If busloads of asylum-seekers are coming to Erie County to be sheltered in hotels, dorms or other facilities, the looming question is: Who is covering the costs of their stay?
More specifically, what financial burden will Erie County – or any county in a similar position – have to bear because of actions taken by New York City to send asylum-seekers to other parts of the state for housing?
Conflicting information has been presented to the community, often through a political lens, and specifics have been hard to come by. Part of the reason is because some questions – like how many asylum-seekers are coming here – have yet to be answered.
But based on some fact-finding by The Buffalo News, including communication with state and county officials and advocates, here are the best answers we have right now on the who is bearing what costs, why this is happening and what we still don’t know.
Q: Who is paying for asylum seekers to live here?
A: The short answer is: mostly New York City, which is covering the transportation and housing costs for migrants bused upstate. That figure includes the types of costs typically associated with any shelter, like food and clothing. It should also include the costs of health care or other social services benefits.
Hochul called it a “crisis situation,” noting she had met with New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday, which came a day after she went to Washington, D.C., to talk about the…
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