City, state reportedly talking on new homeless initiative

Bill de Blasio and Andrew Cuomo haven’t seen eye-to-eye on much lately, but that doesn’t mean they can’t cooperate on the issue of homelessness in New York City.

The de Blasio administration is in talks with Albany to create a new program that would provide more housing and support services for homeless people in the city.

While one person familiar with discussions told the Wall Street Journal that a deal could be reached within a week, Gov. Cuomo said Monday that no announcement on a new homelessness program was imminent.

A joint city-state program would mark an escalated response to the city’s growing problems with homelessness, which has surged to more than 57,000 people in shelters and prompted an increase in complaints from city residents.

Although Cuomo and de Blasio may be coming together on the homelessness initiative, sources say the personal relationship between the two Democrats has not improved since their sparring over affordable housing policy and rent regulations this summer. [WSJ] – Rey Mashayekhi