We found THIS article on how NYC is footing the bill to send homeless individuals back to their countries or states of origin, or wherever a family member vouches to take them in. This effort is to prevent paying more extensive costs of a prolonged shelter stay of these individuals in shelter programs in NYC. Although we realize that some individuals will benefit from returning to their families and having a support system, we can't help but think about the larger implications of initatives like this.
Is this really a 'solution' to homelessness? Will case managers (consciously or unconsciously) discriminate between whom they choose to send away? Does this address the underlying problem of how people coming to NYC, or those who are already there, become homeless? And while we understand that it makes economic good sense to make a one-time payment to prevent long-term housing and feeding, what can be done to keep people from becoming homeless in the first place?
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1 comment:
I wonder how many of the ppl are actually re-absorbed into their home communities once they return. The program does run the danger of being simply, as one of the ppl interviewed said, a cosmetic development for NYC. Passing on homelessness as another city's problems, and not addressing its structural causes.
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