CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org, 203 470 9979

ADAMS FALLS SHORT: VOCAL-NY URGES THE MAYOR TO ADOPT A FULL REFORM PACKAGE ON CITYFHEPS, NOT CHERRY-PICK PIECEMEAL SOLUTIONS

The Mayor Adopted Just One of the Reforms Passed by the City Council in May, and is Considering Vetoing the Majority of the Reforms Package That Would House Tens of Thousands  

NEW YORK — Today, Mayor Adams signed an executive action that would eliminate the rule requiring New Yorkers to live in DHS shelters for 90 days in order to access CityFHEPs vouchers. In response, VOCAL-NY released the following statement, attributable to Milton Perez, a leader with VOCAL-NY’s Homelessness Union: 

“New Yorkers who are experiencing homelessness are not fooled by the Mayor’s lackluster endorsement of the 90-day rule reform. Time and time again folks in my community have laid out the problems with CityFHEPS for this Mayor and his administration, and they go beyond a 90-day waiting period. The fact that this Mayor would consider vetoing legislation, but adopt changes to the 90-day rule — something that he could have done in his first days in office — proves that this move is a petty, political distraction. This Mayor is not serious about getting folks into permanent housing and keeping them there.” 

BACKGROUND:

Last month, the New York City Council passed a slate of bills to update and expand the CityFHEPS, the city’s rental assistance voucher program. New York City is experiencing the worst housing crisis since the Great Depression. Mayor Adams and his administration are scrambling to house the influx of asylum seekers coming to New York City, and are putting people in harm’s way in the process. 

New York City’s shelter system has already failed to transition people into permanent housing – a consequence of several issues with the CityFHEPS Voucher Program. By reforming the CityFHEPS program and expanding access to all New Yorkers, the City can transition people out of the overburdened shelter system into long-term, permanent housing.

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