New York City
Homeless Youth Center Facing Budget Cut

A New York City center for homeless and at-risk LGBT youth is facing a major budget cut at the direction of the city government. The Ali Forney Center, which shelters and provides services to vulnerable kids, may lose $600,000 in funding next year because the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is discontinuing such outreach contracts. The center's drop-in center is funded entirely by the contract, which is provided through the federal Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS (HOPWA) program but administered by the health department.

City, state, and federal politicians, led by Democratic U.S. congressman Jerrold Nadler, who represents parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan's Upper West Side, called on Mayor Michael Bloomberg to restore the funding.

Said Nadler at a press conference on Tuesday: "For these HOPWA funds to be discontinued before other sources were identified is irresponsible. New York City's HIV infections among gay boys and men aged 13-29 increased by 33% from 2001 to 2006. Nearly four out of five new infections are among Latinos and African-Americans. Hence, there is a great need for ongoing outreach and preventative services for Ali Forney's hundreds of clients."

Nadler was joined at the event by Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer, state senator Tom Duane, assembly members Dick Gottfried and Deborah Glick, and Ali Forney executive director Carl Siciliano. The elected officials present, along with city council speaker Christine Quinn and two council members, have sent a letter to Bloomberg asking that "this mistake be remedied," Nadler said, adding: "We must all work together -- the city, elected officials, and advocates -- to make sure that these kids do not slip between the cracks." (The Advocate)