NYC calls on houses of faith to house asylum seekers

An influx of migrants is straining New York City's shelter system
Mayor Eric Adams is asking religious organizations to help out for a fee
A member of an interfaith assembly says it is an "unusual arrangement"

Updated: May 24, 2023 / 06:31 AM CDT

(NewsNation) — Despite a drop in illegal crossings at the southern border since Title 42 expired, major American cities continue struggling to house the migrants who were already in the country before the pandemic-era law lifted.

In the face of this influx of migrants, the mayor of New York City is pleading with houses of worship to help.

Mayor Eric Adams says New York City is receiving an average of about 700 migrants or asylum seekers a day, with numbers crossing 900 on two different days last week.

The migrants coming into the city are being processed at the Roosevelt Hotel on the Lower East Side, which was reopened last week to provide emergency housing for migrant families.

As Adams and other city officials look for additional places to house migrant asylum seekers, faith communities are receiving an SOS message from the city to help out.

In a letter written on behalf of the city, church leaders were asked if their congregations would be interested in serving between 15 and 19 people every day and night for no longer than six months, for nearly $30,000 per month.

The city is asking houses of worship to provide breakfast, dinner and showers in a safe and clean environment, according to Marc Greenberg.

Greenberg, with Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, wrote the letter and says he has received some very strong interest.

“So we have a reserve fund in place so that a church or synagogue or a mosque or temple will not have to lay out a dime, that they will be paid on time for the services that they offer, for the rent, for the heat, for the food, for the security. And this took a while, this is an unusual arrangement. It is not normally the case with nonprofit contracts with the city,” Greenberg said.

So far, 10 houses of worship have indicated they are willing to open their doors to asylum seekers. The ultimate goal is to get 100 faith organizations on board.

New York City churches have been providing housing for the homeless for years now, but the massive influx of migrants into the city over the last year has left the city’s shelter system maxed out.

City officials say they have received more than 70,000 migrant asylum seekers since last April, and 42,000 are receiving services from the city, including housing.