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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline MARCH 22, 2024 | The Indian Eye 31
NYC Mayor Announces Agreement with The Legal
Aid Society in Callahan ‘Right To Shelter’
City Has Argued Callahan Decree Was Never Intended to Apply to Extraordinary Circumstances City Currently Faces
OUR BUREAU to a national humanitarian crisis like the one New
York City faces today.
NEW YORK, NY
“New York City has led the nation in respond-
ew York City Mayor Eric Adams has an- ing to a national humanitarian crisis, providing
nounced that the City of New York has shelter and care to approximately183,000 new ar-
Ncome to an agreement with The Legal Aid rivals since the spring of 2022, but we have been
Society, providing the city additional flexibility un- clear, from day one, that the ‘Right to Shelter’ was
der the 1981 consent decree in Callahan v. Carey, never intended to apply to a population larger than
related to the city’s “Right to Shelter” during the most U.S. cities descending on the five boroughs in
current migration crisis. After months of negotia- less than two years,” said Mayor Adams. “Today’s
tions — during which the city has continued to re- stipulation acknowledges that reality and grants
spond to the national humanitarian crisis without us additional flexibility during times of crisis, like
meaningful help from the federal government — the national humanitarian crisis we are currently
the parties have come to an agreement that gives experiencing. Thank you to the court and The Le-
the city more tools to manage entries and exits of gal Aid Society, for recognizing that the status quo
single adult migrants from the shelter system and cannot continue and for giving New York City ad-
ensure the city has the flexibility it needs to contin- ditional tools to address this crisis while ensuring
ue supporting vulnerable New Yorkers. that the most vulnerable can continue to receive
As the city has consistently argued, the Right the support they need. Like impacted cities across
to Shelter — put into place over 40 years ago when the country, we cannot bear the brunt of this cri-
the city’s shelter system had fewer than 2,500 peo- sis alone and continue to seek significant support
ple in its care — compared to the 120,000 people, from our federal partners, including expedited
approximately 65,000 of which are migrants, cur- work authorizations, more funding, and a national
rently in the city’s care — was never meant to apply resettlement strategy.”
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