QUINN AND THE NY POST

City-funded activist group teaches homeless how to invade Apartments

By MICHAEL GARTLAND

March 25, 2012

It’s breaking and entering for dummies. Picture the Homeless, a Bronx nonprofit that has received at least $240,000 in taxpayer money in the last five years, is giving a crash course on squatting and city-owned buildings are a prime target.

Homeless Advocates Protest Outside NY Post HQ After Tabloid's Critical Article

March 29, 2012

Picture the Homeless Board Member Ryan Gibbs blasted the tabloid for its "history of racist reactionary news coverage." The Post article focused on the fact that upwards of $240,000 of taxpayer dollars in the last five years has funded Picture the Homeless, and that money is going towards classes that "preach squatting." But homeless advocates say this number is small change when compared with the $3 billion NYC has spent in the last four years on a shelter system that "warehouses" occupants rather than focusing on housing.

Gibbs explained how the Post article never mentioned the community outreach programs Picture the Homeless is involved in, the organization's goal of educating the public about homelessness, nor the "ridiculous rents" that prevent New Yorkers from affordable housing. He went on to claim that the system is maintained in this manner "so that landlords and politicians can get rich" and "the NY Post is their lackey." But Picture the Homeless isn't bitter about the bad press. Executive Director Lynn Lewis told us, "We don't feel defensive. This is an opportunity to talk about the achievements of Picture the Homeless. We do not advocate criminal activity, but laws change when people organize."

Andres Perez: I was framed by the New York Post for being somewhere I wasn’t. They also put out a message that I didn’t mention. So, we had to clear that up, and finally we got out of that mess.

Ryan Hickey: There was a lot of accusations of PTH teaching people how to squat and take over buildings and like ten Post articles, DailyNews articles, obviously hit jobs, kind of smearing. I was like, “Okay, this is crazy but also, “I agree with that, though.” If there are vacant buildings you have to use them and if people are sleeping on the street, they deserve a home. I was looking on the website and stuff and reading all the articles. I was like the Post is painting this as like a bad thing, but I view this as a good thing.