Note: please note that this profile of a policy option or program model should (a) link back to the issue overview on this topic, (b) be focused either the local, state, national, or global level, and (c) be neutrally presented, based on facts, and include footnotes for each of the items. See the Research Guide and Information Sources to assist you.
This policy option or model program profile relates to the following issue overview(s):
Summary one paragraph description
The New York/New York Agreement to House Homeless Mentally Ill Individuals, was a historic joint effort by New York State and New York City that created 3,615 units of supportive and licensed, permanent and transitional housing for homeless mentally ill people in New York City. The New York/New York (NY/NY) Agreement remains the largest housing initiative for homeless mentally ill people to date, and provided the University of Pennsylvania researchers, Dennis P. Culhane, Ph.D., Stephen Metraux, M.A., and Trevor Hadley, Ph.D., an exceptionally large group of people on which to base their study.
Goal short description of the policy or program goal
From its beginnings in 1990, the New York/New York agreement's main goal was to create housing with supplemental resources for mentally ill homeless individuals. Further, through work with non-profit agencies, funding from HUD and local and state government, the plan was also dedicated to refurbishing old buildings for these housing facilities.
Cost total policy or program cost; also include per person cost if available
- Funding for services ranges from $6,500-$9,000 per year per housing unit.
- The state and city share about $1,800 per year, per unit for housing.
- Together, the city and state allocated a total of $194.7 million in capital funds to build the Agreement’s housing.
Implementation describe how the policy or program is implemented (esp. who, how)
The city and state each contribute half of a modest operating subsidy for the supportive SRO units built by the city, and reflecting the state’s traditional responsibility for mental health care, SOMH paid for the cost of ongoing clinical and social services in all 3,615 housing units. Both the city and the state used federal funds to supplement their commitments. Some of the city’s capital costs were paid with funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The state used a combination of federal Stewart B. McKinney funds and state general budget money to pay for services. Finally, the city applied a significant portion of its allocation of federal Section 8 rental subsidies to cover almost all of the supportive housing units it built.
- To realize the NY/NY Agreement’s ambitious development targets, the city and state embarked on two separate and parallel efforts. The city was already in the midst of an unprecedented ten-year, $5.1 billion housing development initiative, a small percentage of which would be spent on housing for single adults with special needs. It made sense for the NY/NY Agreement’s development to be managed from the same city office that oversaw the financing and construction of other supportive housing projects, the SRO Loan Program in the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), which has been headed by Timothy O’Hanlon since shortly after the Agreement began. The New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) augmented HPD’s production by providing capital funding for five of the largest supportive residences, each with 150 to 200 units, just under a third of which are designated NY/NY units.
- From the Agreement’s beginning until October 1998, when the last residence opened, the Agreement funded the new construction or substantial renovation of 3,112 new units of housing for homeless mentally ill people in all five boroughs of New York City, as well as subsidizing the rent of an additional 503 existing apartments scattered across the city’s neighborhoods. The creation of these 3,615 units, bolstered by the vacancies generated by residents’ departures, have allowed 7,774 homeless mentally ill individuals to be placed into NY/NY housing as of December 31, 2000.
Evaluation summarize any evaluation findings that policy or program effectiveness
Status indicate whether this policy or program has been adopted in more locations or remains a proposal
- This model/policy has been enacted.
- The program is on its third stage, as of 2005.
- In November 2005, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Governor George E. Pataki entered into the New York/New York III Supportive Housing agreement to create 9,000 new units of supportive housing in New York City over the next ten years. These units, along with the more than 3,000 additional units currently in development will fulfill the City's commitment to create 12,000 units of supportive housing in New York City. Supportive housing combines permanent, affordable housing with services and helps people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless achieve housing stability and independence in the community. It is the proven cost-effective solution to homelessness, as it is less costly to provide permanent housing than to expend resources on emergency care such as shelters, hospitals, jails and prisons.
- The Supportive Housing Network of New York
- Helps in policy research and advocacy to affect money allocation for programs in the NY/NY III Agreement.
Point of View quotations from those in support or opposition to this policy or program
- " Providing housing combined with mental health services is an effective approach to reducing shelter use among mentally ill persons who have a history of homelessness."
Contact contact information for sponsor of this policy or program
- Supportive Housing Network of New York:
- 247 W. 37th Street 18th Floor
New York, New York 10018
PHONE: 646-619-9640
FAX: 646-237-8505
- Ted Houghton: Executive Director of Supportive Housing Network of New York
- Nicole Branca: Director of Policy at the Supportive Housing Network of New York
Bibliography link to any additional readings or websites related to this policy or program
- Houghton, Ted. A Description and History of The New York/New York Agreement to House Homeless Mentally Ill Individuals.
- Metreaux, Steven, Marcus, Steve C., Culhane, Dennis P. "The New York–New York Housing Initiative and Use of Public Shelters by Persons With Severe Mental Illness" 2003.
- Supportive Housing Network of New York website: www.shnny.org
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