We, the undersigned members, supporters, and organizations of New York’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, call upon Governor Cuomo, the New York State Legislature, and Mayor Bloomberg to support the Campaign for Youth Shelter, which calls for an additional $3 million per year in funding for the creation of 100 youth shelter beds per year, until such time when no runaway or homeless young person in New York City is forced to sleep on the streets due to a lack of available shelter beds.

A census conducted by the Empire State Coalition and released by the New York City Council in 2008  found that every night 3,800 unaccompanied youths between the ages of 16 and 24 were without stable housing and were at great risk of homelessness.  Yet funding from the city and the state combined only provides fewer than 200 beds for all homeless youth.   Last year, New York State reduced funding for runaway and homeless youth to $2.35 million – a 50% reduction.  In a time when the need has never been greater, each shelter bed is a priceless commodity that should not be eliminated.  We understand that the current economic climate presents New York with tough choices, but balancing the budget on the backs of New York’s most vulnerable citizens is an unfair and inadequate response to a growing crisis faced by our youth.

The lack of safe and supportive housing for homeless youth in New York State is a matter of urgent concern for the LGBT community in particular.  The City Council’s report found that 40% of the 3,800 homeless youth - over 1,600 - identified as LGBT.  LGBT youth are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than heterosexual youth.  The leading cause of homelessness for LGBT youth is family rejection.  Family rejection is one of the most terrible expressions of homophobia and transphobia in our times.  As LGBT youth come out in greater numbers and at earlier ages, a significant percentage are denied the love and support of their families, forcing many into homelessness and destitution. 

By choosing not to dedicate adequate funding, state and city lawmakers are exposing LGBT runaway and homeless youth to a host of risks and health and human service disparities.  Several studies cited in the Report of the New York City Mayoral Commission for LGBTQ Runaway and Homeless Youth, released by DYCD in June 2010, found that:

■     LGBT youth face significantly greater incidents of physical and sexual assault than heterosexual youth.

■     LGBT youth additionally experience greater incidents of substance abuse and mental health disorders.

■     As many homeless LGBT youth are forced to resort to prostitution to survive, recent studies have indicated that approximately 20% of NYC’s homeless LGBT youth become infected with HIV.

■     Depressive disorders disproportionately impact LGBT youth, with 63% of LGBT youth having considered or attempted suicide compared with 29% of heterosexual youth who indicated the same.

In addition to being a failed health policy that endangers the health and well-being of runaway and homeless youth, New York’s inadequate response is also fiscally irresponsible.  The cost to taxpayers of providing homeless youth with beds in shelters today is far less than the cost of providing those same individuals with beds in hospitals or prisons in the future.  Youth who are left to fend for themselves on the streets often engage in criminal activity, drug use and prostitution, which puts them at risk of arrest and exposes them and others to HIV and other communicable diseases. 

With fewer than 250 beds available for roughly 3,800 homeless youth, both New York City and New York State must do more to address the glaring lack of shelter for our young people.  With an additional $3 million in funding for runaway and homeless youth shelters, we can begin to develop the response that this crisis truly calls for.

Signed,

Organizations

Ali Forney Center

Brooklyn Community Pride Center

Bronx Community Pride Center

Callen-Lorde Community Health Center

Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats

Congregation Beit Simchat Torah

Empire State Coalition

Empire State Pride Agenda

FIERCE

Gay Men of African Descent

Gay and Lesbian Democrats of Queens

Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats

Get EQUAL NY/NJ

GMHC

Green Chimneys NYC

Guiding Proud

Jews for Racial and Economic Justice

Jim Owles Gay and Lesbian Democratic Club

Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn

Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens

Members of Connecting Rainbows

New Kings Democrats

New York Association for Gender Rights (NYAGRA)

New York City Anti-Violence Project

PFLAG NYC

Project Hospitality

Queens Pride House

Queer Rising

QUEEROCRACY

Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC

The Door

The LGBT Community Center of NYC

The LOFT: LGBT Community Center

The Trevor Project

Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF)

Union Settlement

Individuals

Sandra Bernhard

Justin Bond

Michael Burke, Brooklyn Community Pride Center

Richard Burns