ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Local advocates, alongside “VOCAL-NY” rallied outside the Monroe County Office Building Thursday to push for the inclusion of the “Housing Access Voucher Program” (HAVP) in New York’s final state budget.

The proposed program aims to provide rental assistance for people and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

According to VOCAL-NY, when Gov. Kathy Hochul was asked recently about HAVP, she stated she is focusing on constructing a “modest amount of new units” but they say this fails to address immediate needs of New Yorkers on the verge of eviction.

“If she says the rent is too damn high, then all she has to do is sign that dotted line to relieve it for hundreds of thousands of people,” said Majid Dunson, the leader of VOCAL-NY.

People rallying from VOCAL-NY said they are just asking for them to “please sign on,” and make a stand, stating if they can “believe in family” they can believe in this program.

As of January last year, more than 1,000 people were homeless in Rochester alone, according to VOCAL-NY.

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