2004/2005: ACTIONS, DOCUMENTATION AND KEEPING THE PRESSURE ON DHS

Throughout 2004 and 2005, PTH shelter campaign members held actions in NYC and Albany, attended hearings, testified at City Council and State committee hearings, held press events and two accountability sessions for DHS staff in the PTH office, and began documenting the sub-standard housing available to homeless families through the newly lauched “Housing Stability Plus Program.

The PTH shelter campaign drew attention to the ways in which homeless New Yorkers efforts to obtain housing were blocked by high housing costs, understaffed shelter workers including a lack of housing specialists and poorly planned rental subsidies programs.

PTH shelter campaign,oneexample ofthetypeofHSPapartments offered to homeless families. December 23rd, 2005

Thrown into a crisis by Federal cuts to Section 8, NYC chose to continue expanding the shelter system and contracting with private landlords to use rent stabilized apartments as shelter units and welfare hotels as shelters instead of addressing the root causes of the housing crisis.