32 THE QUEENS COURIER • OCTOBER 24, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Number of domestic violence victims in NYC homeless
shelters spikes, Stringer says not enough is done to aid them
BY MARK HALLUM
mhallum@schnepsmedia.com
@MarkuuSan
Stable housing assistance from the city
is a forlorn hope for domestic violence
survivors who form the bulk of those in
the homeless shelter system, according to
City Comptroller Scott Stringer.
A staggering 41 percent of those entering
family homeless shelters operated by
the city in 2018 are survivors of domestic
violence, as indicated in a study that
Stringer’s offi ce released Monday.
To make matters worse, the comptroller’s
study noted, survivors claim that the
city government does too little to help
their situation, limiting stays in crisis shelters
to only 180 days and off ering rental
vouchers that do not come close to meeting
their monthly needs to remain in a
new home.
“It’s not evictions, it’s not mental illness;
it’s domestic violence,” Stringer said.
“Nobody should ever leave a New York
City domestic violence shelter without
safe, permanent housing, period … I’m a
little upset and surprised that, given the
numbers we’re releasing today, we have
not been able to create a safe path forward.”
Stringer’s offi ce estimated the number
of domestic violence survivors in family
homeless shelters has spiked by 44 percent
over the last fi ve years, and that domestic
violence leads all other causes of homelessness.
More than half of the estimated 7,000
children included in this estimate are
under 6 years old.
About 21 percent of homeless domestic
violence survivors are living in hotel conversions
used by the city Department of
Homeless Services (DHS), but the agency
has been phasing out of use as more permanent
shelters are built under the Turning
of the Tide on Homelessness initiative.
One such survivor, Alida Tchicamboud,
spoke at Stringer’s Monday press conference.
She said she had come to New
York in 2015 and found herself entering
the shelter system with her two children.
It became diffi cult to transition with the
time constraints and limited amount of
support the vouchers provided.
But a spokesman for the mayor’s offi ce
told amNewYork on Monday that the
180-day limit for domestic violence shelters
does not mean people end up back
out on the street; they are instead placed
at another shelter.
“HRA DV shelters … are prioritized for
those who face an imminent and immediate
threat to their safety. Nobody is kicked
out on to the street aft er 180 days. If you
do not have a place to go, DHS will fi nd a
shelter placement for you,” the spokesman
said. “As for the vouchers, over 120,000
New Yorkers have used these vouchers
since 2014. City landlords are prohibited
from discriminating by someone based on
their source of income; vouchers are such
a source of income.”
Th e spokesman also added that there
has been rapid expansion in the number
of domestic violence shelters in the city to
meet capacity needs.
Legislation sponsored by Bronx state
Senator Alessandra Biaggi looks to bring
some relief by mandating that landlords
accommodate early termination of leases
for domestic survivors as well as pro-rated
charges until termination date.
“Essentially the purpose of this bill is to
provide an option for survivors of domestic
violence to remove themselves from
a dangerous living situation without facing
legal or fi nancial penalties,” Biaggi
said. “While the city has taken action in
recent years to expand capacity of domestic
violence shelters and increase subsidized
housing for survivors, they still face
signifi cant obstacles to access and safe
alternatives to provide the demand.”
Th e bill has already passed both houses
of government in Albany and awaits
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s signature.
Biaggi hopes Cuomo will sign it before
the end of this year.
Queens Congresswoman named acting chair of House
Oversight panel after death of Elijah Cummings
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney will
step into the national spotlight as acting
chair of the powerful House Oversight
and Reforms Committee aft er the sudden
death of Rep. Elijah Cummings of
Maryland Th ursday morning.
Cummings, 68, oversaw the panel,
which is one of three that are currently
investigating President Trump
in the ongoing House impeachment
inquiry.
Maloney, 73, had been the second
ranked Democrat on the committee
even though she had seniority
over Cummings when he beat her
in the Democratic Caucus vote for the
leadership role. Th e House Democratic
Steering and Policy Committee will meet
with potential candidates for the position,
including Maloney, in the next few
days.
“I’m deeply saddened by the news
of Chairman Cummings’ passing. Our
nation has not only lost a true leader
and pioneer, but I have lost a true friend
and mentor,” Maloney said in a statement.
“In an era where our politics have
been plagued by coarseness and personal
attacks, Elijah represented grace, dignity
and empathy under the most trying of
circumstances. His legacy — his fi ght for
fairness, justice and equality — should be
an inspiration to us all. My heart goes out
to his family.”
Maloney has represented western
Queens and parts of Manhattan and
Brooklyn since 1993. She also serves
as the vice chair of the Joint Economic
Committee.
Cummings was a giant of the nation’s
Civil Rights Movement but he died of
complications from an ongoing health
issue, according to his offi ce.
“He spoke truth to power, defended
the disenfranchised and represented
West Baltimore with strength and
dignity,” Congressman Hakeem Jeff ries,
the House Democratic caucus chairman
said on Twitter. “Congress has lost a
Champion. Heaven has gained an Angel
of Justice.”
Maloney commented further on
Twitter.
“Elijah Cummings was a courageous
leader and trailblazer for our nation,” she
wrote. “His open. Gracious, fi ghting spirit
will always be an inspiration.”
QNS/File
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney takes over
as acting chair of the House Oversight panel
following the death of Rep. Elijah Cummings.
Photo: Mark Hallum/QNS
State Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Comptroller Scott Stringer.
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
link
link
link
