CHENANGO COUNTY – On the heels of severe winter weather throughout much of New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered all NY homeless shelters to extend hours to facilitate those without homes, ensuring that all can remain indoors while temperatures dive below freezing.
Cuomo's administration made sure that the Sunday signing of Emergency Declaration 151 was well publicized and documented as Cuomo announced the declaration through a round of television and radio interviews, and the executive order tasked to protect the homeless takes effect Tuesday.
In addition to reaching out to area shelters, Cuomo's attention was likewise directed to local police departments and social service agencies to do what they can to get individuals into shelters, including those reluctant to go.
“I direct all local social service districts, police agencies including the New York State Police, and state agencies to take all necessary steps to identify individuals reasonably believed to be homeless and unwilling or unable to find the shelter necessary for safety and health in inclement winter weather, and move such individuals to the appropriate sheltered facilities,” read the declaration.
The order recognized that most upstate communities customarily work in coordination with police agency resources and local social service providers to conduct outreach to the homeless in an effort to facilitate sheltering, and announced that ”the State will assist local social services districts if they are lacking facilities, resources or expertise.”
The order came just as temperatures in parts of New York State are expected to dip well below 32 degrees – as low as single-digits – throughout the week.
Governor Cuomo said the order was necessary to protect individuals from hypothermia and potential death, and the order takes effect even if only the wind chill temperature is below 32 degrees.
While Chenango County currently has no homeless shelter in place, some traction has been made in recent months by the Chenango Housing Council with regard to petitioning New York’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the agency responsible for doling out McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act funding from the federal government, or HUD.
As is stands now, a collaborate of several agencies like Chenango Catholic Charities, Chenango DSS, and even some organizations in neighboring Broome and Otsego counties are tasked with securing warm lodging for the homeless through a five county Continuum of Care “No Freeze” program that operates throughout the cold season typically from November – March or April, depending on temperatures.
“Collectively, we've been able to raise funding for the most urgent of cases; we rely a great deal on DSS and their relationship with Catholic Charities, but again, these are short-term interventions that aren't necessarily sustainable,” said Judy Windgate-Wade who spoke on behalf of the Chenango Housing Council.
Wingate-Wade indicated that Chenango's homelessness problem is an issue that is very complex and involves many organizations, but the eventual goal is for Chenango County to have a dedicated physical shelter in place that can offer temporary shelter the county's homeless. Such facility would likewise incorporate a service component that would ensure long term self-substantiality.
“The wheels are in motion and we've been working on it for at least two years, unfortunately there is a lot to consider,” said Wingate-Wade. “We are very thankful that we do have the 'No Freeze' program that has been implemented.”