Details Meeting Name: Committee on General Welfare Agenda status: Final Meeting date/time: 6/21/2023 10:00 AM Minutes status: Final   Meeting location: Council Chambers - City Hall Jointly with the Committee on Immigration. Published agenda: Agenda Published minutes: Minutes   Meeting video: Video   Attachments: CLICK ANY FILE # BELOW (in blue) TO ACCESS LEGISLATION AND ATTACHMENTS Meeting Items (20) 20 records Group Clear sorting Clear grouping Group by Type Group by Result Export Export to Excel Export to PDF Export to Word Show: All agenda items Legislation only All agenda items File # Ver. Prime Sponsor Agenda # Agenda Note Name Type Summary Action Result Action Details Multimedia                     Roll call Not available T2023-3563 *       Oversight - Emergency Shelters and Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers in New York City. Oversight   Hearing Held by Committee   Action details Not available T2023-3563 *       Oversight - Emergency Shelters and Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers in New York City. Oversight   Filed, by Committee   Action details Not available Int 0942-2023 * Shahana K. Hanif     Minimum standards for emergency congregate housing. Introduction This bill would establish minimum standards for emergency congregate housing in New York City, including at the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRCs) established to address the increase of migrants in the City. Standards would mirror those that apply to shelters operated by the Department of Social Services including beds being at least three feet apart and at least 30 inches in width, toiletries and secure lockers being provided, a clean, well-maintained, working shower for every fifteen individuals, a clean, well maintained and working toilet and/or urinal and sink for every ten individuals, access to laundry facilities, meals and accommodations for dietary needs and restrictions, and various services and resources. Hearing Held by Committee   Action details Not available Int 0942-2023 * Shahana K. Hanif     Minimum standards for emergency congregate housing. Introduction This bill would establish minimum standards for emergency congregate housing in New York City, including at the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRCs) established to address the increase of migrants in the City. Standards would mirror those that apply to shelters operated by the Department of Social Services including beds being at least three feet apart and at least 30 inches in width, toiletries and secure lockers being provided, a clean, well-maintained, working shower for every fifteen individuals, a clean, well maintained and working toilet and/or urinal and sink for every ten individuals, access to laundry facilities, meals and accommodations for dietary needs and restrictions, and various services and resources. Laid Over by Committee   Action details Not available Int 0943-2023 * Shahana K. Hanif     Notification of the right to be placed in shelter. Introduction This bill would require that the Mayor provide written and verbal notification of the right to be placed in a Department of Social Services (DSS) shelter to individuals and families who are housed in specific types of emergency congregate housing in New York City. The notification would include that such individuals and families have the right to be placed in a DSS shelter within 24 hours of their request to be placed in such a shelter. If the City fails to meet its responsibility to provide this shelter, the bill would require that the City report the failure within one calendar day of the failure. Hearing Held by Committee   Action details Not available Int 0943-2023 * Shahana K. Hanif     Notification of the right to be placed in shelter. Introduction This bill would require that the Mayor provide written and verbal notification of the right to be placed in a Department of Social Services (DSS) shelter to individuals and families who are housed in specific types of emergency congregate housing in New York City. The notification would include that such individuals and families have the right to be placed in a DSS shelter within 24 hours of their request to be placed in such a shelter. If the City fails to meet its responsibility to provide this shelter, the bill would require that the City report the failure within one calendar day of the failure. Laid Over by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1064-2023 * Erik D. Bottcher     Monitoring and evaluating homelessness prevention and aftercare programs. Introduction This bill would require the Department of Social Services to report annually on the outcomes and operations of homelessness prevention and aftercare services such as the Homebase Homelessness Prevention Program, and to report every third year on the Department’s methodology, findings, and follow-up measures regarding performance audits of vendor contracts for homelessness prevention and aftercare services. This bill would additionally require a one-time report on early indicators of housing instability, opportunities for early intervention, and potential means of expanding services offered or populations served through homelessness prevention and aftercare programs. Hearing Held by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1064-2023 * Erik D. Bottcher     Monitoring and evaluating homelessness prevention and aftercare programs. Introduction This bill would require the Department of Social Services to report annually on the outcomes and operations of homelessness prevention and aftercare services such as the Homebase Homelessness Prevention Program, and to report every third year on the Department’s methodology, findings, and follow-up measures regarding performance audits of vendor contracts for homelessness prevention and aftercare services. This bill would additionally require a one-time report on early indicators of housing instability, opportunities for early intervention, and potential means of expanding services offered or populations served through homelessness prevention and aftercare programs. Laid Over by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1072-2023 * Crystal Hudson     Shelter referrals and assessments for temporary housing assistance. Introduction This bill would reduce the required housing history from two years to one year in order for families with children to demonstrate their eligibility for entry into the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter system. It would additionally require DHS staff to upload all documents relevant to an applicant’s housing history to a digital case record and communicate with an applicant about any missing documents through electronic methods. This bill would give families with children at least thirty days in temporary shelter pending a determination of their eligibility for shelter, subject to the approval of the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. This bill would also require DHS to create an informational pamphlet listing examples of documents that could demonstrate proof of housing history and ensure that such pamphlet is posted online and distributed to families with children at the PATH intake center. Hearing Held by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1072-2023 * Crystal Hudson     Shelter referrals and assessments for temporary housing assistance. Introduction This bill would reduce the required housing history from two years to one year in order for families with children to demonstrate their eligibility for entry into the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter system. It would additionally require DHS staff to upload all documents relevant to an applicant’s housing history to a digital case record and communicate with an applicant about any missing documents through electronic methods. This bill would give families with children at least thirty days in temporary shelter pending a determination of their eligibility for shelter, subject to the approval of the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. This bill would also require DHS to create an informational pamphlet listing examples of documents that could demonstrate proof of housing history and ensure that such pamphlet is posted online and distributed to families with children at the PATH intake center. Laid Over by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1080-2023 * Linda Lee     Publication and dissemination of information on emergency feeding programs, food benefits programs, and senior centers. Introduction This bill would require the Department of Social Services (DSS) to make information on emergency feeding programs, food benefits programs, and senior centers available on the department’s website and through the Access HRA application in a format that will allow the user of the website to search for an emergency feeding program, or a senior center by zip code, hours of operation, status as a senior citizen or any other relevant category. The bill would also require DSS, in conjunction with the Department for the Aging, to make the same information available in writing at job centers, senior centers, SNAP centers, and any other location determined by the commissioner. Hearing Held by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1080-2023 * Linda Lee     Publication and dissemination of information on emergency feeding programs, food benefits programs, and senior centers. Introduction This bill would require the Department of Social Services (DSS) to make information on emergency feeding programs, food benefits programs, and senior centers available on the department’s website and through the Access HRA application in a format that will allow the user of the website to search for an emergency feeding program, or a senior center by zip code, hours of operation, status as a senior citizen or any other relevant category. The bill would also require DSS, in conjunction with the Department for the Aging, to make the same information available in writing at job centers, senior centers, SNAP centers, and any other location determined by the commissioner. Laid Over by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1084-2023 * Mercedes Narcisse     Creating training on trauma-informed care for persons serving refugees, asylees, asylum seekers, and migrants. Introduction This bill would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to include in its training on trauma-informed care appropriate information on refugee, asylee, asylum seeker, and migrant experiences; determine who, of those serving refugees, asylees, asylum seekers, and migrants, should be offered the training; and offer it to them. Hearing Held by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1084-2023 * Mercedes Narcisse     Creating training on trauma-informed care for persons serving refugees, asylees, asylum seekers, and migrants. Introduction This bill would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to include in its training on trauma-informed care appropriate information on refugee, asylee, asylum seeker, and migrant experiences; determine who, of those serving refugees, asylees, asylum seekers, and migrants, should be offered the training; and offer it to them. Laid Over by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1095-2023 * Lynn C. Schulman     Requiring at least one mental health coordinator at any location where refugees, asylees, and migrants receive services from city agencies or providers upon their arrival in the city of New York. Introduction This bill would require the Mayor’s Office of Community Health to have at least one mental health coordinator at any location where refugees and migrants receive services from the city. The locations will include emergency congregate housing, shelters run by the Department of Homeless Services, and resource centers that provide various social services to refugees and immigrants. The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs shall determine further locations as necessary. Hearing Held by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1095-2023 * Lynn C. Schulman     Requiring at least one mental health coordinator at any location where refugees, asylees, and migrants receive services from city agencies or providers upon their arrival in the city of New York. Introduction This bill would require the Mayor’s Office of Community Health to have at least one mental health coordinator at any location where refugees and migrants receive services from the city. The locations will include emergency congregate housing, shelters run by the Department of Homeless Services, and resource centers that provide various social services to refugees and immigrants. The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs shall determine further locations as necessary. Laid Over by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1096-2023 * Althea V. Stevens     Requiring the department of homeless services to designate eligibility specialists at shelters. Introduction This bill would require the Department of Homeless Services to ensure that eligibility specialists are available at every shelter to assist residents with determining eligibility for public assistance benefits. The Department would have to maintain eligibility specialists at a ratio of 1 per every 25 adult shelter residents, create a training program for eligibility specialists, and assess the performance of eligibility specialists. The bill would also make clarifying amendments to the same chapter of the Administrative Code by redesignating two sections with duplicate numbers. Hearing Held by Committee   Action details Not available Int 1096-2023 * Althea V. Stevens     Requiring the department of homeless services to designate eligibility specialists at shelters. Introduction This bill would require the Department of Homeless Services to ensure that eligibility specialists are available at every shelter to assist residents with determining eligibility for public assistance benefits. The Department would have to maintain eligibility specialists at a ratio of 1 per every 25 adult shelter residents, create a training program for eligibility specialists, and assess the performance of eligibility specialists. The bill would also make clarifying amendments to the same chapter of the Administrative Code by redesignating two sections with duplicate numbers. Laid Over by Committee   Action details Not available                     Not available