Pressure builds after more in N.J. sue NYC over relocating homeless – NJ.com

Elizabeth and Union County are taking New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to court over a city program that relocates homeless families to live rent-free for a year.

They are the latest localities seeking an end to the program that has placed more than 2,200 NYC families across 62 New Jersey municipalities. Both are urging NYC to provide additional help for families and disclose where people are living.

“NYC is trying to relieve their homeless problem by dumping it on municipalities across New Jersey — once they are out of their state, there is no follow up with these participants — they are on their own,” Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage said in a statement.

In the two civil lawsuits filed in Union County Superior Court this week, Elizabeth and Union County alleged NYC was coercing families to move into poorly-vetted and uninhabitable housing in the area and likely increasing homelessness by failing to provide a safety net after the year’s lease is up.

Newark was the first to sue NYC in December in federal court. In an agreement reached between Newark and NYC, the de Blasio administration agreed to temporarily halt its program in Newark and disclose the locations of where families relocated. Jersey City signed on to the lawsuit this month.

Kenyatta Stewart, Newark’s corporation counsel, said code enforcement officers and NYC officials were already inspecting apartments. But Newark is the only city so far to receive a list of addresses. Other cities have requested the same information but say NYC denied their request.

“A number of things we asked for, (NYC) has began to comply with,” Stewart said. “We are happy that we are starting to make progress but we still have a ways to go.”

NYC’s Department of Social Services announced major changes to the program last week, including no longer giving landlords a year’s worth of rent up front. Landlords will now be paid on a month to month basis and tenants can request a stop to payments if housing conditions deteriorate.

The move is significant and tempers concerns that families had no leverage over their landlords to demand fixes to leaking roofs and moldy apartments.

The de Blasio administration did not respond to a request for comment. But the city has countersued, alleging Newark’s new rule banning the relocation of low-income families is unconstitutional and an attempt to wall itself off from that demographic.

The fight has prompted officials in Elizabeth and Union County to say they, too, want a list of locations to be able to inspect properties. They’re also urging NYC to create a trust to fund services for relocated residents.

“New York City has sent families to Union County without provision for essential services including food, health care, employment, child care and education, and without consideration for the impact on them and other homeless families in our community,” Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella said. “We will continue to pursue all options at our disposal until New York City agrees to a collaborative, accountable policy that treats all homeless families with compassion, dignity, and genuine concern for their welfare.”

Newark is also seeking additional commitments from NYC in its ongoing federal lawsuit.

“They put a lot of energy and resources into making sure people have the ability to come to Newark,” Stewart said. “I want them to provide the same amount of support after the lease is over with.”

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook.

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