Advocates Urge State Lawmakers Not to Cut Homeless Youth Funds

More than 70 activists and young people traveled to Albany on Tuesday, March 15, to urge lawmakers not to cut state funding for runaway and homeless youth services.

Representatives from the Ali Forney Center, Green Chimneys, The Door, Covenant House, Inwood House, GEMS, Safe Space, Good Shepherd's Chelsea Foyer and the Empire State Coalition of Runaway and Homeless Youth traveled from Manhattan to the state capital. They met with Assemblywoman Deborah Glick [D-Manhattan] and state Sens. Diane Savino [D-Staten Island] and Liz Krueger [D-Manhattan]. Advocates also met with Assemblywoman Amy Paulin [D-Scarsdale], who chairs the Assembly Committee on Children and Families.

"Everybody's very concerned and listened," said Carl Siciliano, executive director of the Ali Forney Center.

Ali Forney Center client Raciel Castillo was among those who spoke against the proposed cuts.

"Governor Cuomo, I want you to understand how terrible things are for homeless kids," he wrote in a letter posted on Joe.My.God. "I want you to understand how mean and reckless it is to cut support for kids out on the streets. I have lots of friends who have nowhere safe to sleep. I know some who have to prostitute themselves just to have a place to sleep. Kids get beat up and hurt on the streets."

As EDGE reported last month, Siciliano and other elected officials blasted Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed budget that would eliminate $85 million from the state's Runaway and Homeless Youth Program (RHY). Mayor Michael Bloomberg had proposed cutting funding for drop-in shelters and street outreach by 50 percent, but the administration restored the funds in January.

Siciliano said DYCD told him the state has dropped the proposed Primary Prevention Initiative Program (PPIP) that would have consolidated a variety of child welfare, juvenile and youth development programs into a $35 million block grant. Organizations would have had to compete for PPIP funds, but Siciliano told EDGE he remains concerned the proposed 50 percent cut to RHY's budget.

"It's reckless to cut shelter beds," he said. "To cut everything in half is pretty ruthless."

The Ali Forney Center has launched a call to action to urge Cuomo and Albany lawmakers to restore the funds in the budget. The Assembly and the State Senate have proposed their own plan. And they and Cuomo could actually agree on a budget before the April 1 deadline.

"We [are] reaching out to everybody that has RHY contracts to advocate," added Siciliano.