Information for New Arrivals, Migrants and Asylum Seekers in New York City (2024)

As a result of a lawsuit that was settled in 1981, Callahan v. Carey, there is a legal Right to Shelter in New York City. This right provides that anyone without a place to live is guaranteed safe, decent, and appropriate shelter so they don’t have to end up on the streets. In May 2023, Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul sought to modify the Right to Shelter to allow the City to deny shelter to New Arrivals and long-time New Yorkers in need.

On March 15, 2024, Coalition for the Homeless and the City entered into a Settlement Agreement that preserves the Right to Shelter and establishes a temporary crisis plan to address the current situation. This plan relates only to single adult New Arrivals and adult family New Arrivals. (Adult family New Arrivals are families who have travelled to New York City without family members under the age of 21.)