What NYC MTA Said About The Homeless Should Bother You
New York City Transit (MTA) Removes Subway Benches Due To Homeless Occupancy
In an effort to crack down on at-risk human beings that are homeless and seeking shelter in the NYC subway system, the MTS decided it was a good idea to remove its uncomfortable wooden benches located in subways across NYC. Not only does this heartless move speak to the lack of empathy the city has for its homeless, it negatively affects everyday commuters simply traveling to, from, and around NYC for whatever reason. These commuters can include people with physical disabilities, pregnant women, and more. However, the decision to remove these benches can have negative consequences and dangers, to say the least.
I remember traveling on the 6 train as a kid with my mother and siblings. Aside from having to maintain the safety of her children, there were times that my mother would have heavy bags to carry as well. The benches provided a sense of relief. Even if the relief was short-lived, it was a relief. Now, according to the MTA, making sure the homeless are denied shelter is more important than providing any form of comfort for paying customers waiting on their train to arrive. Does that sound mindful? To me, it sounds as if NYC has a problem that Mayor Deblasio is truly unwilling to fully commit to solving.
According to The Coalition For The Homeless:
In November 2020, there were 57,016 homeless people, including 18,368 homeless children, sleeping each night in the New York City municipal shelter system. An all-time record 20,515 single adults slept in shelters in November 2020.
Research shows that the primary cause of homelessness, particularly among families, is the lack of affordable housing. Surveys of homeless families have identified the following major immediate, triggering causes of homelessness: eviction; doubled-up or severely overcrowded housing; domestic violence; job loss; and hazardous housing conditions.
In 2020 homelessness in NYC has reached numbers resembling The Great Depression. As seen above, lack of affordable housing is a severe problem in NYC and one that is seen to be one of the causes of homelessness in NYC. The NYC homeless issue has been aggressively addressed over the years however, the cause of the problem hasn't been given much attention as NYC rent prices have continued to rise exponentially.
As a formerly homeless citizen of the United States, I can say that NY is one of the worst states in the union to become homeless. It is very difficult to access public assistance programs. Furthermore, with a combination of some of the most strict guidelines coupled with irritable HRA workers, applying for any kind of public assistance in NY can be a nightmare. So imagine being homeless and not being able to produce identification documentation or not being able to attend public assistance screening interviews due to transportation woes.
At the end of the day, NY has dropped the ball when it comes to providing meaningful help for the NYC homeless population. Removing benches from the subways was the equivalent of pouring salt in a very bad wound. Especially when that wound had already been ripped wide when anti-homeless spikes were introduced. Shame on NYC.
