One Brooklyn
March 25, 2016
BROOKLYN, NY, March 25, 2016: Today, Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams joined a coalition of elected officials from across Brooklyn in calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo and State Senate Republicans to support expanding the Family Eviction Prevention Supplement (FEPS) program to include New Yorkers who were forced to leave their homes as a result of domestic violence, in addition to increasing the subsidy provided to families to match fair market rental values for New York City. It is estimated that about 1,600 families in New York City that are impacted by domestic violence would benefit from such an expansion in the coming year; FEPS currently excludes those who have had to flee for their safety but were not subject to a legal eviction ruling. Borough President Adams, who experienced domestic violence in his family as a child, addressed his personal history and urged the State to take compassionate action in the impending budget.
“We are calling on the State to do the right thing for families who are the victims of domestic violence,” said Borough President Adams. “I know that leaving an abuser requires an act of courage and commitment to be free from violence. Violence becomes a trap, and it holds the victim inside its awful grip. We want victims to become survivors. Expanding FEPS to include New Yorkers who were forced to leave their homes as a result of domestic violence will demonstrate our concern and our good faith for survivors. We need Governor Cuomo and the Republican Party to join us. It is important that victims of domestic violence are allowed to receive the emergency assistance and resources to be released from the grip of violence and find a safe haven in another living environment, in a situation free from violence.”
FEPS currently uses the same rent level of $1,050 per month from when the program was created 10 years ago. Due to the rising cost of rents in New York City, the effectiveness of the program has been severely impacted, leading to the call from Borough President Adams and others to raise the subsidy to $1,515 each month, a figure established by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The proposed change to FEPS would cost the State $8.3 million annually, with yearly contributions of $19.7 million from the City and $35.6 million from the federal government.
“In 2015, there were 26 intimate partner homicides in New York City, and the New York City Police Department responded to over 279,051 domestic incidents,” said Representative Yvette D. Clarke. “Three of the twenty-six intimate partner homicides were in Brooklyn. These stats are more than numbers — they represent our sons and daughters; our mothers and fathers; our friends and neighbors. Victims of domestic violence deserve our protection and our assistance. Expanding the FEPS program to include domestic violence victims is the right thing to do.”
“Victims of domestic violence have effectively been evicted from homes that are no longer safe for them to reside in,” said Representative Carolyn B. Maloney. “Clearly they should qualify for rental assistance that prevents homelessness. When someone is a victim of domestic violence, they have already gone through a terrible ordeal. They have been betrayed by someone who was supposed to love them. Their safety and peace of mind have been violated. That anyone has to choose between remaining with their abuser or becoming homeless is unacceptable. A shelter is not the place to recover and to feel safe. I applaud Borough President Adams for supporting this increase in rental assistance and for making it more likely that victims of domestic violence will be able to afford new homes.”
“We cannot turn our back on our most vulnerable when they are in need,” said Representative Nydia M. Velázquez. “Both the State and City must dedicate adequate resources to ensuring domestic violence victims can secure livable housing when escaping their abusers.”
“Under the current rules, victims of domestic violence are forced into shelters and not eligible for rental assistance because they are not in the process of an eviction,” said State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud. “It is time we offer them the support they need by providing them with adequate rental assistance.”
“As we focus on homelessness, we must not leave domestic violence survivors out,” said State Senator Daniel Squadron. “The best way to address homelessness is to prevent it, including through rental assistance. I thank Borough President Adams, Assembly Member Simon, Council Member Cumbo, colleagues, and Sanctuary for Families for their continued work and advocacy.”
“We must do everything in our power to ensure that victims of domestic violence have the support and resources they need to keep them safe from victims escalating danger in the future,” said Assembly Member Pamela Harris. “Increased rental assistance would provide survivors with a peace of mind and a chance to rebuild their lives.”
“We should not be elevating form over substance,” said Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon. “New Yorkers who are victims of domestic violence and need to leave home have been constructively evicted already. They need our protection and our assistance so they can build their lives and stay out of the shelter system where they might be victimized once again.”
“Survivors of domestic violence face a conundrum: If they stay, they risk exposing themselves and their children to ongoing violence, or, if they leave, they risk homelessness. Fleeing to safety from domestic violence should not result in homelessness,” said Assembly Member Latrice M. Walker. “An increase in rental assistance for survivors of domestic violence will help provide safe, stable homes to survivors and their children as they heal from abuse.”
“Survivors of domestic or intimate partner violence should not have to choose between a perpetual cycle of violence or homelessness,” said Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo. “With more than 60,000 homeless New Yorkers, most of whom are women and children, it is our collective responsibility to protect the most vulnerable population and provide them with a pathway towards independence. As chair of the Committee on Women’s Issues, I am proud that Mayor de Blasio will enact Intro 832, which will prohibit discrimination in housing accommodations on the basis of an individual’s status as a victim of domestic violence within the City of New York. I urge Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature to expand FEPS to include survivors of domestic violence who deserve an opportunity to rebuild their lives.”
“Domestic violence survivors need as many tools in the toolbox as possible when it comes to finding affordable housing in New York City,” said Jelaine Bailey, director of crisis shelters for Sanctuary for Families. “Expanding access to FEPS for domestic violence survivors who have had to flee their home in terror would provide them with a powerful tool for long-term stability, both for themselves and their children. Additionally, it is time we recognize the realities of the New York City rental market, and bring the subsidy rates in line with the federally recognized levels. We applaud Borough President Adams and Mayor de Blasio for their leadership on these critical issues.”
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