Image credit: New York City Council.
On February 2, 2023, Council Member Diana Ayala introduced Int. 902 (2023) at the NYC Council. The bill would require the Department of Homeless Services to provide process navigator services to every family with children seeking temporary shelter at an intake center.
The process navigator would aid shelter applicants in understanding all the housing procedures, meetings, interviews, and requirements necessary for the application process. The navigator would also be able to answer frequently asked questions and provide an avenue for individual questions. Additionally, the proposed legislation would require a full notice of process navigator services to every entering family with children that will be executed in varying language translations.
Upon introducing the bill Council Member Ayala stated as of 2021 there were more than 10,000 New Yorkers who entered the NYC Human Resources Administration domestic violence shelter system, 95% of them were in families with minors.” In 2021, more than one in two families left a temporary shelter for another shelter rather than finding permanent residency. Requiring city workers to provide families with process navigator services will hopefully direct families to a more permanent solution, a solution they can understand with full housing resources afforded to them.
Int. 902 (2023) was assigned to the Committee on General Welfare, but no hearing has been scheduled to date. Should the bill become law, it will go into effect 120 days after it becomes law.4
By: Marlo Mitchell (Marlo is a New York Law School student, Class of 2023.)