Immigrant Advocates Call for Permanent Housing Plan for Asylum Seekers

New York, NY—Yesterday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that the City will open two new Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRC), which will house asylum seekers who had been previously staying at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal HERRC. The two locations, one in Midtown Manhattan and one in Bushwick, Brooklyn, will be congregate settings with a capacity for 1,200 single adult men.

Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition: “Housing is essential to creating the stability that all New York families need to thrive. Our shelter system remains overcrowded – opening temporary shelters may help to meet short-term emergency needs, but does little to help families get back on their feet over the long run.

Rather than an extended game of whacka-mole for where asylum seekers can rest their heads at night, the City needs to get serious about developing long term solutions to our affordability crisis. By eliminating the 90-day waiting period and expanding eligibility to individuals and families regardless of immigration status for the CityFHEPS and other voucher programs, the City can start to tackle its long-standing shelter demands. When that happens, all New York families will have a real fighting chance to get on the road to recovery and security.”l

More Out of Modern Love continued from page 20 compatibility, and improve relationship skills.

5 ways to make the talking stage better It may be a bit confusing and openended, but there are ways to make the talking stage more helpful than stressful.

1) Open communication – make sure to express your needs, expectations, and be willing to also understand the needs and expectations of others in an honest way

2) Explore compatibility – the talking stage is an opportunity to explore whether a potential partner shares interests, values and morals

3) Define the relationship – this stage is an opportunity to discuss the potential relationship and the type of romantic engagement. It is important all parties understand what the relationship is and where it is headed

4) Acceptance – this insightful step involves understanding the talking stage or “situationship” might fizzle out and not turn into a relationship (which may hurt) and that this is a natural part of the process

5) Establish boundaries – self-protection and safety are basic human instincts. So, it is important to know how to navigate this process in a healthy way by establishing boundaries for the intimate engagement early.

Humans are hardwired to search for intimate connections from birth. Modern times may might have changed how we pursue and communicate love, but this innate instinct remains truly unbreakable and the talking stage can be an important part of it. l

Raquel Peel is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer, University of Southern Queensland and Senior Lecturer, RMIT University

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