Comptroller Lander Launches Online Form for Public to Aid Investigation into 60-Day Shelter Limit for Asylum Seekers

 

New portal will confidentially collect verified stories & insights detailing impacts of Adams Administration’s policy forcing families to leave shelter after 60 days

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander announced the launch of a new online form to serve as a dedicated platform to share insights and first-hand observations on the impacts of the Adams Administration’s imposition of a 60-day shelter limit for asylum-seeking families this winter. Open to individual New Yorkers, advocacy groups, and community organizations, the form is located on the “Accounting for Asylum Seeker Services” section of the Comptroller’s Office website.

“As our office investigates the City’s implementation of its 60-day shelter limit, a vital way to fully understand the real impact of this policy on the lives of families is to gather feedback from asylum seekers themselves and the communities who interact, live, and witness the day-to-day experience of newly arrived families. Firsthand accounts are a crucial and integral part of the information-gathering process to fully delve into how the 60-day limit impacts shelter, schools, and stability,” said Comptroller Brad Lander.

The 60-day rule, implemented by the Adams Administration in October 2023, mandates families in New York City shelters to leave within 60 days. Families receiving this notice must find alternative shelter, potentially facing displacement to different locations and schools.

Today’s update to the Comptroller’s Office’s asylum seeker resource is an extension of Comptroller Lander’s January 9 announcement, where he initiated an investigation into the City’s handling of the 60-day rule, expressing concerns about fiscal implications, case management distribution, potential impacts on work authorization and immigration status, and the overall costs associated with uprooting families. Comptroller Lander sent a letter outlining the investigation to Mayor Eric Adams, requesting detailed information from relevant agencies involved in implementing the rule.

 The Comptroller’s office created this online form to collect on-the-ground perspectives on the challenges faced by asylum seekers in light of recent policy changes. Participants can submit information anonymously as personal identification is not required. Any information in this form will not be voluntarily disclosed by the Comptroller’s office and no identifying information will be included in any published investigation report.

The “Accounting for Asylum Seeker Services” resource, launched this past August, brings together the most comprehensive publicly available set of the City’s known emergency contracts, budget projections, and high-level data on the asylum seeker population.

The Comptroller’s Offices encourages advocacy groups, community organizers, and individuals to submit their experiences securely and confidentially via the form.

Read Comptroller Lander’s letter to Mayor Adams.

Explore the “Accounting for Asylum Seekers” resource.

Submit observations and insights through the new online form.