Press Statements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, July 13, 2021 CONTACT Joseph Loonam, Joseph@vocal-ny.org, 347-409-4650 OVER A DOZEN HOMELESS NEW YORKERS AND ACTIVISTS TAKE LOBBY OF DEPARTMENT OF HOMELESS SERVICES TO DEMAND ‘HOTELS TO HOUSING’ As New Delta Variant Spreads, Activists Demand Permanent Housing, Oppose Mayors Attempts to Force Homeless New Yorkers Back into Dangerous Shelters See Pictures […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, June 16, 2021 CONTACT Joseph Loonam, Joseph@vocal-ny.org WILLIAMS HOTEL RESIDENTS RECEIVE TRANSFER NOTICES DAY AFTER RALLY AT GRACIE MANSION Homeless New Yorkers Demand Hotels to Housing; Instead They Face Forced Transfers and Total Lack of Transparency in Process NEW YORK — A day after rallying at Gracie Mansion to demand transfers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 11, 2021 CONTACT Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org LANDMARK YEAR FOR VOCAL-NY: MORE LEGISLATIVE VICTORIES THIS SESSION THAN IN ANY OTHER SESSION IN 20+ YEAR HISTORY Leaders Now Call on Governor Cuomo Demanding He Signs Life-Saving Bills Into Law  NEW YORK — Following the close of the 2021 legislative session in New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, June 10 2021 CONTACT Jasmine Budnella, jasmine@vocal-ny.org Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org AFTER A FIGHT SPANNING OVER A DECADE, ASSEMBLY PASSES LIFE-SAVING BILL TO DECRIMINALIZE AND EXPAND ACCESS TO SYRINGES IN NEW YORK See Statement on Monday’s Senate Vote From VOCAL-NY Leader, Ivette Chavez-Gonzalez, Who Has Been Incarcerated Multiple Times for Syringe Possession

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, June 9, 2021 CONTACT Paulette Soltani, Paulette@vocal-ny.org Mariah McGough, Mariah@vocal-ny.org VOCAL-NY APPLAUDS THE SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL TO CONVERT DISTRESSED HOTELS INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING The Assembly Announced Earlier Today it Would Also Vote for the Passage of HONDA ALBANY, N.Y. — Today, the New York State Senate passed the House Our

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, June 7, 2021 CONTACT Jasmine Budnella, jasmine@vocal-ny.org Mariah McGough, Mariah@vocal-ny.org AFTER A FIGHT SPANNING OVER A DECADE, VOCAL-NY CELEBRATES THE SENATE’S PASSAGE OF LIFESAVING BILL TO DECRIMINALIZE AND EXPAND ACCESS TO SYRINGES IN NEW YORK ALBANY, N.Y. — Today, the New York State Senate passed S2523/A868, legislation to decriminalize syringes and

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, May 28, 2021 CONTACT Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org, 203 470 9979 THE CLOCK IS TICKING: VOCAL-NY CALLS ON SENATE AND ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIP TO PASS UNFINISHED BUSINESS IN LAST DAYS OF SESSION Lawmakers Joined VOCAL-NY at Press Conference in April to Demand Legislation to Support New Yorkers Left Out of Final State Budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, May 27, 2021 CONTACT Mariah McGough, Mariah@vocal-ny.org, 203-470-9979 Homeless New Yorkers Win Historic Passage of Intro 146; Fight Continues to make CityFHEPS Stronger NEW YORK — In response to the passage of Intro 146, VOCAL-NY released this statement attributable to Joseph Loonam, Housing Campaign Coordinator: “After years of fighting to end

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, May 26, 2021 CONTACT Jasmine Budnella, jasmine@vocal-ny.org Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org HISTORIC VICTORY: ASSEMBLY JOINS THE SENATE IN PASSING LIFE-SAVING LEGISLATION TO ENSURE ACCESS TO MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT IN JAILS IN PRISONS Assembly Vote Marks Major Progress After the Legislation was Set Aside in the Last Hours of the 2019 Legislative Session;

IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 18, 2021 CONTACT Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org NEW POLL: HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING TOP TWO ISSUES FOR NYC VOTERS IN MAYORAL RACE NEW YORK —Today, WPIX 11 and Emerson College released new polling showing that homelessness and housing are the top issues for voters in New York City’s mayoral race, polling at 20% and