Volunteers of America-Greater New York

Anti-poverty organization working to #endhomelessness in NYC, Northern NJ & Westchester County | Founder of Operation Backpack® | #JustPay

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

Beyond being ineffective policy, encampment sweeps damage trust with people facing homelessness, and are simply inhumane.
@NYCMayor Mamdani must stand firm in his commitment to end this harmful practice and prioritize real housing solutions.
https://t.co/vnBKxbCBwM

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

VOA-GNY at today’s @NYCCouncil Cold Blue hearing: “The shelter system needs repair and redesign. If people do not feel safe coming inside, we lose them at entry.”

Thanks @JulieMenin @CMCrystalHudson & @OswaldFeliz for recognizing the need for improvements to save lives.

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

An uncomfortable truth: Most unsheltered New Yorkers already know shelter is available, and many have made informed decisions not to go.

What protects people in the cold and beyond is permanent housing, not sweeping people out of sight.

https://t.co/DLLG5cNrgR

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

@theNetworkNY Investments in supportive housing development, preservation, services, and staffing are critical to ensure the safety and stability of tenants and our staff who support them daily.

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

Our team was back in Albany with the @theNetworkNY, sharing why supportive housing works—and why it needs adequate funding.🏠

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

Thank you @YudelkaTapia and team @SalazarSenate for meeting with us on how meaningful investments in HAVP are critical to preventing homelessness statewide!

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

Our team was in Albany today advocating for $250M for the Housing Access Voucher program (HAVP)—statewide rental assistance that creates real pathways out of homelessness.

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

Such a pleasure to meet with Assemblyman @EdRodriguezNJ today! We appreciate connecting early in your tenure and look forward to more partnership to support our community!

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

$250M for HAVP would stabilize ~20,000 households, preventing evictions and helping people move from shelters into permanent housing.
Thank you @BrianKavanaghNY and @LindaBRosenthal for lifting up the transformative potential of this statewide voucher program.

[NYS Senator Brian Kavanagh 卡范納 @BrianKavanaghNY]

As the budget process begins, lawmakers and advocates from across New York joined @LindaBRosenthal and I in calling for a $250M investment in HAVP—critical funding to help New Yorkers who are homeless or at risk of losing housing secure stable, affordable homes statewide.

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

ENACTED: @GovMurphy signed the Municipal Housing Trust Fund and Code Rent into law, strengthening local homeless prevention and ensuring access to cooling centers during extreme weather.

Gov. @MikieSherrill, we're ready to work together to implement these solutions statewide!

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

We applaud @GovKathyHochul for proposals supporting low-income New Yorkers, while urging deeper investments in people facing homelessness, domestic violence survivors, and the human services workforce.

Read our full statement on the 2026 State of the State below.

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

PASSED: NJ lawmakers approved #CodeRed and the Municipal Housing Trust Fund, protecting people during extreme heat and strengthening local housing solutions.

@GovMurphy, please enact these sensible policies to care for all New Jerseyans. https://t.co/KG2I7UhGF9

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

Happy first day of NYS legislative season! We’re ready to advocate this year for access to domestic violence shelters, supportive housing, statewide rental assistance, and fair wages for human service providers.

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

Threats to CoC permanent housing funding are putting the housing stability of hundreds of thousands of Americans at risk. Thank you @RepMikeLawler and @RepPatRyanNY for standing up for this critical funding.

#supportivehousingsaveslives

https://t.co/vM4lzWREcG

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

Important read by @FairShareNJ’s Al-Tariq Witcher: NJ’s housing crisis is worsening for renters and people experiencing homelessness. Lawmakers must use the end of the session to fund affordable housing and protect residents.

https://t.co/xHA00e1UXR

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

It was a pleasure to connect with @NJSenTimberlake and @asmatkins during @HCDNNJ’s presser to support Code Red and the Homeless Bill of Rights. Thank you for your leadership in protecting the rights and safety of New Jerseyans facing homelessness.

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

We agree: Sweeps don’t create real pathways out of homelessness. We need dignified housing solutions that meet people's needs—like our Street to Home program, which offers private units and a direct alternative to shelters—not the criminalization of people trying to stay safe.

[Joe Anuta @joeanuta]

.@ZohranKMamdani says he will discontinue sweeps of homeless encampments begun by the Adams admin

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

We’re celebrating today’s passage of Int 1392! Predictable payments for human service providers will help us meet the growing needs of New Yorkers facing homelessness, uplift our staff, and open delayed programs. Thank you @NYCSpeakerAdams the Council for this much-needed reform.

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

NJ saw an 8% rise in homelessness in 2025: 13,748 people are unhoused, nearly 2K unsheltered.

Permanent housing investments are falling short, and federal cuts could make things worse. @SenPresScutari’s Municipal Housing Trust Fund is a needed solution.

https://t.co/TR1r6pzYm1

[Volunteers of America-Greater New York @VOAgny]

Our Statement in Response to the Imminent Hunger Crisis Facing Homeless New Yorkers and New Jerseyans .