New York City To Require Housing for Homeless in New Construction

The New York City Council is expected to move this week on a bill that would require new city-financed housing developments to set aside at least 15% of their units for people transitioning out of homeless shelters. Council members and Mayor Bill de Blasio have worked out an agreement on the proposal, which would cover buildings with at least 41 apartments and is intended to help reduce the city’s shelter population of nearly 60,000 people. The plan would generate about 1,000 apartments for homeless people each year. Councilmember Rafael Salamanca originally introduced the bill in 2018, after he spoke with shelter officials and homeless people to understand their needs. “When you meet with homeless families, they’re asking for permanent housing and that’s exactly what this bill does,” Salamanca said. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said that the deal was reached with the de Blasio administration after much negotiation. “I don’t like to overstate things, but this is a big deal. For the first time ever, this Council is mandating the production of housing units for the homeless into our overall housing strategy. It’s a fundamental change in policy that is both necessary and urgent,” he said. Jane Meyer, a spokesperson for de Blasio, said that the administration is dedicated to providing more housing. “This agreement will ensure it’s written into law that future administrations continue the progress we’ve made and homeless New Yorkers can rest assured we’re doing all we can to put a safe and stable roof over their heads,” she said. Basha Gerhards of the Real Estate Board of New York, said that the plan should come with necessary support services. “Successful programs over and over again prove that Housing First doesn’t mean the work is done once permanent housing is provided. A robust set of services is essential once housing is provided. We join with advocates across the City to ask that the Mayor and the Council put forward a plan that truly provides for this,” Gerhards said. [Politico; Gothamist]

FIREFIGHTER PAY | Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that the city will provide firefighters an average pay raise of nearly 20% starting in January. Originally, firefighters were only set to receive a 3% increase. The rate was raised when a study found that bare pay rates were below market rate and hurt the fire department’s ability to attract and retain employees. The city is investing $15.6 million into the raises over the next three and a half years. “As first responders, Atlanta’s firefighters are on the front lines of danger each and every day. When an independent study confirmed they were underpaid, it was this Administration’s duty to respond in the urgent and meaningful manner they deserve,” Bottoms said. Fire Chief Randall B. Slaughter said the raises were historic.“This pay raise represents the single largest pay enhancement to firefighters in this city in my 29 year career,” Slaughter said. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution; The Atlanta Voice]

ABORTION | A federal appeals court ruled a 15-week ban on abortion that was passed in Mississippi this year unconstitutional, prompting supporters to promise an appeal to the Supreme Court. The 15-week ban has never taken effect in the state, as it was blocked first by a district court. Outgoing Gov. Phil Bryant, a Republican, vowed that the state will appeal the decision. "We will sustain our efforts to fight for America’s unborn children. Mississippi will continue this mission to the United States Supreme Court,” he said. Hillary Schneller, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the state is wasting money fighting for a ban that previous rulings have said would be unconstitutional. “The [court] recognized today what is obvious: Mississippi’s abortion ban defies decades of Supreme Court precedent. With this ruling, Mississippi—and other states trying to put abortion out of reach—should finally get the message,” she said. The Supreme Court has held that states may regulate abortion prior to viability, usually around 24 weeks, so long as they do not impose an undue burden on women who seek the procedure. Abortion opponents hope the Supreme Court will take up Mississippi’s case, or a lawsuit from bans in other states, to change this precedent. [Clarion Ledger; Vox]

CADET DIVERSITY | The city council of Wilmington, Delaware voted to postpone authorizing a new class of police cadets until the class is more diverse. The city is almost 70% African American and Latino, but the police force is largely white and only 15% female. Councilman Trippi Congo said he was surprised to see the issue come up again, as the council first delayed the authorization at the start of 2019. "It was stated in that meeting that the police department would give Council their plan on making the department more diverse. We were excited because we want to help that plan, but I haven't received anything. We can't keep asking to have more diversity. We have to demand it,” he said. Wilmington Police Chief Robert Tracy said the department is actively working to recruit a more diverse class. “It’s not great numbers, it’s not overwhelming numbers, but it’s certainly progress as far as trying to change the diversity of the department,” Tracy said. [Delaware Online; Delaware Public Media]

HARASSMENT | A federal appeals court ruled that the Pennsylvania State Police must pay a female trooper $350,000 in a case where she sued the department for creating a hostile work environment. Trooper Rachel Jones sued the department when they allegedly failed to stop Trooper Craig Acord from harassing her after she terminated their romantic relationship. Jones was awarded $250,000, plus an additional $100,000 for legal expenses, in a previous trial, and the state appealed the amount, saying it was too much. Jones said Acord monitored her whereabouts, sent her messages, and confronted her in the station where they both worked. Judge Paul B. Matey said the department did not do enough to stop the harassment even after Jones told her superiors. “Yet, the contacts continued, in part because Jones would still overlap shifts with Acord. Indeed, the director of the state police’s Equal Employment Opportunity Office advised Jones that, ‘(This) is a small station. You’re just going to have to work with him…and deal with it,” he wrote. He found the $350,000 payout to be appropriate. Acord had been terminated by state police, but a state court panel ordered him reinstated, noting an internal investigation did not sustain the allegations against him. [PennLive.com]