Gothamist – The city needs to invest more resources toward resolving the underlying problem areas — shrinking the perennially high shelter population by fast-tracking residents into long-term housing, said Lander and Councilmember Shahana Hanif, the head of the immigration committee.

They also argue that the city needs to invest more money, $70 million by Lander’s estimate, into legal services to clear the biggest hurdle now for many to get a work permit: filing an asylum application.

“It feels like we are moving backwards,” Hanif said. “While the temporary shelter model is a start, a year in, for folks to be warehoused in these shelters is not a response.”

“We are not doing a great job. We’ve done the bare minimum,” she said [Read More].