Every year, thousands of kids are turned away from homeless youth shelters in New York due to a lack of beds. In one of the wealthiest places on earth, this is an unconscionable reality. We join NYS Sen. Brad Hoylman, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, Empire State Pride Agenda, Coalition for Homeless Youth, Ali Forney Center, Covenant House and singer Miley Cyrus in urging you to include additional funds for homeless youth shelters in this year’s state budget to alleviate overcrowding and could create up to 1,000 new beds for kids who don’t have a place to sleep at night. The NYS Assembly already included $3 million in its budget proposal – now it’s up to Albany leaders to get this added funding across the finish line.

Petition Background:  

Since 2008, funding for youth shelters throughout New York has decreased by $4 million. At the same time, the number of annual instances of kids turned away from youth shelters each year due to a lack of beds has increased from 570 to more than 5,000, according to state data. 

Kids who are turned away from overcrowded shelters are often forced to resort to drastic measures to find a place to sleep. A few weeks ago, the Urban Institute released a report that revealed the alarming extent to which homeless youth have been forced to engage in so-called “survival sex” just to get by. 

Admitting homeless teenagers into youth shelters gives them access to critical government services including HIV testing, addiction counseling, mental health services and legal help, putting them on a path to contribute to society as healthy adults and saving taxpayers money down the line.

For generations, our state and our country have sought to become places where opportunity exists for anyone, regardless of who they are or where they came from. New York’s most vulnerable kids deserve an additional $3 million in our state’s $142 billion budget. The NYS Assembly already included $3 million in its budget proposal – now it’s up to Albany leaders to get it across the finish line.

Learn more about the widespread support from elected officials and advocacy groups here: NY Lawmaker Calls On Legislature To Restore Money Cut From Homeless Shelters

Learn more about singer Miley Cyrus’ support here: Miley Cyrus urges Andrew Cuomo and state Legislature to boost funds for homeless