Within the last few years, homelessness has reached an all-time high in New York City with more than 115,000 people living in shelters and thousands more sleeping on the street and subway system. It doesn’t have to be this way when there is a clear path foward, writes Jeff Ginsburg, president and CEO of Volunteers of America-Greater New York, in an op-ed published by The New York Daily News.
Ginsburg points to the city’s success with combatting veteran homelessness as a proven recipe for ending homelessness.
“This progress did not happen by accident,” he writes. “It required political will at every level of the government: sustained funding, coordination and alignment between federal and city agencies, and deep partnership with nonprofits like ours.”
New York City has reduced veteran street homelessness by more than 98%. Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani visited formerly homeless veterans at our Commonwealth Residence in the Bronx, where we pair stable housing with strong support services. The clients Mamdani met at the residence highlight the success of mulitple agencies working together towards a shared goal.
Ginsburg calls for the same level of commitment and partnership to tackle homelessness for other populations.
“We can expand the strategies that helped veterans: moving people into permanent housing more quickly; offering targeted financial assistance to prevent homelessness before it starts; building and opening more supportive housing; and ensuring that all New Yorkers can access services tailored to their needs.”
Read the full op-ed at The New York Daily News.