NYC mayoral candidates on supportive housing

Many politicians have rallied behind the idea of supportive housing, places where people can live even if they don't have a job or are using drugs

OK, Fox News, Morgan McKay here now with more on where the mayoral candidates stand on this issue. Morgan

So every New York City mayor has had to grapple with the issue of homelessness and how it contributes to public safety

Candidates in the Democratic primary have all pitched their own ideas, but many are looking to what's known as supportive housing to help solve the issue

Supportive housing units have wraparound services that can address mental health and addiction

Critics of this program point to how these units do not require a person living there to stay sober or have a job

But proponents say this is partly why these units have been relatively successful

According to the city, people live in these units for an average of eight years

But in a new report released by the Supportive Housing Network of New York, where these people go next is unclear

They do exit. What are some positive exits? out of supportive housing, but then also are there returns to homelessness and by what populations

I think all this would be really helpful to learn. So where does each candidate stand on the issue Well Andrew Cuomo when he was governor the number of beds in psychiatric hospitals in New York City fell by 28 percent But now he wants to spend billion over five years

to build 600 new supportive housing units per year. State Assemblyman Zoran Mamdani says he

wants to turn empty storefronts and underground vacant spaces in the subway system into triage

centers for those undergoing mental health crises. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams says she wants to

create a guaranteed basic income program that would be the largest of its kind and help more

than 21,000 homeless children and young adults. And City Comptroller Brad Lander wants to move

people off the streets into single room occupancy apartments with on-site services

If they're not in housing, then they're on the street. That's the only other choice. So people

you could have people go into hospital for a few days or a week or two, then they're going to come

out. And the question is, do you want them back on the street or subway where they'll get worse

and sometimes be a danger to themselves and others? Or do you want them in housing and services? To

me, it's a pretty simple choice. And the county with the highest number of supporting housing

units is the Bronx. Steven, that's awesome. All right. Sounds good. Morgan, thank you so much