The New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is an agency within the

government of New York City The government of New York City, headquartered at New York City Hall in Lower Manhattan, is organized under the New York City Charter and provides for a mayor-council system. The mayor is elected to a four-year term and is responsible for th ...

that provides services to the

homeless Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

, though its ultimate aim is to overcome homelessness. The guiding principles of the department were outlined at a 1992 New York City Commission on the Homeless: to operate an emergency shelter system for people without housing alternatives, provide services and resources to assist shelter residents in gaining independent housing, and partner with local agencies and non-profits to provide these services. Its two rules are compiled i
title 31
of the ''

New York City Rules The ''Rules of the City of New York'' (RCNY) contains the compiled rules and regulations ( delegated legislation) of New York City government agencies. It contains approximately 6,000 rules and regulations in 71 titles, each covering a different ci ...

''; state regulations are primarily compiled i
title 18
of the ''

New York Codes, Rules and Regulations The ''New York Codes, Rules and Regulations'' (NYCRR) contains New York state rules and regulations. The NYCRR is officially compiled by the New York State Department of State's Division of Administrative Rules. Contents See also * '' New York ...

''. DHS programs include: *Single Adult Shelters *Adult Family Shelters *Family with Children Shelters *Domestic Violence for victims Shelters *Veteran's Shelters *Senior Citizens Shelters *Street Homeless Solutions

History

When the department was created in 1993, New York City was the first city to have a city department that was exclusively focused on the issue of

homelessness Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

. The Department of Homeless Services was created in response to the growing number of homeless New Yorkers and the 1981 New York Supreme Court Consent Decree that mandates the State provide shelter to all homeless people. Its first commissioner was Charles V. Raymond. Muzzy Rosenblatt, the agency's first Chief of Staff, may have had a role in convincing Mayor

David Dinkins David Norman Dinkins (July 10, 1927 – November 23, 2020) was an American politician, lawyer, and author who served as the 106th mayor of New York City from 1990 to 1993. He was the first African American to hold the office. Before enteri ...

that the homeless shelters could be run more efficiently were it a separate department from the

New York City Human Resources Administration The Human Resources Administration or Department of Social Services (HRA/DSS) is the department of the government of New York City in charge of the majority of the city's social services programs. HRA helps New Yorkers in need through a variety o ...

. In 2010, the department oversaw 208 facilities with 18,616 beds and served 113,553 unique individuals. As of December, 2015, there were a total of 65,458 clients in the shelter system. In 2015, the department's budget was $953.5 million. In a March 2015 report of the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) on shelters for families with children, the DOI "found that the family shelters it inspected and reviewed are too often unsafe and unhealthy for children and families". Some homeless say they are denied shelter because the shelter lacks resources for couples without children, and some say they refuse to live in shelters because they are unsafe, because of violence, theft and poor conditions. On April 11, 2016, Mayor

Bill de Blasio Bill de Blasio (; born Warren Wilhelm Jr., May 8, 1961; later Warren de Blasio-Wilhelm) is an American politician who served as the 109th mayor of New York City from 2014 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he held the office of New Y ...

announced that the department would again become a part of the New York City Human Resources Administration under what he termed "a joint operating agreement.".

Picture the Homeless Picture the Homeless (PTH) is an American homelessness, homeless person–led rights organization founded in 1999Stewart, Nikita, "Born of Homelessness, a Group Takes Stock of Its Policy Victories," The New York Times, 23 December 2017, p. A20. by ...

heavily criticized DHS's use of resources in its 2018 report, ''The Business of Homelessness.'' The organization's recommendations included diverting funds for housing those who are homeless and most at risk of shelter entry, prioritizing capital subsidies for housing for people making as low as 10% of the area

median income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...

; semi-annual reports on shelter spending and provider performance; implementing rigorous and effective shelter inspection practices, and overhaul DHS's approach to rental assistance and housing placement. The use of funds for shelters instead of housing was also a concern when the agency was formed in 1993.

Law Enforcement

NYC DHS employ 270 special officers. They enforce State and City laws on DHS property and are responsible for safety and security inside of NYC DHS Homeless Shelters. The

New York City Police Department The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act i ...

responds to all incidents that occur at any NYC Department of Homeless Services facilities. NYC Department of Homeless Services Police are appointed as "special officers". and as such they are recognized as peace officers under ''New York State Criminal Procedure Law § 2.10 subsection 27''. These special officers have limited arrest powers while on duty. NYC Department of Homeless Services special officers are not armed as pre NYS criminal procedure law., however all officers are equipped with

Taser A taser is an electroshock weapon used to incapacitate people, allowing them to be approached and handled in an unresisting and thus safe manner. It is sold by Axon, formerly TASER International. It fires two small barbed darts intended t ...

expandable baton A baton (also known as a truncheon or nightstick) is a roughly cylindrical club made of wood, rubber, plastic, or metal. It is carried as a compliance tool and defensive weapon by law-enforcement officers, correctional staff, security guards ...

handcuffs Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet tha ...

flashlight A flashlight (American English, US, Canadian English, Canada) or torch (British English, UK, Australian English, Australia) is a portable hand-held electric lamp. Formerly, the light source typically was a miniature incandescent light bulb, b ...

, bullet resistant vest,

pepper spray Pepper spray, oleoresin capsicum spray, OC spray, capsaicin spray, or capsicum spray is a lachrymatory agent (a compound that irritates the eyes to cause a burning sensation, pain, and temporary blindness) used in policing, riot control, ...

, Body Cams, Narcan and a radio that is directly linked to other officers and dispatch. The Department of Homeless Services Police was started in 1997 assigning special officers to various DHS facilities. Currently there are 270 special officers assigned at 11 facilities. File:New York City Department of Homeless Services Police patch.jpg, NYC DHS Police patch. File:NYC Department of Homeless Services Police Task Force patch.jpg, NYC DHS Police Task Force patch. File:NYC DHS Police Toyota Camry.jpg, A NYC DHS Police

Toyota Camry The Toyota Camry (; Japanese: トヨタ・カムリ ''Toyota Kamuri'') is an automobile sold internationally by the Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota since 1982, spanning multiple generations. Originally compact in size (narrow-body), the Camry ...

References

External links

New York City Department of Homeless Services

Department of Homeless Services
in the Rules of the City of New York
Department of Social Services
(title 18) in the

{{US housing by state Homeless Services Homelessness organizations Homelessness in the United States Housing in New York City