With concerns about homeless issues on the rise, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at a recent ABNY Breakfast that the city is creating a new initiative to more effectively respond to concerns regarding homelessness in New York City. The new initiative is called HOME-STAT, which stands for Homeless Outreach & Mobile Engagement Street Action Teams. These teams will work closely with existing homeless response and prevention programs to help better transition homeless New Yorkers into supportive services and eventually housing. HOME-STAT will add three new components to existing efforts: Proactive Canvassing, Immediate Response, and Citywide Case-by-Case Integration and Management. You can read more in-depth explanations of these initiatives and NYC HOME-STAT by clicking here. 

At the Lincoln Square BID, our staff and uniformed Public Safety Officers (PSOs) work closely with Goddard Riverside and the New York Police Department's Homeless Outreach Unit to address the homelessness in our neighborhood. We look forward to HOME-STAT working closely with these programs, supporting these relationships, and better helping homeless individuals access important resources. 

Now that the weather will be cooling down as we move into the New Year, the best way for residents, visitors, and workers to help homeless New Yorkers is to call in to 311 if they see someone in need. It is our understanding that a HOME-STAT representative will respond to these calls within approximately one hour. Though individual acts of kindness, such as offering food or money, are charitable, they are only short-term solutions to a long-term problem. The Lincoln Square BID encourages everyone to call 311 for those who need assistance, as it will put homeless individuals into contact with beneficial resources that can offer real help. Visit the Department of Homeless Services website to see how you can best lend a hand. Of course, our staff and PSOs will continue to work regularly with Goddard Riverside and the NYPD regarding homelessness in Lincoln Square.