Councilman Stephen Levin penned a post on Medium advocating for supportive housing.
As Levin explains in the piece, supportive housing is affordable housing combined with on-site resources. The housing units are used to help people who are chronically homeless, particularly those who suffer from mental health and/or substance abuse issues.
As the chair of the General Welfare Committee in the City Council, Levin takes a special interest in child welfare, homelessness and other issues affecting thousands of New Yorkers.
“We know what works,” he wrote in the post. “The evidence shows that supportive housing is one of the best tools we have to address the crisis of homelessness.”
“Let’s provide for our most vulnerable neighbors and set them on a path to long-term stability.”
The Brooklyn councilman argues while New York City has committed to building 15,000 units of supportive housing in 15 years, the state has yet to deliver on a year-old promise to invest $2 billion in supportive housing.
“The failure to establish a new NY/NY agreement is a casualty of the politics between New York City and the State,” Levin wrote, referring to the much-maligned rivalry between Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo. “In the meantime, tens of thousands of individuals and families are waiting for shelter.”