Putting Long Islanders First: Addressing the Crisis of Homelessness

As I travel across Long Island, I am continually struck by the stark realities facing our residents. Families are grappling with the growing crisis of homelessness and our schools are struggling to secure adequate funding. Yet, amidst these pressing issues, New York State continues to divert billions of dollars to support illegal immigrants. This misallocation of resources is not only unfair but also unsustainable. It is time we prioritize the needs of our residents and put Long Islanders first.

As per Newsday, consider the story of Brenda D'Alessandro, a hardworking hairstylist who has dedicated nearly 50 years to her profession. Brenda was evicted from her Smithtown apartment due to an unaffordable rent increase and now finds herself living out of her car. Brenda's plight is not unique; she represents a growing number of working people on Long Island who, despite having jobs, are forced to live in their vehicles. These individuals face numerous challenges, including inadequate access to hygiene facilities, a lack of safe sleeping conditions, and the constant threat of job loss due to their living situation.

Homelessness is a crisis that requires immediate and focused attention. According to the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population in our region is those living in their cars. This is a reality that we cannot ignore. Our social safety nets and housing policies must be restructured to ensure that hardworking Long Islanders like Brenda have access to safe and affordable housing.

While Long Islanders face these severe challenges, the state has chosen to allocate billions of dollars to support illegal immigrants. New York City, for example, is expanding a program that distributes prepaid debit cards to migrant families. This program, expected to cost the city approximately $2.6 million over the next six months, provides migrants with up to $350 per week. In contrast, the average monthly food stamp benefit for low-income, elderly, and disabled U.S. citizens is just $291.

The city has spent more than $1 billion over the past year on migrants and anticipates spending about $10 billion in the coming years. These funds could be better utilized to address the pressing needs of our own citizens, such as housing and education. It is fundamentally unfair to prioritize non-citizens over those who have contributed to and built our communities.

As your representative in the NYS Assembly, I will fight to reallocate resources to where they are needed most: supporting Long Islanders. We must:

• Increase funding for affordable housing initiatives to ensure that no working person is forced to live in their car.

• Secure adequate funding for our schools to provide a quality education for every child.

• Prioritize the needs of our citizens, our veterans, our elderly and our people over those of illegal immigrants by ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent to benefit our community first.

It is time for a change. Long Islanders deserve leadership that puts their needs first and tackles the real issues affecting their daily lives. We need to ensure a safer, more affordable Long Island! 

Joe Cardinale

Republican/Conservative Candidate for NYS Assembly District 11