One-third of families suffering homelessness in New York City are being denied access to housing vouchers as the crisis spikes and rent prices soar, according to one of the area’s largest providers of shelter and supportive services.
The Win organization revealed Thursday that many of the families they serve–including children–are being rejected for CityFHEPS vouchers due to what the organization cites as “arbitrary and illogical city rules.”
Win states that this comes in the face of a sharp increase in New Yorkers navigating the loss of a place to live. The group reports they have seen a rise in those seeking aid — a shocking 14% monthly of families with children since January.
This comes in tandem with the citywide number of families in shelters growing by 11% over the same time period, which is believed to be exacerbated by skyrocketing rent prices and expired pandemic-era rental protections.
“New York City’s housing market is out of control, and while all renters are being squeezed, low-income New Yorkers are bearing the brunt of these runaway rents. More and more families are losing their homes and being forced into shelters that are already at max capacity — and the city’s arbitrary administrative rules are contributing to the crisis,” said Christine C. Quinn, President & CEO of Win, who previously served as City Council speaker.
“Our homelessness crisis has been steadily worsening for years, and now with pandemic-era protections expired, thousands still behind on rent, and prices soaring, it is reaching a boiling point. We know that CityFHEPS vouchers work, but this program could be far more effective if the city’s longstanding rules would just get out of the way. We thank the Adams Administration for the progressive changes they have already made, like relaxing shelter curfews — and we are ready to work with them and City Council so those struggling with housing instability can stay in their homes and those who are in shelter have the support to move out faster,” Quinn added.
Reports indicate that one of the largest issues which prevent families from moving on from the shelter system is the 90-day Rule, which mandates that the individuals must be in the system for three months before they may apply for CityFHEPS housing vouchers. During an analysis of data at the end of July, Win found that over 575 families were prevented from applying for CityFHEPS vouchers due to the 90-day Rule, forcing them to stay in the shelter instead when they could have been searching for a permanent residence.
Win is not only calling on the city to repeal the 90-day rule, but they are also asking for vouchers to be made available to those on the cusp of losing their homes, which the provider believes would help families avoid the shelter system to begin with.
In order to make CityFHEPS vouchers as effective as possible, Win is also asking the city to increase the Commission on Human Rights’ budget for enforcing source of income discrimination laws — which make it illegal for landlords to discriminate against New Yorkers using housing vouchers — to at least $1 million and fix longstanding administrative problems.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office told amNewYork Metro that the city’s goal is get people out of the shelter and into permanent housing as swiftly as possible. The city also shared that those impacted expressed the difficulty of waiting in a shelter for several months before being evaluated for permanent housing. The city stated they have ended the process and are now assessed for moving from day one. According to the spokesperson, they have invested a record $22 billion for affordable housing and created plans to craft 15,000 units by 2028.
“The administration is deeply grateful to the New Yorkers who have experienced homelessness and helped us develop our blueprint for housing and homelessness. We are constantly working to cut red tape and reduce administrative burdens on New Yorkers, so that residents can access safe, quality, affordable permanent housing as quickly as possible,” a Mayor’s office spokesperson said.
