New York Go. Kathy Hochul (D) has thrown her support behind the city’s initiative to temporarily suspend a unique legal arrangement mandating the provision of emergency housing to homeless individuals. This decision comes as the city grapples with a significant surge in migrants, straining its shelter system.
In a court filing made this week, Hochul endorsed New York City’s plea to challenge the requirement, emphasizing that the mandate was never designed to address an international humanitarian crisis.
For several months, the city has been striving to amend the so-called “right to shelter” rule, driven by the influx of over 120,000 migrants since the previous year. A substantial portion of these migrants has arrived without housing or employment, compelling the city to establish emergency shelters and deliver various government services. The estimated cost of addressing this situation is projected to reach $12 billion over the next few years.