NYC Department of Homeless Services

Background

The New York City Department of Homeless Services is one of the largest, most comprehensive shelter systems in the United States. In December 2017, the City of New York entered into a federal Settlement agreement, Butler v. City of New York, which established a multi-year plan to expand accessibility in DHS’s existing facilities. DHS is also committed to meet or exceed regulatory accessibility requirements that apply to any new shelter facilities to ensure meaningful access for people with disabilities.

Services:

Steven Winter Associates, Inc. (SWA) is retained by DHS and is approved by the Court, pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, to survey all existing intake and assessment sites and select Single Adult, Adult Families, and Families with Children shelters across the five boroughs. SWA developed a customized inspection tool that is used to assesses compliance with the accessible design and construction requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the New York City Building Code. SWA identifies barriers to access at existing facilities and develops a prioritized remediation plan designed to achieve compliance with applicable accessibility requirements. In addition to facility audits, SWA also conducts plan reviews of existing and newly constructed shelter projects in the agency’s capacity pipeline.