City Behind Schedule on Surveys of Migrants in Shelter

This information is essential to identify gaps make smart investments and create policies that help people build stable secure lives revealed Councilwoman Carlina Rivera the sponsor of both survey bills Immigrants who arrived in New York City on Aug waiting in front of Port Authority to be transported to homeless shelters The number of new arrivals has declined greatly since then Photo by Adi Talwar Last year the City Council passed two bills Local Laws and to survey the soundness requirements and work obstacles of expatriates staying in the city s shelters However City Hall is behind schedule in meeting the deadlines set out in the laws Local Law requires the city to conduct a workforce survey of asylum seekers including fresh arrivals and asylum seekers while Local Law will focus on their robustness requirements According to both pieces of ordinance scenario managers and on-site shelter staff should have received the survey by Nov and distributed it to expatriates staying at the sites The results of the survey shall be provided to the commissioner of the office or agency designated by the mayor upon completion no later than May the laws read But the surveys had not been finalized yet as of July city administrators explained City Limits The New York City Department of Soundness and Mental Hygiene DOHMH is preparing the robustness survey while the Mayor s Office of Talent and Workforce Growth is preparing the workforce survey administrators commented function d u ac var s d createElement 'script' s type 'text javascript' s src 'https a omappapi com app js api min js' s async true s dataset user u s dataset campaign ac d getElementsByTagName 'head' appendChild s document 'u kmqsczew vunxutxmd' Personnel declared the questionnaires are almost finished and will start rolling out in the next limited months though did not provide a specific date The improvement of studies of this magnitude take s time and deliberate coordinat ion across multiple city agencies to ensure that the survey is accurate rigorously distributed and yields the necessary and reliable results needed a DOHMH spokesperson mentioned According to the ordinance a mayor s office or a designated agency is responsible for creating the surveys overseeing the dissemination process and compiling the material in coordination with the Mayor s Office of Immigrant Affairs MOIA When inquired about the specific questions in the surveys a spokesperson from the DOHMH didn t give details but reported they will be based on the laws requirements Both the City Council and Councilwoman Carlina Rivera the sponsor of the bills commented that their offices have contacted City Hall for the latest updates but have received little information The Council has made inquiries to understand the Administration s current progress towards implementing Local Laws and of a Council s spokesperson noted in an emailed comment New York City has gained immense benefits from decades of successfully integrating immigrant New Yorkers and it is imperative that city governing body complies with Local Laws and to learn from this latest wave the spokesperson added Rivera s office explained that the executive branch is responsible for administering the surveys and explained they have relied on the Council s compliance unit for updates I passed law to ensure we gather the critical material needed to understand how our city is supporting work permit applications entrepreneurship workforce maturation and access to healthcare for our newest neighbors Councilmember Rivera declared in a comment This information is essential to identify gaps make smart investments and create policies that help people build stable secure lives RELATED READING Mayor Must Implement Council Laws Expanding Rental Vouchers Appeals Court Rules Since Spring around asylum seekers have arrived in New York and more than foreigners are still being housed across shelter sites Fewer than new asylum seekers entered the system during the week that ended June That s a major drop from two years ago when the city saw an average of new arrivals each week For months the city has been winding down its sprawling organization of crisis shelters as a response to that decrease incorporating largest part immigrants into the traditional Department of Homeless Services shelter system instead Advocates have questioned whether people are still getting access to the specialized support they need during the transition Although there are no penalties or sanctions for City Hall missing the laws legally stipulated deadlines the Council revealed it hopes to understand the issues that affected implementation When inquired a DOHMH spokesperson commented that there have not been any issues with carrying out this law or conducting surveys According to the law the mayor and Council speaker must receive a final description on the workforce and strength surveys by Sept This statement must include recommendations on policies and investments to advocacy the economic well-being and success of displaced persons as well as tactics to identify and anticipate their soundness necessities We aim to submit this record by the local law deadline September a DOHM spokesperson reported Rivera says the information is vital now as immigrants face increased federal enforcement and deportation risks As the federal cabinet pursues a radical anti-immigrant agenda that is expediting removals denying constitutional rights and disrupting lives and communities we are counting on the Adams administration to administer these surveys and deliver a comprehensive account Rivera explained It is our responsibility to meet this moment with effective and innovative policies that honor that legacy and ensure that all New Yorkers can thrive she added To reach the reporter behind this story contact Daniel citylimits org To reach the editor contact Jeanmarie citylimits org Want to republish this story Find City Limits reprint initiative here The post City Behind Schedule on Surveys of Foreigners in Shelter appeared first on City Limits