46 THE QUEENS COURIER • OCTOBER 24, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
editorial
Continuing to fail our most vulnerable
City Comptroller Scott Stringer
blasted City Hall on Oct. 21 with a
report that demonstrated just how
much our government has failed to
protect the most vulnerable people
who live here.
According to Stringer, the number
in America with policies designed
not to leave anyone behind from
economic opportunity and a better
life.
And yet, here we are with a City
Hall utterly incapable of fi nding a
domestic violence victim and their
children a decent place to live in
peace and rebuild their lives.
It’s enough to move you to tears.
We only wish it would move City
Hall to action. File photo
STORY: HomeGoods set to open for business at new College
Point location in November
SUMMARY: On Sunday, Nov. 3, HomeGoods is opening its doors
at 134-01 20th Ave. in the College Point Center.
REACH: 23,456 people reached (as of 10/21/19)
of domestic violence victims living
in the city’s family shelter system
has spiked by 44 percent over the
last fi ve years. Th ese survivors now
account for 41 percent of the family
shelter population in this city.
But worse than that, Stringer’s
report found that the city isn’t doing
nearly enough to help these victims
— who have already been through
horrible situations — get back on
their feet.
Th e city limits the stay of victims
in crisis shelters to 180 days; if they
can’t fi nd proper, permanent housing
for these victims, they are sent to
another shelter.
Stringer also said the housing
vouchers off ered to these survivors
aren’t anywhere close fi nancially to
what’s needed to help them aff ord
sky-high rents in this city.
None of this should surprise any
of us, at this point. Th e past decade
has seen an unprecedented rise in
homelessness matched by evidence
of a city government either too overwhelmed,
too inadequate or too apathetic
to meet this challenge.
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “Turning
the Tide on Homelessness” plan has
proven to be as useful as shoveling
sand into the ocean during high tide.
Communities across the city are still
fi ghting proposed shelters tooth and
nail — partly because of NIMBYism,
true, but the size and scope of these
shelters (potentially housing hundreds)
is indeed cause for serious
concern. Th e subways are riddled
with homeless people sleeping on
benches or amid fi lthy train cars.
It’s galling and shameful that the
people we elected to run this city
can’t fi gure out what to do to help
those in the most need. We’re supposed
to be the most progressive city
THE QUEENS
PUBLISHER & EDITOR
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VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS
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