On July 12, 2010, there were over 35,000 people--including over 8,000 families and over 14,000 children--in New York City shelters. A more detailed report is here.

At the heart of our city's epidemic of homelessness is a shortage of affordable housing and living-wage jobs.

• City-wide, the average asking rental price has risen to about $2,700 a month.¹
• New York City started the 90's with some 925,000 units of low-cost ($500 or less per month) housing; it ended the decade with less than half that number.²
• One out of three New York households pays more than 30 percent of its income for rent, the current Federal measure of housing affordability. One out of four pays more than fifty percent.³
• The "housing wage" for New York metro area (the minimal wage a family needs to afford a two bedroom at a fair market rate) is $25.35 an hour.⁴ The current minimum wage in New York is $7.15 per hour.

1 "What You Need to Know Before You Rent" Elizabeth A. Harris. The New York Times. August 22, 2008.
2 "The Housing Data Deficit: Why We Need a NYC Housing Census"; George Locker and Leonard Rodberg; The Five Borough Institute; November 2002.
3 Ibid.
4 "Out of Reach 2007-2008" National Low Income Housing Coalition.

An Evening with Diane Ravitch

On June 8, the Partnership for the Homeless was pleased to host An Evening with Diane Ravitch, the noted education scholar and author of the new best-seller The Life and Death of the Great American School System. Although Dr. Ravitch was an early supporter of the current education movement of accountability through testing and school choice, she now believes that these emphases are harming children's education, especially the poorest and most vulnerable students.

The Partnership is especially concerned about the devastating impact of homelessness on children's education. We were interested to hear from Dr. Ravitch as we develop our Education Rights Project. This project will launch later this year at our Family Resource Center in East New York, Brooklyn, to help children remain successful in school despite housing instability.

In her remarks, Dr. Ravitch discussed evidence of the shortcomings of choice and testing and pointed to future directions for educators and policymakers.

We would like to thank all of our generous sponsors for their support of this insightful event.

CDC Grant

The Partnership is pleased to announce we have been awarded a five-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC grant will allow us to a) launch a project with HIV+ women who have been Positive Step clients focused on improving safe-sex behaviors and reducing transmission and re-infection rates; and b) expand SISTA, our HIV/AIDS prevention program for young women of color, by launching a module specific to Latina women. Both of these projects will continue to strengthen our ability to provide supportive services that help those we serve maintain stability and wellness in their lives, including remaining housed but also beyond.

Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness

The Obama administration's United States Interagency Council on Homelessness has unveiled a national strategic plan to end veteran and chronic homelessness by 2015 and among families, youth, and children by 2020. Stay tuned for a response from Partnership President and CEO Arnold S. Cohen.

Partnership Presentation

Last month, Yen Tseng, MA and Leyla Gulcur, Ph.D of the Partnership's Research Department presented their findings on "The impact of self-efficacy, perceived choice in housing, and building quality on the quality of life among individuals with histories of homelessness" at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association. The study examined the effects of selected psychological factors on the relationship between building quality and personal well-being for currently or formerly homeless individuals. Findings demonstrated the importance of client choice and empowerment, suggesting that high choice and self-esteem can mitigate bad structural conditions.

Take Action:

Take Action: Contact your legislators and ask them to take a stand on these important issues.

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