The migrant shelter agreement between Eric Adams and Legal Aid is influenced by leftist ideology.
Mayor Adams’ team is presenting its agreement with Legal Aid Society on migrant shelter policy as a victory; however, it hampers the city’s ability to address the migrant crisis and further legitimizes the unreasonable “right to shelter.”
Last May, the mayor requested the courts to suspend certain city “right to shelter” obligations, stating, “New York City cannot provide care to everyone crossing our border single-handedly.”
However, due to the longstanding court settlement creating this “right,” the city had to negotiate with the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless — unelected not-for-profits that rely on taxpayer funds, receiving millions annually from grants, contracts, and other governmental support.
The “charities” opposed the idea of ending unconditional, housing for every migrant coming into the city, and the Adams team compromised, settling for very little.
The announced settlement confirms that all migrants can reapply for housing after their initial 30- or 60-day stay in city shelters ends.
Families with children, who make up 78% of migrants arriving in New York, do not need to meet any requirements when reapplying after receiving their 60-day notices.
The deal imposes more requirements on single adults (mostly men), but lists various “extenuating circumstances” the city must consider before denying shelter: Those who “make significant efforts to resettle,” such as “meeting with an immigration legal services provider” (like Legal Aid), “looking for alternative housing,” “applying for public assistance benefits,” “following shelter rules,” and those claiming a disability or recovering from a “serious medical procedure” are eligible for extensions.
The agreement also mandates that the city 1) operate “drop-in style centers” providing “nutritionally adequate meals” to single adult migrants who refuse offers of more permanent shelters or those arriving late at night or requesting indoor accommodation, but also 2) cease using temporary shelters for overflow while migrants await longer-term shelters.
With 183,000 illegal migrants entering the city since 2022, and approximately 64,000 still in “city care,” “asylum seekers” are living in tents and staying in illegal private hostels.
However, Legal Aid and the Coalition, both progressives, insisted on a deal that assumes the city has limitless resources, despite the mayor’s assertion that New York City is at full capacity.
It seems city government is unwilling to acknowledge the reality of the situation.
