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Int 0569-2014

Creation of a taskforce to study improving safety in homeless shelters.

IntroductionFiledCommittee on General Welfareintroduced 2014-11-25

Filed — closed without being enacted.

Official record · Legistar

Agenda: 2014-11-25Passed: 2017-12-31

Summary

Recently, there have been a number of violent incidents in homeless shelters in the city of New York. For example, police have responded to over 1,800 calls for help from the Tillary Street Women’s Shelter in Brooklyn since the shelter opened in 2003. The reasons for these calls included reports of fighting, robberies, and medical emergencies. This bill would create a task force to study possible measures that can be taken to improve the safety in homeless shelters throughout the city of New York. The task force would include the Commissioner of the Department of Homeless Services, who would serve as the chairperson, and appointees of the Mayor and the Speaker with background in homeless services and law enforcement, and one appointed member would be a shelter resident. Within one year of the formation of the task force, the task force will issue a report of its findings to the Mayor and the Speaker of the City Council.

Committee on General WelfareHuman Resources Administration/Department of Social Services, Department of Homeless Services, and charitable institutions.

How it compares

22% of similar bills passed

11 passed · 39 died

This bill: 1132 days in committee

Similar bills: median 553 days · 137 days when passed

Sponsors (10)

Lifecycle

IntroducedIntroduced by Council
2014-11-25 · City Council
ActionReferred to Comm by Council
2014-11-25 · City Council
ClosedFiled (End of Session)
2017-12-31 · City Council

Heard at (1)

City Council · 2014-11-25 · 1:30 PM · Council Chambers - City Hall

Attachments (1)

Full text
Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. a. There shall be a task force to study, develop, and recommend changes to the laws, rules, regulations, and policies related to the department of homeless services, specifically in regard to the safety in homeless shelters throughout the city of New York. b. Such task force shall consist of nine members as follows: 1. Five members shall be appointed by the mayor, including the commissioner of the department of homeless services or the designee of the commissioner of the department of homeless services, who shall be the chairperson of such task force, and four members shall be appointed by the speaker of the city council, provided that all appointees of such task force shall have backgrounds in homeless services or law enforcement. One of the appointees of the speaker shall be a current homeless shelter resident. c. Each member shall serve for a term of one year to commence after the final member of the task force is appointed. Any vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. A person filling such vacancy shall serve the unexpired portion of the term of the succeeded member. All members shall be appointed to the task force within sixty days of the enactment of this local law. d. No member shall be removed from the task force except for cause and upon notice and hearing by the appropriate appointing official. e. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation and shall meet no less often than on a quarterly basis. f. The task force shall issue a report with suggestions to the mayor and the speaker of the council, and post on the department's website within one year of the formation of the task force, detailing its activities and recommendations. g. The task force shall terminate upon issuance of the report. � 2. This local law shall take effect immediately upon enactment into law. OA/AV LS# 2852 11/12/14