Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda, chair of the Assembly Subcommittee on Transitional Services, which deals with post-incarceration issues, today hailed Gov. Cuomo's pilot program to increase housing opportunities for the formerly incarcerated.
Sepulveda called it "an important step" in fighting homelessness, enhancing public safety and reducing the risk of recidivism.
His subcommittee of the Assembly Corrections Committee, deals with legislation to best prepare prison inmates for reentry to the community, prevent recidivism, enhance public safety, and provide the support network and training to help former prisoners become self-sufficient, responsible community members.
Under the new pilot program, funded by the state Department of State and supported by the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, carefully screened and monitored individuals with criminal convictions will be allowed to rejoin their families in public housing in Schenectady, Syracuse and White Plains.
In announcing the pilot program, the governor pointed to a 2016 study by the Vera Institute which showed that not one of the 85 individuals who participated in an ongoing housing pilot program in the New York City Housing Authority has been convicted of a new crime since enrollment.
Assemblyman Sepulveda also hailed NYCHA's Family Reentry Program.
"I call on NYCHA to continue to work at modifying some aspects of this program in order to increase the number of participants in this already worthy program," he said.
"I hope both the governor's and NYCHA's pilot programs become successes, opening the door to expansion," said Sepulveda. "For too long, there has been a blanket stigma against all former inmates, even though they have paid for their crimes and shown they are worthy of acceptance back into general society. This can only benefit all concerned."
Assemblyman Sepulveda represents the 87thAssembly District covering Parkchester, Castle Hill, West Farms, Van Nest and Stratton Park.
