New York City is currently facing its greatest challenge as it grapples with the arrival of more than 70,000 migrants from across the border in just one year. Approximately 50,000 of these migrants are now in the city’s shelter system, leading the Adams administration to convert hotel rooms into shelters at an exorbitant cost to taxpayers. To provide shelter for a migrant family, the city is paying an average of $256 per night, resulting in nearly $100,000 in annual shelter expenses for a single family. Additionally, the city must bear the costs of security, emergency healthcare, and public-school education. As the number of migrants continues to rise, finding adequate shelter space becomes increasingly difficult and pushes the costs beyond the estimated budget of $4.3 billion for two years.
To add to the financial burden, the city only receives nominal assistance from Washington and a pledge of $1 billion from Albany. It is crucial for the city to limit the number of migrants entering the shelter system to avoid tax hikes and service cuts, which could negatively impact New York’s native homeless population. The root cause of this current shelter crisis can be traced back to New York City’s expansive right to shelter law, established in 1979, which obligates the city to provide immediate shelter to anyone who requests it without any limitations on the population or cost. This unlimited right-to-shelter has made New York City an attractive destination for migrants seeking welfare assistance.
Mayor Adams has recognized the urgency of the situation and has attempted to suspend parts of these provisions. However, he faces numerous legal and practical challenges in doing so. The Adams administration has recently requested the court to amend the consent decree, allowing the city to be relieved of its obligations when it lacks the necessary resources and capacity to provide safe and appropriate shelter. However, determining when the city lacks sufficient resources is a complex question that involves redirecting funds from various city initiatives, selling off assets, or implementing cost-saving measures, all of which could potentially lead to lawsuits from homeless and immigrant rights groups.
While the administration’s request only applies to singles and families without children, who constitute only 30 percent of migrants in shelters, it does not address the majority of migrants entering the shelter system. Currently, families seeking shelter must meet specific eligibility requirements, excluding those who could safely return to a previous address. However, a policy implemented since 2017 exempts most families claiming asylum from providing their address history, making it easier for them to obtain shelter.
In a new issue brief, the Manhattan Institute proposes either rescinding or amending the city’s shelter policy for asylum-seeker families, which would impact around 35 percent of the current shelter population. Rescinding the policy would subject migrant families to the same need-based eligibility requirements as other family applicants. Alternatively, amending the policy could reduce the city’s shelter burden by only granting special treatment to those who formally apply for asylum with the federal government, which only a small number of migrants have done. The city should also implement stricter need-based eligibility requirements for families until the shelter crisis has been resolved.
Additionally, to complement these limits on shelter and reduce costs, New York City should establish a local Welcome Corps sponsorship program. This program would match migrants with willing New Yorkers, churches, and nonprofits who voluntarily host them. Instead of relying on random assignments, all arriving migrants would be required to register in the sponsorship program as a condition for shelter placement, and would move out of the shelter once a suitable sponsor is found. This initiative would save the city millions and provide a better living environment for migrants.
New York City has a long history of welcoming immigrants, regardless of their status, and providing them with assistance. However, the current influx of migrants combined with the city’s provision of free shelter to anyone in need has created a significant problem. Without immediate action to limit the inflow of migrants into city shelters, Mayor Adams’s legacy and the well-being of the city are at stake.
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