Statement from Stanley Richards, President and CEO of the Fortune Society on the City Council FY25 Preliminary Budget Response

We applaud the City Council for the increase in and restoration of funding outlined in their FY25 Preliminary Budget Response, and also for the values expressed in this response. This response calls for investment in the community-based programs, initiatives, and public services that have been proven to enhance public safety, that help stabilize and support some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers, and that advance racial justice by undoing the intergenerational harms of over-reliance on mass incarceration.

By calling for the reversal of funding cuts to Alternative to Incarceration programs, the Supervised Release Program, and reentry programming, the Council is supporting what The Fortune Society and our sister organizations see every day: with well-resourced supports, people can not only remain safely in our communities, but can build productive lives of contribution.

The foundation to anyone’s life is having a safe and stable place to call home, and for some people leaving incarceration, it is critical that housing be accompanied by robust supportive services. The Fortune Society champions the Council heeding the call for increased funding for current and future providers of the Justice Involved Supportive Housing (JISH) Program, the only City-funded supportive housing program for people leaving our city jails at risk of homelessness. Fortune operates half of the original 120 JISH beds. There has not been an increase in the service rates since the program’s launch in 2015, and they are significantly lower than those for other supportive housing programs for high-need, vulnerable people. None of the three original providers responded to the most recent RFP for a small portion of the promised additional 380 units. Given the complex needs of the people served by JISH, the current service rate must be raised to $25,596 per unit. Even with fair market rate rent added in, that is far less than the over half a million dollars that it costs to detain one person on Rikers Island. And we know it works.

Fortune also applauds the calls for increased investment in FACT teams, for which there are currently extremely long waiting lists; restoration of funding for Arches and Next STEPS, two credible messenger mentoring programs that reduce the likelihood of young people winding up in harm’s way or causing harm; and increased funding for the Board of Corrections, so that it can perform its City Charter-mandated oversight functions without being hampered by staffing shortages.

In December, the majority of the City Council passed the landmark Fair Chance for Housing Act. The law will go into effect on January 1, 2025, finally curbing housing discrimination against people with convictions. As a co-leader of the Fair Chance for Housing Coalition, Fortune is grateful to the Council for their staunch support. We are also grateful that the Council has recognized that our robust Human Rights Laws are only effective if the NYC Commission on Human Rights has the resources necessary to educate the public about their rights and responsibilities, and to enforce the laws. We urge the Council to stand firm on negotiating a budget that includes at least an additional $4 million to fully resource all aspects of the Commission, from overall agency staffing needs to public education campaigns. Our Fair Chance for Housing law has already garnered national attention; let us continue to lead in the fight against housing discrimination by ensuring its successful implementation.

Fortune continues to call for full restoration of the $17 million in funding that was abruptly cut in June of 2023 for the provision of critical services to people held on Rikers Island by trusted community-based providers. Fortune was heartened by the Administration’s announcement of $14 million in new funding for services and programs for people at Rikers. However, during the preliminary budget hearing held by the Committee on Criminal Justice, it became clear that not all of that funding is designated for the programming that was abruptly cancelled in 2023, and which the Department of Correction is currently unable to replicate with internal resources. It also became clear that the procurement process may delay the implementation of programming for well over a year. Given the continued humanitarian crisis in our city jails, it is imperative that people held there have access to the impactful services offered by trusted, culturally-competent, and experienced providers.

Finally, our city budget is a statement of our collective values. The Administration and the Council have already reached a historic and long overdue agreement on a cost-of-living adjustment for our human services workers, who do the hard work that enhances the well-being and safety of our communities, and the majority of whom are women of color. This was a victory for racial justice and equity for the workers, and for the people they serve who will no longer bear the impact caused by staffing shortages and turnover. We thank the Council for highlighting these critical priorities and hope the Council and Administration will agree on a budget that expresses similar values, and that shows we truly value the humanity and potential of all New Yorkers.