Homeless People May Not Freeze Thanks To New York Governor’s Executive Order


New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has issued an executive order to protect homeless people from freezing in the cold as the temperature finally drops this winter.

Homeless people are not automatically accepted, or made to go into shelters in communities just because the weather might kill them. Cuomo has seen an increase in the homeless population across New York, and he issued the executive order so communities could place homeless people in shelters when temperatures are freezing, according to the Associated Press.

As common sense as this may sound, there are some who are opposed to this idea. Some in opposition to the order believe homeless people have a right to choose to freeze and die in the street if it is their wish. The executive order may take away that “right” for the homeless.

Andrew Cuomo
New York Governor Cuomo wants communities to take in homeless people during freezing temperatures. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Cuomo explained that it is not his desire to argue about the homeless person’s right to die in the street by freezing.

“I’m not going to argue an individual’s right to freeze to death. I want to argue an individual’s human right to housing and services and shelter,” Cuomo said.

Other opposition to the executive order, which will go into effect on Tuesday, claim the governor did not think about the financial and legal stress added that homeless people will put on communities which house other people in need during hard times.

Karen Hinton, a spokeswoman for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, voiced the mayor’s opinion on the homeless subject.

“We support the intent of the executive order, but to forcibly remove all homeless individuals in freezing weather, as the governor has ordered, will require him to pass state law. This executive order adds no legal or financial resources to New York City’s programs to assist the homeless and merely requires all New York state localities follow many of the same requirements as New York City to shelter families and individuals in need in freezing temperatures.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, a spokeswoman for Cuomo said in November that de Blasio doesn’t know how to deal with the homeless issue. In December, de Blasio responded with an aggressive plan, called Home-Stat, to remove thousands of homeless people sleeping on the streets. Many homeless people were outraged at the plan to take them from the streets with force.

In total, there are around 90,000 homeless people in the state of New York.

Roughly 65 percent of the total homeless population in New York State can be found in New York City’s homeless shelters, according to data provided by New York City’s Department of Homeless Services.

homeless
There are thousands of homeless people who need shelter in the winter months in New York. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images News)

The homeless and other types of shelters all across the state may need to remain open for extended hours, if necessary, to provide shelter to the homeless in bad weather and freezing temperatures under the order.

In addition, if a homeless person doesn’t want to go to a shelter in the cold weather which could potentially be life-threatening, social services and police can forcibly place the homeless into the shelters.

Cuomo said he was ready to go to court, if necessary, and believes the law will be on his side and benefit the homeless in the end.

Advocate Judith Goldiner, who is head of the law reform unit at the Legal Aid Society, is not so sure the law is on Cuomo’s side. She says there are many legal questions about how homeless people could be forced off the street and into shelters without violating the rights of homeless people.

“To the extent that they’re talking about arresting people who refuse, obviously we are completely opposed to that,” Goldliner said.

Cuomo says he does not care if he is sued for keeping homeless people off the streets in freezing weather and for potentially saving lives.

[Photo by John Moore/Getty Images]

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