Homeless People Living In Hotels Rally At City Hall For Access To Affordable Housing, Not Shelters
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A group of homeless people living in New York City hotels rallied outside City Hall on Thursday, protesting plans to move them back into shelters.
The demonstrators say congregate shelters are unsafe, especially as COVID cases continue to rise. Instead, they want to stay in the hotels until the city transfers them to permanent housing.
To do that, they say the city needs to increase the amount of their rent vouchers.
"Whoever's in charge -- you know who you are -- refuse to give us enough money to afford an apartment," one person said.
"They are spending over $3,500 per couple to keep me in a 9-by-10 foot room. That $3,500, you could house two families in an apartment," another added.
Last week, a federal judge temporarily halted the plan to move the homeless from hotels. Relocation plans resume next week.