Faith Leaders for House Our Future NY

February 28, 2019

Mayor Bill de Blasio

City Hall
New York, NY 10007

Dear Mayor De Blasio,

As you well know, New York City is in the midst of the worst homelessness crisis since the
Great Depression, with more than 63,000 people – including 22,000 children – sleeping in
shelters each night. In order to match the unprecedented need, the City must employ every
available affordable housing resource. While we recognize and commend you and your
administration for all your efforts to address the crisis, we must call on you to do even more. We
are writing to urge you to align your historic Housing New York 2.0 plan with the reality of
record homelessness by immediately increasing the total number of housing units created for
homeless households to 30,000 – 10 percent of your overall 300,000-unit plan – with 24,000 of
those units to be created through new construction.

As people of many of the faiths that help make our city one of the greatest on the face of the
earth, we are united in one call grounded in our faith traditions that demands that we stand with
those who are suffering. We stand together to ask that you go beyond what is comfortable and
do what is difficult. The daily suffering of our more than 63,000 sisters and brothers, parents
and children demands no less!

We are proud to join the House Our Future NY campaign, the Coalition for the Homeless, more
than 60 other partner organizations, homeless men, women and children and other caring New
Yorkers in urging you to commit to 30,000 new units of affordable, permanent housing (24,000
to be created through new construction) for homeless New Yorkers by 2026.

We thank you for your service and commitment to the people of New York and wish you God’s
strength and guidance for the difficult but crucial work ahead.

In Faith,
Reverend James Addison, Team Member & Operations Manager, Life Experience and Faith Sharing Associates, New York
Imam Ahmet M. Atlig, Director, North American Islamic Community Center, New York
Reverend R. Anne Auchincloss, Retired Deacon, Church of the Heavenly Rest, New York
Mr. Kirk Barrell, President, Emmaus House, Harlem, New York
Deacon Dennis Barton, Middle Collegiate Church, New York
Shaikh T A Bashir, CEO, House of Peace, New York
Mr. John Benfatti, Shelter Coordinator, Riverdale Ethical Culture Society, Riverdale, Bronx
Reverend Lindsay Borden, Pastor, Lafayette Ave. Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn
Bishop, Dr. Raymond Rufen-Blanchette, President, The Clergy Campaign for Social & Economic Justice, Brooklyn
Rabbi Steven Blane, founder, The Union of Jewish Universalist Communities, Rabbi, Congregation Sin Shalom
Reverend, Dr. Robert L. Brashear, Chairman, Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, New York
Reverend Chloe Breyer, Executive Director, Interfaith Center of New York
Rabbi Fryer Bodzin, Senior Rabbi and Spiritual Leader, Israel Center of Conservative Judaism in Queens
Reverend Karyn Carlo, PHD, Educator, American Baptist Churches, Queens
Reverend Seamus Campbell, Pastor, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York
Sister Nancy Chiarello, Assistant Administrator, The Dwelling Place, New York
Gerald Chisholm, Congregational leader, Bronx Christian Charismatic Prayer Fellowship Inc., Bronx
Ms. Wilda Colon, Seminarian, St. Philip's Baptist Church, New York
Reverend Peter Cook, Executive Director, New York State Council of Churches, Albany
Reverend Fred Davie, Executive Vice President, Union Theological Seminary, New York
Reverend Karen Davis-Lawson, Rector, St. George Episcopal Church, Astoria
Sister Carol De Angelo, Director, Office of Peace, Justice and Integrity of Creation, Sisters of Charity of NY, Bronx
Reverend Emily De Tar Bint, Minister, Unitarian Church of Staten Island
Ms. Mary Dugan, Peace and Justice task force, Unitarian Church of All Souls, New York
Reverend John Duffell, Pastor. Church of the Blessed Sacrament, New York
Ms. Gretchen Walher Dumler, Committee Member, Church of the Ascension, New York
Mr. Matthew Dunbar, Vice President, External Affairs, Habitat for Humanity, NYC, New York
Reverend Kate Dunn, Associate Pastor, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York
Reverend David Dyson, Pastor Emeritus, Lafayette Ave. Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn
Ms. Eleanor Evans, Minister, Parish Ministry, The Riverside Church, New York
Chaplain, Kim Eliano, Second Baptist Church, Mineola
Reverend, Mark Erson, Pastor, St. John's Lutheran Church, New York
Reverend Jim Fairbanks, Editor, Saving Justice Newsletter, Bronx
Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Executive Director, Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition, New York
Reverend, Dr. Mary Foulke, Rector, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Harlem, New York
Reverend Kyndra Frazier, Executive Director, Hope Center, First Corinthians Church, Harlem, NY
Sister Mary Kay Finneran, NYC shelter volunteer, retired, Sisters of St. Joseph, Bronx
Reverend, Dr. Robert Foltz-Morrison, Executive Presbytery, Presbytery of New York City
Sister Eileen Gannon, Leadership Team Member, Dominican Sisters, Sparkill
Reverend Rafael Garcia, Pastor, United Methodist Church, Staten Island
Reverend Sam Ghiggeri, Interfaith Minister, Congregation Member, Trinity Church Wall Street, New York
Reverend Joel Gibson, Executive Director, Micah Institute, New York
Ms. Vera Gill, RN, Health Ministry Leader, Staten Island Seventh Day Adventist Church
Ms. Lucille Goeres, Mentor, Panim El Panim Life-Skills Program, New York
Mr. Marc Greenberg, Executive Director, Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, New York
Mr. Peter Gudaitis, Executive Director, New York Disaster Interfaith Services
Reverend Dr. Gwendolyn Hadley-Hall, Associate Pastor, Christ United Baptist Church, Brooklyn
Pastor Martin Hauser, Pastor, Grace & St. Paul's Church Lutheran Church, New York
Ms. Beth Hermdin, Community Minister, Judson Memorial Church, New York
Ms. Chelsea Horvath, Director of Community Ministries, All Angels Episcopal Church, New York
Rabbi Michael Howald, Temple Israel Reform Congregation, Staten Island
Mr. Lawrence Hui, Volunteer Coordinator, Rutgers Presbyterian Church Shelter, New York
Reverend Karen Jackson, Director of Recovery and Community Initiatives, Project Hospitality, Staten Island
Reverend Russ Jennings, Producer, Love in a dangerous Time Podcast, New York
Reverend Laura Jervis, Parish Associate, Pastor, Rutgers Presbyterian Church, New York
Pastor Alonzo Jordon, Chaplain, AACEO, FREEPORT
Ms. Michelle Kahn, Executive Director, Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee, New York
Reverend Charles King, CEO, Housing Works, New York
Dr. Anne Klaeysen, Clergy Leader, New York Society for Ethical Culture, New York
Dr. Richard L. Koral, Clergy Leader, New York Society for Ethical Culture
Reverend Mark Koenig, Advocate for Justice Ministries, Presbytery of New York City, New York
Imam Souleimane Konate, Masjid Aqsa Mosque, New York
Reverend, Dr. Clyde Kuemmerle, Executive Director, Ecclesia Ministries of New York
Reverend Gloria Lavine, Church Administrator, Staten Island Council of Churches
Reverend N.J. “Skip” L’Heureux, Executive Director Emeritus, Queens Federation of Churches
Reverend, Dr. Sally MacNichol, Co-Executive Director, Connect NYC, New York
Reverend Patricia Malcolm, President, Churches United to Save and Heal, New York
Rabbi Marc Margolius, Senior Program Director, Institute of Jewish Spirituality, New York
Reverend Zac Martin. Pastor/Organizer, Trinity Grace Church, New York
Rabbi J. Rolando Matalon, Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, New York
Reverend Elizabeth Maxwell, Rector, Episcopal Church of the Ascension, New York
Ms. Mia M. McClain, Director, Children's Ministries, Fort Washington collegiate Church, New York
Imam Khabir John McGeehan, Dergah Al Farah, New York
Ms. Susan Mendoza, Executive Director, Moravian Open Door, New York
Reverend Christopher Mietlowski, Pastor, Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, New York
Father Stephen Mimnaugh, OFM, Executive Director, St. Francis Friends of the Poor, New York
Pastor Lynn Min, Counselor, Staten Island LMHC
Reverend Brian Moll, Executive Director, Rescue Alliance, New York
Reverend Hugo Monroy, Pastor, La Segunda Iglesia Cristiana (2nd Christian Church), Bronx
Reverend Eric Mull, Pastor, St. John’s Lutheran by the Sea, Long Beach
Reverend Heidi Neumark, Pastor, Executive Director, Trinity Lutheran Church/Trinity Place Shelter, New York
Reverend James Oseikofi, Associate Pastor, Bethesda Healing Center, Brooklyn
Reverend, Dr. Martha Rollins Overall, Priest, St. Ann's Episcopal Church, Bronx
Ms. Rosemary Pace, Director, Pax Christi Metro New York
Ms. Linda Rousseau, Co-Chair, Peace and Justice Task Force, Unitarian Church of All Souls, New York
Rabbi Shuli Passow, Director of Community Engagement, Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, New York
Reverend Nigel Pearce, Senior Pastor, Grace Congregational Church, New York
Reverend Stephen Phelps, Minister, Presbytery of New York City, New York
Cantor Ayelet Porzecanski, Cantor, West End Synagogue, New York
Reverend Kenneth L. Radcliffe, Deacon Parish of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, New York
Mr. Scott Ramsdell, Board President, Emergency Shelter Network, New York
Reverend Thia Reggio, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Astoria
Reverend Ray Rivera, Founder and President, Latino Pastoral Action Center, Bronx
Reverend Matt Schaeffer, Pastor, Bethel United Methodist Church, Staten Island
Reverend Donna Schaper, Senior Minister, Judson Memorial Church, New York
Mr. John Sheehan, Director, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church Homeless Outreach Program, New York
Reverend Chris Shelton, Pastor, Broadway Presbyterian Church, New York
Reverend Bill Shillady, Executive Director, United Methodist City Society, New York
Rabbi Joshua Stanton, Senior Rabbi, East End Temple, New York
Dr. Diane Steinman, Executive Director, Interfaith Network for Immigration Reform, Forest Hills
Reverend Cynthia Stravers, Associate Rector, Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, New York
Mr. Michael Strong, Founder/Director, Strong Families Deliverance Ministries, Bronx
Rabbi Felicia Sol, Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, New York
Reverend, Marie A. Tatro, Vicar for Community Justice Ministry, Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, Brooklyn
Guru Dileepkumar Thankappan, President, International Gurukula Community, New York
Reverend Adriene Thorne, Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn
Reverend Terry Troia, Executive Director, Project Hospitality, Staten Island
Ms. Sunita Viswanath, Co-Founder, Sadhana - Coalition of Progressive Hindus, Queens
Reverend Schuyler Vogel, Senior Minister, Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York
Mr. Hemant Wadhwani, Board Member, Hindu American Seva, New York
Reverend Julius Walls. Jr., Pastor, Greater Hood AME Zion Church, New York
Sister Susan Wilcox, Justice Coordinator, Sisters of St. Joseph, Brooklyn
Minister John Williams, President/CEO, New Creation Ministries Inc., Brooklyn
Larissa Wohl, Tzedek Program Manager, Congregation B'nai Jeshurun, New York
Reverend John W. Woody, Trinity Wall Street (Retired). New York
Brother Anthony Zuba, pastoral staff, Roman Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd, New York
Organizations listed for identification purposes only 116 endorsers as of 2-28-19

Faith Leaders for House Our Future New York

C/O Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing
Marc Greenberg, Executive Director, Marc@iahh.org, 917-913-0098