The Supportive Housing Network of New York, an NLIHC state coalition partner, is leading the effort to establish a coalition of nonprofit organizations, faith-based leaders, service providers and homeless individuals that will use the 2013 New York City elections to draw attention to the city’s growing number of homeless individuals and families. The coalition, United to End Homelessness (UEH), officially launched on April 9 and has a developed a platform outlining steps the next Mayor and City Council members must take to end the homelessness crisis. Due to term limit, Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I) will step down following 12 years in office, as will 19 City Council members. Advocates expect that the new elected officials will have to address unprecedented levels of homelessness, and they are holding candidates accountable for advancing solutions to address the issue. More than 57,000 people, 22,000 of them children, sleep on the streets or in city-funded shelters, according to UEH. This is the largest homeless population ever recorded in the city, a 58% increase for sheltered homeless individuals and 68% increase for homeless families since 2002. These statistics do not include city residents who remain displaced by Super Storm Sandy. According to the U.S. Census, 55% of New York City renter households are rent burdened and 30% are severely rent burdened, spending 30% and 50% of their income on rent, respectively. The high cost of housing and lack of rental assistance remain the greatest contributors to the city’s homeless crisis. As a result, UEH and other advocates are calling on future leadership to invest in such programs as permanent supportive housing and targeted affordable housing that are proven in their ability to prevent or end homelessness. In 2012, New York City spent more than $908 million on shelter and homeless services, a 68% increase from 2002.More than 300 people attended the UEH April 9 launch, which took place on the steps of City Hall. Keith Hunter, a supportive housing resident, spoke about his struggle with homelessness prior to and following foster care, and the ways that a home and support network changed his life. He was joined at the podium by other formerly or currently homeless individuals, as well as faith-based and community leaders fighting homelessness in the city. UEH had more than 150 organizations endorse its platform by the time of the launch. The platform includes a series of solutions to help prevent, mitigate and end New York City’s homelessness crisis, including increased funding for homeless prevention programs, expanding housing assistance resources, expanding and creating affordable housing for the lowest income residents, and improving planning around natural disaster-induced homelessness. “Ending homelessness should be a top priority for the next administration and we look to the next Mayor to have a plan for doing so,” said Ted Houghton, the Network’s executive director. “Supportive housing must be a major part of any successful plan; it is the most effective way to house New Yorkers with disabilities or barriers that make it hard for them to keep their homes. Supportive housing lets people live in hope and dignity, saves taxpayers millions of dollars in expensive emergency services and replaces empty lots with beautiful new buildings.” To watch the campaign video, visit http://youtu.be/289_E-gBiJ4. For the campaign website, including the UEH platform, visit www.endhomelessnessnyc.org . For more information, contact Edline Jacquet at [email protected].