New York City Hall simplifies paperwork to get housing vouchers and move homeless out of shelters

With homeless shelters rising to historic occupancy levels in the Big Apple, the City announced Monday a A couple of new measures that will make the procedures for obtaining a housing voucher easier.

In addition, a series of policies are being created to shorten the long road it means for people living in the shelter system, manage to move into stable housing.

The reforms include enhancements to the city’s Homeless and Eviction Prevention Supplement program, known as CityFHEPS, which will ensure that this City-funded housing voucher benefit, be more flexible.

In this same sense, it was announced a pilot program called “Street to Housing”which will place homeless New Yorkers directly into supportive housing.

Added to all this is an expansion plan for the city’s housing mobility program, which helps families with federal housing vouchers to access apartments in more neighborhoods in the five boroughs.

“By simplifying the access to CityFHEPS, supportive housing plan and expand the power of our housing vouchers, more New Yorkers will be able to stay in stable housing, avoid the shelter system and raise their children in a different setting. This is just the beginning of the work we have to do,” he explained. Jessica KatzNew York City Housing Director.

You are worth more at hand

In the package of reforms to the housing voucher program, CityFHEPSsingle adults working full-time at minimum wage will be allowed eligibility, including if your income is slightly above 200% percent of the federal poverty level.

It will also put money back in the pockets of New Yorkers by reducing the monthly contribution for CityFHEPS tenants moving into one-bedroom occupancy units from 30 percent of their income. to a maximum of $50 per month.

Another change involves reducing the number of hours families must work to be eligible for this benefit: From 30 to 14 hours per week.

The new policy includes covering the costs of apartment application fees for who live in the ‘shelters’administered by the City of New York.

This process will begin immediately, although there are several parts of the reforms that must be implemented through DSS regulation and will have to wait. public hearings required by law.

“These changes are based on the shared experience of homeless people who have been on the front lines of this crisis. And today, we’re kicking off a major effort to speed New Yorkers down the road. who need permanent housing”said Mayor Eric Adams.

Section 8 Expansion

Many families with federal housing vouchers (Section 8) live in neighborhoods that lack services, such as high-performing schools and public transportation. Often these groups face barriers that limit their ability to move to neighborhoods with more access to services.

In fact, more than half of federal city housing vouchers are used in a small number of communities, which they only represent 10% of the Big Apple.

It was also confirmed this Monday that with a $7 million investment in grants from Enterprise Community Partners and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the City will expand its housing mobility efforts to reach 1,400 families until 2027, instead of 50 families as happened in 2020.

The City’s housing mobility programs support the ability of families to move to new neighborhoods with advice, assistance in finding available apartments, and assistance with moving costs.

Launch of ‘Street to Housing’

The Mayor also announced the launch of the programa piloto ‘Street to Housing’, that creates a direct path for homeless New Yorkers to access permanent supportive housing, without having to go through the shelter system.

The initial plan will connect up to 80 single adults with supportive housing.

Once located in a house, individuals or families will have the support of a community organization, Volunteers of America Greater New York (VOA-GNY)while applying from the same residential unit, which could become your permanent home.

This plan devotes an entire chapter to reducing the administrative burdens and red tape that slow down the process of getting New Yorkers, particularly those in the shelter systemso that they can access permanent and supportive housing.

3 key to the City’s housing plan:

• Eligibility for CityFHEPS vouchers will be expanded from one adult in the household to any member of the household, like a child.
• will be put to try a limited bonus equal to one month’s rent for landlords who rent to CityFHEPS voucher holders, in high-cost neighborhoods.
• Increase staffing at the New York City Department of Social Services (DSS), to expedite voucher processing.

The data:

55,036 people are currently occupying the New York City shelter system.