Chair Hudson opens shelter safety hearing and introduces members

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

I'm Crystal Hudson, chair of the New York City Council's General Welfare Committee, and my pronouns are she, her.

Thank you all for joining us for today's hearing on shelter safety.

We are additionally joined by council members Murano, Ung, and Wilson.

Sorry, I thought there was somebody else over there.

Every New Yorker deserves a safe place to live, including New Yorkers who turn to the city for shelter during a period of crisis.

Shelter must be more than a roof over someone's head.

It must be a place where people can rest without fear of violence, access the support they need, and be treated with respect.

However, we have heard too many concerns about conditions that can make shelters unsafe, including deteriorating facilities, overcrowding, violence, theft, and insufficient staffing.