Council Preliminary Budget Response urged increased baseline funding for program to $6 million, $19.5 million more for 15/15 Supportive Housing Program
City Hall, NY – Today, as the City announced the launch of the ‘Project Home’ pilot program, the New York City Council expressed support and renewed its call for the Administration to fulfill the $6 million budget commitment to expand the Mayor’s Office to End Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV)’s previous pilot of housing microgrants for domestic violence victims. The housing stability support program provides low-barrier microgrants to survivors of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence, with the aim of helping them maintain safe and stable housing. The mayor’s proposed budget only includes $1.2 million in baselined funding in HRA’s budget for the program, and this funding is only able to address a fraction of the need. The program supports efforts consistent with legislation passed by the Council and the Mayor’s Housing Blueprint, expanding a pilot by the Mayor’s Office to End Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV). This funding amount is based on the rate of expenditures during the ENDGBV pilot, and the Council has called on the Administration to increase baseline funding for the program with an additional $4.8 million, up to $6 million starting in Fiscal 2025.
The decision to expand eligibility for supportive housing to victims of domestic violence was also welcomed by the Council, which reiterated its call for the Administration to add $19.6 million towards advancing the 15/15 Supportive Housing Program towards its 15,000 supportive housing unit target.
The Council’s initial calls for $6 million to better meet the needs of domestic and gender-based violence victims through housing microgrants and $19.6 million for the 15/15 Supportive Housing Program were included in the Council’s Fiscal Year 2025 Preliminary Budget Response.
“Removing barriers to housing for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence is critical to their safety and stability,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “While Project Home can be an important step forward, this $300,000 pilot program must be paired with the full $6 million commitment in the city budget to provide housing microgrants that meet the needs of domestic and gender-based violence victims. We also applaud the expansion of supportive housing eligibility to domestic violence victims and renew our calls for the Administration to allocate an additional $19.6 million to advance the 15/15 Supportive Housing Program towards its target of 15,000 supportive housing units. The Council’s Preliminary Budget Response urged these vital investments to fulfill the commitments of local law passed by the Council, the Mayor’s Housing Blueprint, and the needs of survivors. It remains imperative that we use all tools at our disposal to ensure survivors of domestic and gender-based violence have access to the supports they need to live safely and thrive.”
“When combating the effects of the housing crisis and gender-based violence, it is important we take individualized approaches to meet the needs of the most vulnerable New Yorkers,” said Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, Co-Chair of the Women’s Caucus. “As Co-Chair of the Women’s Caucus, I’m excited to see efforts towards building supportive housing systems for domestic violence survivors through the Project Home pilot program, but we must do more when assisting at-risk populations in our city. The Council has repeatedly called for millions more into housing for GBV survivors to truly meet their needs; leaving the job done incorrectly and partially does not do our most vulnerable populations justice.”
“‘Project Home’ will be a critical pilot program to assist domestic violence survivors in the shelter system search for specialized housing,” said Council Member Julie Menin, Co-Chair of the Women’s Caucus. “This pilot is a step in the right direction as it is vital that the Administration further increase funding for these programs to assist even more impacted individuals in maintaining safe and stable housing. I look forward to working with the Speaker and Council leadership team to advocate for more resources to support domestic violence survivors.”
“Microgrants for survivors are a highly efficient, urgently needed, lifesaving piece of public safety infrastructure,” said Council Member Tiffany Cabán. “As Mayor Adams said at the signing ceremony, ‘We have a sacred duty to protect these survivors.’ In order to fulfill that sacred duty, a minimum appropriation of $6 million is necessary. Last year, the mayor allocated just $1.2 million for the program – less than one-fourth of the required funds. We have the potential to provide immediate, critically needed direct support to help survivors access safety and economic stability. With an infusion of $6 million, the City could reach 2,550 households at an average of $2,000 per household. For too long, this city has cynically used survivors’ trauma and pain merely as a pretext to ramp up policing, prosecution, and incarceration, leaving the actual survivors without access to the services and protections they need. No more.”
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