Last week, New York City took an important step forward when the City Council passed Intro 1100, the “Jail is Not a Home” bill, championed by Council Member Carlina Rivera with the support of CSH, the Fortune Society, and the Supportive Housing Network of New York (The Network). This groundbreaking legislation ensures that time spent in jail or prison will count toward the homeless time requirement for supportive housing. The bill eliminates a cruel barrier that too often forced people leaving incarceration to cycle through homelessness before becoming eligible for the housing and support they need.
Elected officials and advocates made clear: housing, not punishment, is the solution. As NYC Comptroller Brad Lander stated, “What we want is a city that believes supportive housing is a human right.”
At the same time, CSH is offering a free two-part webinar series to help communities develop real strategies to end unsheltered homelessness:
- Session 1 (Sept. 4): Systematizing Your Approach to Ending Unsheltered Homelessness
- Session 2 (Sept. 11): Housing-Focused Outreach and Case Management
This webinar series is an opportunity for providers, advocates, and communities to share knowledge and build effective models that center housing and voluntary supports.
But as progress is made locally, we must remain vigilant. The federal government continues to push policies that focus on sweeps of encampments, forced hospitalization, and even criminalizing people experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, or substance use. These approaches deepen trauma, strip people of dignity, and fail to provide lasting solutions.
The Alliance shares the urgent goal of reducing homelessness—but we warn that it must be done through effective, humane approaches:
- Housing First policies that connect people quickly to permanent housing.
- Voluntary, engaging mental health outreach that builds trust rather than coercion.
- Harm reduction services that meet people where they are and support recovery.
We are firmly against the criminalization of homelessness and of mental health and substance use challenges. Instead, we must fight for community-based solutions that keep people stably housed and connected to effective services.
At the Alliance Annual Conference this September, we will host multiple workshops on housing, innovative outreach programs, harm reduction, and voluntary community-based services. These sessions, including one on supportive housing with presenters from The Network and the Association for Community Living, will highlight proven models that work—showing that we can reduce homelessness and support recovery without coercion or criminalization.
Unbreakable! Harnessing Our Power, Building Our Resilience, Inspiring Hope and Courage
Alliance for Rights and Recovery 43rd Annual Conference
Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center | September 29-October 1, 2025
Register Today Here!
Together, we can build a future where every New Yorker has a safe place to call home and the voluntary supports they need to thrive. See below for the press release on the passage of the “Jail is Not a Home” bill and information about the upcoming webinars.
The Network Joins Elected Officials and Advocates to Celebrate the Passing of Intro 1100, the “Jail is Not a Home” Bill
On August 14th, the Network was proud to stand with Council Member Carlina Rivera, Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) and The Fortune Society to celebrate the passage of Intro 1100, the “Jail is Not a Home” bill.
A long-time advocacy priority for the Network, this landmark legislation ensures that time spent in jail or prison will count toward the homeless time requirement for supportive housing, removing a harmful barrier that has kept too many New Yorkers from accessing the housing and support they need.
At the rally, elected officials and advocates shared powerful reflections on what this bill means for our city:
“Today’s vote on my bill, Intro 1100, makes a simple yet powerful change that can break the cycle of homelessness and incarceration for thousands of our neighbors,” said Council Member Carlina Rivera. “This is a turning point for how we approach housing and mental health in our city.”
“I want to stress how profound this legislation is: it’s a one-page bill that simply says your incarceration does not count as being housed,” said Network Director of Policy, Tierra Labrada. “People should not be forced to enter the homeless services system just to prove eligibility for supportive housing. It’s a drain on our city’s resources, it’s re-traumatizing, and it increases the risk of recidivism.”
“Too often, our neighbors leaving Rikers get trapped in a cycle of incarceration and homelessness without the support they need to stabilize their lives,” said Lauren Velez, CSH Director – Metro Team. “People—especially those who are struggling—are not dispensable. For many leaving incarceration, the answer is supportive housing.”
“It’s important for me to speak out on why people who have been incarcerated—like myself—need access to supportive housing,” said Fortune Society Tenant Advocate Helen Taylor. “It’s not just a place to live. It’s a tremendous amount of support. Fortune Society saved my life.”
“This bill is ridiculously common sense. This small change that will have a dramatic impact,” said NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
“What we want is a city that believes supportive housing is a human right,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.
“Dismantling mass incarceration requires real solutions,” said Council Member Alexa Avilés. “This bill is a step in the right direction—and it will have real impact.”
“For too long, our city has operated on punishment without support. This bill acknowledges the truth: jail is not a home,” said Council Member Althea Stevens. “The vote today is a symbol that New York will NOT stand for criminalizing homelessness. We will welcome every New Yorker with open arms and loving support.”
“We know that too many New Yorkers cycle through our shelter and jail system. This bill will make a transformational difference,” said Council Member Lincoln Restler. “We now need to go further and invest in Justice Involved Supportive Housing (JISH) to scale to meet the need of New Yorkers.”
The Network thanks Council Member Rivera, her team, CSH, Fortune Society, impacted advocates, the supportive housing tenants who advocated for this bill at our City Council Lobby Day, and all who helped make this bill a reality.
Relevant press coverage:
https://citylimits.org/opinion-enhancing-access-to-supportive-housing-is-key-to-criminal-justice-reform/
Join CSH for a Free Two-Part Webinar Series:
Key Strategies to Tackle Unsheltered Homelessness
Session 1: September 4 at 1 – 3 PM ET
Session 2: September 11 at 1 – 3 PM ET
Learn how communities can mobilize solutions amid rising pressures on housing and services.
As unsheltered homelessness continues to rise across the United States, communities face an urgent need for effective strategies to address this complex crisis.
In light of these growing challenges, CSH is excited to offer a dynamic two-part webinar series designed to empower social service providers, municipalities, CoC Leads, housing providers, funders, and those with lived experience to work collaboratively in creating impactful solutions.
Session 1: Systematizing Your Approach to Ending Unsheltered Homelessness
- Learn practical strategies to address unsheltered homelessness
- Engage directly with systems experts and innovative service providers effectively addressing unsheltered homelessness
- Engage in an interactive peer learning environment to explore strategies
Session 2: Housing-Focused Outreach and Case Management
- Dive deep into housing-focused homeless outreach and case management
- Explore prime examples of how focusing on housing can transform outreach and build relationships with clients
Attendance Options:
Attend either session or both for a comprehensive experience. This is an essential opportunity to gain knowledge, share strategies, and empower your community in addressing unsheltered homelessness.