One of the core beliefs behind the defund ideology is the notion that law enforcement is ineffective, while social services are highly successful. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has applied this thinking to Mayor Adams’ efforts to address homelessness and has recommended abandoning the “counterproductive sweeps” of homeless encampments. Instead, Lander suggests scaling up efforts to provide permanent housing without any conditions, following the “Housing First” philosophy. This approach is likely to be supported by New Yorkers who admire the tent cities that have emerged in other major cities and wonder why their city can’t have more of that.
The primary goal of dismantling encampments in cities is not necessarily to instantly improve the lives of individuals on the streets, but rather to reduce public disorder. When evaluated from that standpoint, Adams’ program can hardly be considered a failure. Lander’s own analysis acknowledges that the encampments have not returned to most of the sites cleaned up by city workers.
The street homeless population in New York City, which consists of individuals with high rates of untreated serious mental illness and substance abuse, represents the most deeply entrenched group. Being unsheltered in New York City essentially categorizes individuals as “service resistant,” as most have willingly declined offers of shelter. In comparison to other cities, New York has a more generous right to shelter. Nonetheless, the street population chooses to reside in public spaces, creating challenges for other New Yorkers. Lander believes that New York is too harsh in its treatment of the street homeless. By taking this stance, Lander not only sets himself apart as more progressive than Mayor Adams but also distinguishes himself from Bill de Blasio, who, despite his shortcomings in addressing mental health and homelessness, took a firmer stance against encampments than his progressive counterparts in other major cities.
Interestingly, Lander suggests that New York is not fully committed to the Housing First approach, which is an unusual claim considering that Housing First and permanent supportive housing originated in New York. The city currently has the most extensive collection of permanent supportive housing units in the United States, totaling 36,000 units. Mayor Eric Adams has prioritized addressing homeless encampments, aiming to transition individuals into permanent housing and treatment.
Currently, the city government is implementing Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to add 15,000 units of housing to the stock, while the state government is progressing through Andrew Cuomo’s Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative, which includes the development of 20,000 units in the city. Permanent supportive housing is an essential intervention for a specific segment of the homeless population. However, it should not be regarded as a cure-all solution, as some progressives tend to view it. To put it in a way that a comptroller would understand, solving homelessness through housing is as challenging as eliminating debt through economic growth. Just as a city with excessive debt requires both a healthy economy and the ability to make budget cuts, addressing homelessness necessitates a balanced approach that includes long-term, intermediate-term, and short-term solutions. This includes providing permanent housing, temporary shelter, and law enforcement interventions.
In conclusion, it is important to approach the issue of homelessness in a comprehensive and balanced manner. While permanent housing is crucial for addressing the needs of some individuals, it is not a standalone solution. Temporary shelter and law enforcement interventions are also necessary components of an effective strategy. Stephen Eide, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, contributing editor of City Journal, and author of “Homelessness in America,” emphasizes the importance of adopting a multi-faceted approach when addressing this complex issue.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
