“There is no question that our city is in the midst of a mental health crisis fueled by the pandemic’s impact on our collective health and by the disruption of access to mental health care and services. The pandemic exacerbated existing challenges created by decades of disinvestment from mental health infrastructure. Our city needs a robust response to this crisis, but how we respond matters greatly.
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“Love is love, and all Americans deserve the right to marry the person they love without undue restrictions from government. With the United States Senate’s passage of the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act, our country is sending a clear message that marriage equality is an inalienable right for all that is supported by Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike. The Supreme Court has already stripped away the federal right to safely access abortion and reproductive health care, and indicated that other rights, including same sex marriage, could be next on the chopping block.
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New York, NY – Speaker Adrienne Adams and the New York City Council celebrated a five-bill legislative package to improve diversity within the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) being signed into law today.
The bills in the package — sponsored by Speaker Adams, Council Member Joann Ariola, Council Member Kevin Riley and Council Member Nantasha Williams — seek to address the historic lack of racial and gender diversity in the FDNY.
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Council also votes on legislation to advance substance use recovery programs, mental health services, and regulation of catalytic converter sales to prevent auto theft
City Hall, NY – Today, the Council approved two land use applications in Brooklyn and Queens that will collectively produce over 5,000 new units of housing, 65% of which will be affordable.
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New York, NY – Speaker Adrienne E. Adams and Council Member Tiffany Cabán celebrated two bills to expand services to victims of domestic and gender-based violence being signed into law today. The “Support Survivors” legislative package, to increase services and provide resources for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, was passed during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It would require city agencies to establish a housing stability program for survivors and create an online portal and resource guide for survivors.
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Changes increase projected affordable units from 711 to 1,436 with more family-sized units and deeper affordability, dedicate units for formerly homeless, and convert market rate units to be set-aside for CityFHEPS voucher holders
City Hall, NY – As New York City faces a severe affordable housing crisis, the City Council Committee on Land Use voted to approve a private land use application in Queens that provides an unprecedented level of affordable housing and public benefits for the local neighborhood and of any such application in New York City.
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City Hall, NY – As New York City faces a severe affordable housing crisis, the City Council Committee on Zoning and Franchises voted to approve two projects in Queens (Innovation Queens) and Brooklyn (Innovative Urban Village) that would collectively create over 5,000 units of new housing, and more than 65% (over 3,200 units) designated as affordable. The committee vote represents the first step in the Council’s land use process.
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“Protecting New York City’s fiscal health is a priority that must go hand-in-hand with ensuring New Yorkers’ health and safety is secured through investments in essential education, health, and social service programs. Early childhood education programs, such as Universal 3-K, are pivotal to the economic success of our city and must be a priority in which to invest. In the midst of housing and mental health crises, our financial plans should reflect the scale needed to solve our challenges, and it is not clear this one meets the moment.
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“The path to stability for unhoused New Yorkers begins with a safe, affordable, and permanent home. Today’s announcement by the Administration to expand eligibility for CityFHEPS vouchers, increase staffing at key agencies, and connect New Yorkers directly to supportive housing represents important steps to help alleviate homelessness and transition people from shelters to permanent housing in our city. The successful implementation of these efforts will be essential to removing barriers to these housing programs that have remained, even when the City has expanded investments in them.
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“From the beginning of this humanitarian crisis facing our city, the Council has advocated for Humanitarian Emergency Relief and Recovery Centers (HERRCs) to be sited indoors and identified several large hotels that were not remotely located. People who seek asylum in our city deserve to be treated with dignity, care and compassion, and we always believed this was more appropriate.
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