Editor’s note: The borough president has been very vocal about the issue below involving homeless shelters proposed or in production on Staten Island. We have covered several related issues in the past, including the number of kids in the public school system who lack stable housing. Additionally, there are unhoused individuals that do live on the street in our borough, albeit a lot fewer than in other boroughs, at somewhere around 200. However, they still need care and assistance, and the island has only one or possibly two emergency shelter locations, where people can stay for a day or two at most. There are no Section 8 houses available on the island at this time, either, though that may also change.
BP Vito Fossella
The Office of the Borough President has a responsibility to advocate for the entire Borough of Staten Island and all its residents, and represents the Borough's interests within City government. The Borough President communicates directly with the Mayor and the City Council to emphasize Staten Island’s budget priorities. In addition, the Borough President is responsible for reviewing major land use decisions and proposing sites for city facilities within the Borough. As the chair of the Borough Board, the Borough President leads Staten Island’s City Council delegation and Community Board chairs in the process of reviewing and approving the transfer of public properties to private use. The Borough President’s Office houses the Borough's Topographical Bureau, which maintains the borough’s official maps and assigns street addresses. The Borough President monitors the delivery of city services on Staten Island, and acts as a liaison between residents and city agencies when problems arise to devise solutions. The Borough President is also responsible for appointing one member to the Panel for Educational Policy and one member to the City Planning Commission, as well as some 150 members to Staten Island’s three community boards.