Court Cites Errors With Shelter Rules
NYT
The Bloomberg administration violated city rules in trying to carry out a policy that imposes stricter requirements for sheltering homeless adults, New York State’s highest court ruled on Tuesday
The decision by the Court of Appeals is the third ruling that strikes down the new eligibility screening, which advocates for the homeless argue would violate New York City’s legal mandate to provide shelter. The court rulings, however, did not address the merits of the policy but rather the way officials tried to put it in place — without public review as required by the city’s administrative procedures.
Both the City Council and the Legal Aid Society brought lawsuits over the procedural issue, temporarily blocking the more stringent screening by the Department of Homeless Services. Under the new requirements, intake workers would determine admission based on standards such as the level of cooperation shown by the applicant and a thorough showing of need through documentation pertaining to prior housing, financial resources and mental or physical impairment.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/27/nyregion/city-erred-in-putting-shelter-rules-into-effect-court-rules.html?partner=socialflow&smid=tw-nytmetro&_r=0
