Schumer, in stop in Batavia, says Trump budget cuts will cause more homelessness

Photos courtesy of U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer’s Office: U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer speaks in Batavia today at Independent Living of the Genesee Region, an organization that strives to ensure people with disabilities can live independently.

Information courtesy of U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer’s Office

BATAVIA – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer was in Batavia today to highlight his concern that federal budget cuts will lead to a surge in homelessness.

Schumer met with families and housing advocates at Independent Living of the Genesee Region. He said 1,500 in the Rochester-Finger Lakes & WNY regions could face potential eviction in the middle of winter due to cuts at the federal level.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care program provides funding to non-profits, as well as local and state governments, to provide critical housing support to some of the most vulnerable populations.

However, Schumer said the Trump administration recently announced eligibility changes that could threaten to evict more than 1,500 Upstate New Yorkers now living in stable housing in counties across the WNY & Rochester Finger Lakes Region.

Schumer said he is demanding HUD reverse these planned cuts that could threaten housing for thousands of Upstate NY mothers, children, veterans, seniors, and domestic abuse survivors experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

“If Trump goes through with his planned cuts and horribly misguided changes to this vital program, more than 1,500 New Yorkers in Genesee County and the surrounding region could be kicked out of their homes and onto the streets in the middle of winter,” said Senator Schumer. “These are veterans trying to get back on their feet, families with young kids, survivors of domestic abuse, veterans, and people with disabilities. That’s why I’m here with those on the frontlines of combating homelessness in our community to demand the Trump administration immediately reverse these cruel cuts.”

During his press conference, Schumer was joined by Rae Frank, Director at Independent Living of the Genesee Region; Tree Clemonds, Executive Director of Monroe County’s Partners Ending Homelessness; Kexin Ma, Executive Director, Homeless Alliance of WNY; Jamie Beedham-Rada, Executive Director YWCA of Genesee County; and clients and children housed by Independent Living of the Genesee Region.

HUD’s CoC Program is designed to promote communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, and state and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness; promote access to and effect utilization of assistance programs by homeless individuals and families; and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

“HUD’s Continuum of Care Rapid Rehousing funding is vital to our work to strengthen communities across Genesee, Wyoming, and Orleans counties by enabling us to move more families and individuals from the streets into safe, stable homes,” said Rae Frank, director at Independent Living of the Genesee Region.

Currently 93% of the annual $20.8 million in HUD funds received in Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming, Erie, & Niagara counties by the Homeless Alliance of WNY plays for long-term (PSH and RRH) housing that today houses 1,521 people in Western New York.

HUD’s new planned changes will cap this funding to only 30% ($6.7 million) beginning in May, which would eliminate over 1,000 existing housing units provided by 22 local providers, such as Independent Living of the Genesee Region, where Schumer stood today. As a result, over 1,000 people will face eviction onto the streets next year. Moreover, 528 people stand to face evictions as soon as January because the annual leases for their housing expire between January and May. This includes housing for domestic violence survivors, families with children, and people living with severe mental illness and chronic health conditions.

“We provide housing search and rental assistance, along with landlord mediation to people with disabilities experiencing homelessness,” Frank said. “Our local partner, the YWCA of Genesee County, provides similar housing assistance to people fleeing domestic violence. We also provide ongoing supportive services including employment assistance, financial literacy, application assistance, and peer advocacy services that have enabled many of our tenants to stabilize and achieve self-sufficiency.”