PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Graham Horn, Staff Attorney at New York Legal Assistance Group on CityFHEPS Voucher Program
1:42:51
ยท
144 sec
Graham Horn, a staff attorney at New York Legal Assistance Group, provides testimony on the challenges and needed improvements in the CityFHEPS voucher program. He highlights issues with the shelter system, voucher discrimination, and bureaucratic problems that affect both voucher holders and landlords.
- Suggests implementing an online portal system to improve application transparency and reduce wait times
- Recommends switching to digitized check issuance to minimize payment delays
- Calls for increased staffing at all levels of DSS to improve access to help for voucher holders and shelter guests
Graham Horn
1:42:51
Good morning.
1:42:52
My name is Graham Horn, and I'm a staff attorney with New York Legal Assistance Group where I work on the shelter and economic stability project and on the community access program.
1:43:00
I wanna start by thanking the council for your work to expand access to city FEPs, and I look forward to continuing to partner with you to push for the enactment of those laws.
1:43:08
Our shelter system is broken.
1:43:10
Our city FEPs voucher system is broken, And we particularly feel the pain of overcrowded shelters and apartments standing empty on code blue nights when the temperature drops below 32 degrees.
1:43:22
We've had quite a number of those in a row where my clients and our neighbors are refused access to shelters and drop in centers that are at capacity.
1:43:30
We've also heard a lot today about source of income discrimination.
1:43:34
The voucher system is primed for discrimination of all types with little little oversight and weak enforcement.
1:43:40
At the same time, brokers and landlords are also wary of working with the city because of the bureaucratic problems with the city FEPPS program.
1:43:47
Payments are late.
1:43:48
Benefits get shut off without warning.
1:43:51
There are massive delays between voucher approval and move in dates.
1:43:54
There's even a website, a a a kind of blog of sorts where brokers and landlords share horror stories about working with DSS.
1:44:02
The bureaucratic morass of the CITFEP's programs cuts against my clients as well in multiple ways.
1:44:08
We know that an apartment is a better foundation for a family than a shelter and for an individual, and it's cheaper for the city to put them in apartments than hold them in shelters.
1:44:17
So what do we need to do?
1:44:19
We've heard a lot today and great suggestions all around.
1:44:22
An online portal system that would allow all stakeholders, brokers, landlords, and voucher holders to see the status of their applications, to see which specific forms have been kicked back for minor errors would dramatically cut down on wait times, alleviate some of the burden on shelter, housing specialists who are incredibly overworked and I'm sure underpaid.
1:44:43
A switch to digitized check issuance, where possible, would cut back on delays related to mailed or misplaced and check cashing errors.
1:44:52
Moreover, increased staffing at all levels of the DSS chain in shelter, at HRA, at home base, so that voucher holders and all DHS guests are able to access their help directly instead of needing advocates like us to navigate those systems for them.
1:45:09
Please see my submitted testimony for more details.
1:45:11
I look forward to continuing to work with the committee and the council at large.
1:45:14
Thank you.