Background
For the past 3 years, Bronx Open Hearts has supported Just Home, a supportive housing project planned to be built on the Jacobi Hospital campus in Morris Park. Just Home will provide housing to formerly incarcerated New Yorkers with complex medical needs, who would otherwise be at risk of homelessness. The Fortune Society, a nonprofit that works with formerly incarcerated people and runs several supportive housing sites, will provide on-site supportive services for the people living there. The project will also provide affordable, rent-stabilized housing units for other community members.
As we wrote in a 2022 letter, Just Home is a crucial project that will be a valuable resource for the community and the city as a whole. Unfortunately, the project has been met with backlash from some community members.
Take Action
To move forward, Just Home needs to be approved by the New York City Council, and it is going before the Council for a hearing this month. Opponents plan to show up and speak out—and we need folks who want to welcome this project to show the City Council that New Yorkers support it!
There are 3 ways to show your support:
Testify in-person at City Hall (Thursday 9/18, hearing begins at 10am)
Testify virtually (on Zoom or phone) during the hearing (Thursday 9/18, hearing begins at 10am)
If live testimony isn’t possible for you: submit written testimony (this can be done any time between now and the morning of Sunday 9/21)
Haven’t spoken at a City Council hearing before? No worries—the City Council hears from members of the public all the time at hearings like these, and Open Hearts will be there with you every step of the way. We’ll provide suggested talking points, connect you with other folks who will be speaking up, and help you navigate the logistics.
Use the links below to RSVP to show support for Just Home. Once you RSVP, we’ll be in touch to share suggested talking points and logistical details!