Yesterday the New York State Senate and Assembly passed the Housing Our Neighbors With Dignity Act (S5257/A659), a bill to allow the State and nonprofit developers to convert distressed hotels and commercial properties into permanent affordable housing across the state. For years our members have demanded Albany prioritize housing for homeless New Yorkers. Yesterday the legislature heard their calls ! Althea Matthews, Leader of our Homeless Union who has been living in a shelter for nearly two years responded : “It's about time. We applaud the legislature for prioritizing HONDA. This is a needed band-aid on the housing crisis and it will have a real impact on people’s lives. We still need a comprehensive plan to create even more non-profit housing, and we are never going to solve the problem of homelessness until we stop seeing it as a business.”
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels sat vacant as tourism declined, while New Yorkers continued to live in shelters and on the streets nearby. We knew we had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win housing for homeless New Yorkers. HONDA will reserve at least 50 percent of units for homeless New Yorkers and the rest for low-income to moderate-income people. The new units would fall under local rent-stabilization laws, be non-profit operated, and create high-quality permanent housing. We’d like to thank our friends at Community Service Society, Hotel Trades Council, Housing Justice for All, Housing Works, Strong Economy for All, Gateway Housing, Citizen Action of New York, Neighbors Together, Legal Aid Society, Mutual Housing Association of NY, Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development and many others who worked so hard alongside us to pass HONDA. We’d also like to thank Senate Deputy Majority Leader Gianaris and Assembly Member Reyes for sponsoring HONDA and taking on a crisis that has long been treated like it could be left for another day. Their leadership, along with the persistence of Senator Kavanagh, Assembly Member Rosenthal, and many other lawmakers who are committed to housing justice, have paved the way for the state to continue building on this progress. Now the Governor must sign HONDA and we must ensure this program grows and is funded long into the future. Lastly, we want to thank you for your support in making this victory possible and supporting VOCAL-NY ! For over 20 years, our fight has been rooted in housing justice for people living with HIV/AIDS, people who use drugs, and people who are formerly incarcerated. Today we are renewing our commitment to keep fighting until every New Yorker is housed. Paulette, Celina, Joe, Kim & the VOCAL-NY Homeless Union | 
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