Advocating for Permanent Housing for Homeless New Yorkers

On July 26, Senator Serrano joined Upper West Side Open Hearts, Senator Brian Kavanagh, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Manhattan District Attorney Elect Alvin Bragg to call on Mayor de Blasio to halt the transfer of homeless New Yorkers to congregate shelters.

"Congregate shelters can be crowded and unsafe, especially as we continue to grapple with COVID-19 and the spread of the Delta variant," said Senator Serrano. "On the one-year anniversary of homeless New Yorkers arriving at the Lucerne, we reaffirm our commitment to a city that can provide for its residents’ basic needs. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the deep inequalities that exist in our society and underscored the urgent need to invest our resources into ending homelessness and creating a path to permanent housing."

During the 2021 Legislative Session, Senator Serrano and his Senate colleagues fought to obtain funding for housing and homelessness prevention, including an increase in the value of FHEPS vouchers.