New York City continues to struggle with an influx of migrants, and with a shortage in shelter and hotel space. The city is now considering calling on residents if they have an extra room to house an asylum-seeker.
It’s one of many ideas Mayor Eric Adams is considering in order to keep the overflow of thousands of migrants off the streets of New York City.
NYC would pay residents to house migrants under proposal
Adams argues this “private residence proposal” would help put money back in the pockets of taxpayers, if they have a spare room for a migrant.
The mayor is offering residents compensation to serve as room-and-board for asylum-seekers.
Churches receive $125 per migrant per night
50 churches across the city are willing to house migrants who are adult males. The churches are receiving $125 per night per migrant.
If private households are paid a similar rate, that would mean New Yorkers housing a migrant would make more than a foster parent in the city.
School gyms were also in the mix of ideas for more makeshift shelters in the city to house the 46,000 migrants now in the city. More than 2,000 arrived in one week alone.
“There are residents who are suffering right now because of economic challenges. They have spare rooms. We should be recycling our own dollars. We should take this crisis and go to opportunities. That is how we can deal with this,” Adams said.
Critics call it a magnet for more migrants
The mayor has received backlash over the proposed idea. Some call it a “free ride” for migrants and a magnet for more to come to the city. The mayor says New York City is currently looking at any legal obstacles that would get in the way of this plan, but he says he would like to see it move forward.
