Posted on December 5, 2016 by Jacquelyn Simone “The aid, care and support of the needy are public concerns and shall be provided by the state and by such of its subdivisions, and in such manner and by such means, as the legislature may from time to time determine.” These words, from Article XVII of the New York State Constitution, formed the basis of the argument made by the founders of the Coalition for the Homeless when they filed the Callahan v. Carey lawsuit: That there is a legal obligation to provide basic shelter to anyone who lacks a safe place to sleep. On December 5, 1979, while this lawsuit was still being argued, the New York State Supreme Court issued its first injunction ordering the the City and State to provide shelter for homeless men. This was the first milestone in a series of critical victories by the Coalition and The Legal Aid Society that later extended the right to shelter to single women and to families. Today, on the 37th anniversary of that first ruling and 35 years after the Callahan Consent Decree was ultimately signed, we celebrate the landmark ruling that has saved more than a million New Yorkers from the perils of living on the street. New York City is one of the only places in the country to provide a legal right to shelter, and this is why we do not have the massive, heartbreaking tent encampments commonly found in so many other large cities. The Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development reports that on a single night in 2016, an impressive 96 percent of the 73,523 homeless people in New York City were sheltered, compared with only 25 percent of the 43,854 homeless people in Los Angeles. A shelter is not a permanent home, and the Coalition consistently advocates for the proven, housing-based solutions that are the only real, long-term answer to our homelessness crisis. But for those who do find themselves without a home, the guarantee of a safe, warm place to sleep at night provides the necessary foundation to help them piece their lives back together. As harsh winter weather descends upon the city, the right to shelter guarantees lifesaving protection from the elements for our homeless neighbors. On Right to Shelter Day, we encourage you to learn about this legal milestone and hear from some of the men, women, and children who have benefitted from the vital safety net provided by our fine and compassionate city. Visit coalitionforthehomeless.org/right-to-shelter-day
