They Were Promised an End to Homelessness. Now They Face Eviction.

The New York Times recently posted an article about a man named Dwayne Seifforth. Dwayne spent four years sleeping on the street and one year in the shelter system. In 2020 he qualified for a city voucher and got an apartment for himself and his 9-year-old daughter. 

However, now Dwayne faces homelessness again due to the property owner being involved in multiple lawsuits, accusations of fraud, and then bankruptcy; ultimately leading to a new owner of the building who is not renewing any of the leases.

Unfortunately, the City of New York does not adequately vet property owners citing that increased vetting procedures would delay housing placements. This leaves Dwayne, his daughter, and others in an impossible situation. 

These tenants in the article are on the brink of homelessness, yet they did everything right. They went through the shelter system, persevered through the red tape, and still due to circumstances outside of their control find themselves in a situation where they may be homeless. 

I hope we can all appreciate how nuanced homelessness is - it is not one size fits all. That is why at City Relief, we listen to each story and journey alongside each guest to help them navigate the barriers they experience to finding a stable home.

Thank you for your faithfulness, 

Josiah