At its Stated Meeting on Thursday, the New York City Council passed legislation introduced by Councilmember Sandra Ung that would require the Department of Homeless Services to study the feasibility of partnering with community-based nonprofits to process shelter intake applications for homeless families. 

Currently, families in need of emergency shelter must travel to the Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing (PATH) intake center in the Bronx, the only location that processes families with young children. Final approval for placement in the city’s shelter system often requires multiple trips for applicants. 

“For too long, families have been forced to navigate a system that asks them to travel miles with young children, frequently missing work or school, just to reach the PATH intake center in the Bronx,” said Councilmember Sandra Ung. “But we know that the first stop for many families in crisis is not PATH, but their local community organizations. These community-based organizations are trusted, they are present where families live, and they are already doing much of the work. They should be empowered to do even more. By requiring the Department of Homeless Services to study the feasibility of partnering with these local nonprofits to process shelter intake applications, we are taking a common-sense approach to serving homeless families where they are, rather than making them come to us.”

“At Garden of Hope, we understand the unique challenges faced by the Chinese immigrant community, particularly those affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and other forms of violence,” said Kristen Chi, Executive Director of Garden of Hope NY. “Councilmember Sandra Ung’s legislation is a crucial step towards making critical services more accessible to vulnerable families. By allowing trusted community-based organizations like ours to process shelter applications, we can ensure that families receive culturally and linguistically competent support right within their own neighborhoods. This approach not only alleviates the burden on families in crisis, but also strengthens the overall safety net for immigrant communities across New York. We are proud to support this initiative and look forward to its potential to create meaningful change.”  

Local nonprofits and community-based organizations often assist in the preparation of shelter intake applications, and in some cases arrange for or even provide transportation to PATH. These groups are not only trusted institutions within the community, but also provide culturally competent and in-language services that support immigrant communities.

Within one year of Intro 460 becoming law, DHS must produce a report on the feasibility of contracting with community-based organizations to accept and process shelter applications for families with children. 

The report will include any legal or practical barriers, including confidentiality and data privacy; the training, staffing, and technology required to implement such contracts; an estimate of any costs or cost saving in the first five years; and an estimated timeline to deliver services. The report will also include any proposals to overcome legal barriers and a final determination on the feasibility of contracting with community-based organizations to accept and process shelter applications for homeless families.