATHETIC! It's basically making sure the problem REMAINS a problem! these people are there BECAUSE they have nowhere to go, BECAUSE they have no resources and are NOT given the TIME to collect them! They are basically being treated like crap because of circumstances beyond their control!

Posted by Kate Mason on 05/12/2009 @ 02:43PM PT
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America at its finest....

When I met my girlfriend she was on a six month wait for housing, she had used up her time allowed in the shelter with her son. A friend allowed her to stay in their apartment with her children and boyfriend. At the time my future girlfriend had a job, but her husband was trying to force her back into the home. That household lived in terror, the friend had gone out and purchased a .357 because restraining orders did not work.

I thought that removing my future girlfriend from that environment would solve the problem - I did not expect the Virginia courts. My girlfriend did not see much aid from the alleged "charities", the only real support she got was from friends and the State Social Services. The great irony was that the courts/attorneys ignored social services who represented a running log of events.

I hope things improve for these people who need assistance, shelter from not only the elements but predators, dysfunctional law enforcement and corrupt courts.

Posted by jowey styxx on 05/12/2009 @ 05:01PM PT
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Okay, what is our current Administration doing to assist Americans? What was the "stimulus money" used for? I voted for Change but this ...I am appalled!

Posted by leatrice brantley on 05/12/2009 @ 05:21PM PT
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Wait a minute! Ms. Dacosta works and controls her fertility (she has only one child). Someone like this has a lot of potential. Charging "rent" to someone like this defeats the very purpose of a shelter program.

If she had three, four or five kids and couldn't hold a job, I guess she wouldn't have to pay "rent". It's sad when productive people are penalized.

Posted by C W on 05/12/2009 @ 09:30PM PT
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SEO Company, SEO Firm, SEO Service

Posted by Belkis Gigante on 05/12/2009 @ 11:55PM PT
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Shannon has worked in homeless shelters and service organizations in San Francisco, the Triangle region of North Carolina, and currently in the greater Boston area. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.