AGGRESSIVE REHOUSING POLICIES MAY LEAD TO REVOLVING SHELTER DOOR IN NEW YORK CITY
NEW YORK (June 24, 2010)—New York City rehousing programs for homeless families may be ineffective in reducing family homelessness in the long-term, according to “Boomerang Homeless Families: Aggressive Rehousing Policies in New York City,” an opinion brief released today by the Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness (ICPH). The brief evaluates the Bloomberg Administration’s efforts to alleviate family homelessness and credits the first mayoral term as “a stable period” but calls into question the use of aggressive rehousing strategies that have become popular nationally, and their impact on repeat or “boomerang” families. Boomerang families now comprise 40% of families entering the shelter system—the highest percentage during the Bloomberg Administration—and the increasing trend shows no signs of abating.
"Transitioning families from shelter into housing is a goal we all embrace; however simply pushing all homeless families into housing without addressing their educational and job training needs often leads to repeated homelessness,” said Dr. Ralph Nunez, President and CEO of the Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness. “This brief makes clear that New York City, and other jurisdictions that are utilizing aggressive rehousing policies, may need to reevaluate how they develop housing subsidy programs in order to permanently end family homelessness.”
Both aggressive rehousing programs, Housing Stability Plus and the Work Advantage Program, faced numerous challenges, most stemming from families’ inability to contribute toward partial rent payments during the subsidy and ultimately to transition to full rent payments once their subsidies ended. While these programs were well intentioned in their purpose to help rehouse families, policies to end homelessness must also include a focus on job placement with livable wages in order to sustain families long-term, beyond the life of the subsidy. Education and training should be provided to families in preparation for better paying jobs to avoid a cycle of being shuffled off to housing only to eventually return to the shelter when they cannot afford their rent payments.
Among the brief’s findings:
- From 2005 to 2009, eligible homeless families increased by 58%, while in the same period repeat or boomerang families shot up an unprecedented 137%.
- The average cost of recidivism started at $68 million annually during the first mayoral term, but after both aggressive rehousing policies were implemented, it more than doubled to $141 million annually during the second, and may cost as much as $200 million in 2010.
The Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness (ICPH) is an independent non-profit research organization based in New York City. ICPH studies the impact of poverty on family and child well being and generates research that will enhance public policies and programs affecting poor or homeless children and their families. Specifically, ICPH examines the condition of extreme poverty in the United States and its effect on educational attainment, housing, employment, child welfare, domestic violence, and family wellness. Please visit our Web site for more information. www.icpny.org
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Contact: Linda Bazerjian or Regina Luzincourt
212-358-8086, ext. 1204 or 1021
lbazerjian@icpny.org or rluzincourt@icpny.org
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