QUESTION
What is being done to address delays and shortages for NYC housing voucher holders?
1:27:33
·
151 sec
The NYC Mayor's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) addresses challenges and actions regarding housing voucher processing and citywide housing shortages.
- NYC faces a significant housing shortage affecting rental assistance voucher holders' ability to find housing.
- Diana Ayala raises concerns about delays in processing housing vouchers, highlighting the issue beyond just the housing shortage.
- Jacques Jiha states the addition of staff to DHS (Department of Homeless Services) to address processing delays.
- DHS has 236 staff members dedicated to working on voucher processing, indicating efforts to improve the system.
- Despite improvements in staffing and processing, the broader challenge remains the limited housing supply in NYC.
Diana Ayala
1:27:33
How do you how do you do you guys keep track of that?
1:27:36
And why a person is still is it is it you you you keep track of whether it's because they couldn't find an apartment or they found an apartment and and there was some sort of delay, an internal delay?
Jacques Jiha
1:27:47
Again, that's that it's what we know.
1:27:49
It's we have a housing, major housing shortage in New York City.
1:27:54
And this is at the end of the day, this is what we have to address.
1:27:58
And
Carolyn Conroy
1:27:58
I I I
Diana Ayala
1:27:59
get that, but I want you to listen to me sometimes.
Jacques Jiha
1:28:01
Yeah.
1:28:01
Okay.
Diana Ayala
1:28:02
There is a problem with the administration of the processing of the vouchers.
1:28:06
Some I'm not saying that that's a 100% of the time, but I'm saying, that there is a problem.
1:28:12
I I personally make you know, a number of calls Mhmm.
1:28:15
Just to try to get the, you know, the process expedited for folks that already have had an apartment and have been waiting for months.
1:28:24
So that should be looked at at minimum?
Jacques Jiha
1:28:28
Yes.
1:28:29
I mean, I hear you and we added a lot of staff, okay, to this.
1:28:37
Again, as I said, this is something that we've been doing and in terms of adding resources Yeah.
1:28:45
To to DHS so that DHS could deal with this issue.
1:28:51
Right now, we have like they have 236 staff currently working.
Diana Ayala
1:28:55
How much?
Jacques Jiha
1:28:56
236.
1:28:59
Folks working on the system.
1:29:00
And in addition, we have all the providers also currently also work on this as part of the process because we try as best as we can.
1:29:10
And that's the reason why we have such a big increase, okay, is because there is a big increase in the number of shelters Play Smith.
1:29:18
And so we're making progress.
1:29:20
But again, as I said, it's the challenge is on the other side of the ledger, which is housing supply.
Diana Ayala
1:29:30
Do we have any vacancies?
Jacques Jiha
1:29:32
Yes.
1:29:32
We do.
1:29:34
It's about 77.
Diana Ayala
1:29:38
77 vacancies.
1:29:40
Are those subject to the pack for the free?
Jacques Jiha
1:29:43
No.
1:29:43
They could they they they could hire.
1:29:46
They exempt it.
Diana Ayala
1:29:48
Okay.
1:29:55
Still no money for the vouchers, for the extra vouchers?
Jacques Jiha
1:29:59
This there's a open notification as you know, and I would defer any question to the rural department.