More than 100,000 people are now sleeping in shelters each night, and many of the City’s lowest-income households are at risk of homelessness because they are paying more than 50 percent of their income in rent. New York City cannot escape this crisis without directly addressing the systemic failure to ensure that there is enough housing with rents affordable to the lowest income households. (Learn more about this issue here.)
That’s why OHI is part of the Homes for NYC coalition, pushing for the city to prioritize investing in deeply affordable housing—specifically for those who are currently homeless and extremely low-income households at imminent risk of homelessness. As a starting point, we’re asking the city to commit to prioritizing the creation of 12,000 units of deeply affordable housing each year for the next 5 years.
The New York City Council is having a housing budget hearing on Tuesday, March 24, and we’re mobilizing folks to show up and speak in support of the demand for deeply affordable housing.
Sign up to testify in-person in downtown Manhattan on Tuesday 3/24 around 1pm
Sign up to testify virtually on Tuesday 3/24 around 1pm
Sign up to submit written testimony
Haven’t testified at a City Council hearing before? No worries—we’ll be there with you every step of the way, providing guidance on logistics and suggested talking points, and connecting you with other folks who are testifying, too.