The Homes Can’t Wait Coalition gathered with legal advocates on Tuesday to protest the city’s decision to block the expansion of what advocates call a “crucial” housing program.
Specifically, the advocates want city leaders to reevaluate the implications of an upcoming appellate court decision related to the City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS)s program. The rally comes ahead of legal arguments in the Marie Vincent et al. v. Mayor Eric Adams case, which seeks to prevent the Adams administration from blocking City Council-approved reforms to the CityFHEPS program.
This legal battle stems from an October appeal filed by The Legal Aid Society and the City Council after the New York County Supreme Court dismissed the original petition. The court ruled that state law prohibits the City Council from having policymaking authority over social services.
“The lower court’s ruling, which has allowed the Adams Administration to refuse implementation of a reform package duly passed by City Council, is wrong on the law and, if allowed to stand, will have devastating consequences for low-income New Yorkers,” Robert Desir, staff attorney for the Civil Law Reform Unit at The Legal Aid Society.
Advocates argue thousands of low-income New Yorkers will risk eviction and homelessness without access to expanded housing vouchers.
“It’s crucial that we expand access to CityFHEPS,” said Council Member Alexa Avilés. “The degree of housing instability and homelessness we are witnessing in New York City cannot continue. It is a human rights and public health crisis.”
The legal action seeks to enforce several local laws aimed at reforming CityFHEPS, including measures to expand eligibility and ensure that assistance is accessible without excessive bureaucratic barriers.
“At a time when NYC is facing a housing crisis… it is unconscionable that the Adams administration is spending its political capital trying to block the expansion of desperately needed housing vouchers. Our constituents need housing, and they need it now,” Council Member Tiffany Cabán said at the rally.
Participants also expressed discontent with Mayor Eric Adams’ handling of the crisis.
“The verdict is in: guilty on all counts,” said Calvin Michael, a member of the Safety Net Activists. “We need to make a decision before you get evicted, which is quite possible under our current Mayor.”
Legal Aid has filed a lawsuit to compel the full implementation of four key local laws aimed at improving housing access for vulnerable New Yorkers. These include:
- Local Law 99 of 2023 allows voucher holders to rent apartments at the full voucher amount without deducting utility expenses
- Local Law 100 of 2023 which raises income eligibility from 200% of the federal poverty line to 50% of the area median income
- Local Law 101 of 2023, which broadens eligibility for CityFHEPS to any income-eligible household facing eviction
- Local Law 102 of 2023 prohibits the City from using employment status as a criterion for eligibility.
The rally concluded with a call to action for increased support for the CityFHEPS program, as advocates pledged to continue fighting for the rights of vulnerable New Yorkers facing the threat of eviction and homelessness.
“Our leaders are obligated to prevent as many evictions as possible,” said Deb Berkman, director of the New York Legal Assistance Group’s Shelter and Economic Stability Project. “This madness must end and the Council’s CityFHEPS legislation must be implemented.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Mayor Adams stressed that it has helped “a record number of New Yorkers obtain permanent housing” through CityFHEPS last year, “including over 14,000 who moved from shelter to permanent homes.” The program last year also helped keep more than 10,000 New Yorkers in their homes, the spokesperson added.
“We have been successful in this implementation thanks to improvements and investments we’ve made to CityFHEPS, including lifting the 90-day shelter rule, increasing staffing, and expanding eligibility and access,” the City Hall spokesperson told amNewYork Metro in a statement. “We are glad that the lower court agreed with our administration that these laws went beyond the City Council’s legislative authority, and we are hopeful that our partners in the Council will join us in remaining committed to working to connect New Yorkers in need with safe, affordable, permanent housing.”
