Coalition fighting right to shelter changes to rally in Albany and NYC

Calls to protect New York City’s right to shelter will ring out in Albany and the city tomorrow. Members of the New York Shelter for All in Need Equally (NY SANE) Coalition will rally at the state Capitol and near City Hall Tuesday morning.

The coalition of religious leaders and social services advocacy groups was formed in October in opposition to Mayor Eric Adams’ attempts to roll back the city’s decades-old right to shelter mandate amid the continuing influx of asylum-seekers to the city. In the last month, the coalition has expanded its ranks to nearly 100 organizations and leaders, including new labor members like the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, and advocacy groups like the Riders Alliance, Make the Road NY, and Housing Justice For All.

The diversification of the coalition’s membership is not the only development of the last month, however. The city and state had been in court with the Legal Aid Society (on behalf homeless New Yorkers) for months over the sought-after changes to the mandate, but the groups moved into confidential mediation in mid-October. 

Groups participating in Tuesday’s rallies in Albany and New York City include shelter provider Win, the Coalition for the Homeless, the Legal Aid Society and the Met Council, among others. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is also scheduled to attend the New York City rally. In addition to calling for the city and state to cease efforts to roll back the right to shelter, the coalition is advocating for policies aimed at fighting homelessness, including expanding housing vouchers to people who are not documented.