The Bloomberg administration is changing rules governing emergency shelter for homeless families – a move officials said is aimed at closing a loophole some have used to get beds when they should have been turned away.
But the move prompted an outcry from homeless advocates, who called it “dangerous” and said it could hurt families.
They said the families at issue have been turned down for permanent shelter after officials at the Department of Homeless Services investigated and found they had other options.
Those families have been showing up to city offices looking for shelter past 5 p.m. – at which point they’re automatically given emergency overnight shelter.