By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams and veteran civil rights advocate on Friday celebrated major milestones for the Street Homelessness Advocacy Project as the program marks two years since it began operating.
Between year one and year two of the program, the SHAP team increased the percentage of homeless New Yorkers they are assisting in moving voluntarily off the streets and into some form of supportive programming from an approximate 33 percent success rate to almost 50 percent.
SHAP is a volunteer outreach initiative that aims to build relationships and provide direct support to those experiencing homelessness. SHAP’s primary purpose is to train volunteers, including those with lived experience, to advocate for and offer services to unhoused New Yorkers.
In its first year, SHAP successfully helped one out of three people experiencing homelessness voluntarily leave the streets. Now, in its second year, approximately one out of two people — 223 individuals experiencing homelessness out of 451 — that have interacted with SHAP have voluntarily left the streets through a referral or placement with a supportive program, a nearly 50 percent rate of success.
Any New Yorker who sees someone in need of assistance can call 311 or file a report through the 311 app.
In its first year, SHAP successfully helped one out of three people experiencing homelessness voluntarily leave the streets. Now, in its second year, approximately one out of two people — 223 individuals experiencing homelessness out of 451 — that have interacted with SHAP have voluntarily left the streets through a referral or placement with a supportive program, a nearly 50 percent rate of success.
Earlier this month, Adams announced that, for the second year in a row, the city has produced more supportive housing and housing for formerly homeless New Yorkers than ever before in New York’s history.
“Thanks to the Street Homelessness Advocacy Project, everyday New Yorkers are answering the call to volunteer and lend a helping hand to their neighbors in need, and their good work is paying off, with nearly 50 percent of homeless individuals connecting with SHAP choosing to voluntarily come off our streets,” said Adams. “Solving our homelessness crisis requires each and every one of us to follow in the footsteps of SHAP volunteers by treating those experiencing homelessness with dignity and humanity. Thank you to all the volunteers, partner organizations, and to Norman Siegel for leading the way and working so no one is forced to sleep on the streets of our city.”
“SHAP’s vision and approach — the same volunteers conducting outreach at the same locations on the same day and time — increases the likelihood of trust being developed between the volunteer and the person experiencing homelessness,” said Siegel. “With our strong placement and referral rate over the past two years, the SHAP model has proven to be a successful model for helping people experiencing homelessness voluntarily leave the streets and parks of New York City.”
City Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park added, “Effectively engaging New Yorkers experiencing homelessness and convincing them to access services requires understanding, respect, compassion, and trust, which are all built through sustained engagements over time.”
