New York Legal Assistance Group Inc.
02/10/2026 | Press release | Archived content
Testimony: NYLAG Advocates for More Inclusive Shelter Rules During Code Blue
Testimony: NYLAG Advocates for More Inclusive Shelter Rules During Code Blue
- February 10, 2026
- 12:50 pm
Graham Horn, Coordinating Attorney in the Shelter & Economic Stability Project of NYLAG's Public Benefits Unit, testified before the New York City Council on Feb. 10, 2026, to underscore the importance of reforming our city's congregate shelter system during the recent Code Blue emergency.
There are far too few single and double room safe-haven or stabilization placements, leaving thousands of people who are willing to come inside without a viable option other than sleeping outside.
Presumably because of this lack of capacity, DHS has created a complicated eligibility structure for safe-haven or stabilization placements. Obtaining a placement in this system can take months or years (if ever obtained), during which time the person experiencing street-homelessness sleeps on the street. During this process, our clients lose hope that they will ever obtain a placement and lose the will to interact with outreach workers.
The clear solution is for the City to significantly increase low-barrier safe-haven and stabilization bed capacity. Although these assignments are more costly, once clients are inside and stabilized, DHS will likely have much greater success helping them transition to permanent housing.
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New York Legal Assistance Group Inc. published this content on February 10, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 13, 2026 at 18:04 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]