(CNN) — New York City will no longer be legally obligated to provide long-term housing to adult migrants, the mayor announced this Friday after reaching an agreement with homeless advocacy groups.
The agreement, which does not affect families, takes effect immediately and is expected to be extended as long as the immigration crisis continues, said city Mayor Eric Adams.
“Today’s provision relieves New York City of certain obligations under the Callahan Executive Order during this declared state of emergency,” Adams said in a statement after Friday’s announcement. “It allows the city to manage the flow of new arrivals and provide 30 days of asylum to adult migrants without the ability to reapply for asylum unless the person has demonstrated that they have some type of extenuating circumstance that requires a shorter time.” Additional time in shelter, or reasonable accommodation due to disability.”
The agreement comes after months of legal battles between the city and a social justice law firm and mediation overseen by a state Supreme Court judge.
The city has defended its legal efforts as it struggles to house the roughly 183,000 immigrants expected to arrive in New York by 2022.
Both Adams and The Legal Aid Society, which represents the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, announced that adult migrants under the age of 23 would be offered an additional 30 days, giving them a total of 60 days of asylum before being asked to leave.
“This agreement protects the right to shelter in consent decrees, guarantees single adults, long-term New Yorkers and newcomers, access to shelter, basic needs and case management for the transition from shelter to housing in the community,” said Adrienne Holder. Civil Practice Attorney at Legal Aid Society.
However, the agreement also eliminates the use of waiting rooms where new arrivals sleep while waiting for shelter, Holder added. In turn, he said “he will closely monitor the city’s compliance with this agreement and will not hesitate to seek judicial intervention in case of non-compliance.”
The controversial law dates back to 1981, when Callahan signed a consent decree requiring New York City to provide housing to the homeless. A subsequent lawsuit by the Legal Aid Society established a right to shelter for homeless families with children.
“When the original Callahan agreement was reached, no one could have imagined the immigration crisis that New York City has faced over the past two years,” Lisa Zornberg, mayoral senior adviser, said in an official statement Friday.
