Projects

New Report Showcases the Need for Youth Employment Programs

CDP and FUREEous Youth are pleased to share our new report, "The Struggle Report: Findings and Recommendations by NYC Youth for New York Job Development Programs".

This report documents the employment challenges facing NYC youth, evaluates existing government youth job programs, and provides recommendations for improvement and expansion of job opportunities and training. The report calls for increased funding for youth employment programs that regularly turn away huge numbers of young people. Speakers at the June 5th press conference on the steps of City Hall included those who have participated in youth employment programs, City Council Member Steven Levin, City Council Member Letitia James, the Office of State Sen. Velmanette Montgomery and other advocates.

Court Preliminarily Approves Groundbreaking Settlement in Lawsuit Filed by MHP Against Social Security and Schedules Fairness Hearing to be Held on July 24, 2013

On May 3, 2013, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Carol B. Amon of the Eastern District of New York granted class certification and preliminary approval of a major settlement reached in a lawsuit filed by MHP and pro bono co-counsel Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP against the Social Security Administration (SSA) for systematic, generalized bias against disabled claimants by five administrative law judges (“ALJs”)in SSA’s Queens Office of Disability Adjudication & Review (“QODAR”). The settlement is the largest of its kind and provides unprecedented relief. Under the settlement, approximately 4,000 individual denied disability benefits will be entitled to receive new hearings. The settlement also provides prospective relief to those denied in the future. The Court will hold a fairness hearing on July 24, 2013 before ruling on whether to grant final approval. Click here to read the Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement and Fairness Hearing in English, and click here for a Spanish-language version. Click here to read the proposed settlement agreement, courts orders, press release, and other background documents.

More than a Home: CDP and VOCAL-NY Release Housing Report

The Community Development Project and VOCAL-NY are pleased to share our new report, More than a Home: How Affordable Housing for New Yorkers Living with HIV/AIDS Will Prevent Homelessness, Improve Health and Reduce Costs. This report, based on surveys, focus groups and secondary research, examines the impact of denying affordable housing to permanently disabled people living with HIV/AIDS who receive rental assistance. Hundreds of low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS are homeless and thousands more are on the brink of losing their homes due to a loophole in state law that denies them affordable housing. A simple solution – and one that has broad bi-partisan support in the state legislature – is to ensure that homeless and formerly homeless people living with HIV/AIDS pay no more than 30 percent of their income towards rent. This report outlines why this is not only humane and just, but also a highly effective public health intervention that will produce cost-savings for taxpayers. Read the report here.

9th Annual Community Justice Awards Luncheon

Please visit our photo gallery for the event.

CDP and CASA Release Report on Bronx Housing Court

The Community Development Project (CDP) and New Settlement Apartments' Community Action for Safe Apartments (CASA) are pleased to share our newest report, "Tipping the Scales: A Report of Tenant Experiences in Bronx Housing Court." This report, which is the result of over 1,000 surveys, 3 focus groups, and 15 judge observations, documents tenant experiences with Bronx Housing Court. About 2,000 tenants go to Bronx Housing Court every day and in 2012, 11,000 households were evicted. It is estimated that about 95% of tenants do not have legal representation while 90% of landlords do. Our research shows that current court protocols and policies are insufficient to level the playing field for unrepresented tenants in Housing Court. This report provides simple, common-sense steps that can be taken to ensure that all tenants receive fair treatment. Read the full report and the Executive Summary in English and in Spanish.

SNP celebrates the release of their book, Street Practice

Street Practice presents recent studies of non-profit organizations involved in poverty relief services in New York City in comparison with programs in existence across the U.S. Street Practice provides a front-line, ground-level perspective on innovative research practices designed to solve community problems. It explores the manner in which organizations bridge the gap between research and policy advocacy, with an account of the ways in which research contributes to alleviating or solving a community problem, as well as details on successes and failures of advocacy work, problems and limitations of their research, funding constraints and political resistance. As such, this book not only offers compelling examples of social change in action, but also serves to introduce models for research and policy advocacy that can be applied similarly in other urban areas.

Thank you to all who shared in SNP’s celebration. To purchase Street Practice, access link below:
http://www.ashgate.com/isbn/9781409425335