Correctional
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Housing
Emergency Shelters
New York City's public shelters provide three hot meals a day,
beds, showers, delousing, and clothing for men (ages 21 and over)
and women (ages 18 and over) in need of emergency shelter. Included
are social services, health care assistance, and referral to mental
health services.
For general information, call the Department of Homeless
Services Emergency Information Line at 800.994.6494, 7
days a week, 24 hours a day. Spanish also spoken. The department
is on the web at www.nyc.gov/dhs.
Dial 311 to receive directions and other information
on the following intake centers:
For intake into the shelter system:
Single men can come 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to the 30th Street
shelter at 400-430 East 30th Street (near First Avenue), Manhattan.
Telephone: 212.481.0771
Women can come 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to one of three intake
centers:
Franklin Women's Shelter
1122 Franklin Avenue (at East 166th Street)
Bronx
347.417.8240 |
Jamaica Armory
93–05 166th Street (at 81st Avenue)
Jamaica, Queens
718.262.1780 |
Brooklyn Women's Shelter
116 Williams Avenue (at Liberty Avenue)
Brooklyn
718.495.7874 |
Families with Children under 21 or Single Pregnant Women
can come 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to E.A.U., 151 East 151st
Street (off Walton Avenue), Bronx.
Adult Families with No Minor Children can come
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to the Adult Family Intake Center
(AFIC), 29th Street and First Avenue, Manhattan.
If you need to locate someone in a family shelter,
call the shelter inquiry unit Mon.–Fri. 9–5 at 212.361.6395;
if you need to locate someone at a shelter for single adults,
call the shelter inquiry unit Mon.–Fri. 9–5 at 212.361.0960.
Persons with verified AIDS who are in need of
emergency housing or other services can call 212 971.0626.
Homeless Veterans can call 718.784.5690, 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week. Spanish also spoken.
Families at Risk of Becoming Homeless can call
the HRAHotline at 877.472.8411. Spanish, Russian, and Chinese also
spoken.
If you are Under Age 21 and Homeless, contact
Covenant House at 460 West 41st Street in Manhattan. Telephone:
800.999.9999, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
DROP-IN CENTERS
In partnership with nonprofit organizations, the NYC Department
of Homeless Services sponsors nine Drop-In Centers located throughout
the city. Drop-Ins provide hot meals, showers, laundry facilities,
clothing, medical care, recreational space, employment referrals,
and other social services. Staff can also help you find a safe and
secure place to sleep. All of these operate 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week. Dial 311 to contact any Drop-In Center,
receive directions, or other information.
Drop-In Centers are located at:
Project Rescue
315 Bowery
Manhattan 10003
212.533.5656 ext. 100 |
The Living Room
890 Garrison Avenue
Bronx, 10011
718.893.3606 |
Open Door
402 West 41st Street
Manhattan, 10036
212.465.0975 |
Olivieri Center For Homeless Women
257 West 30th Street
Manhattan, 10001
212.947.3211 |
John Heuss
42 Beaver Street
Manhattan, 10004
212.785.0770
(takes people with psychiatric disabilities) |
Peter's Place
123 West 23rd Street
Manhattan, 10011
212.727.0725
(for older and frail people) |
Project Hospitality
25 Central Avenue
Staten Island, 10301
718.720.0079 |
Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter
237 East 77th Street
Manhattan, 10028
212.861.0704 |
COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS
129 Fulton Street, 4th Floor (at Nassau Street), Manhattan
10038
Telephone: 212.776.2000
www.coalitionforthehomeless.org
Assists the homeless, the formerly homeless, and those at risk of
becoming homeless. Offers housing services including rental assistance
and permanent housing for single men, single women, women and children,
and individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. Also offers crisis
services including grants for rent arrears, groceries, and medicine;
referrals to social service agencies; and assistance securing benefits.
Also offers a job-training program for women. Provides mail and
voice mail services. Coalition for the Homeless Resource Guide,
a directory of information on food, shelter, and services for homeless
and low-income New Yorkers, is available on the website and in the
Reference Section of all New York Public Library branches. Walk-in
Mon.–Fri. 9–2 or call Mon.–Fri. 9–5.
PARTNERSHIP FOR THE HOMELESS
305 7th Avenue, 13th Floor, Manhattan 10001
Telephone: 212.645.3444
www.partnershipforthehomeless.org
Helps individuals and families maintain independent housing through
supportive case management, entitlement education and advocacy,
legal assistance, furniture, support groups and other assistance.
A workforce development program helps parents looking for work,
and the Education Rights Project can help with some of the school-related
issues homeless children face.
Call Mon.-Fri. 9-5. or walk in Mon.-Thurs. 9--4.
PICTURE THE HOMELESS
2427 Morris Avenue, 2nd Floor, Bronx 10468
Telephone: 646.314.6423
www.picturethehomeless.org
Founded and led by homeless individuals. Advocates for the homeless,
organizing groups to fight for changes in the system. Publishes
reports on homeless-related issues. Walk-in or call Tues.–Thurs.
1–6.
CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU
Telephone: 718.716.6049
www.cabny.org
The Homeless Outreach Team can help homeless people get their entitlements,
food stamps, and detox placement. Also provides counseling, referrals,
job skills and assistance for homeless people in finding shelter.
Four offices in the Bronx. Call Mon.-Fri. 9-5.
COVENANT HOUSE/UNDER 21 NEW YORK
460 West 41st Street, Manhattan 10036
Telephone: 212.613.0300
A 24-hour multiservice walk-in center for adolescents located in
the Times Square area. Offers crisis intervention and short-term
counseling. Provides medical, social, educational/vocational, psychological,
legal, and family services. There is a short-term residential program
with capacity for emergency care. Services disenfranchised, exploited,
nomadic, sexually abused, and runaway youth. Must be under 21. Spanish
also spoken.
HOUSING WORKS
Intake: 320 West 13th Street, 4th Floor, Manhattan 10007
Telephone: 212.645.8111
Provides services for people living with HIV/AIDS or at risk for
HIV/AIDS who are also homeless or at risk for homelessness. Among
their client services are: housing, COBRA case management, adult
day health care, job training, other support services and advocacy,
and a harm-reduction/needle-exchange program. Walk-in Mon.-Fri.
9-5. Spanish, French Creole, and Sign Language also spoken. Accessible
to people with disabilities.
BAILEY HOUSE
East Harlem Case Management Office
Drop-In Center
104 East 107th Street, 4th Floor (at Park Avenue), Manhattan 10029
Telephone: 212.289.6008
www.baileyhouse.org
Provides housing and support services to men, women, and children with HIV/AIDS. Services include housing placement, health monitoring, case management, counseling, vocational education, job training and placement, food pantry, clothing closet, lending library, and support groups. Staff fluent in English and Spanish. Walk-in or call Mon.–Fri. 9–5. Also operates group residences with supportive services. Residential clients must be referred through the New York City HIV/AIDS Service Administration (HASA). Call HASA at 212.971.0626 Mon.–Fri. 9–5.
PROJECT RENEWAL
200 Varick Street, 9th Floor, Manhattan 10014
Telephone: 212.620.0340
Offers a wealth of services to homeless people with disabilities
(including substance abuse, mental illness, or chronic illness).
Project Renewal tries to provide everything homeless people need
to move from the streets to independent living. Areas of service
include housing, outreach, health care, addiction recovery, mental
health, and employment. Must be referred (referrals are usually
through the shelter system, social service programs, prisons); however,
assistance will be given in obtaining a referral if necessary. Call
Mon.-Fri. 9-5. Accessible to people with disabilities.
CENTER FOR URBAN COMMUNITY SERVICES
120 Wall Street, 25th Floor, Manhattan 10005
Telephone: 212.801.3300
www.cucs.org/
Provides comprehensive services to homeless, formerly homeless, low-income, mentally ill, and special needs individuals and families. Services include outreach, medical and psychiatric assistance, housing referral, transitional housing, supportive housing, educa-tional programs, and job training and placement. Drop-in Center in Harlem offers food, showers, laundry facilities, counseling, and other services. Single Stop Centers in Harlem, Washington Heights and Rikers Island provide public benefits assistance, legal assistance, financial counseling, tax preparation assistance and referral services. Must be 18 or older. Staff fluent in English and Spanish. Call Mon.–Fri. 9–5.
COMMON GROUND COMMUNITY
14 East 28th Street, Manhattan 10016
Telephone: 212.471.0800
www.commonground.org
Provides supportive housing to the homeless, low-income workers, the elderly, and people with medical and/or mental disabilities. Operates programs targeted at veterans and formerly incarcerated individuals. Must be 18 or older. Accessible to people with disabilities. Call Mon.–Fri. 9–5.
The Housing Seminar offered by Exodus
Transitional Community provides an overview for formerly
incarcerated people about housing authority laws that affect them,
and provides information about the shelter system. Call 917.492.0990
for more information.
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ON HOUSING
339 Lafayette Street, #301, Manhattan 10012
Telephone: 212.979.6238; Tenant Hotline: 212.979.0611
www.metcouncil.net
Hotline offers information, advice and assistance. Call Mon., Wed., Fri. 1:30–5. Website includes Fact Sheets on tenant rights, rent guidelines, rent control/stabilization, subletting/roommates, heat, hot water, pests, and housing court. Website also includes links to online resources for New York City tenants.
See also the Emergency Assistance section
in the chapter on Financial Assistance.
Shelters and housing assistance for women
are included in the chapter Women.
Public Housing
NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY
Borough Applications Offices
www.nyc.gov/nycha
Provides affordable housing to low- and moderate-income residents in publicly owned buildings throughout the five boroughs. Pick up an application for public housing at your Borough Applications Office or call your Borough Applications Office to have an applica-tion mailed to you. Walk-in Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 8–5. Call Mon.–Fri. 8–5. You will receive an acknowledgement letter within 60 days of receipt of your application. The waiting lists for public housing are long, particularly in Manhattan and Queens. Must be 18 or older.
| In the Bronx |
In Brooklyn |
1 Fordham Plaza, 5th Floor
Bronx, NY 10458
Tel.: 718.329.7859
TTY: 718.329.7735 |
350 Livingston Street,
2nd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Tel.: 718.250.5900
TTY: 718.222.4113 |
| In Manhattan |
In Queens |
55 West 125 Street, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10027
Tel.: 212.828.7100
TTY: 212.828.7118 |
59-17 Junction Boulevard
2nd Floor
Corona 11368
Tel.: 212.828.7100
TTY: 212.828.7118 |
| On Staten Island |
|
120 Stuyvesant Place, 2nd Floor
Staten Island, NY 10301
Tel.: 718.448.7326
TTY: 718.222.4113
|
Housing Assistance
The Section 8 Housing Assistance Program helps
lower-income families obtain a decent place to live. Under this
program, the New York City Housing Authority may make monthly payments
to a landlord on behalf of an eligible tenant that will constitute
the difference between the rent that the tenant can afford to pay
for the apartment and the full rent.
Please note that the New York City Housing Authority is no longer
accepting Section 8 applications EXCEPT for those in the categories
listed below, until further notice:
- Victims of Domestic Violence
- Homeless
- Intimidated Witness
- Administration for Children's Services (ACS) Family Unification
and Independent Living Programs
You may pick up a Section 8 application from any of the borough
offices listed above under "PUBLIC HOUSING."
The Legal Action Center has published a document,
"How to Get Section 8 or Public Housing even with a criminal record:
a guide for New York City Housing Authority applicants and their
advocates". Access it online at www.hirenetwork.org/publications.html
or call 212.243.1313.
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development
(HPD)
provides information on available affordable apartments, both rental
and sales, through its hotline at 212.863.5610, Spanish 212.863.5620.
A taped message lists available apartments by borough, income requirements,
where to write for an application, and deadlines for applications.
Preference is given to local area residents.
You can also visit the HPD website at www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/home.html
and click on "apartment seekers" for a list of frequently asked
questions and the HPD's affordable apartment listing.
Rentals
It is extremely difficult in most areas of New York City today
to find decent housing at an affordable rent. It may require a lot
of patience and ingenuity to find what you are looking for. Some
suggestions include checking the local newspapers and church and
community center bulletin boards, monitoring online bulletin boards
such as Craigslist (www.newyork.craigslist.org)
and notifying friends and people at work that you're looking for
an apartment. If you contract for the help of a real estate agent,
be prepared to pay a finder's fee of up to 12 to 18% of a year's
rent.
Finding a Roommate
Another option in finding living accommodations is sharing an apartment
with a roommate. People with apartments wishing to share, as well
as people needing apartment space, often advertise in the classified
section of the daily papers or on online bulletin boards. There
are also commercial agencies that specialize in matching people
with roommates. These agencies charge fees, though many charge only
the individuals who own the apartments. For a listing of commercial
roommate services, check the Village Voice. Be sure never to sign
a contract until you are certain exactly what services you will
be given.
Housing Complaints
For complaints about lack of heat and hot water, or a landlord's
refusal to make emergency repairs in an apartment or building, call
311 and you will be transferred to the New York City Department
of Housing Preservation and Development. Spanish also spoken.
For cases of housing discrimination, see the
chapter on Legal Services.
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