A Series of Small Wins Strengthens the Safety Net for Homeless Families – by Lisa Pearlstein

More than 30 years ago, organizational theorist Karl Wieck observed that in the face of overwhelming social problems like homelessness, we can feel helpless to do anything. However,  in Weick’s thought-provoking article “Small Wins: Redefining the Scale of Social Problems,” he suggests that we view massive issues as a series of smaller problems that can be affected by small wins. Once a small win has been accomplished, forces are set in motion that favor another small win; new allies suggest solutions and old opponents change their habits.

The City Bar Justice Center’s Legal Clinic for the Homeless (LCH) has achieved a series of small wins that have significantly reinforced the safety net for homeless families. Working in a coalition with other legal services providers, LCH pressured and convinced New York City’s welfare administration (HRA), that it must systematically target families who may not be receiving enough benefits to adequately feed their families: those living in shelters without kitchens or meals. In November and December of 2014, the City reviewed 176 cases and issued approximately $140,000 in retroactive and ongoing restaurant allowance to these homeless families. Welfare center staff have been re-trained and are now issuing restaurant allowance more consistently to eligible families.

More recently, pressure from LCH resulted in HRA manually reviewing over 5,000 cases of homeless families to ensure that those receiving carfare allowance to search for housing were issued an increased amount due to the March 2015 MetroCard fare hike. Shelters require families to look for permanent housing, but without the ability to pay the transportation costs, the task is impossible. Previous fare increases had not been addressed promptly or systematically by HRA. HRA’s own staff is now seeking to ensure that the next carfare increase is implemented automatically by the agency.

LCH has shifted its focus to achieving other small wins designed to alleviate hunger and suffering. We have proposed that HRA provide restaurant allowance to homeless families who are “conditionally” placed in shelter, to those adults who are working during shelter mealtimes, and to young children who may not eat the meals served by shelters. We are also urging the City to provide a small cash allowance to those who first apply for public assistance to meet emergency needs while HRA investigates their eligibility for ongoing benefits. A series of small wins can do a lot to alleviate hardship.

Lisa Pearlstein is Director of the City Bar Justice Center’s Legal Clinic for the Homeless.