Recent tragic events have highlighted the need to increase protections for people experiencing homelessness in NYC. Legislation at the state level looks to address that. The Homeless Protection Act, introduced by Assembly member Linda Rosenthal, would designate certain offenses against homeless persons as hate crimes.  

The Homeless Protection Act (HPA)

We believe this legislation is important because:

1. It increases protections for people who are targeted because of their housing status;
2. Introduces stronger consequences for perpetrators, providing greater justice for victims;
3. Create a stronger mechanism to report and document attacks against unstably housed folks to get a clearer picture of the extent of the issue;
4. And, more importantly, help combat the stigmatization of people experiencing homelessness. It is concerning that shifting community perceptions portray homeless people as dangerous, when in fact, they are statistically more likely to be victims of crimes than to perpetrate crimes.  

We will be circulating a support letter to organizations and individuals across New York State. In the meantime, reach out to your State Assembly representatives and ask them to sign on to support the Homeless Protection Act (A.298).

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