The latest from Picture the Homeless ... Cynthia Nixon ... Bill de Blasio

Homeless people and supporters will rally at Madison Square Park at 1:30 p.m. today. They aim to highlight the lack of clean restrooms for homeless people by gathering near an automated public toilet at the park. The city purchased 20 of them in 2006, according to a press release from Picture the Homeless, but only five were installed. The advocates aim to push the city to install the remaining 15. Find out more about the event here.

The Children’s Village has received a $12.2 million contract renewal from the New York City Administration for Children’s Services. The money will fund non-secure placement services for juvenile offenders at the nonprofit’s facility in Dobbs Ferry, according to the City Record. The city Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration has given a $1.88 million contract to Iris House: A Center for Women Living with HIV to deliver non-emergency scatter site housing and support services. The department also announced a $1.2 million contract with University Behavioral Associates that will fund a “comprehensive service model” for people with substance abuse problems.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio would not commit to activists’ call for setting aside 10 percent of his housing plan for homeless people.

.@NYCMayor says explicitly that he thinks a modest goal of setting aside 10% of his housing plan for homeless New Yorkers to address record homelessness is too much. He says he “will not make that commitment.” @ErrolLouis #HouseOurFutureNY pic.twitter.com/l2sRKDOtNU

— Coalition for the Homeless (@NYHomeless) August 27, 2018

Send your press releases, photos and details on your latest events to zwilliams@nynmedia.com.

The Cynthia Nixon campaign made a mistake when it touted the endorsement of Akeem Browder in her insurgent campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor. A press release announcing the endorsement of Akeem – whose brother Kalief spent three years on Rikers island as a teenager for allegedly stealing a backpack – got the names of the brothers straight in the first and second paragraph. But things got embarrassing in the third paragraph, which stated that Nixon had received the endorsement of Kalief, who committed suicide following his release from Rikers, while chastising Cuomo for purportedly preventing the passage of Kalief’s Law, legislation that aims to ensure the right to a speedy trial.

“Governor Cuomo had promised Kalief that he would fight to pass measures like these, but later broke that promise. When Kalief began speaking to media about the governor’s broken promise, the governor’s top lawyer tried to silence Kalief,” reads the press release.

While it appears that the campaign has not commented on the mix-up as of the morning of Aug. 28, her campaign did get Akeem Browder’s name correct in a Tweet yesterday regarding the endorsement:

Kalief Browder awaited trial for three years on Rikers Island because he couldn't afford $3K bail. He then took his own life.

His brother @AkeemBrowderNYC & I believe it's past time for true justice reform in NY. When I'm governor, I will make it happen.https://t.co/q8rwmWDU5N

— Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) August 27, 2018

Send your press releases, photos and updates to Zach Williams at zwilliams@nynmedia.com.