Shelter Bed Shortage in NYC

by Shannon Moriarty · 2009-12-10 08:36:00 UTC
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With a soaring homeless population and freezing temperatures, shelter beds are becoming a hot commodity in New York City. In fact, shelters have become so over-crowded over the past three months that homeless men and women are having to sleep on floors, benches and kitchen tables. So what is the city doing to address this crisis?

The inferior sleeping conditions were reported by the New York Times yesterday because they are in violation of a 1981 consent decree in which the city agreed to provide clean and safe shelter, including beds and showers, to homeless men and women who sought it. The New York Legal Aid Society filed a motion with the Supreme Court in Manhattan. If a judge decides to enforce the decree, the city will be required to meet the demand for shelter with appropriate sleeping arrangements. In other words, they'll have to find more shelter beds.

The response from Robert Hess, the commissioner of the Department of Homeless Services, is perhaps the most puzzling part of this story. According to the NY Times, the Legal Aid Society's motion was "alarmist" and that the reports of inferior sleeping conditions are isolated incidents, not the norm.

As for the city's shelters reaching capacity? They're not there yet, but they're close. Commissioner Hess told the NY Times, "We've seen an uptick in demand, so our system, as you might expect, is a little tight." That might be the understatement of the year. On December 8th, capacity in the city's adult shelter system was 99.6 percent full. And to think, the cold weather season has only started.

I have little doubt that the commissioner has the best interest's of the city's homeless population at heart. But with shelters so close to capacity at such an early point in the cold weather season, his opposition to the Legal Aid Society's motion seems more like a blow to his ego than anything else.

Clearly, the city's shelter system is strapped. Is it prudent to wait until shelters reach capacity to address this burgeoning problem? I certainly don't think so. Shelters are not the ideal solution for anyone. But on freezing nights in New York City, they are lifesavers.

Image: St. James

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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