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Council hears bill to provide luggage for foster youth after testimony on belongings packed in trash bags
Summary
Councilmembers and witnesses testified in support of Intro 1077, a bill requiring the Administration for Children's Services to provide luggage to foster youth during placements and moves; foster care alumni and advocates described children carrying their belongings in black trash bags and urged passage to protect youth dignity and stability.
Councilmember Joseph (sponsoring member) introduced Intro 10 77 at a July 1 hearing of the Committee on Children and Youth, asking the council to require the city's Administration for Children's Services (ACS) to provide suitable luggage when children enter foster care, move placements or exit care.
"As a foster mom of two, I've seen firsthand how painful and humiliating it is for children to carry their belongings in trash bags," Councilmember Joseph said in opening remarks, describing testimony her office collected from young people who said their possessions were packed in black garbage bags and in some cases lost or thrown away.
Advocates and witnesses urged passage. Sophie Fashana, a foster-care alumna and policy staffer at Next100, said distribution of duffel bags in other states had been limited and that New York City had not received the same support despite serving a large foster population. "Every day in New York City, a child enters the foster system carrying everything they own in a black plastic bag," Fashana said. "If we care about the image of our city, we must care even more about the dignity of our children."
Cheyenne, another witness with lived foster-care experience who works at Next100, told the committee that supportive housing and placement quality must be tracked alongside any luggage policy so placements support youth stability. She recommended ACS publish annual reports that include placement locations and housing conditions.
The bill mirrors proposals enacted in other states and aims to standardize city practice so all children in foster care leave or move with durable luggage rather than disposable trash bags. DYCD and ACS staff were not present in the testimony panel; witnesses said that several state and local organizations had already distributed duffels in limited pilots and urged the City Council to adopt a legally binding city policy.
No formal vote occurred during the oversight hearing; the bill was discussed in committee and proponents asked the Council to move the measure forward and coordinate with state lawmakers, who have advanced similar legislation.
