Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, State Senator Diane Savino (Coney Island, Staten Island) and Assembly Member Helene Weinstein (Sheepshead Bay, Midwood, Flatlands, Canarsie, East Flatbush) announced a new legislative effort to expand the application of the New York State Runaway and Homeless Youth Act to include individuals under the age of 25 from its current 21.
If passed, A10145/S7715 would result in New York matching the working definition for homeless youth as established by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, representing 19 federal member agencies. Furthermore, the legislation would address the longstanding concerns that have been reported by many homeless New Yorkers between 21-25 regarding accessing adult homeless shelters, including fears of bullying, harassment, sexual assault, and violence.
As a result of these issues, a significant number of young people have chosen to risk sleeping in the streets and subways, deepening the damaging financial and psychological costs of chronic homelessness. Additionally, the legislation would provide needed assistance for hundreds of at-risk youth, many of whom are members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.
“As a matter of safety, of economics, and of basic human compassion, it is time to recognize and support the full population of runaway and homeless youth in our state,” said Adams. “A10145/S7715 addresses an important and oft-overlooked component of the greater homelessness crisis facing Brooklyn and across New York State, including many in the LGBT community.”
Weinstein said raising the age limit for runaway and homeless youth in the state for purposes of shelter and transitional housing would help prevent vulnerable youth from being chronically homeless.
“Youth should not be deprived of the safe and age-appropriate services and shelter provided in shelters mandated by the Office of Children and Families under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act,” she said.
“It is up to us as lawmakers to meet the critical needs of one of our vulnerable communities and that is our homeless youth, especially those in the LGBT community, because now more than ever are we seeing a growing trend in young adults who are being forced into the streets all because of the lifestyles they live,” said State Senator Savino. “If we are able to amend this bill, it would now include individuals under the age of 25 and would afford them the opportunity to obtain the available resources once denied to them.”
The move also drew the support of non-profits working with homeless youths.
“The Ali Forney Center works with hundreds of homeless LGBT young people in their early 20s who are stranded in the streets and subways at night, terrified of violence and harassment in the adult shelters,” said Carl Siciliano, executive director of the Ali Forney Center. “In desperation, many turn to survival sex, putting them at enormous risk of HIV infection. The passage of this legislation will allow them to finally have safe places to sleep, so they can begin to escape homelessness.”
A10145/S7715 would additionally expand those eligible for transitional independent living support programs, as well as permit approved runaway programs to provide assistance to homeless youth or youth in need of crisis intervention or respite services, such that it would be newly inclusive of individuals between the ages of 21 and 25. Also, by aligning the State’s definition with that of the federal government, additional federal funding would be accessible to the State.
