New York City is planning to transfer control of all migrant shelter operations to the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) by June 2026, according to an administration figure familiar with the move. The plan comes after two years of operating a “shadow system” of separate shelters for migrants.
The decision was announced at a National Immigrants Day celebration last month, where Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom described the transfer as part of efforts to build an infrastructure to manage migrant shelter operations. The shift is reflected in updated budget documents released by City Hall, which show DHS spending increasing by $2.5 billion over two fiscal years.
The move comes after an increase in migrants arriving in buses from border communities starting in 2022. To address the surge, other agencies like Health and Hospitals Corporation and New York City Emergency Management built out warehouses, hotels, tents, and gyms specifically for these new arrivals.
However, advocates have criticized the separate migrant shelters as a “shadow system” that operates outside the city’s unique right to shelter provisions. The current system has been criticized for its lack of flexibility and limited support from the federal government.
Under the new plan, DHS will oversee about 160 emergency shelters in the five boroughs, including those housing asylum-seeking immigrants. The department is expected to build an infrastructure to manage migrant shelter operations, although details on how this will be achieved are still being hammered out.
Critics have expressed concerns that the transfer of control may lead to a slower pace and less flexibility in addressing the needs of migrants. However, proponents argue that having a single city agency managing all shelters can provide more effective support for these individuals.
More than 223,000 people have stayed in the city’s emergency shelters over the last two years, with around 57,000 currently living in them. The shift is expected to reduce the number of shelters operated by other agencies, which have faced criticism for their handling of migrant shelter operations.
Source: https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/11/22/migrant-shelters-homeless-services-city-hall