Although the vast majority of asylum seekers have come to NYC to pursue the American dream, recent high profile crimes have been committed by criminals possibly linked to gangs that have infiltrated our shelter system. Complicating matters is NYC's status as a sanctuary city, with what critics say are soft on criminal laws that allow dangerous criminals to be released and not held in jail, regardless of where they're from...
NYC has a controversial new plan to help families move out of its shelter system, and it involves paying $4000 of their moving related expenses. Although the program isn't yet open to single adult asylum seekers, it is also limited to only families who have federal work permission... the very thing many economists said people needed to leave the shelters on their own, which isn't happening as fast as NYC would like.
NYC just decided to evict every family living in its shelter system. The shelters are at capacity, and the city claims evictions must happen to make room for new arrivals, who will also be evicted after their shelter stay expires...
NYC has plans to replace a community garden with an affordable housing complex, with 40% of the units going to homeless individuals. Although most new yorkers want to help the homeless, there are always protests and lawsuits whenever the city tries to follow through on that desire... and this time, it's happening in one of New York's most expensive neighborhoods.
Squatting in NYC just got worse... and properties from apartments to houses are being taken over by those who refuse to pay for them, even after a recent law meant to stop squatters was passed just last month.