GOSHEN – State Supreme Court Judge Sandra B. Sciortino on last Wednesday granted Orange County a preliminary injunction, preventing New York City Mayor Eric Adams from sending additional homeless individuals to Orange County without complying with State Social Services law and a further order from the Court.
This decision was the first of its kind brought by a County against New York City.
“I would like to thank County Attorney Rick Golden and his hard-working attorneys and staff for their work and diligence in achieving this successful result,” Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus said. “This issue needs to be resolved at the State and Federal levels. They must come up with a better plan.”
Judge Sciortino stated in her decision and order that: “The denial of a preliminary injunction will provide the City with unfettered ability to transport groups of individuals, without regard to legal and regulatory authority.”
Judge Sciortino held that:
* The City of New York and hotels in Orange County are enjoined from transporting or receiving any further homeless individuals from New York City to hotels within Orange County until the City complies with State law regarding the exportation of its homeless to the County and the Court agrees that the City is in compliance with State law. The only exception is the 186 individuals presently residing in two hotels in the County. Should any occupant vacate one of the hotels, no substituted homeless persons may be transported or received.
* Orange County shall be entitled to make inspections at the hotels currently housing the homeless sent to the County by New York City.
* The City of New York, and not Orange County, is mandated to be responsible for all related expenses for services provided to the 186 homeless persons previously sent to the County, including but not limited to medical, meals, laundry, security, and transportation, until further order of the Court. The City may not end such payments after four months as they previously represented.
* New York City shall provide the County with identification information for all the 186 homeless persons it transported to the County within five days and shall promptly notify the County of any such homeless who vacate the hotels.