NYC Mayor’s Office announces expansion of HOME+ program

New York City’s Mayor’s Office has announced the expansion of HOME+ program in conjunction with End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV).

HOME+ is a program which caters to confidential and free security resources to survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. This includes people who want to stay in their homes instead of entering shelter or going somewhere else.

First launched in 2021, the program aims to provide survivors with emergency-response systems, personal alarms that clients can customize to notify trusted family, friends, service providers or police when activated.

Beginning today, HOME+ has expanded to provide survivors with additional options, including lock, door, and window repair and replacement services, when appropriate, including basic lock installation/replacement within 24 hours.

The program is a redesign of New York City Human Resources Administration’s (HRA) Alternative to Shelter (ATS) program which eliminates requirements for an active order of protection and police response for program participation.

This is made possible through an investment of over $1 million from the Adams administration.

Also, the program supports a larger number of survivors by moving the program from City-run to operation by borough-based non-profit service providers. This change has resulted in a doubling of the number of program participants. Like other ENDGBV programming, HOME+ services are available to survivors regardless of language, income, gender identity, immigration status or demographic factors.

HOME+ operates through partnerships between ENDGBV and local domestic and gender-based violence services organizations, whose staff work directly with program participants to assess risk, coordinate referrals, and provide related case management services.

Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom said: “HOME+ helps provide the resources needed to enhance basic safety measures for individuals and families affected by domestic, intimate-partner, or gender-based violence. There are few things more anxiety-filled than coming home to a broken window, lock, door, or having the feeling of being unsafe in your own home. The program extends support for survivors so that they can have the peace of mind knowing that they can call for help regardless of their ability to pay or their immigration status. Thank you to ENGBV and our partners for making this program possible.”

The Mayor’s Office also said to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Commissioner Cecile Noel: “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home. HOME+ strengthens the City’s efforts to increase safety and stability for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence and helps empower survivors who often suffer silently and fear seeking out the help they need. Survivors are never alone, and help is always here for them through a wide range of City resources including this crucial program. We are grateful for our HOME+ program partners, the Violence Intervention Program, WomanKind, Seaman’s Society, HELP R.O.A.D.S./USA, and Rising Ground without whom we could not deliver and expand the comprehensive set of services we offer to survivors from diverse communities throughout the City.”

Operating in all five boroughs, the program has been blessed with partnerships with non-profit organizations including HELP R.O.A.D.S./USA (Brooklyn), Rising Ground (Manhattan), Seaman’s Society (Staten Island), Violence Intervention Program (Bronx), and WomanKind (Queens).