Osborne's response to Governor Hochul's State of the State

Yesterday, Governor Hochul gave her State of the State address, laying out her vision and priorities for 2023, including public safety, mental health, and housing. Osborne Association knows - and shows - that public safety is what you get when people have stable housing, access to health care, substance use treatment and mental health services, quality schools, affordable childcare, equitable opportunities to living wage jobs and career paths, and opportunities to reach their full potential. These are achieved and best protected by policies that are rooted in our shared humanity and commitment to racial justice and equity for all.

We applaud many elements of the Governor’s “Keeping New Yorkers Safe” initiative and her “New York Housing Compact.” While we are reviewing the 200-plus pages of her State of the State book and more details will be revealed in the coming days and weeks, we offer these initial thoughts, models, and recommendations on her public safety and housing priorities:

PUBLIC SAFETY

We are thrilled by the expanded investment in ATI and reentry programs throughout the state. As an ATI and reentry services provider and member of the NY ATI/Reentry Coalition, we have been advocating for such expansion for years. The Governor’s plan to triple funding to 20 county reentry task forces is also welcome news. Our programs prove every day the difference diversion and reentry support can make on a human level and in cost savings. In 2022:

• Our Court Advocacy Services (CAS), working alongside defense attorneys and participants and their families to propose community-based sentences as appropriate, successfully reduced incarceration for its participants by more than 940 years, saving the State a conservative estimate of $56.4 million¹. CAS also assisted 47 people who were detained in DOC custody to safely return to parole supervision in the community, saving the City the $71,675 per day that it costs to hold 47 people in jail².

• Upon reentry, 349 people were placed in jobs by Osborne’s Workforce Development program, with an average starting hourly wage of $19.17, nearly 28% above minimum wage.

We were encouraged to hear the Governor emphasize the importance of bail reform:

The size of a person’s bank account should not determine whether or not they sit in jail or come home, even before they’ve been convicted of a crime. The goal of bail reform is a righteous one and I stand by it.

We urge Governor Hochul to be guided by the facts and the evidence, not political pressure, to leave the law as it currently stands, and to continue to support policies and investments that decarcerate and strengthen communities, including partnering with communities to develop solutions.

One example of what is possible from such partnerships is our Bronx Osborne Gun Accountability and Prevention program (BOGAP), developed in collaboration with the Bronx DA to address gun possession cases and prevent gun violence through an intensive, yearlong program. BOGAP is focused on the root causes of gun possession and personal accountability for the risks that possessing a gun poses. Just yesterday, as the Governor was giving her remarks, the first cohort of participants returned to Court, received a conditional discharge, had their felony convictions vacated, and were recognized for their hard work. Their commitment to transformation through cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma treatment, community building, and employment experiences demonstrates a guiding truth that people live into the future they see for themselves. With support, resources, tools, and opportunities, they are contributing positively to a safe, thriving New York.

HOUSING

The Governor announced her groundbreaking “New York Housing Compact” with the goal of building 800,000 new homes over the next decade by incentivizing the private market through rezonings and the elimination of unnecessary red tape.

These efforts are worthy and they must include people returning from incarceration. Thousands of people - moms, dads, brothers, aunts, sons and daughters - exit prison and jail with no home to return to and end up in an overburdened, costly shelter system, increasing their risk for recidivism. We call on the Governor to dedicate funding for transitional and permanent supportive reentry housing, as well as investing in families as a critical source of reentry housing support. Not having a home means instability, and instability threatens public safety. As the Governor stated, “Housing is a human right,” including for these vulnerable New Yorkers.

Osborne is leading the way in developing innovative reentry housing. We urge the Governor to look to the below three models and others for investment, expansion, and replication:

Kinship Reentry

This first-of-a-kind program is designed to address the added financial strain and stressors a family faces when welcoming a family member into their home from incarceration. Osborne leverages existing housing (families’ homes) by providing a monthly subsidy and peer support to families. Kinship Reentry invests in the stability of the family, a protective factor in keeping people home post-release. As of December 2022:

• 94 families have enrolled in Osborne’s Kinship Reentry program.

• 62 participants have successfully completed financial literacy training to gain knowledge and tools for sound financial decision-making.

Marcus Garvey supportive housing, located in Brownsville, NY, offers 52 apartments that are permanent reentry housing for people over age 50 who served at least 7 years in prison (with most having served decades). Months after opening, Marcus Garvey was full, with a long waitlist.

Fulton Reentry and Community Center (transitional supportive housing) will soon open, transforming a former prison into a welcoming environment and transitional home for 140 individuals post-incarceration.

These are all urgent matters affecting the daily lives of New Yorkers, including children and families, and demanding bold action. New York is one of the few states with a track record of driving down both crime and incarceration; we know how to do this, and we can go even further. By building on and investing in what works, and partnering with communities and providers, Governor Hochul can courageously steer New York through challenging times. We stand ready to assist efforts to ensure that New York is guided by policies and practices that promote true safety and justice for all.

1. According to a 2019 NY Assembly Corrections Committee report, it costs $60,000 per person to 
incarcerate someone for one year in NY State prison.

2. According to Comptroller Stringer’s 2021 report, it costs $1,525 per person per day to 
incarcerate someone on Rikers.