New York’s Ali Forney Center, one of the most renowned LGBT youth centers in the country, may soon see a serious drop in funding if Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s newly released budget is to go through.

The budget proposes $7 million in cuts to the city’s Runaway and Homeless Youth Services, essentially eliminating 160 youth shelter beds from the already overcrowded Ali Forney Center. There are 4,000 homeless youth in NYC and only 250 shelter beds available. 

“Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to throw 160 homeless children out of their shelter beds and into the streets is cruel, reckless, and contemptible,” said Carl Siciliano, executive director of the Ali Forney Center. “These cuts create an even bigger crisis for the LGBT teens who are thrown out of their homes and forced to endure homelessness on the streets of our city. The LGBT community needs and demands political leaders who will protect our children. Instead, Mayor Bloomberg has proposed eliminating more than half of their shelter beds. The Ali Forney Center and all those who work with and care about LGBT homeless youth will not be silent in the face of this decision, which offends us as a community and needlessly puts our young people in harm’s way.”

Man oh man, this better get changed. This will help virtually no one and hurt nearly everyone.