City + State – In 1979, the New York State Supreme Court ruled in Callahan v. Carey that New York City had a legal mandate to provide shelter under Article XVII of the state’s constitution. Brought as a class action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of unhoused individuals, this landmark ruling established that homeless New Yorkers have a fundamental right to a bed and basic standards within the shelter system. 

While over 100,000 unhoused New Yorkers are living in our city today, New York City does not have anywhere near the same level of street homelessness as other American cities like Los Angeles or Portland. This is because our right-to-shelter mandate ensures beds are available and open to those who need them. This provides safe and clean conditions and creates more opportunities to connect people with critical services inside the shelter system. The right to shelter fulfills our city’s moral responsibility to care for those in need and keeps New Yorkers off the streets, to all of our benefit. Despite the mandate’s success, Mayor Eric Adams is attempting to undo the right to shelter. [Read More]