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New York City will start housing migrants arriving in the city in shelters at churches and other religious organizations, Mayor Eric Adams announced this week.
The country’s largest city also has the largest population of unhoused people, many of whom access shelters provided by the government.
In 2023, there are over 46,000 asylum seekers in city-run housing, according to the mayor’s website.
In his Monday announcement, Adams made his case for the new arrangement by saying all religious faiths know how to practice taking care of those in need.
“No matter what faith you practice, caring for those in need is part of every spiritual tradition,” Adams said.
He also said placing migrants in faith-based organizations will help them connect with local New Yorkers in various neighborhoods and boroughs.
New York has been straining to accommodate additional asylum seekers arriving in the city starting around last fall.
Once newcomers arrive in the city, they often wait in limbo to secure work authorization, jobs and other building blocks of the life they want to start, USA TODAY has reported.
“Our city has witnessed an unprecedented influx of asylum seekers coming to New York City since last spring,” said Pastor Gil Monrose from Adams’ office of faith-based community partnerships. “They are escaping violence, oppression, poverty, and, like all of us, want to live and support their families in peace. New York City is the city of immigrants.”
In his Monday announcement, Adams said faith-based organizations can start housing single adult men.
Up to 50 houses of worship or faith-based centers will be part of the first cohort of the program, Adams said.
The mayor hinted Monday his next step would be enlisting private residents to house migrants in their homes, the New York Daily News reported.
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Faith-based organizations will offer overnight shelter for asylum seekers as part of the new program, Adams said. People will also be able to access programing and supportive services at a handful of “daytime centers,” he said.
Up to 19 single men will be able to sleep at night at each of the up to 50 churches that participate in the program.
The overnight centers will offer dining and social areas, shower facilities, meals and storage space. The larger, daytime locations will also offer meals and snacks, shower facilities, social areas, and additional services, the mayor’s website says.
The program will be part of a two-year partnership between the city and New York Disaster Interfaith Services, according to the mayor’s website.
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Since last spring, over 72,000 migrants have come to New York, according to the mayor’s office.
City government says it is working to help and house the migrants, and cites spending $1.2 billion on “the crisis” this fiscal year.
Adams and other leaders also say they are calling on the Biden administration to help solve the complicated humanitarian issue.
“Mayor Adams has repeatedly called on the federal government to provide multiple forms of support, including expedited work authorization for asylum seekers, a nationwide decompression strategy, increased funding to manage the crisis, and meaningful immigration reform,” a press release on the mayor’s website says.
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