New York City could save nearly $3 billion by placing migrants in permanent housing with vouchers instead of makeshift emergency shelters, according to a new report.
The jointly-issued study from the New York Immigration Coalition and Win says the city would only pay $72 for a two-bed apartment per night for an asylum-seeking family with vouchers.
It currently shells out roughly $383 each night on average for hotel rooms, the report says.
“New York has the responsibility to provide a permanent housing solution for households regardless of immigration status and should implement the expansion of the vouchers to all New Yorkers,” the report says.
“New York has the legal authority to grant immigrants access to housing vouchers.”
The shift to vouchers, which would require a change in city law, could see up to $2.9 billion in savings, according to the report released on Tuesday.
The proposal comes as the Adams administration pushes the state and federal government to provide more shelter funds and additional sites throughout the state.
Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom said during an asylum-seeking briefing Wednesday afternoon she welcomed the conversation with advocates on how to address the crisis that is expected to cost the city more than $12 billion over the next three years.
However Williams-Isom did not seem optimistic about the proposed plan.
“I think, even if I was to get 50,000 people out of the city right now, I’m still getting 3100 a week. I’m not sure that we catch up that way,” Williams-Isom said.
The city currently has 59,300 migrants in its care as more and more arrive from the southern border. Just last week, more than 3,100 people arrived in New York City, officials said Wednesday.
Under current city law, migrants cannot receive rental assistance.
City Hall spokesman Jonah Allon said the administration “will review the report.”
“In the midst of an unprecedented crisis, Mayor Adams has taken decisive action to connect more New Yorkers in shelter with permanent housing,” Allon said, adding, “Earlier this year, he eliminated the 90-day rule, helping connect more New Yorkers to permanent housing through CityFHEPS vouchers than any other year in the program’s efforts.”