FAQ’s
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1. Who is eligible for Housing Plus services?
HousingPlus provides permanent supportive housing to individuals experiencing homelessness or chronic homelessness in New York City. Some of our programs focus on particular target groups within this population such as persons with physical disabilities, those with mental health or substance abuse challenges, female Veterans or those with histories of criminal justice involvement.
We also provide alternatives to detention for women, non-binary and non-gender conforming people who would otherwise be unnecessarily held at Rosie M Singer Prison on Rikers Island or other detention facilities.
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2. I am homeless, where can I get help?
If you are being evicted, you can call the Eviction Prevention Hotline at 212-776-2039 Wednesday mornings beginning at 9:30 a.m. For more information, see the Coalition for the Homeless website.
If you need a placement in a shelter:
If you have a child or children under 18, are made through the Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing office (PATH) of the New York City Department of Homeless Services. PATH is located at 51 East 151st Street, Bronx, NY 10451, Main phone: 917-521-3900, read more here.
There are separate facilities for accessing shelter for single men, women and families without children. You can read more here.You can also call 311.
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3. I, or my loved one, is detained, can you help?
Our alternative to detention program seeks to move women, non-binary and gender-expansive individuals being unnecessarily detained at Rikers, and other detention facilities to transitional, community-based housing where they can get the services they need to fulfill their court obligations and rebuild their lives. If you would like to make a referral or learn more about this program, please contact our team at Ana@housingplusnyc.org.
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4. What areas do you serve?
We serve people who are experiencing homelessness throughout New York City through out permanent supportive housing and our Justice Works program can serve those detained state-wide. Our permanent supportive housing is located primarily in Brooklyn and focuses on East New York, where we are focusing efforts to develop new permanent housing and are investing in supporting the community. Our Justice Works program is located in Harlem.
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5. What types of programs and services does Housing Plus offer?
HousingPlus offers permanent supportive housing to individuals who have experienced homelessness and/or chronic homelessness and transitional housing supportive housing as an alternative to detention for women, non-binary and gender expansive persons who are justice-involved, especially those who would otherwise be detained at the Rosie M. Singer facility on Rikers Island or in other facilities. In both our permanent and transitional programs, we see housing as the first step to building stability, and build on this with a suite of supportive services including case management, mental health support and employment and education services.
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6. What kind of support services are available for families and children?
HousingPlus provides support to families by addressing individually the needs of all household members, tailoring our educational, mental health and other services to the individual needs of each family member.
We take special care to address the needs and interests of the 231 children we serve by promoting family well-being, positive social interaction, and self-sufficiency. We help children thrive by providing resources and connecting them to educational, childcare, mental health, and recreational services within their communities. As families transition from temporary shelters into permanent housing, we identify and provide the basic needs that children and families need in this process.
In addition, we work with program participants who have been separated from their children to achieve reunification.
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7. What other organizations does Housing Plus partner with?
HousingPlus works with a consortium of organizations focused on providing alternatives to detention for women who would otherwise be unnecessarily detained on Rikers or in other detention facilities. The consortium includes Greenhope Services for Women, Hour Children, Providence House, HousingWorks and New Hour for Women and Children. We also work with a number of community referral partners.
We are members of NYC Fair Chance for Housing, the Supportive Housing Network of New York and the NYC Continuum of Care and the Criminal Justice Taskforce – Mental Health Committee. HousingPlus also sits on the Continuum of Care’s Veterans Task Force.
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8. How can I donate to Housing Plus?
Your gift helps to ensure that HousingPlus can continue to offer housing and supportive housing to individuals in need.
To make a donation, click here or see below.
You can donate online, by check, or electronic transfer.
Mail checks to:
HousingPlus
Attn: Development
4 West 43rd Street, 7th Fl.
New York, NY 10036Call (347) 529-2403 for electronic transfer instructions.
We accept appreciated stock, Qualified Charitable Distributions from retirement accounts, and awards from Donor Advised Funds. Consider HousingPlus in your future plans. Including us in your will is simple.
We consider donations of in-kind items on a case by case basis.
We offer volunteer opportunities on an ad hoc basis.
For more information on these options, reach out at development@housingplusnyc.org.
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9. How can I become a corporate partner or sponsor?
Yes! We are grateful for corporate contributions, you can give through any of our online, check, or electronic transfer mechanisms as well as opportunities for employers to make matching gifts. We recognize corporate donors in a variety of ways, please contact us at development@housingplusnyc.org.
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10. How is Housing Plus funded?
HousingPlus receives about three quarters of its funding from Federal, State and City contracts. Most of the remainder comes from a combination of from private fundraising (including foundation grants, corporate gifts and private donations) and individual contributions. We also charge our tenants rent. This is capped at 30% of their income to ensure that it remains affordable, meaning that it represents only a small percentage of funding. Finally, a small percentage comes from administrative services provided to partner organizations. Private support is incredibly important to us for its flexibility and consistency which enables us to offer a wider range of services and balance our budget, so we are working hard to increase private support to 20-25% by 2026. Help us by giving now.
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11. Are donations to Housing Plus tax-deductible?
Yes, HousingPlus has been recognized as a 501c3 non-for-profit by the Internal Revenue Service, so 100% of your contribution is tax deductible! We will send you an acknowledgement of any gift for your tax records.
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12. Can I designate my donation to a specific program or service?
In general, we ask for private donations for general operating expenses, however, if you want to designate your gift to a particular program or service, you can contact us at development@housingplusnyc.org.
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13. How can I set up a recurring donation?
Making a commitment to giving on a monthly basis not only offers hope and housing to people in need, it helps HouisngPlus to plan and budget. You can set up a monthly donation here.
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14. How can I get updates on Housing Plus's work and impact?
HousingPlus sends regular updates to our supporters highlighting our tenants’ successes and progress in achieving our mission (opening new housing units, etc.). To receive these updates and stay in the know, sign up here.
Who can I contact for more information or if I have a specific question not addressed here?
We are happy to answer any questions. Please reach out to us by email at development@housingplusnyc.org
Glossary
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1. Chronic homelessness
Chronic homelessness is a term which describes experiences of homelessness for at least a year — or repeatedly — while struggling with a disabling condition such as a serious mental illness, substance use disorder, or physical disability.
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2. Substance use disorder (SUD)
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a treatable mental disorder that makes individuals less able to control their use of substances like legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications. Some of our programs specifically seek to support people with SUD.
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3. Housing First
Housing First is an approach to housing that asserts that a safe and stable home is the starting point for addressing other issues and so provision of housing should not be conditioned on sobriety or similar criteria. However, housing should be supplemented with other service as needed to support individuals to build on housing to achieve stability and other goals.
HousingPlus is a Housing First organization.
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4. Serious mental illness (SMI)
Serious mental illness (SMI) is defined as a diagnosis given to an adult of a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. A portion of HousingPlus’ services are targeted at individuals who have SMI.